DAVID MOYES REVEALS "NERVES" AS EVERTON HUNT HISTORIC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUALIFICATION SPOT
David Moyes admits Everton's Champions League hunt is nerve-wracking. See the latest on the Toffees' battle for Europe.
David Moyes admits the idea of Everton making the Champions League this soon in their rebuild actually makes him “shake a wee bit.”
You look at the club now, and it's hard to believe where they were just 14 months ago. When Moyes returned, Everton looked beaten down from years of fighting to stay up. Suddenly, with only seven games left, they’re sitting eighth. That spot could mean Europa Conference League football, but after their win against Chelsea before the break, they’re now just three points off fourth. It’s wild to even talk about the Champions League, but it’s right there in reach.
Reporters put the question to him how does it feel to be this close? With Europe’s spots possibly extending down to fifth (or maybe even further, depending on how other English clubs do), Moyes wasn’t hiding his nerves: “It’s probably the best shot we’ve had in a long time. But when I hear ‘Champions League’? Makes me shake a wee bit, honestly. I’ve been lucky to manage in Europe’s other competitions lately, and if we do make it, I’m sure we’d be able to hold our own at certain stages. Still, the Champions League is just on another level.”
Everton’s next match at Brentford looks huge for their European dreams. Brentford beat them earlier in the season, and right now, both teams are level, separated only by goal difference.
Moyes is clearly enjoying this chapter. “Listen, Europe’s Europe. If someone had said at the start, ‘You’re going to get European football,’ we’d have snapped their hand off. It could be the tiddlywinks European cup, and we’d be up for it. Evertonians want the club back in those conversations. We’re getting attention for the new stadium, we’ve got a couple of England internationals getting noticed more, it’s a good time. If we do sneak into the Champions League, it’d be an unbelievable achievement. But honestly, no matter which competition we make, it’s still a big step forward for us.”
DORTMUND "CRYSTAL CLEAR" ON SANCHO INTEREST AS MANCHESTER UNITED CONTRACT NEARS END
Jadon Sancho could return to Dortmund for a third time. Get the latest on his Man Utd contract and Villa loan.
Borussia Dortmund have made their interest in bringing Jadon Sancho back crystal clear. With his Manchester United contract finishing up this June, Dortmund are looking into the possibility of a third spell for the 26-year-old winger. Still, there’s a catch: they’ll only move forward if Sancho is willing to take a big pay cut from what he’s earning now.
Dortmund are really eyeing this reunion. After a tough run for Sancho in the Premier League, the club is weighing a move to bring him back to the Signal Iduna Park. He’s currently on loan at Aston Villa, and his time at United looks to be wrapping up five years after that big £73 million switch to Old Trafford. He hasn’t managed to settle in England, never really hitting top form, yet the people at Dortmund still believe that coming home could spark the kind of performances that once made him one of Europe’s most exciting wingers.
As for the next steps, Dortmund’s staff are working through their list of summer targets, and Sancho’s name keeps cropping up. But money’s making things tricky; he’s on a hefty £15 million a year right now, which is a stretch for Dortmund. Talking to SPORT BILD, managing director Lars Ricken kept things pretty open: "We’re currently looking at a lot of players and analysing them closely. We check whether they can make us better. We’re doing that with Jadon as well."
Sancho’s move to Manchester United was supposed to be a dream come true, but it hasn’t played out that way. After a rocky couple of seasons at United, he showed flashes of his old self on loan at Dortmund, but his temporary move to Chelsea fizzled. Now at Villa, he’s not finding it easy either, just one goal and three assists in 31 games, with less than half as a starter.
As his contract runs down, everything hinges on whether Sancho is ready to give up a chunk of his wages to come back to Germany. Dortmund think he has what it takes to revive his career, and for Sancho, this could be the lifeline he needs.
NICKY BUTT BACKS JAMES GARNER FOR "STUNNING" MANCHESTER UNITED RETURN THIS SUMMER
James Garner shines for England as Nicky Butt backs the Everton man for a Manchester United homecoming in 2026.
Nicky Butt wants Manchester United to bring James Garner back to Old Trafford after Garner’s standout season at Everton. He came up through United’s academy and then went out on loan at Watford and Forest. Four years back, he moved to Everton for £15 million. Now, he’s become a crucial player in David Moyes’ lineup, picking up eight goal contributions as Everton fights for a European spot.
Garner’s club performances earned him his first England call-up last month. He played in both games against Uruguay and Japan, and England manager Thomas Tuchel praised him afterwards.
United’s midfield needs a shakeup, especially with Casemiro on his way out. Butt knows United are looking for new options, and he can picture Garner wearing red again, even if a summer move would be tricky. Liverpool’s interested too, so it’s not a straightforward deal.
Butt talked to Paddy Power about Garner and said, “I don’t see why he couldn’t be back at United. He’s doing well for a big club that expects a lot week in, week out. He knows United, and he’s showing everyone what he can do right now. He just needs to keep it up next season. It’s probably a little early for United to splash big cash, but I’m confident he’s got what it takes.”
Butt helped guide Garner during his time at United’s academy. He admits Garner wasn't quite ready back then, but moving on gave him the chance to kick-start his career. Butt compares him to himself, not the flashiest player, but with relentless drive and desire.
After England’s disappointing results against Uruguay and Japan, Tuchel’s final World Cup squad is facing extra scrutiny. Butt can’t imagine Garner missing out. “He’s been phenomenal this season and has done himself a huge favour. He’s got it all: the passing, the tackling, the defending, the sprinting. He reminds me of a less polished Gerrard, maybe not as good, but he has that same energy and versatility. He’ll definitely be on the plane.”
And with Manchester United’s recent strong run under Michael Carrick, the big question is whether the club should make him the permanent manager. If they keep playing like this, it’s hard to argue against giving him the job.
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