Seamus Coleman, the 35-year-old captain of Everton, has signed a one-year contract extension to remain with the club for his 16th season. Coleman, who joined Everton from Sligo Rovers in 2009 for £60,000, holds a club record with 363 Premier League appearances. Despite injuries limiting him to 12 appearances last season, Coleman expressed his commitment to contribute both on and off the pitch. Everton manager Sean Dyche praised Coleman as a "model professional" whose leadership is valuable for the team. Everton finished 15th in the Premier League last season.
Aston Villa's business president, Chris Heck, highlighted the club’s ambitions under V Sports ownership. With a fourth-place finish last season and a Champions League campaign ahead, Villa aims to boost revenues to £400 million by 2027 to remain competitive. Heck emphasized Unai Emery’s leadership and the club’s strong fanbase as assets for becoming a continuous top performer in European football. Aston Villa is positioning itself to break into the Premier League’s 'big six.'
Ahead of Euro 2024, UEFA announced several new rule changes aimed at enhancing the fan experience and speeding up play. Matches will no longer have extended stoppage times, and only team captains can speak to referees. VAR decisions will be explained in detail on big screens, and a new motion-sensing microchip in the ball will provide precise data for critical calls, similar to cricket’s Snickometer technology.
Birmingham City defender Dion Sanderson issued an apology after a challenging season that saw the club relegated to League One. Sanderson, who faced off-field issues including a drink-driving charge, was stripped of the captaincy for the final matches of the season. He has been training with Redditch United and is focused on improving for the upcoming season under new manager Chris Davies. Sanderson expressed his dedication to helping Birmingham City recover from their recent setbacks.