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Football rumours: Ivan Toney can leave Brentford if the price is right

Brentford would be willing to let England striker Ivan Toney leave the club if their £60million valuation is met, the Sunday Mirror reports.

Footballer Jenni Hermoso says ‘in no moment’ was kiss with Luis Rubiales consensual

BARCELONA, Spain: Spanish soccer player Jenni Hermoso said Friday that ‘in no moment’ did she consent to a kiss by soccer federation president Luis Rubiales. Hermoso issued a statement through her union hours after Rubiales claimed in an emergency meeting of the Spanish soccer federation that the kiss was consensual. Facing his possible removal from office, Rubiales refused to step down despite the uproar he caused with the kiss, which happened during a medals ceremony last Sunday after the Women’s World Cup final in Sydney, Australia. “I won’t resign,” Luis Rubiales declared four times in quick succession at the meeting. The 46-year-old Rubiales, who was also chastised for grabbing his crotch after Spain’s 1-0 victory over England on Sunday, is under immense pressure to leave his post. The kiss marred the title celebrations in front of a global audience, and criticism has steadily mounted. Spain’s acting prime minister, players unions, players for Spain’s women’s team, and even some players on men’s teams have said he must go. Several Spanish news media outlets reported on Thursday that Rubiales would step down.

FIFA opens disciplinary proceedings against Rubiales over kiss

LAUSANNE: FIFA opened disciplinary proceedings against Luis Rubiales on Thursday after the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president kissed Spain star Jenni Hermoso following the Women’s World Cup final last weekend. “The FIFA disciplinary committee informed Luis Rubiales, president of the Spanish Football Association, today that it is opening disciplinary proceedings against him based on the events that occurred during the final,” world football’s governing body said in a statement. FIFA said the incident “may constitute violations of article 13 paragraphs 1 and 2 of the FIFA disciplinary code.” Spain star Hermoso released a joint statement with union Futpro on Wednesday, which called for action to be taken against the RFEF president. “We are working to ensure that acts such as those we have seen never go unpunished, that they are sanctioned and that the exemplary measures are adopted to protect women footballers from actions that we believe are unacceptable,” the statement said. Human rights organization Amnesty International offered their backing to Hermoso on Thursday. “Amnesty International wants to show their support for the demands of the player, who has asked the (RFEF) to set underway ‘exemplary measures’ regarding the non-consensual kiss,” said the organization in a statement. “(We) underline that this behavior is a form of sexual violence like any other, and cannot be justified in any way.” Spain’s women’s football league, Liga F, has also called for Rubiales to be sacked. The RFEF have opened an investigation into Rubiales’ conduct and are holding an emergency meeting on Friday. Rubiales, 46, initially attacked his critics before eventually apologizing but the criticism of his behavior has not abated. Spa

Iglesias quits Spain’s men’s team after Rubiales refuses to resign

BARCELONA: Spanish striker Borja Iglesias quit the men’s national team on Friday after federation president Luis Rubiales refused to resign following his unsolicited kiss of a star of the Women’s World Cup. The Real Betis forward, who has played twice for his country, most recently in March, took a stand against the Spanish football federation (RFEF) chief’s decision to reuse to quit. Rubiales, 46, provoked world outrage by grabbing Hermoso by the head and kissing her on the lips during the medal ceremony after Spain beat England 1-0 to triumph in the final in Sydney on Sunday. “As a player and as a person I do not feel represented by what happened,” said Iglesias on social network X, formerly known as Twitter. “Wearing the Spain shirt is one of the best things that has happened to me in my career. “I don’t know if in another moment I will be available again, but I have taken the decision not to return to the national team until things change, and these type of acts don’t go unpunished. He added he was acting “for a more just, human and decent football.” In refusing to stand down on Friday, Rubiales said in a defensive and fiery speech at a football federation emergency meeting that he was suffering a public “assassination” and railed against “false feminism.” The federation president claimed his kiss was “mutual, euphoric and consensual.”