Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Pearson closing in on a deal for King
Premier League-winning midfielder set to sign for City after release from Leuven
ANDY King is set to become Nigel Pearson’s first summer signing as Bristol City boss, with the midfielder understood to have agreed personal terms.
King, 32, is a free agent following his release from Belgian side OH Leuven and, subject to a medical, should become a Robins player by next week following former Leicester City teammate Danny Simpson to the West Country.
King last played in the Sky Bet
Championship in the 19/20 season for Huddersfield, playing 14 times on loan from the Foxes before he left the King Power Stadium after 12 years.
He should become the first of Pearson’s intended five signings this summer with the Robins manager keen to add two centre-backs, two central midfielders and a striker.
King, of course, fits the middle section of that list which could be completed if Matty James also agrees on a switch to BS3, and it is believed that talks are progressing and an agreement is close to being finalised.
The signing of King fits a similar profile to when Chris Brunt was signed by Dean Holden last year, with Pearson looking to bring greater leadership and experience, not just to the midfield, but the dressing room and club as a whole.
The veteran will join a group of central midfielders including Tyreeq Bakinson, Adam Nagy, Han-Noah Massengo, Joe Williams and James Morton, but the average age of that quintet is 22, with Nagy the senior player having just turned 26.
King and, hopefully, James would therefore provide greater experience and a sense of Championship nous
SWEDEN closed in on reaching the European Championship knockout stages for the first time since 2004 with a 1-0 victory over Slovakia yesterday afternoon.
Emil Forsberg’s 77th-minute spotkick settled an encounter which was low on chances and entertainment, but lifted Jan Andersson’s side on to four points, leaving Slovakia likely needing to get a result against Spain in their final Group E game to progress.
After their draw in the opener against Spain, in which they had just 15 per cent possession, Sweden were again content to concede the majority of the ball to their unambitious opponents.
It led to a dour game which only briefly sprang to life around the hour mark with a flurry of chances which culminated in Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka bringing down substitute Robin Quaison to allow Forsberg to end the team’s run of 365 minutes without a goal at the Euros.
Slovakia forced the first genuine save in the 58th minute when Robin Olsen, who spent last season on loan at Everton, tipped over a header from Juraj Kucka only for the offside flag to go up.
Dubravka made a similarly good save from Ludwig Augustinsson, who rose highest to meet Sebastian Larsson’s cross.
The Czech Republic took a huge step towards qualifying for the last 16 in an entertaining 1-1 draw against Croatia at Hampden Park.
The Czechs opened the scoring via a controversial first-half Patrik Schick penalty, after referee Carlos del Cerro Grande checked the pitchside monitor and awarded the spot-kick for a Dejan Lovren foul on Schick.
Lovren caught Schick’s nose with his elbow as the pair jumped.
Croatia, however, sprung into life in the second half, with Ivan Perisic equalising two minutes after the restart with a fine individual effort.
England’s Group D clash with Scotland concluded after the Daily Press deadline last night.
Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen has been discharged from hospital after a successful operation to fit a defibrillator implant.
The 29-year-old Inter Milan playmaker had to be resuscitated on the pitch at the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen after suffering a cardiac arrest during the first half of his side’s 1-0 Euro 2020 Group B defeat to Finland on Saturday evening.
Eriksen has returned home after having an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) fitted while also visiting his Denmark team-mates.
He added in a statement: “Thank you all for the massive number of greetings, it has been incredible to see. It was great to see the guys.”