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India’s coach also suggested that the team might continue to rest and rotate players over the coming 12 months

Sreshth Shah21-Nov-20211:46

Should Axar, Ashwin, Chahal and Harshal be in the squad for India’s next series?

India may have just swept the T20 World Cup runners-up 3-0 in his first series as full-time head coach, but Rahul Dravid wants to take a “realistic” view of where the team stands. He is mindful, in particular, of New Zealand’s hectic schedule: they began this T20I series just three days after their World Cup final defeat in Dubai, while missing their captain Kane Williamson.Watch live cricket on ESPN+ in the US

Sign up for ESPN+ and catch all the action from India vs New Zealand live in the US. Match highlights of the third T20I is available here in English, and here in Hindi (US only).

“We have to keep our feet on the ground and be realistic, especially with bigger things down the line in the next 12 months,” Dravid told host broadcaster Star Sports after the third T20I in Kolkata. “It’s not easy for New Zealand to play a World Cup final, turn up three days later, and play three games in six days. We knew it was never going to be easy on them.”While New Zealand were without Williamson through the series and rested stand-in captain Tim Southee for the last match, India, too, missed key personnel, with Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja rested. Dravid said the big positive from the series win was the performance of the players who got chances in the absence of the seniors.Harshal Patel was one of the finds of the series, taking four wickets in two games and contributing a lower-order cameo in Kolkata•Getty Images

Harshal Patel picked up four wickets in two games while returning an economy rate of 7.28, and also contributed a useful lower-order cameo in Kolkata. Axar Patel, standing in for Jadeja, played all three games and ended the series with a Player-of-the-Match-winning three-wicket haul in the final T20I. There were promising displays from the debutant allrounder Venkatesh Iyer and the back-up opener and wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan as well.”It’s been great to see the younger guys come through, we’ve given opportunity to some of the guys who haven’t played too much cricket in the last few months with the seniors taking rest,” Dravid said. “The greatest takeaway for us is to see the skills available to us. We need to continue developing those skills.”Related

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Dravid said that with player workloads in focus over a packed upcoming 12 months, India are likely to continue resting key players across the year and giving new players regular game time. That thought process was in full view in Kolkata, where KL Rahul and R Ashwin – two players who are set to feature in the upcoming Test series – were rested after victory was secured in Ranchi.”It’s really nice that we have options,” Dravid said. “We can mix and match. Its going to be a long season, lots of games to be played till the next World Cup and we need to do that [rest and rotate] with some of our players and be realistic about how much cricket needs to be played.”

The panel said it “was not reasonable for Azeem to have been offended”

George Dobell01-Nov-2021At least one Yorkshire player admitted to regularly using the term ‘P**i’ when talking to Azeem Rafiq, according to the report into racism at the club. But he was cleared of wrongdoing on the basis that it was perceived as, what the report says was, friendly, good-natured “banter” between the two players.The player also admitted to telling other people “don’t talk to him [Rafiq], he’s a P**i”, asking “is that your uncle?” when they saw bearded Asian men and saying “does your dad own those?” in reference to corner shops.Despite admitting recalling that Rafiq broke down in tears at one point, the player insisted he had no idea he was causing offence and would have stopped if Rafiq had asked.The individual concerned, who ESPNcricinfo have chosen not to name, is a current senior player at the club.Related

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Gary Ballance admits to racial slur against 'closest friend' Azeem Rafiq

While the investigating team (the lawyers who were charged with gathering evidence for the report) found such comments to be “capable of creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment…” and accepted Rafiq’s “evidence that he was offended, degraded or humiliated and that this amounted to harassment under the Equality Act and the Club’s Equal Opportunities policy”, the panel (who were charged with making conclusions and recommendations and which included a non-executive member of the Yorkshire board) disagreed.Their conclusions state “The Panel does not accept that Azeem was offended by [the other player’s] comments, either at the time they were made or subsequently.”They go on to say that, in the context of “banter between friends” Rafiq might be “expected to take such comments in the spirit in which they were intended (i.e. good natured banter between friends)… [so] it was not reasonable for Azeem to have been offended by [the other player] directing equally offensive or derogatory comments back at him in the same spirit of friendly banter.”Indeed, the panel accuses Rafiq of using “offensive, racially derogatory comments” when referring to a player of Zimbabwean heritage as “Zimbo from Zimbabwe”. The panel viewed this as “a racist, derogatory term” and recommends that, were Rafiq still a Yorkshire player, he should face disciplinary action for using it.The revelation, which comes days after Yorkshire announced that none of their players, coaches or executives would face disciplinary action as a result of the investigation, may increase doubts over the process and the report that has produced. In particular, equating the terms ‘P**i’, which is a long-established derogatory term with a history of racist usage, and ‘Zimbo’, which is generally held to be an abbreviation akin to Aussie or Kiwi without pejorative association, is likely to raise eyebrows.The ECB, who have been sent Yorkshire’s report in recent days after several month’s delay, are currently reviewing the information.

Aston Villa have submitted an offer worth £12.5 million to sign a player from Barcelona in January, according to a new report. Morale is extremely high at Villa Park right now, as the Midlands side have once again made an impressive start to the season, and that continued in midweek as they brushed Bologna aside to make it three wins from three in the Champions League.

Aston Villa set to offer rising star a new contract amid Arsenal interest

Aston Villa are keen to tie down one of their promising stars to a new contract.

ByBrett Worthington Oct 23, 2024 Aston Villa transfer news

Despite Villa’s excellent start to the season, they already have their eyes on ways of improving their squad for either when January arrives or for next summer. This is because the Villans were linked with a move for Bryan Mbeumo of Brentford, a player who has made an excellent start to this Premier League campaign.

Mbeumo has been an impressive player for Brentford for a couple of seasons now and has interest from teams such as Villa, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Newcastle United. The Villans are now keeping a close eye on the forward ahead of the upcoming transfer windows.

Meanwhile, Villa are also planning to offer goalkeeper Oliwier Zych a new contract, amid interest from teams like Arsenal and Brighton. The 20-year-old has yet to feature for the first team but has been impressing in the under-21s, and given he has caught the attention of other Premier League teams, Villa are keen to tie the shot stopper down to a new deal.

Aston Villa make £12.5m bid to sign Barcelona's Ferran Torres

According to reports from Spain, Aston Villa have submitted a 15 million euros bid (£12.5 million) for Ferran Torres of Barcelona. The Midlands outfit already have plenty of options going forward, but manager Unai Emery is keen to bring in the Spanish forward to further strengthen his options for the rest of the campaign.

Torres, who was hailed as being “brilliant” by Pep Guardiola during his time at Manchester City, has been at Barça since January 2022. This season has been a bit of a struggle for the forward however, as he’s found himself in and out of the starting XI.

The 24 year-old, who earns £165,000 a week, could now be set for a return to England, as Villa have made an offer. However, Barça will only consider selling Torres should a transfer fee of 25 million euros (£21m) be reached.

Apps

28

Goals

9

Assists

3

Barça boss Hansi Flick doesn’t consider Torres an important player in his tactical approach, so Villa are ready to make a move in January, as they see him as a player who can help them in the Premier League and the Champions League, as they look to progress even further in both competitions. Torres is said to be considering an exit, especially if he is given the opportunity to join a team where he is guaranteed more minutes.

When it rains… Everton’s wretched start to the season drags on, with a forlorn Sean Dyche watching from the sideline as Ashley Young’s sudden death spot kick was saved in the penalty shootout against Southampton in the Carabao Cup.

Everton had taken the lead in the first half after Abdoulaye Doucoure nodded home after 20 minutes, though Taylor Harwood-Bellis restored parity for the visitors shortly after the 30-minute mark, notching a thumping header of his own.

The hosts had opportunities to win but will rue some poor finishing and an inability to gain control throughout the affair – Southampton dominated and claimed 74% total possession.

Still, the chances were there. Jesper Lindstrom had the pick(s) of the bunch and will hang his head after a match that could have marked an emphatic introduction to Merseyside.

Jesper Lindstrom let Sean Dyche down

Lindstrom signed for the Toffees this summer, moving from Napoli on an initial loan deal that could extend to a permanent stay down the line.

He was the most prominent forward against Southampton, with his 40 touches more than any other Everton player beyond the defence.

He did, however, miss form great chances to score, missing two big opportunities. The 24-year-old Dane clearly brings some new dynamism to the table, but he will need to take some loping strides if he is to earn a regular starting berth in the team.

He wasn’t the only one to struggle, however. Indeed, at least he fired away at the Saints goal. Iliman Ndiaye put in a decent showing in the Carabao Cup but failed to actually offer much attacking substance.

Iliman Ndiaye's performance in numbers

Ndiaye, another summer addition, netted in the previous round against Doncaster Rovers but failed to add to that first strike last night.

Iliman Ndiaye: Stats vs Southampton
Match Stats	#
Minutes played	90′
Shots (on target)	0 (0)
Key passes	0
Crosses	0
Dribbles (completed)	3 (2)
Tackles	1
Interceptions	1
Total duels (won)	9 (4)
Dribbled past	2x
Stats via Sofascore

Writing in his post-match ratings, Liverpool World’s Will Rooney gave him a poor 5/10 score and said of the Senegalese: ‘Had a couple of moments when he got fans off their seats with the ball at his feet in the first half. Moved into a centre-forward role midway through the second period but couldn’t really impact the game. Bagged the third penalty in the shootout.’

Make no mistake, Ndiaye is invariably dangerous due to his fleet-footed and electric motions, but he needed to offer more having failed to register a single key pass or have a shot at goal in normal time. It wasn’t… toothless, per se, but it was a performance that left plenty to be desired against a Southampton side that could have been there for the taking.

He has all the tools to hit that vein of potency that would really propel him to upper standing in the Everton squad, but the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin can’t do it all, and if he fails to take a shot or even make an impactful pass, he won’t elevate to the next level.

Everton struck gold on Lampard's free transfer who's now worth £17m

The former manager didn’t inspire the club on the pitch, yet he made some decent signings…

By
Ross Kilvington

Sep 16, 2024

MatériaMais Notícias

A classificação inédita para a Copa Libertadores do ano que vem e a campanha como semifinalista da Copa do Brasil tornaram a temporada de 2021 uma das mais importantes na história do Fortaleza. O caminho para o sucesso, porém, começou a ser trilhado há quatro anos quando o clube subiu da Série C depois de oito temporadas. Mesmo com uma derrota diante do Tupi-MG, fora de casa, em 2017, o Leão confirmou o acesso à Série B do Brasileiro.

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>Aplicativo de resultados do LANCE! está disponível na versão iOS

O ano seguinte, em 2018, também foi marcante. Sob o comando de Rogério Ceni, veio o acesso à Série A e o título da Série B. Em 2019, a vaga inédita na Sul-Americana resultou no confronto com o Independiente no ano seguinte em que, apesar da eliminação na Arena Castelão, o clube fez um jogo histórico em Buenos Aires. Durante esse período, o Fortaleza venceu três vezes o Campeonato Cearense e foi campeão da Copa do Nordeste pela primeira vez.

– É a realização de um sonho. Se você chegasse para um torcedor em 2016 e falasse que o Fortaleza estaria na Libertadores em cinco anos, seria chamado de lunático. São feitos inesquecíveis, eu tenho muito orgulho de ter feito parte dessa trajetória, que envolve muito trabalho, organização, disciplina, profissionalismo e o apoio incondicional da nossa torcida, que esteve presente em todos os momentos – declara Marcelo Paz, presidente do Leão.

A equipe cearense é a quarta da região a participar do principal torneio continental da América, mas a conquista através de um campeonato por pontos corridos é inédita. Antes do Fortaleza, Bahia, Sport e Náutico já disputaram a competição, porém nenhum deles se classificou no formato atual do Campeonato Brasileiro.

O sucesso na adaptação do técnico argentino Juan Pablo Vojvoda e a solidez apresentada no início do campeonato trouxeram tranquilidade: o Fortaleza foi o único time que ficou no G6 em todas as rodadas do Brasileirão.

Paz assumiu o cargo em 2017 e, após a contratação de Rogério Ceni como técnico, determinou a construção do Centro de Excelência Alcides Santos. A estrutura de treinamento teve o aval do ex-goleiro e técnico que participou da idealização das estruturas de treinamento com melhorias nos gramados, academia, hotéis e vestiários. Neste ano, mesmo com a pandemia, o clube se manteve equilibrado financeiramente, fez apenas contratações pontuais e não atrasou salários.

Faltando duas rodadas para o fim do Campeonato Brasileiro, o clube ainda pode bater mais um recorde. Caso conquiste quatro dos seis pontos em disputa, alcançará a melhor campanha de um clube nordestino no atual formato do Brasileirão. A marca pertence atualmente ao Vitória, que fez 59 pontos em 2013, mas ficou na quinta posição e não se classificou para a Libertadores.

Newcastle United were unable to adorn St. James’ Park with bells and whistles this summer but they did bolster their backline and they also avoided a detrimental sale of a key first-team star.

Heading into the transfer window, Eddie Howe’s outfit clearly needed reinforcements after turning up a day late and a dollar short in the race for European qualification, one year on from the victorious and unforeseen campaign toward the top four, earning a place in the Champions League.

But it was a season of misfortune for the Magpies, who were knocked by persistent injuries and ultimately finished seventh in the Premier League, losing their Conference League qualifying spot after Manchester United, who finished eighth, won the FA Cup.

It must be said that while Newcastle kept the essence of their project intact, they didn’t make any actual improvements to their frontline, missing out on top attacking target Anthony Elanga.

Why Newcastle wanted Anthony Elanga

There was plenty of talk about Miguel Almiron’s future on Tyneside this summer. The Paraguayan winger has been a stalwart over the years but is not prolific enough to warrant a regular starting spot on the flank. Jacob Murphy is another to play a present part in Howe’s plans, but he too could be displaced by a superior wideman.

24/25

2 (0)

0

0

23/24

23 (13)

3

1

22/23

29 (24)

11

5

21/22

19 (8)

1

0

20/21

28 (22)

4

1

19/20

35 (34)

4

2

18/19

9 (8)

0

0

The 30-year-old could still make an impact this season, but a player of Elanga’s quality could have made a positive impact on Howe’s unit, taking the starring role on the right and allowing his older peers to contribute when called upon.

Last summer, Nottingham Forest signed Elanga from Manchester United for a fee believed to be £15m. The winger, who completed a five-year move, had shown promise at Old Trafford but was not going to work his way into Erik ten Hag’s starting lineup.

Their loss. The Tricky Trees thoroughly enjoyed his performances last season, with Elanga wrapping up the campaign with five goals and nine assists across his 36 Premier League fixtures, proving to be instrumental in the (successful) fight to stay in the division.

He might be waiting for his first goal contribution of the current campaign but the Sweden international hasn’t exactly been slacking, with an average 91% pass completion rate and 2.7 key passes per game across his opening top-flight appearances, as per Sofascore.

It’s no surprise that Newcastle have a vested interest in his signature. The Toon had been hoping to sign him on a £45m deal in the summer but were batted away with each advance.

It’s a rueful one. He’d be deadly on the right wing, and the perfect partner for Anthony Gordon on the alternate – a player who is even more valuable than him.

Anthony Gordon is shaping into a superstar

Gordon is turning into quite the player. His voracious love for reading and determined personality are eloquent of his elite mindset, and his performances in Newcastle colours have been indicative of just that.

It hasn’t always been plain sailing for the England international on Tyneside, who forced his way out of Everton in January 2023 and signed for £45m. Across the latter half of the 2022/23 campaign, Gordon worked hard but to little avail, scoring his first goal on the final day, during a 1-1 draw with Chelsea.

Last season, however, he put any notion of being a ‘flop’ to bed, actually winning Newcastle’s Player of the Season award after scoring 12 goals and claiming 11 assists across all competitions, hailed by Bruno Guimaraes for his “unbelievable” performances.

Matches (starts)

35 (34)

36 (25)

Goals

11

5

Assists

10

9

Touches

44.9

30.5

Shots (on target)*

2.3 (0.9)

1.5 (0.6)

Big chances created

16

14

Pass completion

82%

75%

Key passes*

1.6

0.9

Tackles + interceptions*

1.8

1.1

Ball recoveries*

3.6

2.7

Dribbles*

1.5

0.8

Total duels won*

5.3

2.9

The 23-year-old is only going to get better and better, and while he has a distance to go before sitting alongside Europe’s very finest attacking midfielders, he carries the trappings of such a player, with the profile of a top, top superstar.

After all, he caught Liverpool’s attention during the off-season…

Anthony Gordon's market value in 2024/25

Liverpool were interested in signing Gordon this summer, with a £75m deal preliminarily in place that would see the winger return to Merseyside and Liverpool’s Joe Gomez head to St. James’ Park in return.

Newcastle circumvented their PSR problem without losing any of their most important players – namely, Gordon, Guimaraes and Alexander Isak.

It was fantastic that this was achieved, especially when considering the gravitas of Newcastle’s task: restoring its place among Europe’s elite and continuing to push for silverware.

Gordon will be instrumental in this regard. Signing Elanga would have been nice, but he’s not performing at the same level as Gordon, who is combative, cultured and creative – the full package, and he’s “fearless” besides, as has been said by Alan Shearer.

A player on the rise, the Englishman was only actually valued at £7m, as per Transfermarkt, at the time at which PIF took over Newcastle back in late 2021, although he has since soared to that £75m price tag – an increase of 971%.

When we look back at Newcastle’s summer activity, there might be an element of regret at having not bolstered as had been desired, but keeping a grip on a player of Gordon’s ilk might just prove to be more influential than the signing of Elanga would ever have been.

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1 ByRoss Kilvington Sep 10, 2024

Teams bracing for a “difficult but not impossible” time as temperatures expected to rise to 40 degrees Celsius during the day

Umar Farooq26-May-2021

With six double-headers scheduled, the day games in Abu Dhabi will start at 5 PM, when the mercury still hovers around 35 degrees Celsius•Abu Dhabi Cricket

Coconut water, ice collars and vests, and more breaks. Those are just some of the ways in which Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises will combat the extreme weather conditions the players are set to face in Abu Dhabi in June.UAE has never hosted elite cricket at this time of year due to the summer heat, with nearly all high-level competitions played during the winter and spring months. But the lack of a more feasible window to play the remainder of the PSL’s games postponed from March meant there were few other choices.With the forecast expected to rise to about 40 degrees Celsius during the day, most of the games will be played at night, when the weather is cooler. However, six double-headers are scheduled, which will mean day games starting by 5PM at the latest, when the mercury still hovers around 35 degrees Celsius most days. The night games, while lower in temperatures, will see increased humidity, somewhere between 50% and 65%.Related

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Group of PSL players and staff to leave for Abu Dhabi via Bahrain

“This will be difficult but not impossible,” Mohammad Akram, Peshawar Zalmi head coach, told ESPNcricinfo. “We all are working on making plans for how to cope with such conditions, especially fast bowlers. We have a strategy to use coconut water as much as we can to maintain body temperature. We need to keep the boys hydrated and avoid the risk of cramping. Since most of the games will be played at night, we are not worried about heat strokes.”It’s more about how we combat the humidity. Hence, the use of coconut water helps us against the risk of losing electrolytes from the body. I am not sure if more than two or three extra breaks are feasible in between the innings but we plan to supply coconut water at the boundary especially for the bowlers.”Aqib Javed has played in the UAE, as well as coached the national side from 2012-2016, to understand the effect this kind of heat can have on the body. He said that June, while not ideal, was manageable.”In June, the nights aren’t as hot as the days – the temperature drops and the sea breeze allows you to settle,” Javed told ESPNcricinfo. “The boys in Pakistan are used to coping with some challenging conditions. The only worry is the first innings in the first games that will start around 5PM, but once the sun goes down they will cope.”Javed did acknowledge the heat could pose extra challenges when it came to player performance.”Fitness is important as usual and players have attained the highest level of fitness these days. But still, the idea of having short breaks every seven overs can be handy. But we don’t know what to expect right now. But everyone is a professional and everyone will come prepared about every aspect of the game. Normally I would suggest teams should have come two weeks earlier to acclimate with the conditions but with the tight schedule that’s tricky.”Franchises are investing in ice vests for their players to wear on the field and there has been talk of using lighter material for team kits. When negotiations were on last week between the PCB and Abu Dhabi authorities and it looked as if the season may be postponed, talk had turned to moving the league at the last minute to Dubai instead. One of the advantages Dubai was citing was its stadium, built in such a way that it provides a fair degree of shade during the day; Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed stadium, by contrast, is open air.August is generally considered the hottest month of the year in Abu Dhabi though it has seen top-flight cricket during that period. Australia played three ODIs in the last week of August 2012, against Afghanistan and Pakistan in severely debilitating conditions; in the last of those three games Mitchell Starc had to leave the field mid-over suffering from the humidity. The ODI began at 6pm local time and finished at nearly 230am the next morning. Most famously, Australia and Pakistan played two Tests in Sharjah in October in 2002, when players said the temperatures reached 50 degrees during the day.The PSL is set to resume on June 5, with the final planned for June 20.

Liverpool enjoyed a brilliant start to life under new boss Arne Slot last weekend, picking up all three points in a 2-0 victory over newly promoted Ipswich Town at Portman Road.

Despite the departure of Jürgen Klopp at the end of last season, there are expectations of Slot to hit the ground running and be a success at Anfield during his debut campaign at the club.

However, his side remain the only team in the Premier League yet to make a first-team signing, with the Dutchman having to work with the crop of players already on Merseyside.

Their lack of business hasn’t been through their lack of effort, with a deal to sign Martin Zubumendi evaporating after the Spaniard decided to stay at Real Sociedad instead of a move to England.

With the transfer window shutting next Friday, the Reds are running out of time to make new additions to help Slot have the best chance of being a success, potentially relying on some current first-team players to step up in 2024/25.

Luis Diaz’s time at Liverpool so far

After joining Liverpool for a fee in the region of £37m during the January transfer window in January 2022, there was real hope that he could be the long-term replacement for Sadio Mané, who left the club just a couple of months later.

He’s since made 99 appearances for the Reds, scoring just 24 goals, an average of one strike every four appearances he’s made in all competitions.

Last season, the 27-year-old enjoyed a successful campaign, registering 13 goal contributions in the Premier League last term – helping the club qualify for the Champions League once again for the 2024/25 campaign.

However, despite his admirable record for the club in recent times, he could find himself as more of an impact player under Slot, especially if they land one player who’s recently been touted with a move to Merseyside.

Liverpool could land £51m ace who’s an upgrade on Diaz

In recent days, Liverpool have been the latest club linked with a move to sign Atalanta winger Ademola Lookman before the transfer deadline.

The Nigerian forward, who scored a hat-trick in the Europa League final last season, enjoyed a fine campaign for the Italian side, registering 18 goal contributions in his 31 Serie A appearances. He's potentially available for €60m (£51m) as reported earlier this summer.

Such a record could see him be a hugely successful player at Anfield, potentially seeing him replace the Colombian should he make a move in the next couple of weeks.

Lookman, who’s noted as a similar player to Real Madrid star Vinícius Júnior as per FBref, blew Diaz out of the water in numerous key areas last season, showcasing what an excellent addition he would be to Slot’s side.

The “blistering” Nigerian, as described by scout Antonio Mango, not only managed more combined goal contributions, but registered a higher goal per shot-on-target rate than the current Liverpool ace – offering the club a more potent goal threat in the final third.

Games played

31

37

Goals + assists

18

13

Goals per shot-on-target

0.46

0.25

Progressive passes

4.6

3.9

Aerials won

46%

35%

Crosses completed

3.3

0.9

The Atalanta star also completed nearly three times the number of crosses per 90, whilst also winning more aerial battles – demonstrating his all-round ability in attacking areas.

Whilst it would be an extremely harsh call to replace Diaz after his recent campaign on Merseyside, football is a cut-throat industry, with the club needing to make the right call in order to get back towards the top of the Premier League.

Lookman would be a stellar addition for the Reds, taking the club’s forward line to the next level and giving Slot an increased opportunity of being a success during his first season at Anfield.

The aforementioned likeness to Vinicius Jr is a further reason to be excited, with the Brazilian arguably the "best player in the world" according to legendary compatriot, Ronaldo, having wreaked havoc off the left flank last season with 35 goals and assists in just 39 games for Madrid.

Lookman has a way to go to reach such heights, while the £51m price tag may seem an expensive fee for a player who’s never really cut it in England’s top flight, but he’s developed his game in Europe, with his pace and eye for goal making him an elite level talent.

Liverpool hit gold on "special" talent worth more than Branthwaite & Guehi

He’ll be hoping to explode under Slot’s leadership this season…

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 21, 2024

قرر مسؤولو النادي الأهلي إنهاء التعاقد مع أحد اللاعبين المحترفين ضمن صفوف الفريق الأول لكرة السلة، بعد فترة قضاها اللاعب داخل جدران القلعة الحمراء.

وأكد مصدر مطلع داخل النادي الأهلي لـ “بطولات” أن إدارة النادي توصلت إلى اتفاق ودي مع اللاعب الأمريكي جون روبيرسون يقضي بفسخ التعاقد بالتراضي بين الطرفين.

ويأتي هذا القرار في ضوء رغبة النادي في تدعيم صفوف الفريق بعناصر أكثر جاهزية وقادرة على تقديم الإضافة المرجوة.

وأوضح المصدر في تصريحاته الخاصة أن السبب الرئيسي وراء فسخ التعاقد مع روبيرسون يعود إلى معاناته من تكرار الإصابات، الأمر الذي أثر على مشاركته الفعّالة مع الفريق وقدرته على تقديم أفضل ما لديه بشكل منتظم.

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ورأت إدارة النادي أن استمرار الوضع على ما هو عليه قد يُعيق مسيرة الفريق في المنافسات المقبلة، لذا اتخذت قرارًا بالبحث عن بديل أكثر جاهزية.

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رابطة الدوري الأمريكي: متشوقون لمشاهدة مباراة الأهلي وإنتر ميامي

ترتيب مجموعة الأهلي في دوري أبطال إفريقيا

ومن المُقرر أن يُباشر مسؤولو النادي الأهلي خلال الأيام القليلة القادمة عملية البحث عن محترف جديد لتعويض رحيل روبيرسون.

وتهدف الإدارة من خلال هذه الخطوة إلى تعزيز صفوف الفريق بعنصر قوي يُساهم في تحقيق الأهداف والتطلعات خلال الموسم الحالي.

ويتولى مسؤولي النادي الأهلي حاليًا دراسة وتقييم أكثر من سيرة ذاتية لمحترفين أجانب، وذلك لاختيار الأنسب من بينهم للانضمام إلى الفريق.

Aston Villa have reportedly submitted an offer to sign a new midfielder for Unai Emery, with Monchi seemingly driving a potential deal.

Aston Villa signings so far

NSWE have once again got the chequebook out at Villa Park, backing Emery in the transfer market with eight new arrivals ahead of the 2024/25 campaign which will include Champions League football.

Aston Villa summer signings

From

Fee (Transfermarkt)

Amadou Onana

Everton

€59.35m

Ian Maatsen

Chelsea

€44.5m

Cameron Archer

Sheffield United

€16.65m

Jaden Philogene

Hull City

€16m

Samuel Iling-Junior

Juventus

€14m

Lewis Dobbin

Everton

€11.8m

Enzo Barrenechea

Juventus

€8m

Ross Barkley

Luton Town

€5.9m

Monchi has been hard at work behind the scenes to get those deals over the line, but there could be more to come before the Premier League season kicks off next weekend.

For example, reports aboard in recent days suggested that Villa were looking to sign Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea and had even reached an agreement with the Blues, but as we know, that is yet to gather any major pace in England.

Elsewhere, Villa have been linked with a move to sign Joe Gomez from Liverpool, whereas a formal bid has been sent to Sunderland for forward Mason Cotcher, with the teenager actually training with Villa’s youth squad already.

Meanwhile, there could be more departures following the high-profile exits of Douglas Luiz and Moussa Diaby to Juventus and Al-Ittihad respectively. Jhon Duran is one player who has been heavily linked with a Villa Park exit.

It is shaping up to be a busy month both on and off the pitch for Villa, and a new report has stated that a new midfielder is wanted in the Midlands.

Aston Villa make offer to sign Bryan Cristante

According to reports in Italy, relayed by Sport Witness, Aston Villa have made an offer worth more than £17m plus bonuses to sign AS Roma midfielder Bryan Cristante.

The Serie A giants are said to be considering the bid from Villa Park, with Monchi signing Cristante during his time at Roma. He’s presented as key in any possible deal this time around, with the player potentially being allowed to leave by Roma boss Daniele De Rossi.

Cristante, an Italy international, is primarily a holding midfielder but can also play as a centre-back or further forward in midfield if required.

The 29-year-old began his career on the books at AC Milan and has gone on to play in Portugal with Benfica. He’s been with Roma since 2019, though, making an impressive 280 appearances for his current employers.

As can be seen, Crisante was hailed as “unbelievable” last season by journalist Josh Bunting for a goal he scored last season, and by the looks of it, he could be the next midfield addition made by Villa, making this one to watch.