Manchester United have lodged an improved offer worth up to £70m for Bryan Mbeumo in an attempt to get a deal for their top target over the line.
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Sunderland are set to secure the signing of Lutsharel Geertruida in a shocking transfer victory snatching the Dutch international from Marseille.
Sunderland have reportedly signed GeertruidaPlayer also completed medical with SunderlandGeertruida to join on initial loan dealFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Marseille were under the impression they had sealed the signing of a reinforcement in Dutch defender Geertruida. The French club, in desperate need of a new defender, had reportedly reached an agreement on personal terms with the player, making a transfer seem all but done. However, in a shocking last-minute turn, full-back and centre-back Geertruida is heading to newly-promoted Premier League side Sunderland, according to Fabrizio Romano. The deal is a loan deal for €2.5 million with a purchase option set at €23m (£20m/$27m).
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Marseille's ongoing struggle to strengthen their squad continues. The club's pursuit of Geertruida came after their move for Ecuadorian defender Joel Ordonez failed due to financially demanding negotiations with Club Brugge. The defensive shortcomings for Roberto De Zerbi's side have been obvious and is further underscored by their recent 1-0 loss to Lyon. For Sunderland, this move is a major coup that signals their ambition and financial power after a promising start to the Premier League season.
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The 25-year-old has established himself as a key player for both RB Leipzig and Netherlands, with 17 caps to his name. The player was an integral part of Leipzig's squad playing 39 games for the club in which he scored a goal while providing an assist. The ex-Feyenoord defender was also targeted by AC Milan and Nottingham Forest.
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The frustration of missing out on Geertruida for Marseille is immense, and they must now scramble to find a replacement before the transfer window closes. The club are expected to turn their attention to other targets, with West Ham United's Nayef Aguerd, who is close to joining the French club, and Inter's Benjamin Pavard being mentioned as potential alternatives.
The former India batter is presently the team mentor at KKR in IPL 2024
Nagraj Gollapudi17-May-2024Former India batter Gautam Gambhir is on top of the BCCI’s wishlist to take up the position of India men’s head coach after Rahul Dravid’s term ends at the conclusion of the 2024 T20 World Cup in June.ESPNcricinfo has learned Gambhir, who is currently the mentor of Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, has been contacted by the BCCI to gauge his interest in the job, and further discussions are expected after KKR complete their IPL 2024 campaign. However, the deadline for applying for the India head coach job is May 27, a day after the IPL final.Dravid, it is learnt, has communicated to the BCCI his decision not to seek another tenure. VVS Laxman, who had been expected to succeed Dravid, had made himself unavailable last year due to personal reasons.While Gambhir, 42, has no experience of coaching at international or domestic level, he has been in charge of the coaching staff at two IPL franchises. He was the mentor at Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2022 and 2023 – they qualified for the playoffs in both seasons – before joining KKR for the 2024 season, where they will finish the league stage on top of the points table. Gambhir’s move to KKR for IPL 2024 was unexpected but it is learned he was persuaded to become the team’s mentor by the franchise’s principal owner Shah Rukh Khan.Related
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Gambhir was part of India’s T20 World Cup triumph in 2007 and the ODI World Cup victory in 2011. He captained KKR for seven IPL seasons from 2011 to 2017, and they qualified for the playoffs five times and won two titles in 2012 and 2014 under his leadership. They also reached the final of the defunct Champions League T20 in 2014.Last week, the BCCI posted an advertisement seeking applications for the position of India men’s head coach. The job, the BCCI said, would be for all three formats for a duration of three and a half years starting from July 2024 until December 2027.Dravid had begun his two-year term as India’s head coach after the 2021 T20 World Cup. His stint was supposed to end after the 2023 ODI World Cup in November last year, but he agreed to an extension until the end of the 2024 T20 World Cup, which will be played in West Indies and the USA in June.
Western Australia built a lead of 88 but after an early wicket with thwarted by the home side
AAP17-Feb-2024
Caleb Jewell finished the day unbeaten on 98•Getty Images
Tasmania opener Caleb Jewell’s highest score of the season helped the Sheffield Shield leaders stage a remarkable turnaround against Western Australia on day two in Hobart.After being routed for 183 on the opening day, Tasmania took six wickets on Saturday to bowl WA out for 271 and reached 174 for 2 by stumps.The outlook was not so good when opener Tim Ward was dismissed without scoring in the first over of Tasmania’s second innings, edging Joel Paris into the slips. Ward’s four-ball duck added to his personal woes after he was out on the first ball of the match in the first innings.Related
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Jewell was yet to score when he was dropped by Hilton Cartwright off Cameron Green’s bowling and cashed in on the chance. He struck 14 fours and a pair of sixes from 101 balls, putting him on the verge of a sixth first-class century and first of the season.Jewell and Charlie Wakim combined for a 170-run partnership for the second wicket to claim the honours for Tasmania on day two.But Wakim was needlessly out a few minutes before stumps when he was caught off Charlie Stobo.Tasmania added 150 in the final session and lead by 86 with eight wickets in hand heading into day three, with Jordan Silk at the crease alongside Jewell.Earlier on Saturday, Paris hit an unbeaten 40 as the WA tail wagged to give the visitors a first innings lead of 88. Beau Webster and Riley Meredith did most of the damage with the ball for Tasmania.WA’s Jayden Goodwin fell short of a maiden first-class hundred when he was caught behind off Meredith for 85.
خاض فريق ليفربول مباراته الودية الأولى أمام خصمه فريق أتلتيك بلباو، منذ قليل، في إطار الاستعدادات التحضيرية للموسم الجديد المرتقب، 2025/26.
واستضاف ملعب “الأنفيلد” مباراة ودية بين فريقي ليفربول وأتلتيك بلباو، ويعقبها لقاء آخر بينهما في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية.
وتمكن ليفربول من تحقيق الفوز على أتلتيك بلباو في مباراتهما الودية الأولى، بأربعة أهداف مقابل هدف، في غياب النجم المصري محمد صلاح.
تقدم ريو نجوموها بهدف لصالح ليفربول في الدقيقة الثانية من عمر الشوط الأول، بعدما انطلق بالكرة وسددها ببراعة شديدة من خارج منطقة الجزاء.
وفي الدقيقة الخامسة، نجح داروين نونيز في تسجيل الهدف الثاني بعد تمريرة رائعة من نجوموها برأسه، ووصلت الكرة إلى الأوروجواني الذي سددها في الشباك.
بينما جاء الهدف الثالث عن طريق النيران الصديقة، في الدقيقة 42، بعدما سدد لاعب ليفربول بن دوك كرة رائعة في طريق مرمى أتلتيك بلباو، وحاول الحارس أليكس باديا التصدي لها ولكنه هز شباكه بنفسه.
وأضاف هارفي إليوت الهدف الرابع لكتيبة آرني سلوت، في الدقيقة 58، بعدما تلقى تمريرة من داروين نونيز، وقلّص أتلتيك بلباو النتيجة بعدما سجل اللاعب جوركا جوروزيتا هدفًا للفريق الإسباني، في الدقيقة 76. أهداف مباراة ليفربول وأتلتيك بلباو الودية الأولى
Australia will carry an injured Travis Head through the first part of the World Cup but have provided themselves with extra batting cover by including Marnus Labuschagne at the expense of Ashton Agar who has been ruled out with a calf injury.Head, who suffered a fractured hand against South Africa, has been included in the final 15-player squad but will be unavailable for first half of the tournament. However, given he did not require surgery, there is confidence he will be fit to play later in the round-robin stage and he is viewed as so valuable to Australia’s chances that they are willing to initially go in with 14 available players.Related
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Since returning to the ODI side in March 2022, Head has made 791 runs at 60.84 and a strike rate of 119.84. While he recovers, Mitchell Marsh will likely continue to open with David Warner.Agar’s injury, which was confirmed by scans when he returned home from South Africa for the birth of his child, created a vacancy in the squad and the selectors have opted to change tactics and include Labuschagne rather than pick another frontline spinner.Glenn Maxwell’s four-wicket haul in Rajkot was timely in that regard, suggesting that he can be a second spinner alongside Adam Zampa, but it remains a gamble by the selectors given the uncertainty over how Maxwell will cope with the workload as he continues to feel the effects of the broken leg he suffered last year.It also means there is no specialist spin cover for Zampa. Fellow legspinner Tanveer Sangha will remain with the squad until at least the end of the warm-up matches along with allrounder Matt Short.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
“There has been one change to the original preliminary squad of 15 announced a month ago with Marnus replacing Ashton,” chair of selectors George Bailey said. “This was a tough call but unfortunately, we couldn’t carry both Travis and Ashton into the tournament with the injuries they have.”We have made the decision to carry Travis through the early stages with the aim of him being available around the mid part of the tournament. He has been a really important player in this ODI team and we are hopeful his return can provide a positive impetus as it gets to the business end of the tournament.”It has been a rapid revival of Labuschagne’s one-day fortunes after he was initially not meant to play a part in either the South Africa or India series this month. He was recalled as a replacement for Steven Smith as the latter recovered from a wrist injury, and in the opening match against South Africa in Bloemfontein was parachuted in as Cameron Green’s concussion sub where he made a match-winning 80 not out.He went on to make 421 runs at 60.14 in eight matches, including a century, also in Bloemfontein, and 72 off 58 balls in Rajkot on Wednesday.Agar initially suffered a calf strain in pre-season and was ruled out of the T20I series in South Africa. He recovered to play the opening match of the one-day series but pulled up sore after that outing and did not feature again.He would likely have played a part at various stages during the World Cup, teaming up with Zampa when conditions warranted two frontline spinners. There was also his batting ability, which he showed when helping guide Australia to victory in Bloemfontein.Marcus Stoinis and Cameron Green are both short of runs heading into the World Cup while Alex Carey’s 99 is his only significant score in the lead-in.Australia have warm-up matches against Netherlands on September 30 and Pakistan on October 3 before opening their World Cup campaign against India, in Chennai, on October 8.
Ipswich Town and Kieran McKenna are looking to sign a versatile 6ft 6 midfielder who could replace loanee Kalvin Phillips.
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The Tractor Boys are in real danger of immediate relegation from the Premier League back to the Championship, with Kieran McKenna’s side now 10 games without a top-flight victory.
A 4-2 defeat against Nottingham Forest at Portman Road last time out was made worse by Wolves’ win at Southampton, which resulted in a nine-point gap opening up at the bottom.
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Talking after the loss to Forest, McKenna said: “There is a pretty big gap there and we can only focus on ourselves. We have two big games after the international break and we need to be ready for those and ready to compete.
“It is possible. With six points to play for when we come back from the international break. We are running out of games. We need to take points soon, we know that but we are certainly not going to give up hope or stop fighting until the last game is done.”
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Should Ipswich go down, a number of players could be on the move this summer, including Man City loanee Phillips. There have been reports that Ipswich are unlikely to make the defensive midfielder’s move permanent, with Phillips reaching a verbal agreement to join Leeds United, if they win promotion.
Those at the Etihad could accept an offer in the region of £20m for Phillips, who has made 20 appearances on loan in East Anglia. As a result, Ipswich could be on the search for another holding midfielder, and they have seemingly identified one target in that position.
Ipswich Town interested in signing new 6ft 6 midfielder
According to Africa Foot, Ipswich Town are one of the clubs keen on signing Kalidou Sidibe from French side En Avant Guingamp.
Scottish giants Celtic have already made a £1.6m bid to sign the 26-year-old, however, Ipswich, PSV Eindhoven, Grasshopper Zurich and former side Toulouse are also interested.
Sidibe, who can play as a defensive midfielder, central midfielder or centre-back, stands at 6ft 6 and is the tallest player in French Ligue 2, as per Africa Foot. Beginning at Paris FC and Toulouse, Sidibe signed permanently for Guingamp in 2023 and has been a regular this season, making more than 30 appearances in all competitions.
He’s scored two goals and provided five assists in 2024/25 playing as a deep-lying midfielder, and if Ipswich are relegated to the second tier, Sidibe’s height could come in handy in what is a physical league. It looks like a move to keep an eye on, however, Ipswich may need to act fast with Celtic already making their move.
تحدث فينيسيوس جونيور، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ريال مدريد عن مباراة فريقه أمام سالزبورج في ختام دور المجموعات لبطولة كأس العالم للأندية 2025.
وحقق ريال مدريد فوزًا مهمًا على حساب الفريق النمساوي بثلاثية نظيفة في المباراة التي جمعتها فجر اليوم، الموافق 27 يونيو، ضمن منافسات الجولة الثالثة لدور المجموعات لبطولة كأس العالم للأندية 2025.
وتأهل ريال مدريد إلى دور الـ 16 متصدرًا بـ 7 نقاط، رفقة الهلال السعودي الذي فاز على باتشوكا المكسيكي واستطاع أن يحصد 5 نقاط بالمركز الثاني، فيما ودع الثنائي سالزبورج وباتشوكا البطولة.
ومن المقرر أن يواجه ريال مدريد نظيره يوفنتوس في إطار منافسات دور الـ 16 لبطولة كأس العالم للأندية 2025.
وقدم فينيسيوس جونيور، تمريرة في الهدف الثاني الذي أحرزه فالفيردي، بنهاية الشوط الأول أمام سالزبورج، عادت بالذكريات إلى تمريرة جوتي الشهيرة بـ “الكعب” إلى بنزيما في مباراة كأس ملك إسبانيا أمام ديبورتيفو لا كورونيا موسم 2009/2010، وكان مانويل بيليجريني مدربًا لريال مدريد حينها.
اقرأ أيضًا | تشابي ألونسو عن تشابه تمريرة فينيسيوس مع جوتي: مازلت منبهرًا حتى الآن
وقال فيني في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “ماركا” بعد فوزه بجائزة رجل المباراة: “إنها مكافأة لكل العمل الذي قام به الفريق، هم دائمًا يساعدونني في كل شيء، تلك الجائزة من أجلهم، آمل أن يسهم كل ذلك في تحقيق لقب آخر لريال مدريد، وأن نتمكن من الاحتفال مع الجميع”.
وعن تجديد عقده، قال: “أتمنى أن أبقى هنا لسنوات عديدة، لطالما قلت إنه نادي حياتي، أنا سعيد جدًا بالمدرب والجهاز الفني بأكمله، وآمل أن أتمكن من البقاء هنا، لدي عقد حتى عام 2027، لطالما قلت إنني سأبقى هنا طوال مسيرتي وأصنع تاريخًا عظيمًا مع هذا الفريق”.
وعن المساهمة الدفاعية مع باقي الفريق، قال :”هذا طبيعي، في كرة القدم اليوم، علينا الهجوم بأحد عشر لاعبًا والدفاع بأحد عشر لاعبًا، أنا سعيد جدًا بأداء الفريق، فقد تمكنا من السيطرة منذ الدقيقة الأولى، مع أن الأداء كان أقل في الشوط الثاني، لكن هذا طبيعي لأننا بحاجة إلى الراحة للجولة التالية”.
وأكمل: “لقد مررنا بأسبوعين جيدين للغاية، واكتسبنا الثقة بما يريده المدرب، أحب اللعب في عمق الملعب، بالقرب من المرمى، وتقديم التمريرات الحاسمة، إنه مركز مشابه جدًا لمركزي في دوري أبطال أوروبا الماضي، نحن فريق منظم ومتماسك للغاية”.
وفيما يتعلق بتمريرة جوتي الحاسمة وتشبيه تمريرته لفالفيردي في الهدف الثاني، أتم: “نعم كانت تمريرة رائعة، من أجمل التمريرات التي قدمتها مع ريال مدريد، آمل أن أستمر على هذا المنوال وأن يلعب الفريق بهذه الطريقة، فهذا هو الأهم، لم أشاهد فيديو جوتي، لكن الجميع أخبرني بذلك عندما انتهت الهجمة بهدف”.
One of the areas Manchester United have struggled for depth this season has been at centre-forward. After loaning out Marcus Rashford, Ruben Amorim has been limited to three real options up front.
One of those, Joshua Zirkzee, has recently excelled as a number 10. The Dutchman has showcased elite technical skills, and his performances in that deeper role could make Amorim reluctant to start him up top.
That leaves Danish duo Rasmus Hojlund and 17-year-old Chido Obi as the two players tasked with leading the line. Hojlund’s run of goalscoring form was lean, but he now has two goals in three games for club and country. Obi is an exciting talent but still inexperienced.
Thus, it might not be a surprise that United are targeting a new striker ahead of the summer window.
Man United's hopes of signing a new striker
One of the strikers who many clubs across Europe seems to want this summer is FC Porto star Samu Aghehowa.
The Spaniard has made a big impression this term in Portugal and is now a target for some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
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Indeed, according to a report from Caught Offside, one of those sides is the 13-time Premier League champions. The report suggests that Amorim ‘is a big fan’ of the centre-forward and is thought to be ‘driving the Red Devils’ interest’ in Aghehowa.
However, they will not be alone in their pursuit of the Spanish striker this summer. La Liga giants FC Barcelona are strongly interested, and Lamine Yamal is ‘understood to be personally pushing’ for the club to sign his Spain teammate.
German giants Bayern Munich and United’s Premier League rivals West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur are also believed to be interested in a deal. As for a fee, Aghehowa reportedly has a £84m release clause in his contract.
Why Aghehowa would be a good signing
What a fantastic debut season it has been for Aghehowa as a Dragoes player. The 20-year-old has been on fire, scoring 21 goals across all competitions, as well as chipping in with three assists in that time.
United know all too well how dangerous the 2024 Olympic gold medalist can be in front of goal. Two of his six Europa League strikes this term came against the Red Devils, back in October in a game that ended 3-3 thanks to a last-gasp equaliser from Harry Maguire.
Football talent scout Jacek Kulig described Aghehowa as a “monster in the making”, for the early impression he has made in his career. He possesses all sorts of important traits one would want from a top striker: quick, physical and intelligent in front of goal, just as he displayed against United.
The young attacker is capable of scoring all kinds of goals, the hallmark of all good strikers. Take this strike against AS Roma, also in the Europa League. His control in the box to bring the ball down and then the composure to execute the overhead kick is second to none.
Samu could be the dream alternative for Viktor Gyokeres this season. Although it seemed like Ruben Amorim might try to bring the Swede with him to Old Trafford from Sporting, The Athletic recently reported that Arsenal are strongly interested in the former Coventry City star.
Gyokeres has been even more prolific than the Porto star this season in Portugal, scoring 42 times in 42 games for the Lisbon club, grabbing 11 assists, too. That includes 30 goals in 26 games in the top flight in Portugal.
Despite the difference in goal numbers, the pair are still comparable via FBref, and the similarities are there to see.
For example, Aghehowa averages 0.54 goals per shot on target and 0.12 goal-creating actions each game this term, compared to 0.35 goals per shot on target and 0.15 goal-creating actions per 90 minutes. That said, the former is a far greater threat in the air.
Goals
0.72
1.22
Goals per shot on target
0.54
0.35
Shot-creating actions
2.36
2.85
Goal-creating actions
0.12
0.15
Aerial duels won
2.24
0.59
The deal to sign Aghehowa would be an expensive one for the Red Devils, just shy of £100m. However, that might be the investment they need to make in order to supplement the goals of Hojlund, ZIrkzee and Obi.
If they miss out on Gyokeres this summer, perhaps Aghehowa is the perfect alternative to help take Amorim’s side to the next level.
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Ben Duckett says that the prospect of being involved in his first Ashes gives him “shivers”, 18 years after being glued to the sofa as England reclaimed the urn from Australia in an epic series.Duckett was 10 years old and already hooked on the game by the summer of 2005, but believes that many players in his generation were drawn to cricket after watching England’s gripping 2-1 win during the school holidays.”[I was] watching that series along with half the country,” Duckett said. “If I’d been sat on the sofa with my dad with a chance of playing an Ashes however many years later… it gives me shivers. It doesn’t feel real at the minute.”The more exciting thing is, whoever that team is, I do believe that we’ve got a very good chance of beating Australia over here, and I think a lot of people around the country also believe that. It’s certainly going to be watched by a lot of people and it’s going to be really exciting if I get the nod.”I was playing from the age of four. But that’s a series that I look back on and think ‘wow, that was incredible’. Maybe some other cricketers – Joe Clarke was someone who didn’t really play [before 2005].”I was fortunate enough to go to Millfield Prep [a fee-paying, private school] and play cricket there from a young age but for people who weren’t as fortunate, that was the series for people around my age which was a real turning point for them and really got them into the game.”Duckett won a place in the Test side back over the winter, six years after his first taste of international cricket in Bangladesh and India, and made 508 runs in five Tests, including a hundred and four half-centuries during England’s tours to Pakistan and New Zealand.Related
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Barring injury or a collapse in form, he seems locked in to open the batting for England throughout this summer – starting on June 1 against Ireland at Lord’s, in what will be his first Test match on home soil.He looks set to start the season batting at No. 3 in the County Championship, the position he has filled for Nottinghamshire over the last few seasons, with Haseeb Hameed and Ben Slater likely to resume their opening partnership.Peter Moores, Notts’ head coach, told ESPNcricinfo on Wednesday that he was waiting for the end of pre-season before making a final decision. But Duckett is not overly fussed either way.”I have left it open with Pete [Moores] and Mull [captain Steven Mullaney] here,” he said. “I don’t want to change the dynamics too much for people; I don’t want to be that guy.”But they’ve said they want me to be ready to play for England. So it kind of works both ways. If I was batting No. 5 for Notts, the conversation would be different. But No. 3 and opening is pretty similar.I actually think No. 3 is harder, because in my opinion the bowlers are loose when you get there. You get a few freebies when you’re opening at times. If I had the choice? I’d probably open.”Duckett was among England’s busiest players over the 2022-23 winter. Only Harry Brook (41) was involved in more days of international cricket than Duckett (35) during that period – yet neither man has a central contract.Duckett joked that the situation is worse for him than for Brook – “I think he’s happy with his £1.2m he’s getting in the IPL”, he said, laughing – but remained phlegmatic about the prospect of forcing his way into the central contract list for the next 12-month cycle.”Twelve months ago, if you’d said to me that I was going to play all three formats for England, I would not have cared about central contracts. It was just about playing.”I guess I’ve got an opportunity now to keep myself playing for England and if I’m still there at October 1, I’ll get the benefits of having that. For me, it’s about taking it one day at a time.”I’ve really loved playing in that England dressing room, especially in the Test team, and I definitely want to be a part of it in the coming years. Those kinds of things are down to me and no-one else.”If I don’t get a central contract, it’s clearly because I’ve not done very well. It’s about just sticking to my game, enjoying it, and fingers crossed I stay in the squads.”