Fulham have now approached the agents of an “incredible” player over a potential move to Craven Cottage, but it may take an offer of £34m to get a deal done, journalist Orazio Accomando has revealed.

Cottagers set sights on new midfielder

The Cottagers are yet to make any additions to their squad this summer, but the recent news that Kenny Tete is set to sign a new deal is a bonus, given that the Dutchman had been linked with a move to Everton.

In terms of potential new arrivals, Marco Silva appears to be particularly keen on strengthening his midfield options this summer, having identified a number of targets over the past month.

Target

Current club

Potential cost

Nadiem Amiri

Mainz

£15m

Kalvin Phillips

Manchester City

£21m

Joao Palhinha

Bayern Munich

£25m

Rocco Reitz

Borussia Monchengladbach

£17m

Having solidified themselves as a Premier League club, the west Londoners may now be in a position to be a tad more ambitious with their targets, and they have now made an approach for a 2025 Champions League finalist.

That is according to an update from Accomando on X, with the reporter stating that Fulham have now submitted an enquiry over a deal for Inter Milan star Hakan Çalhanoğlu, making contact with the midfielder’s agents.

Inter aren’t willing to let the maestro leave on the cheap, however, with the Italian club set to hold out for a fee of €40m (£34m), which may be prohibitive for fellow potential suitors Galatasaray, who are only willing to offer €15m (£13m).

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The 31-year-old “wants” to join Galatasaray, but the Turkish champions may find it difficult to win the race for his signature if a bidding war breaks out, with Manchester United also expressing an interest.

Çalhanoğlu could be "incredible" coup for Fulham

It would be a real statement of intent if Fulham were able to sign a 2025 Champions League finalist, particularly one who played a major role in the Italian side reaching that stage of the competition.

The Inter star was a key player throughout the campaign, regularly providing goals and assists in all competitions, despite often featuring in a deep-lying role.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Serie A

29

5

6

Champions League

12

4

2

Italian Cup

4

2

0

The Turk is also vastly experienced at international level, scoring 21 goals in 97 outings for his country, including a remarkable effort at Euro 2024.

Turkey assistant manager Daniele Russo was subsequently left impressed by the Germany-born midfielder, saying: “It goes without saying that he is an incredible player. He is also very good at protecting his young teammates.”

As such, Çalhanoğlu could be a statement signing for Fulham this summer, but Galatasaray and Manchester United’s interest could pose a problem.

Hardik Pandya’s issues with fitness appear to have tilted the scales against him

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jul-20246:24

Newsroom: What can we expect from SKY the captain?

Suryakumar Yadav is set to be appointed India’s new T20I captain ahead of Hardik Pandya, the incumbent vice-captain of the side, for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka.Suryakumar will take over from Rohit Sharma, who retired from T20Is, along with Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja, after leading India to T20 World Cup glory in the Caribbean last month.Though Hardik was Rohit’s deputy at the T20 World Cup and is a more experienced captain – he has led India in three ODIs and 16 T20Is, apart from leading Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians in the IPL – it is understood fitness concerns and workload management may have tipped the scales against him.Hardik had suffered an ankle injury during the 50-over World Cup at home last October-November and was out of action until the start of IPL 2024, when he returned to lead Mumbai. Hardik has featured in just 46 of the 79 T20Is India have played since the start of 2022.Suryakumar, meanwhile, has previously captained Mumbai in the domestic circuit. More recently, he led India to a 4-1 series win over Australia in the T20I series last November, followed by a 1-1 series scoreline in South Africa. Suryakumar is also among the first names in a first-choice India XI in the format.Related

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The T20Is in Sri Lanka will be India’s first assignment under new coach Gautam Gambhir, who takes over from Rahul Dravid after the T20 World Cup. It’s also seen as the first step towards building for the next T20 World Cup which India is set to co-host in 2026.A young Indian squad, led by Shubman Gill, just returned from Zimbabwe earlier in the week after completing a 4-1 T20I series win. The squad included just three players from the side that won the World Cup.It is understood that the selectors will meet on Wednesday to finalise the touring party. Along with three T20Is, the tour will feature three ODIs.

As it is every year, this summer has already been incredibly busy for Chelsea.

It feels like Enzo Maresca’s men were lifting the Conference League trophy only a week ago, but in reality, they’ve already made it to the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup and have made a real splash in the transfer market.

The likes of Liam Delap, Mamadou Sarr and Dario Essugo were already through the door before the team jetted off for the United States, and now Joao Pedro is set to join up with them.

However, the Blues aren’t finished yet, and now it looks like they are set to chase another Premier League star, although this potential deal could be bad news for the former Brighton & Hove Albion ace.

Chelsea to move for Premier League star

After being linked with the club, as well as some others, for several weeks, Pedro was finally officially announced as a Chelsea player yesterday afternoon.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The former Seagulls’ star completed his medical with the Blues out in the States, signed a seven-year deal, and reportedly cost the club a cool £60m, which is twice the fee Brighton paid for him only two years ago.

However, while it’s a lot of money, it would be hard to deny that his arrival makes the West Londoners stronger, as he was his former side’s joint-top goalscorer in the Premier League last season.

Yet, it now looks like the Pensioners are set to target another exciting player from the Premier League, someone who could be bad news for the Brazilian: Mohammed Kudus.

Yes, according to a recent report from Football Insider, Chelsea are one of several clubs incredibly interested in the West Ham United star.

In fact, the report claims the West Londoners are looking to make a move to sign the Ghanaian international, who is also a serious target for London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

The good news is that the Hammers are likely to accept offers below the player’s £80m release clause, with some reports from last week suggesting a fee in the region of £70m could be enough.

It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but Kudus could be an excellent addition to Chelsea’s squad, albeit one that could spell trouble for Pedro.

Why Kudus could be trouble for Pedro

When it really comes down to it, the reason Kudus’ joining Chelsea could be bad news for Pedro is the same reason his arrival could be considered far from ideal for Delap: competition.

As things stand, the Blues now have three out-and-out centre-forwards in the former Brighton man, the former Ipswich Town ace and Nicolas Jackson.

So, when you then also take into consideration the Kudus’ ability to play up top, among other positions, that role starts to look rather crowded.

In fact, it’s not hard to see a world in which the Brazilian has a slow start to life at the Bridge and immediately begins to see himself falling down the pecking order, potentially even behind the former Ajax gem.

We say it’s not hard to imagine, as since moving to England, the “electric” talent as dubbed by scout Jacek Kulig, has scored 13 goals and provided 12 assists in 65 Premier League appearances.

That means he’s averaging a goal involvement every 2.6 league games at West Ham, despite being asked to play all over, from out wide to midfielder and then also up top.

In contrast, the former Watford poacher has scored 22 goals and provided ten assists in 89 Premier League appearances, which actually comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.78 games.

Appearances

65

89

Goals

13

22

Assists

12

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.38

0.35

That’s already a little worrying, but becomes even more so when you consider he has played up top, as a striker in the vast majority of those games.

Ultimately, Chelsea have a talented player in Pedro, but if they also sign Kudus, and he starts to outscore him, the Brazilian’s role in the squad might start to shrink very early on.

Pedro will love him: Chelsea in talks to sign £60m PL "superstar"

The talented prospect could reach the next level at Chelsea.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 1, 2025

Though Liverpool have strengthened well in the summer transfer window, Arne Slot likely needs more parts if he’s to lead his side to glory once again next season.

The Anfield side won the Premier League last season after Jurgen Klopp stepped down from his iconic post. No one thought this relatively unknown coach from Feyenoord could carry the weight of a legend’s departure, but Slot has proved himself the perfect man to lead this club, championing the virtues that are rooted so deep in the Merseyside soil.

And he’s been rewarded in the transfer market. FSG have smashed Liverpool’s transfer record to sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for an initial £100m figure, which could rise to a British-record £116m.

Slot also has a new full-back pairing to work with, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez both impressing during Liverpool’s emotional pre-season outing against Preston North End.

However, Liverpool’s head coach may well feel that there’s still something missing in his rearguard, with the Merseysiders’ interest in a new centre-back well documented.

The latest on Liverpool's search for a defender

Back in May, Liverpool’s chiefs were working on a deal to sign Dean Huijsen, 20, after his spectacular breakout year with Bournemouth in the Premier League.

The problem was, most high-profile clubs across the continent wanted the Spain international, and that’s a list which included Real Madrid, who indeed won the race after activating his £50m release clause.

This in itself isn’t detrimental to the Liverpool cause, but now that Jarell Quansah has completed a £35m transfer to Bayer Leverkusen, it feels important that the Reds push ahead and sign a replacement.

Well, FSG have got one in mind all right.

According to reports relayed by The Mirror, Liverpool are preparing to launch a £40m bid for Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi, looking to take advantage of the player’s contract situation, entering the final year of his deal at Selhurst Park.

Guehi is understood to favour a move to Anfield over Arsenal and Newcastle, though he wants assurances over his playing time.

Given that the England international, 25, is willing to run his contract down if push comes to shove, this could prove to be a delicate situation, with Slot no doubt wary about entering the forthcoming campaign with limited options in defence.

Why Liverpool want Marc Guehi

Guehi is a robust and reliable defender who has built himself up over a number of years at Crystal Palace, joining from Chelsea in a £18m deal four years ago.

His rounded technical qualities and deceptive aggression suggest he would be perfect for this high-flying Liverpool side, and given his two-footedness and leadership skills, he might even be the man to succeed Virgil van Dijk.

Van Dijk is one of the greatest defenders of his generation, instrumental in building Klopp’s dynasty at Liverpool. To replace him would be a daunting thought for any positional peer, but Guehi has what it takes, having been hailed as a “monster in defence” by reporter Bobby Manzi.

Guehi has spent several years honing his skills in the Premier League, and now he’s ready to take the leap to the highest level. Van Dijk did something similar.

However, one could actually say that Guehi is more accomplished than the Liverpool skipper was during his Southampton days. After all, Guehi captained the Eagles to their incredible FA Cup triumph, defeating Manchester City in the May final at Wembley.

But looking at their respective performances across the past term in the Premier League, it’s clear that Guehi still has a level or two to scale before he can claim to be in the same ballpark as Van Dijk.

Matches (starts)

34 (34)

37 (37)

Goals

3

3

Assists

2

1

Clean sheets

11

14

Touches*

64.9

90.4

Pass completion

84%

92%

Key passes*

0.5

0.3

Dribbles*

0.4

0.1

Ball recoveries*

4.3

3.1

Tackles + interceptions*

2.6

2.5

Clearances*

4.6

5.1

Duels (won)*

4.9 (59%)

4.7 (69%)

Errors made

2

4

But, no doubt, the seeds are there, and two seasons alongside the legend could prove to sharpen his tools to the keenest edge, allowing him to become a superstar on Merseyside.

The Palace man is technically sound and creative besides. Moreover, he would emulate Van Dijk in arriving from a divisional rival lower down the ladder, with the Netherlands captain joining Klopp’s cause from Southampton way back in January 2018 for a £75m fee – a world record for a defender at the time.

Guehi’s ball-playing game, actually, is almost underrated, for he is not jsut assured but remarkable in his passing and movement, making things happen as he coolly collects and picks out forward-running teammates, be that with a swept pass or by dribbling upfield and playing a tidy layoff.

As per FBref, the one-time Chelsea prospect ranked among the top 12% of centre-backs across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions and the top 2% for through balls, illustrating that Van Dijk-esque quality that would prove so useful for Slot.

But pedantry matters for a mind as analytical as Michael Edwards’. Guehi has been described as “one of those versatile centre-backs who can play both sides equally as comfortably” by analyst Ben Mattinson, and his propensity for the left side only fuels the argument that he could be Slot’s new version of Van Dijk.

Van Dijk is irreplaceable, but in Guehi, Liverpool might just sign the closest thing to a successor possible. He’s dynamic, combative and commanding, embodying the qualities required of a superstar centre-half at Anfield.

Slot's next Wirtz: Liverpool in contact to sign "the new Haaland" for £78m

Liverpool are planning to sign a new striker in the summer transfer market.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 14, 2025

Manchester United have been desperately hunting for a new striker throughout this summer transfer window, understandably so, too, given their lack of clinical edge.

Ruben Amorim’s side registered just 44 goals in their 38 Premier League outings this season, with only four sides scoring fewer – three of which were relegated to the Championship.

Their inability to find the back of the net on a consistent basis undoubtedly contributed to their lowly league standing, with no player in the squad managing to hit double figures for goals.

Rasmus Hojlund, who was the Red Devils’ main talisman, only netted four goals, highlighting the need for reinforcements in such a department this window.

Countless players have already been touted with summer moves to Old Trafford, but it remains to be seen which talisman the hierarchy will go after for the manager.

The latest on United’s hunt for a new striker this summer

Viktor Gyokeres is a player who appeared out of reach this window, but it appears United have been handed a lifeline after it was confirmed he would be open to a reunion with Amorim in 2025/26.

He’s not the only talent on their radar, with Juventus star Dušan Vlahović also considered as an option, potentially leading to a swap deal with Jadon Sancho moving to Italy as a result.

However, the aforementioned duo aren’t the only ones being considered, as work is being done over a potential deal to land RB Leipzig talisman Benjamin Sesko, according to TBR Football.

They claim that internal talks have been held behind the scenes at Old Trafford in recent weeks, with the Slovenian popping up as an option after netting 21 goals in 45 appearances this year.

It also states that the staff behind the scenes have been extensively monitoring the 22-year-old in recent times, but confirmed that no deal is yet at an advanced stage.

Why United’s latest target would become world class alongside Bruno

Bruno Fernandes will go down as one of United’s best ever additions, thriving beyond all imagination after his £47m move from Sporting CP back in January 2020.

The Portuguese international rapidly made himself a fan favourite, offering a creative and clinical threat that the side had often been lacking before his arrival.

However, he’s sustained such levels, registering over 20 combined goals and assists in each of his seasons in Manchester, often being the shining light in tricky periods – none more so than this campaign

The 30-year-old accumulated a total of 37 combined goals and assists, with it unimaginable to think where the side would be without his contributions in 2024/25.

He undoubtedly has the creative nature, but has been lacking that lethal striker ahead of him, which could further bolster his tallies should the hierarchy land one in the coming months.

Sesko could prove to be the beneficiary should he move to Old Trafford, having the chance to thrive alongside Bruno, who managed to create 2.7 chances per 90 this season.

He also registered a pass accuracy of 82%, which aided him, allowing him to notch 18 assists, something which the Slovenian could take his game to the next level with.

The Leipzig star, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by talent scout Antonio Mango, registered 1.2 shots on target per 90 at an accuracy rate of 44% – handing Amorim’s side the talisman they’ve needed.

The youngster has also completed 52% of the take-ons he’s attempted, whilst coming out on top in 59% of aerial battles, with his all-round nature certainly handing the side a new dimension.

Benjamin Sesko’s stats for RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga (2024/25)
Statistics (per 90)	Tally
Games played	33
Goals & assists	18
Shots on target per 90	1.2
Shot on target accuracy	44%
Take-ons completed	52%
Aerials won	59%
Progressive carries	1.8
Stats via FBref

He’s also demonstrated his desire to run in behind and play off the shoulder of the defender, a skillset that is extremely rare in today’s game, making himself a real nuisance to the opposition backline.

Such a deal would be a phenomenal one for the Red Devils, allowing them to take a huge step under the guidance of Amorim throughout 2025/26.

If he can strike up a partnership with Fernandes next season, it would massively help the Red Devils catapult up the table, making the club a force to be reckoned with once again.

He's better than Gyokeres: Wilcox plots Man Utd move for £150m talisman

Manchester United have joined a long list of suitors in the race to sign a new striker.

1

By
Ethan Lamb

Jun 27, 2025

Lewis Goldsworthy hit a career-best 115 not out as Somerset progressed to the final of the Metro Bank One-Day Cup with a 23-run victory over holders Leicestershire Foxes at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton.The hosts posted 334 for 4 after losing the toss, Goldsworthy blasting five sixes and six fours in a brilliant 86-ball innings against the team he represented on loan in this season’s Vitality Blast. James Rew contributed 71 and Andy Umeed 57.In reply, Leicestershire made 311 for 9, Peter Handscomb leading the way with 111 off 86 balls, including 13 fours and two sixes, while Ben Cox hit 49. Somerset go forward to face Glamorgan in the final at Trent Bridge on September 22.Somerset openers Umeed and George Thomas took time to assess the pace of the pitch with a solid stand of 91 in 19 overs. It ended when Thomas, on 47, departed lbw to Tom Scriven falling across his stumps, having struck seven fours.Umeed’s half-century was the tenth in his last 15 One-Day Cup innings. His 76-ball knock concluded when he tried to lift a ball from Roman Walker over mid-on and was well caught by the back-pedalling Ian Holland above his head.After 30 overs, Somerset were becalmed on 135 for 2. But Goldsworthy and Rew soon began to raise the tempo, Goldsworthy going to fifty off 52 balls and Rew quickly following off 44.The pair had taken the score to 251 in the 44th over when Rew was superbly caught by the diving Louis Kimber on the midwicket boundary off Chris Wright. By then Goldsworthy was in full flight, smashing two of his sixes in the same Holland over as Somerset plundered 119 off the last ten overs of their innings.Goldsworthy, the 23-year-old Cornishman, raised his second List A century off 79 deliveries and he went past his previous career-best score of 111 with a pulled four off Walker. Skipper Sean Dickson made a rapid 18 and Ben Green, another Leicestershire loanee this summer, cleared the ropes off Walker.Peter Handscomb’s century was not enough for Leicestershire•MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

It was Somerset’s highest-ever List A total against Leicestershire. But soon Sol Budinger and Holland were eating into it, putting on 54 in eight overs before Budinger, on 33, pulled a catch to deep square off Josh Davey.Holland and Lewis Hill then accumulated sensibly and had taken the total to 92 in the 17th over when Hill top-edged a pull off Green to be caught for 19. Holland followed in Green’s next over, bowled by a slower ball that kept low, having moved comfortably to 40.Green struck a third and vitally important blow when Ajinkya Rahane pulled a short ball straight to substitute fielder Ned Leonard at deep backward square and Leicestershire were in disarray at 106 for 4 in the 21st over.Kasey Aldridge bowled his first five overs for 11 runs to increase the pressure and at halfway in their innings the Foxes were 126 for 4, needing a further 209 at more than eight an over.While Handscomb was going strong there was hope. The experienced Aussie went to a 42-ball half-century with a six off Goldsworthy, whose second over went for 18 runs. Cox provided impressive support as the fifth-wicket partnership reached the century mark off 13.4 overs.Aldridge switched to the Marcus Trecothick Pavilion End to have Cox caught behind, having faced 55 balls. Kimber quickly followed, skying a catch off Jack Leach to long-on and Aldridge took a steepling caught and bowled to remove Liam Trevaskis.Scriven provided some belligerent blows and Handscomb went to a deserved hundred by lofting Aldridge over mid-off for four, having faced 75 balls. But when he holed out to long-on off Davey with 42 still needed, Leicestershire were a spent force.

Sri Lanka captain also explains why they’ve been hard to come by

Andrew Fidel Fernando05-Sep-2024

Dhananjaya de Silva: Those who got starts didn’t turn them into hundreds and 150s.•Getty Images

It’s the batters, batters, batters. Right through the series, Sri Lanka have emphasised that it was their batting order that was letting the side down. Four innings in, with Sri Lanka never having got close to 350, with none of their top seven having got to triple-figures, captain Dhananjaya de Silva has reiterated the importance of top order runs again.In the first Test, Sri Lanka were 72 for 5 in the first innings. In the second Test, they were 83 for 5 in the first innings. Here’s where de Silva believes they lost.”Our batters have to score runs, and that’s the biggest issue we’ve had, ” he said. “Those who got starts didn’t turn them into hundreds and 150s. If you look at Joe Root on their side, he’s consistently made runs and it’s around him that others made runs. That’s what someone on our side needs to do as well, so we can get to 300 or 350. First-innings runs are what’s crucial to victory.”Related

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The only Sri Lanka batter to make serious runs on tour has been Kamindu Mendis, who batting at No. 7 has made scores of 113 in Manchester and 74 at Lord’s. He arrives at his sixth Test with a batting average of 78.87, having made six fifty-plus scores in nine innings, and having gone onto triple-figures on three of those occasions.Sri Lanka would have been tempted to shunt him up the order for this match, given not only his form, but the fact that he bats in the top and middle order frequently for domestic sides. But they will leave him where he is, for now, de Silva said.”I think if Kamindu plays well down there there’s no reason to change what he’s doing and put him in trouble. If he’s scoring there, it’s good for his career as well. In the future, maybe we will talk to him, about his plans as well and see what changes we can make. But right now we’re thinking of him as a No. 7.”The remainder of the batting order, even those on their third tour of England, have struggled badly against England’s seamers meanwhile. A lot of this has to do with their discipline, de Silva said.”They [England] have a lot of control in addition to their experience. They have great control of line and length and we don’t get many loose balls in England. We need to be prepared for that and our plans have to take that into account. That’s just what you get in England. In the two previous matches they didn’t let us execute our plans. That’s why they were successful.”Root, who has made 350 runs in four innings so far in the series, has also helped pound Sri Lanka to a 2-0 scoreline. Earlier this week, Dimuth Karunaratne spoke about Sri Lanka needing to go back to square one with their planning for him. De Silva hopes they’ve now got something together that will surprise Root, at the very least.”It’s not that our plans against him didn’t work – he just very quickly recognised what we were trying to do and countered it. That’s what world class players do, and that’s why he scored runs. We’ve hopefully come up with something now that he won’t expect.”

يأمل هوجو إيكتيكي مهاجم ليفربول في تعزيز بدايته الممتازة مع الريدز في الأسابيع والأشهر المقبلة، حيث يدخل ليفربول في سلسلة مزدحمة من المباريات.

وبدأ المهاجم المنضم من صفوف آينتراخت فرانكفورت مسيرته مع ليفربول بتسجيله ثلاث أهداف في أول أربع مباريات له قبل فترة التوقف الدولي في سبتمبر.

وسجل إيكتيكي أهدافًا ضد كريستال بالاس وبورنموث ونيوكاسل يونايتد، وأصبح أول لاعب في ليفربول يسجل في كل من مبارياته الثلاث الأولى منذ دانيال ستوريدج قبل 12 عاماً.

وقد أدى تألق إيكيتيكي لاستدعائه لأول مرة على الإطلاق للمنتخب الفرنسي الأول وشارك مع منتخب بلاده كبديل ضد أوكرانيا في الشوط الثاني.

وقال إيكتيكي لموقع ليفربول الرسمي: “أعتقد أنني تأقلمت جيداً، من الواضح أنني لا أزال بحاجة لتحسين بعض الأمور لكني أعتقد أنها كانت بداية جيدة”.

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وأضاف :”أشعر بالارتياح مع زملائي، ساعدوني على التكيف هنا وجعلوا لعبي أسهل، وعندما تلعب مع لاعبين جيدين مثلهم، يمكنك التطور والنجاح والأهم هو الاستمرار في الثبات”.

وواصل: “من الجيد أن تتم مقارنتي بستوريدج فأنا أعلم أنه كان لاعبا رائعا هنا في ليفربول لذا فهذا أمر جيد وأريد أن أبذل قصارى جهدي لأكون أفضل منه”.

وتابع: “فكرتي هي اللعب مع أفضل لاعبي العالم، هذا يساعدك على التطور معاً، جميع اللاعبين سنصل لمستوى أفضل”.

وعن شعوره بظهوره الأول مع منتخب فرنسا، قال: “كانت لحظة فخر لي ولعائلتي، إنها خطوة كبيرة أن ألعب مع المنتخب خاصة أن الوصول لهناك صعب، إنه فريق يضم العديد من اللاعبين المميزين لذا فإن الانضمام إلى هناك يعني لي الكثير لذا أنا فخور وسعيد جداً بذلك”.

وعن علاقته مع زميله صانع الألعاب فلوريان فيرتز والذي انضم أيضاً من الدوري الألماني رد إيكتيكي: “فلوريان لاعب رائع، إنه يفهم كرة القدم كما أفهمها، نتحدث نفس اللغة في الملعب لذا من السهل نوعاً ما أن تتواصل معه، لكني أعتقد أنكم لم تروا كل شئ بعد فالأيام القادمة أفضل، لكن العلاقة جيدة ونحن تقريباً في نفس الجيل، نتحدث نفس اللغة وحتى خارج كرة القدم هو شخص جيد”.

وختم عن المنافسات المنتظرة ولقاء بيرنلي في الدوري الإنجليزي: “نلعب كرة القدم من أجل المنافسة لذا أعتقد أن الانشغال بكرة القدم والمنافسة هي أفضل شعور خاصة بالنسبة لي، شخصياً هذا ما أحبه، مجرد التفكير في كرة القدم، نأكل وننام ونفكر في كرة القدم، هذا هو أفضل شعور، يمكنك ببساطة أن تكون ممتناً لذلك، أعرف لاعبين أو ثلاثة من فريق بيرنلي للشباب في منتخب فرنسا وهم جيدون وفريق جيد، يجب أن نركز على المباراة بكامل تركيزنا وأعتقد أنها ستكون رائعة”.

Manchester United are now preparing a £33m offer for a “world-class” star, who is very keen on moving to Old Trafford this summer, according to a report.

Man Utd struggling to get signings through the door

Man United got off to a fast start in the summer transfer window, securing the arrival of Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers, but they have since struggled to get deals for their priority targets over the line.

The Red Devils have been particularly keen to sign Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, but they are yet to agree a fee with their Premier League rivals, with reporter Laurie Whitwell revealing the asking price may have now increased.

It cannot be understated how important it is to sign a new forward, with Rasmus Hojlund netting just four Premier League goals last season, but Ruben Amorim also has a real desire to strengthen at the opposite end of the pitch.

Andre Onana has been subjected to heavy criticism throughout his time at Old Trafford, and Man United have now set their sights on a replacement, with an opening offer of around £33m in the works for Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

That is according to a report from La Nacion (via Sport Witness), which states Martinez is very keen on leaving Villa for United, as he believes he would be taking a big step in his career, despite European football not being on offer next season.

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However, the two clubs may be a little way apart in their valuation of the Argentinian as things stand, with Villa setting a £40m asking price.

"World-class" Martinez could be huge Onana upgrade

The 32-year-old has established himself as an elite goalkeeper during his time with Villa, most memorably impressing at the 2022 World Cup with Argentina, and he has been lauded as “world-class” by United legend Gary Neville.

Not only that, but there are clear signs the Villa star could be a massive upgrade on Onana, given that he has outperformed the Cameroonian across a number of key goalkeeping metrics per 90 over the past year.

Statistic

Andre Onana

Emiliano Martinez

Goals against

1.32

1.20

Save percentage

68.9%

72.1%

Clean sheet percentage

23.4%

28.3%

The former Arsenal man also won the Premier League Save of the Season award for a remarkable stop against Nottingham Forest.

Martinez is clearly a top-level goalkeeper, but Man United should be cautious about paying £40m for a player who is set to turn 33 later this year.

Four venues in Malaysia will host the 16-team tournament, while Samoa will be making their maiden World Cup appearance

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Aug-2024Defending champions India are grouped with West Indies, Sri Lanka and hosts Malaysia for the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup which begins on January 18, 2025. The 41-game event will feature 16 teams, like the inaugural edition in 2023, and will conclude with the final on February 2.Four venues across Malaysia will host the event. Bayuemas Oval in Selangor will host all Group A games and the final. The Dato’ Dr. Harjit Singh Johor Cricket Academy (JCA Oval) in Johor will host the Group B games. Sarawak’s Borneo Cricket Ground will be the venue for the Group C fixtures, and the UKM YSD Oval in Selangor will host the Group D matches.It will be the first World Cup appearance across any age division for Samoa, who are in Group C alongside New Zealand, South Africa and an Africa qualifier, yet to be decided. Group B has England – losing finalists in 2023 – alongside Pakistan, Ireland and USA. Group D features Australia, Bangladesh, Scotland and an Asia qualifier. Group A has India, West Indies, Sri Lanka and Malaysia, who will be featuring in their maiden U-19 women’s World Cup competition as well.How the teams stack up

Group A – India, West Indies, Sri Lanka and Malaysia [Bayuemas Oval in Selangor]

Group B – England, Pakistan, Ireland and USA [Dato’ Dr. Harjit Singh Johor Cricket Academy, Johor]

Group C – New Zealand, South Africa, Africa’s Qualifier and Samoa [Borneo Cricket Ground, Sarawak]

Group D – Australia, Bangladesh, Asia’s Qualifier and Scotland [UKM YSD Oval in Selangor]

The tournament will begin with six games on opening day: Australia versus Scotland, England against Ireland, and Samoa taking on the Africa qualifier in the morning; followed by Pakistan-Ireland, Bangladesh against the Asia qualifier, and New Zealand versus South Africa in the afternoon. India begin campaign on the second day against West Indies. Before the main event gets underway, there will be 16 warm-up games between January 13 and 16.Once the group stage is over, the top three teams from each group will progress to the Super Six stage, with the three teams from Group A and Group D combining to form one Super Six group, and the same with the top three teams of Group B and Group C in the other group.The teams will also carry forward their points and net run rates and will play the two sides who, a) were not in their group in the first stage, and b) finished at a different position from them. As an example, if India finish second in Group A, then they will play the winner and second runner-up of Group D. The top two teams from each Super Six group will progress to the semi-finals.The groups and teams for the Under-19 T20 World Cup 2025•ESPNcricinfo Ltd”This is a special event to the ICC and forms an important part of our Global Growth Strategy of raising the profile of women’s cricket and further growing the game around the world,” ICC CEO Geoff Allardice said in a statement. “It is also a unique opportunity to introduce our vast global audiences to the future stars of the sport.”We look forward to building on the success from the foundation laid at the inaugural event in South Africa in 2023. We wish all the teams the very best of luck in their preparation and to the Malaysian Cricket Association in organising the event.””Malaysia is proud to host the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup in 2025, continuing our tradition of supporting the growth of cricket on the global stage,” host tournament director Dinesh Muthuraman said. “Women’s cricket is experiencing unprecedented growth both in Malaysia and around the world. We are fully confident that this World Cup will further accelerate that momentum, leading to significant developments in the sport, especially for women’s cricket.”The tournament was originally supposed to be co-hosted by Thailand, but their withdrawal means Malaysia will host all games. In 2008, Malaysia also hosted the Men’s Under-19 World Cup which had future stars like Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, Steven Smith, Imad Wasim, Reeza Hendricks, Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Ravindra Jadeja.