كشفت تقارير صحفية أن رئيس نادي برشلونة، خوان لابورتا، اجتمع بوكيل أحد لاعبي فريق ليفربول، لبحث إمكانية الظفر بخدماته.
ويسعى برشلونة إلى إبرام عدة صفقات، نهاية الموسم الحالي في موسم الانتقالات الصيفي المقبل، مع رحيل المدرب تشافي هيرنانديز المرتقب.
اقرأ أيضًا.. كانسيلو يوضح موقفه من الاستمرار مع برشلونة.. ويصرح: مباراة نابولي لإثبات أنفسنا
وذكرت صحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية، نقلًا عن صحيفة “إل هيرالدو” الكولومبية، أن خوان لابورتا قد اجتمع مع وكيل أحد نجوم ليفربول على العشاء.
وأوضحت أن ذلك الاجتماع قد تم بين خوان لابورتا ووكيل لاعب ليفربول، لويس دياز، لبحث إمكانية إبرام صفقة.
وأشارت إلى أن وكيل لويس دياز أبلغ خوان لابورتا بالسعر الخاص بصفقة الكولومبي، والتي قد تتراوح بين 120 و140 مليون يورو.
وأفادت بأن تلك الأرقام رفضها خوان لابورتا بشكل قاطع، حيث أن الأمر غير ممكن في ظل الأوضاع الاقتصادية التي يعاني منها النادي الكتالوني.
وأكدت أن تلك ليست هي المرة الأولى التي يتواصل فيها الطرفان، حيث اعترف لابورتا في نوفمبر 2022 أنه كان مهتمًا بالتعاقد مع لويس دياز عندما كان لاعبًا في بورتو قبل انضمامه إلى ليفربول.
Wolverhampton Wanderers have been one of the clubs interested in signing Championship hitman Viktor Gyokeres this summer, as Julen Lopetegui bids to end his side’s woes in front of goal.
Ending the campaign as the Premier League’s lowest scorers, the Spaniard will face the task of bolstering his attack while adhering to a tight budget, following the revelation of the club’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) concerns.
The latest link to Gyokeres could tick one of those boxes, acting as a talisman in the second division, though the Old Gold would have to strike a compromised deal to remain within budget.
What’s the latest on Viktor Gyokeres to Wolves?
The saga between Wolves and Coventry City striker Gyokeres has been ongoing since the beginning of last month.
Following the news of the club’s financial struggles, the deal took a backseat, though a refreshing update from the Daily Mail earlier this week included Wolves as a club ‘battling’ for the Swedish forward.
It’s reported that the Midlands club are one of the Premier League sides seen as ‘admirers’ of the 25-year-old, who is suggested to have a price tag of £25m.
What could Viktor Gyokeres offer Wolves?
Lauded as “phenomenal” by Coventry City manager Mark Robins (via the Coventry Telegraph), the striker fired the Sky Blues to the promotion play-offs after a dominating personal campaign.
In a total of 46 regular-season Championship appearances, the forward contributed 21 goals and 10 assists, as per FBref, ending the term as the league’s second-highest scorer behind Middlesbrough’s Chuba Akpom.
The 25-year-old could be a revelation for Wolves, having scored just 10 goals fewer than Lopetegui’s entire squad in the Premier League.
While his ability to put the ball in the back of the net is a hireable attribute in itself in the eyes of the Molineux outfit, the strengths of his game as a No 9 could inspire those around him to reach their full potential.
Wolves rotation striker Hwang Hee-chan has shown glimpses of the player he could be when operating in a free-scoring frontline.
Hailed as a player that is capable of doing “everything” by Ian Wright on BBC’s Match of the Day, (as relayed by Molineux News), the forward could unleash his talents by thriving next to a player as tactically aware as Gyokeres.
viktor-gyokeres-premier-league-everton-transfers
The Swede’s statistics this season show the calibre of player Wolves could snatch, as well as the ability the 25-year-old has to be potentially influential in unlocking the Korean.
As per Sofascore, the forward averaged 3 total shots and 1.3 shots on target per game in the Championship, as well as making an average of 45 touches of the ball to show his desire to be involved in the play.
The Coventry ace also recorded a team-high average of 1.8 key passes per game, making him an effective creator in an area that could give Hwang room to show his worth.
In signing a competent line-leader, Lopetegui could give the “dangerous” Wolves forward – as described by former Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell – a perfect partner in Gyokeres, who has proven himself to be a player with strengths in conducting play in the final third.
Aston Villa are reportedly interested in Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte, as Monchi eyes his first transfer window masterclass during his first window in charge.
The Spaniard alongside former colleague Unai Emery will fuse together to ensure the Villans are in good stead ahead of next season, as the Midlands club prepare to endeavour on their first European journey since 2010.
Laporte has been on Villa’s radar since earlier this month, when 90min revealed the club’s interest in the central defender.
An update provided by Football Insider this week cemented the Claret and Blues’ desire to sign the 29-year-old, claiming that the club had ‘set sights’ on the Manchester City star and were ‘considering a move’.
The report adds that the Spaniard ‘ticks a lot of boxes’ wanted by Emery, with the four-time Europa League-winning manager hoping to sign a left-sided centre-back this summer.
Valued at £60m by the treble winners, as per the Mirror, the defender could be Villa’s record-breaking signing this summer, however, he’s not the only centre-back linked to Villa Park.
Indeed, Pau Torres looks as though he's also on his way to the Midlands, with reports emerging on Thursday that an agreement is in place to land the player from Villarreal.
The links to the two centre-backs is exciting news for the Villans, who could see a complete shift in defence with two experienced upgrades potentially incoming.
What could Aymeric Laporte and Pau Torres offer Vila?
While Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings have been a revelation at the back for Emery, the Spaniard could present Villa Park with two world-class signings in a rebuild of the defence this summer.
Hailed as the “best left central defender in the world” by treble-winning manager Pep Guardiola, the City star could be just what Emery requires to take Villa forward.
Despite falling down the pecking order at the Etihad, Laporte possesses quality that could see him dominate in most defences in Europe, seeing him lauded a “beast” by journalist Muhammad Butt.
The 29-year-old won an average of 60% of his total duels in the Premier League last season, cementing himself as a competent defender before anything else, however, his attributes go way beyond his defensive capabilities.
Similarly to Torres, Laporte flexes a powerful progressive ability, acting as a defender that can transition the ball upfield competently, in skills honed by the genius of Guardiola.
When comparing the two Villa targets based on their respective seasons and minutes via FBref, it makes for fascinating reading for those associated with the Midlands club, who could see a complete revamp of the defence as they know it.
While Torres’ 4.30 clearances and 1.74 aerials won along with Laporte’s 2.72 clearances and 2.18 aerials won per 90 communicate their defensive knowhow, their competency on the ball highlights just how much they could add to Villa Park.
As per FBref, the Villarreal gem averaged a monstrous 5.81 progressive passes and 2.24 progressive carries per 90 in La Liga this season, closely followed by the City ace who scored an average of 7.70 progressive passes and 2.72 progressive carries per 90.
By introducing two experienced players in quality and efficiency, Emery could equip his side with strength that could bolster all areas of the field, with two players boasting the ability to move the ball and dictate play from the back. This is surely a mouthwatering prospect for everyone associated with the club.
David Miller, fresh off his second century in three ODI innings, will not be available for the rest of the series against Sri Lanka because of a finger injury
Firdose Moonda02-Feb-20171:14
David Miller’s injury has come at a time when he is in prime form
David Miller, fresh off his second century in three ODI innings, will not be available for the rest of the series against Sri Lanka because of a finger injury.Miller sustained a cut to the little finger of his right hand during the second ODI in Durban when he could not quite get underneath a diving catch in the eighth over of the Sri Lanka innings. He did not field for the remainder of the match and will require stitches which means seven to 10 days of recovery time.He remains in contention for the limited-overs series against New Zealand, which starts with a T20I on February 17.Miller made 117 off 98 balls at Kingsmead, adding 117 for the fifth wicket with Faf du Plessis, to help turn an uncertain South Africa innings into a total of 307 for 6 which set up a 121-run victory.South Africa, who are 2-0 up in the five-match series, have not named a replacement for Miller in their squad which is already without paceman Lungi Ngidi. Farhaan Behardien is the only reserve batsman and most likely to be given an opportunity after he made his international captaincy debut in the T20 series.Dwaine Pretorius, a bowling allrounder, is also at South Africa’s disposal and if he is used it could see Wayne Parnell pushed a place higher in the order. Parnell has been used to open the batting at T20 level and has a recent first-class hundred to his name. He has been keen for opportunities with the bat at international level.The third ODI, which South Africa will play in pink to raise awareness for breast cancer, will be played on Saturday at the Wanderers.
Fifties from openers Soumya Sarkar and Tamim Iqbal led Bangladesh to a promising 133 for 2 in response to Sri Lanka’s total of 494 on the second day
The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando in Galle08-Mar-2017 Scorecard and ball-by-ball details3:46
Fernando: Dickwella showed clarity of purpose
On another batting day at Galle, Sri Lanka swelled their score to a 494, before Bangladesh cruised to 133 for 2 by stumps. The bowlers were relentless in their attempts to shake this Test awake – Mehedi Hasan bowled aggressively to make dents in the Sri Lanka lower order, and Lakshan Sandakan delivered some ripping left-arm wristspin in the evening – but the pitch remained somnolent, and the teams more-or-less evenly placed.On the batting front, Kusal Mendis squandered his chance to complete a maiden double-hundred, Niroshan Dickwella cracked his way to 75, Tamim Iqbal hit a half-century before running himself out, and a charmed Soumya Sarkar saw out the day on 66 not out. Among the cricket’s redeeming features, meanwhile, has been Sri Lanka’s positive outlook at the crease (they scored their runs at 3.82 an over), and the emergence of first hints of big turn. If the Galle pitch continues to descend into its familiar cantankerous mood through the back end of this match, Bangladesh will have to bat very well.For now, it is the batsmen’s turn to hog the limelight, and no one has done that better than Kusal Mendis so far. He began the day on 166, but found his morning defined by two attempted sixes. The first, off Subashis Roy in the 95th over, was a hook shot gone awry – the mis-hit caught by Mustafizur Rahman at fine leg. The fielder, though, misjudged the position of the boundary, and trod on the rope while competing the catch. The umpire raised his arms to signal a six. Not seeing Mustafizur’s mistake, the bowler raised his arms in celebration. Dickwella, the non-striker, also raised his arms to suggest to Subashis that the ball had been carried over the boundary. Everyone had their hands up, and for a second they were standing around looking like bank tellers during an armed robbery.The second attempted six, however, would cost Mendis his wicket. He stepped down the pitch to Mehedi and sought to deposit him over long-on. He didn’t quite get to the pitch, however, and this time, the mis-hit was controlled by Tamim Iqbal, who kept the ball in play by throwing it in the air, while he himself momentarily stepped over the boundary. That stroke had been an attempt to get to his maiden double hundred with a six – a sign that for all Mendis’ seeming maturity at the crease, he is not immune to the impetuous flashes of youth. He was out for 194.While Bangladesh’s bowlers failed to muster the discipline they had managed in the first half of the first day, Mendis’ partner, Dickwella, was typically lively at the crease, launching the second ball he faced on the day over the leg side for six, and at times employing the reverse sweep that has recently served him well in the shortest format. He played the ramp stroke over the slips to hit the second of his successive boundaries off Taskin Ahmed in the 97th over, and brought up his second Test half century soon after, off the 52nd ball he faced. Mehedi eventually had him top-edging an attempted swipe over the leg side to dismiss him for 75. Dilruwan Perera then hit a brisk half century – largely in the company of the tail – to help propel Sri Lanka to the brink of 500.Tamim and Soumya would go on to register Bangladesh’s first opening century stand in almost two years, but their progress was not always smooth. Soumya should have been out for 4 in the third over, had his outside edge been snared by Perera at gully off the bowling of Suranga Lakmal. Perera then became the bowler to have Tamim Iqbal dropped – on 28 – when wicketkeeper Dickwella failed to cling on to a thick outside edge.Apart from those two errors, the openers were otherwise assured. They would often stride down the crease to knock the spinners down the ground, or launch them over the infield. Against the quicks, who were used in short spells, they rarely ventured a loose shot – Soumya lifting Lahiru Kumara languidly over the slips at one point.It was only once both batsmen had almost reached fifty that Sandakan was brought into the attack. He began to cause problems almost immediately, regularly beating the bat and drawing inside-edges. For the first time in the Test, there seemed to be some turn in the surface. He can claim some credit in the dismissal of Tamim, though on the score sheet it went down as a run-out. A stock ball clipped Tamim’s pad en route to the keeper – it perhaps collected some part of the bat as well – and though Dickwella took the ball cleanly, Tamim believed the ball to have dribbled away towards fine leg, and took off for a run. The wicketkeeper only had to take the bails off.Bangladesh will be disappointed that Mominul Haque got himself trapped in front only a few overs before stumps were drawn, but nevertheless, may feel they have plenty of batting left.
وجه مدافع الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي أولمبيك ليون، ديان لوفرين، رسالة إلى محمد صلاح قائد منتخب مصر وجناح ليفربول أثناء مباراة كرواتيا الودية بالأمس، الثلاثاء.
والتقى منتخبا مصر وكرواتيا في نهائي “كأس عاصمة مصر” وخسر الفراعنة بنتيجة 4-2 في أولى معسكرات المدرب، حسام حسن.
ولم يشارك محمد صلاح في البطولة مع منتخب مصر بعد طلبه من الجهاز الفني بعدم الحضور لعدم اكتمال جاهزيته للمشاركة في المباريات بعد العودة من إصابة طويلة في أوتار الركبة.
اقرأ أيضًا.. فيديو | أول تعليق من حسام حسن على خسارة منتخب مصر أمام كرواتيا برباعية في كأس العاصمة
وكذلك لم يشارك ديان لوفرين مع منتخب كرواتيا، لأنه اعتزل بعد المشاركة في بطولة كأس العالم قطر 2022.
وكتب لوفرين عبر حسابه الرسمي على منصة “إنستجرام” إلى محمد صلاح بعد دقائق من بداية المباراة: “كانت أمنيتي الوحيدة هي اللعب ضدك”.
ولكن هذا لم يكن ممكنًا أو متاحًا بالنسبة لمدافع كرواتيا السابق خلال فترته الدولية من 2009 وحتى 2022، لكن هناك علاقة صداقة قوية بين الثنائي تكونت خلال تواجدهما معًا في ليفربول من 2017 حتى 2020.
West Ham United will soon have more than £100m to play with should the Declan Rice transfer windfall be invested back into the squad as expected.
Rice's move to Arsenal is edging ever closer, leaving West Ham not only in need of a replacement but also upgrades in various other positions.
Who will replace Declan Rice at West Ham?
David Moyes' men have been linked with numerous replacements for Rice, though it is becoming increasingly clear that none of those on their list of targets will fulfil the midfield role in quite the same way.
One name who is repeatedly touted as a target for Moyes is Juventus midfielder Denis Zakaria, with the Evening Standard suggesting West Ham have now held talks with the Serie A heavyweights over a loan move with the option to buy.
It is claimed that the Europa Conference League winners would be prepared to pay £16m to permanently sign the Switzerland international, who spent last season on loan in the Premier League with West Ham's London rivals Chelsea.
How good is Denis Zakaria?
Zakaria was one of the top midfield talents on the continent across five seasons as a regular for Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga, leading to a switch to Juventus in January 2022 as he neared the end of his contract.
Since then, however, the Swiss has played 18 league matches across half a season with Juventus and a whole season with Chelsea. As Telegraph writer Stefan Bienkowski put it, Zakaria's failed loan spell at Stamford Bridge was "a complete waste of time and talent".
The circumstances of Zakaria's loan period at Chelsea must be factored in, with numerous players and managers coming and going last season.
Indeed, the 26-year-old showed what he was capable of in glimpses, as his 88.9 pass-completion percentage over the past 12 months places him in the top 5% of all midfielders across Europe's top five leagues, as per FBref.
However, not since 2020-21 has Zakaria played more than 16 games in a league season, and West Ham supporters need no reminding of what happened when they previously loaned a player from Juve with the option to make it permanent.
Simone Zaza made just 11 appearances for West Ham in the 2016-17 season, eight of those in the Premier League and each without scoring. In fact, so bad was the forward's loan spell that just five months after signing he was on his way to Valencia and he was not seen again.
Zakaria and Zaza are different types of player, of course, but the warning signs are there. The Italian was also recruited by Juve amid much fanfare, only to last only a season – four months more than Zakaria, at least – before being shipped out to east London.
West Ham cannot say the warning signs are not there, either, as Zakaria ranks in the bottom 1% of all midfielders across Europe's elite leagues for progressive passes (1.78 per 90 minutes) over the past year, and in the bottom 17% for blocks (0.89 per 90), an area he once thrived in.
While the need for a Rice replacement is apparent, Zakaria is surely not West Ham's man.
Football icon and new Inter Miami signing Lionel Messi was nearly involved in a car crash as his vehicle jumped a red light and ran into moving traffic.
Was Messi in a car crash?
Earlier this summer, the Argentine opted to leave European club football for the first time in his senior career and head in a new direction at this late stage of his career.
Indeed, despite plenty of interest in his signature in Saudi Arabia and former club Barcelona, the 36-year-old attacker signed for MLS outfit Inter Miami.
The now-former Paris Saint-Germain forward will seemingly spend the final years of his career in America and it will certainly be interesting to see how he gets on in a new environment.
Worryingly, however, he has already nearly been caught up in a bad scrape in Miami, as he only just avoided an accident this week – which you can see in the footage from Twitter.
🚨 | Messi went through a red light. 😭Luckily he was being escorted home by a Florida State Police car.
pic.twitter.com/mT8daiYK2g — FCB Albiceleste (@FCBAlbiceleste) July 14, 2023
Thankfully Messi was okay and it seems he wasn't in the wrong either as he was being escorted home by a Fort Lauderdale police car, so presumably had the right to skip the red light – even if some other drivers on the same stretch of road didn't seem to immediately be aware of this. It remains unclear if the Argentine was actually the one driving or if he was a passenger.
When will Leo Mess make his Inter Miami debut?
According to Goal, he is expected to make his bow for Inter Miami against Mexican outfit Cruz Azul on July 21. The match will take place at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale – where Miss was driving – with the Argentine getting a first chance to dazzle the Florida locals with his brilliant talent.
It will be the opening game in the inaugural Leagues Cup, which also sees teams such as Orlando City and Houston Dynamo involved as 47 outfits from Major League Soccer and Liga MX clash in the tournament.
Speaking about his move last month, the 36-year-old told Argentinian TV Publica (via ESPN): "Initially, we had a different idea [to return to Barcelona].
"We're happy with the decision we have taken. I'm ready and eager to face this new challenge, this change."
Before adding: "[The decision] was an important step but at the same time, I was aware of what it meant, of what I was doing," Messi added. "We're happy."
It will certainly be interesting to see how he gets on in MLS but we could actually see the World Cup winner return to Barcelona in the near future too.
However, not as part of a permanent return but, rather, in a one-off testimonial. Club president Joan Laporta recently claimed that he could come back to help reopen the Camp Nou once renovations are completed.
He explained that he'd spoken to the player's representatives about the possibility of this happening and said: "I agreed with them to make a tribute. The opening day of the Spotify Camp Nou would be an excellent date."
For the time being, though, any fans of Messi will have to keep their eyes firmly focused on North America if they want to see him in action any time soon.
After four straight away games, Delhi Daredevils return to their home, Feroz Shah Kotla, desperately needing a win to stay alive in the tournament
The Preview by Akshay Gopalakrishnan01-May-2017Match factsDelhi Daredevils v Sunrisers Hyderabad Delhi, May 2, 2017 Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)3:16
Bangar: Delhi Daredevils should pick Samuels for Anderson
Head to headThis season: Kane Williamson, playing his first match of the season, struck an adroit 89 as Sunrisers Hyderabad put up 191 and prevailed by 15 runs.Overall: Sunrisers Hyderabad have a 6-3 advantage from the nine times the two sides have met.Form guide
Delhi Daredevils (eighth): lost to Kings XI Punjab by 10 wickets, lost to Kolkata Knight Riders by seven wickets, lost to Mumbai Indians by 14 runs
Sunrisers Hyderabad (third): beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 48 runs, beat King XI Punjab by 26 runs, match washed out against Royal Challengers Bangalore
In the newsMarlon Samuels did not play in Daredevils’ previous match, against Kings XI Punjab, having landed in the country on the eve of the match. After getting shot out for 67, though, Daredevils could bring him in on Tuesday. Zaheer Khan has still not recovered after hurting his hamstring against Kolkata Knight Riders. Karun Nair will continue to lead Daredevils as the stand-in captain.The likely XIsDelhi Daredevils: 1 Sanju Samson, 2 Sam Billings, 3 Marlon Samuels, 4 Rishabh Pant (wk), 5 Shreyas Iyer, 6 Karun Nair (capt), 7 Chris Morris, 8 Kagiso Rabada, 9 Shahbaz Nadeem/Jayant Yadav, 10 Amit Mishra, 11 Mohammed ShamiSunrisers Hyderabad: 1 David Warner (capt), 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 Moises Henriques, 6 Naman Ojha (wk), 7 Bipul Sharma/Deepak Hooda, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Rashid Khan, 10 Siddarth Kaul, 11 Mohammed SirajStrategy puntAmit Mishra has not bowled in the Powerplay this IPL. That trend could, however, change in this game, considering he has conceded at only 6.72 runs per over against David Warner and has dismissed him once in the four innings he has bowled at him. It is a significant dip from Warner’s overall scoring rate of 9.05 an over this year. Against Shikhar Dhawan, too, Mishra has impressed with an economy rate of 6.85, having scalped his wicket once in two innings.Stats that matter Daredevils have lost on both occasions they have faced Sunrisers at Feroz Shah Kotla. Karun Nair’s average of 12.71 is the worst among batsmen who have featured in the top three of their team’s line-up and have played a minimum of five innings. His strike rate of 90.81 is also the lowest among those who have faced a minimum of 50 balls at the top of the order. His highest score of 33 this season and his career-best of 83 not out in the IPL have, however, both come against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Sunrisers have got 32 out of their 59 wickets through the pair of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Rashid Khan, which amounts to 54.2% of the team’s wickets – the highest for a single pair this season. Daredevils, similarly, have relied heavily on pairs: Pat Cummins and Chris Morris have accounted for 48.8% of the team’s wickets, while the combinations of Morris and Mishra, and Zaheer Khan and Morris have each contributed to 44.2% of Daredevils’ wickets. Not only have Bhuvneshwar and Rashid been Sunrisers’ most reliable strike bowlers, they have also been the hardest to score off. Together, the duo have an average of 15.03 and an economy rate of 6.68. The rest of their attack gives away 36.37 runs per wicket, and goes at 9.28 runs an over. Kane Williamson has a strike rate of 96.08 against legspinners in all T20s in Asia. Against Mishra, however, it shoots up to 176.47. In the previous match between these two sides, Williamson slapped 21 runs off the nine balls he faced against Mishra.