Another Suarez situation: Liverpool expect bid for "world-class" £72m star

Trent Alexander-Arnold has left Liverpool. In fairness, FSG have done very well indeed here, banking around £10m to allow the right-back to join Real Madrid early, so that he can play under Xabi Alonso in next month’s Club World Cup.

It was tired saga, an indisputable stain on Liverpool’s incredible Premier League triumph. Ah well, it will come out in the wash. Now that the whole ordeal is over, we can turn toward the exciting incomings heading Anfield’s way.

Jeremie Frimpong has completed his medical, and his transfer to Anfield will be announced imminently, while deals for Florian Wirtz and Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez are in the pipeline. Liverpool also want a new number nine.

However, this can’t all happen without a few exits. Let’s take a look at who might be leaving Arne Slot’s Reds this summer.

Who could be leaving Liverpool

Alexander-Arnold wasn’t the only one in tears as Liverpool lifted the Premier League title after their season-closing draw with Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Harvey Elliott cut a poignant figure, for the young playmaker has been limited to a bit-part role this season and looks like he may leave. Wolverhampton Wanderers, Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund are mooted names, with Liverpool demanding £50m.

Harvey Elliott celebrates for Liverpool

With Frimpong inbound, Kostas Tsimikas’ five-year stay at the club may be at an end. Andy Robertson, 31, has been on the decline, but he wants to stay and challenge Kerkez for a place, and there won’t be room for three.

Darwin Nunez is perhaps the most nailed-on for a departure. Liverpool want a striker, but can’t move forward without the sale of their club-record man, whose well-documented struggles in England have left him with just seven goals from 47 matches across all competitions this term.

Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez

It’s been frustrating to watch the Uruguayan struggle, especially since those early hopes he would emulate his countryman Luis Suarez and become a superstar at Liverpool.

Elsewhere, curious reports of Bayern Munich’s interest in Cody Gakpo have also surfaced this week, but it seems unlikely FSG would allow the left-sided forward, behind only Mohamed Salah in Liverpool’s scoring charts this season, to leave.

Liverpool summer transfer window in 2020

However, Luis Diaz is also being targeted by suitors and may well be set for an exit in the coming months.

FSG expecting bid for key player

According to transfer insider Ben Jacobs, Liverpool are expecting to hear from Saudi officials in the coming weeks, with Al Nassr – who are requesting funding to make an offer – identifying Diaz as their top target.

Liverpool forward Luis Diaz

Jacobs believes Diaz is likely to cost in excess of €85m (£72m) if he’s to leave Anfield this summer, with his potential exit certainly not a formality.

Barcelona also have a long-standing interest in the 28-year-old, with La Blaugrana in particular publicly revealing their admiration for the player as they weigh up a bid.

It’s thought that Diaz is pushing for a new contract at Anfield, earning just £55k per week and entering the penultimate year of his current deal.

Why Diaz could be another Luis Suarez

While it might seem a good idea to take a big offer for Diaz, he’s regarded as a “world-class” player by former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp and replacing him effectively, with other areas in need of investment, could be tricky.

Indeed, the Colombian has just enjoyed his finest campaign at Liverpool, scoring 17 goals and providing eight assists across all competitions.

Moreover, his underlying technical data is highly impressive. As per FBref, the skilful star ranks among the top 13% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top-five leagues this term for goals scored, the top 7% for pass completion, the top 19% for successful take-ons and the top

Selling Diaz while at the top of his game could even mimic the one-time sale of Suarez to Barcelona, the football legend joining Camp Nou in a deal worth £75m back in 2014.

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez celebrates

There are differences, of course, but Liverpool would be relinquishing a South American star after a season competing at the peak of the Premier League.

But feelings of indifference toward Diaz are misguided: as Suarez was under Brendan Rodgers, Diaz is one of the finest players in the world in his position, perhaps a little wasteful here and there, but still producing impressive numbers that other players may struggle to replicate.

1)

Raphinha

36

18

2)

Bradley Barcola

34

14

3)

Luis Diaz

36

13

4)

Javi Puado

35

12

5)

Vinicius Junior

30

11

As you can see, Raphinha and Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola were the only left-sided forwards across Europe’s top-five leagues who outscored Diaz this season, and he was indeed the highest scorer in the Premier League.

Suarez scored 82 goals across 133 matches for the Reds. He is, of course, an out-and-out centre-forward, but the principle remains: Liverpool would be skating across thin ice in allowing their fleet-footed maverick to depart with plenty more upheaval taking place down Anfield Road.

It’s a tricky one: Diaz is one of the best wingers in the Premier League, instrumental in winning the thing under Slot’s leadership this season, and having completed his most productive individual season in a Liverpool shirt too.

However, he’s also going to be 30 by the time his current deal expires at the end of the 2026/27 campaign, and suitors seem willing to at least consider paying a handsome figure to take him from Merseyside.

Much to consider, however; is Diaz really such a liability in this team? Is his prowess unfairly darkened by Salah’s ridiculous output, hardly a fair yardstick to compare against any talented winger?

Liverpool winger Luis Diaz

Liverpool might just come to look at their banked sums, should Diaz depart, with a similar ruefulness to when Suarez up and left for riches abroad.

That said, resilience and intensity have led Slot’s Liverpool to success this season, and they should be able to overcome such a setback.

Salah 2.0: Liverpool pursuing £59m star who has a "left foot made of gold"

Liverpool may yet enter the transfer market for a right-sided forward this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair May 30, 2025

History beckons for Anderson as England eye future

Big picture: Anderson enters the end-game

It’s been an emotional week already for the grand old men of British sport. At Wimbledon on Thursday, Andy Murray unleashed the waterworks as he bade farewell to Centre Court, with a final acceptance that his flesh was now too weak to sustain his indomitable spirit.By contrast, that same afternoon at Saint Vulbas, and then at Silverstone three days after that, Mark Cavendish and Lewis Hamilton proved what a champion’s mindset can still achieve when the fates finally decree that you have suffered purgatory for long enough.Related

  • Atkinson upstages Anderson with seven-for as England dominate

  • Strauss: Next Ashes 'too far' for Anderson (but he should receive a knighthood)

  • Stokes: England must build a team that can win in Australia

  • Stokes' brave calls and bowling return herald start of England's evolution

  • From haircuts to sledging – Anderson's other 'highlights'

And now, we roll through to Lord’s on Wednesday, where another immoveable constant of the British sporting summer will begin his own five-day farewell. As with each of the three men mentioned above, James Anderson has never known when to quit, and were it not for the march of time, he’d have no reason to do so. “I’ve not really got a choice, have I?” he demurred, when asked if he was at peace with the decision to pension him off after this, his 188th Test – even after last week’s stellar haul of 7 for 35 for Lancashire at Southport.But, as Anderson himself might remember from the circumstances of his own England debut – on this very ground 21 years and a handful of weeks ago – international sport has, at some point, to return to being a young man’s game. Back then, it was Andrew Caddick who never played for his country again, even after claiming ten wickets in England’s previous Test at Sydney in January 2003. If opportunity doesn’t knock at some point for a new generation, then stagnation and frustration become the only true measures of progress.That’s not quite where England find themselves after a torrid winter tour of India. But, in the wake of their 2-2 Ashes draw and a careless share of the spoils in New Zealand in February, Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum find themselves in unusually urgent need of a series win – a strange state of affairs for a team whose initial success was largely down to their disregard for the end-game.James Anderson and Ben Stokes in their Test whites•PA Photos/Getty Images

Hence their changing of the guard, with Bazball’s original pin-up, Jonny Bairstow, being forced to bow to the reality of his fading returns, and Ben Foakes dispatched for his inability to hit the top-notes of aggression that the team ethos demands. Stuart Broad has also sauntered off the stage, 12 months yet only one home Test ago, meaning that the future will be upon this England team almost before it has had time to take stock.What can West Indies do to knock that future off its stride? Potentially, more than many other teams might muster. For if England’s approach, in essence, has been about an overdose of good vibes, then they are coming up against a team with a proven ability to raise their own game against these particular opponents.As the current holders of the Richards-Botham Trophy, West Indies have not lost a home series to England in two decades and counting, and if the challenge that awaits them in inclement English weather is likely to be somewhat tougher, then they come armed with a core of significant senior campaigners, not least among them the returning former captain Jason Holder, and a fast-bowling contingent that would be the envy of many of their Test opponents.Either way, West Indies are not letting the sentiment of the occasion deflect them from their mission, with more than one player expressing their intention to “ruin” Anderson’s farewell. Hopefully the weather doesn’t get there first in the course of an unsettled forecast for the week ahead. There’ll be enough moisture doing the rounds at Lord’s by the time he’s bowled his last.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Form guide

England LLLLW (last five Tests, most recent first)
West Indies WLDLL

In the spotlight: Gus Atkinson and Shamar Joseph

Yeah, yeah, so there’s really only one fast bowler on anyone’s lips right now, but seeing as Anderson loathes the spotlight, it makes sense to pass it over to two of the newest kids on the Test block.Gus Atkinson has been England’s coming man for the best part of a year already, but after drinks-carrying roles on two senior tours of India – before Christmas for that dismal World Cup campaign and after Christmas for a marginally less dispiriting 4-1 Test defeat – Lord’s will serve as the grand unveiling of a quick who has got a lot of informed onlookers very excited indeed. Over and above his smooth attributes as a 90mph fast bowler, Atkinson’s appetite for the big stage would appear to mark him out. His best displays to date have come when there’s been the most to prove, not least a high-octane duel with Jos Buttler in last year’s Hundred. Dillon Pennington and Matthew Potts are waiting in the wings for when Anderson has bowled his last, but Atkinson has been handed first dibs of the new era.Shamar Joseph prepares to bowl in the nets•Getty Images

If Atkinson can make half the impact that Shamar Joseph managed in his maiden Test series, then England will have been extraordinarily well served. After five wickets on debut in a spirited personal display in Adelaide, no performance of recent vintage came close to matching the raw, rapid raucousness with which Joseph followed up in Brisbane, as Australia were scattered to the four corners of their former fortress at the Gabba. His figures of 7 for 68 in 11.5 brutally direct overs were capped by the flattening of Josh Hazlewood’s off stump and a victory gallop for the ages. It’ll be a different level of expectation now, of course – and a wicketless one-off appearance for Lucknow in this year’s IPL was early evidence that his spells won’t all be as straightforwardly joyous. Nevertheless, he arrives as a serious prong in a serious pace attack, and England will be forewarned.

Team news: England ring the changes

No Bairstow, no Foakes, no Tom Hartley, no Mark Wood. Only two of those names are likely to feature again for England as Bazball 2.0 prepares to be unleashed. Instead, re-enter Harry Brook at No. 5, back in situ after missing the India tour due to the death of his grandmother, and welcome aboard the Surrey pairing of Atkinson and Jamie Smith, whose credentials have been bigged up ever since Rob Key witnessed his astonishingly rapid hundred for England Lions in Sri Lanka two winters ago. He does not keep wicket for his county – awkwardly, the man he has replaced has that honour. But then, neither does Shoaib Bashir command a first-team place at Somerset. England are more excited about the ceiling of such players’ potentials, rather than the facts of their current professional status. Mind you, the opposite holds true for the returning Chris Woakes, the reigning Compton-Miller medallist after his heroics in last summer’s Ashes. He’s no more a long-term pick than Anderson, but he does command an average of 11.33 in five previous Tests at Lord’s. Seeing as England haven’t won a full series since 2022, getting that W on the board is still a priority.England: 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Jamie Smith (wk), 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Gus Atkinson, 10 Shoaib Bashir, 11 James AndersonThe sad absence of Kemar Roach, who sustained a knee injury on county duty with Surrey, hasn’t dented the quiet self-belief of a West Indies team that may prove to be overly reliant on Kraigg Brathwaite’s obduracy at the top, but certainly possess more than enough bowling tools to give Stokes’ batters a serious run for their money. The challenge, as so often in recent encounters, comes in the batting. With Mikyle Louis confirmed for a debut at the top of the order – the first player from St Kitts to win a Test cap for West Indies – four of the top six will have played nine Tests between them. Gudakesh Motie has edged out Kevin Sinclair for the solitary spinner’s berth, with Motie’s recent success against England’s batters in white-ball cricket potentially the clincher.Kraigg Brathwaite looks on during West Indies practice•Getty Images

West Indies 1 Kraigg Brathwaite, 2 Mikyle Louis, 3 Kirk McKenzie, 4 Alick Athanaze, 5 Kavem Hodge, 6 Jason Holder, 7 Joshua da Silva (wk), 8 Gudakesh Motie, 9 Alzarri Joseph, 10 Shamar Joseph, 11 Jayden Seales.

Pitch and conditions: Cold and damp is the order of the day

The weather promises to be cold, intermittently showery and distinctly underwhelming. All of which augurs pretty well for the quick bowlers on display, given the old cliché of Lord’s being a venue where you look up, not down. Even by the old ground’s flat-decked reputation, however, this season has been taking the Michael – as Glamorgan’s Sam Northeast can attest after overhauling Graham Gooch’s legendary 333 in April, the previous highest score ever made in NW8. Jayden Seales had a similarly brutal run-out for Sussex against Middlesex at Lord’s in May, when a total of 18 wickets fell in four days.

Stats and trivia: Anderson eyeing his final place in history

  • Anderson, currently on 700 Test wickets, needs nine in the match to overhaul Shane Warne’s mark of 708, and move into second place on the all-time Test wicket-taker’s list, behind Muthiah Muralidaran (800).
  • Stokes, who is expected to be back to full bowling fitness after undergoing knee surgery in November, needs two more wickets to reach 200 in Tests, after spending 17 Tests and nigh on two years in the 190s.
  • Joshua da Silva, West Indies’ keeper, needs eight more runs to reach 1000 in Tests.
  • Despite being the current holders of the Richards-Botham Trophy, West Indies have lost each of their last seven Test series in England, dating back to 2000, and have not won a series in the country since 1988.
  • In the past decade, however, the rivalry has been especially intense at home and away. Since 2015, both teams have won six and lost six out of 15 matches, with a win apiece on their last two visits to England in 2017 and 2020.

Quotes

“This week will all be about Jimmy, and rightly so. But I can tell you that his main focus is about going out there, taking wickets and trying to win this game for England. I’m sure when we’re done here this week, that’s when everything else will take over. But he’s desperate to go out there and put in a winning performance for England.”
Ben Stokes on Anderson’s swansong“It’s a young group, especially the batsmen, they have a lot of time to learn because obviously playing Test cricket it takes a while to really understand. You’re always learning on the job, but it’s a very decent team, for sure.”

Gyokeres alternative: Arsenal working to sign "monster" £60m Havertz upgrade

da aviator aposta: It’s been an unusual season for Arsenal this year.

da esport bet: It has felt as if Mikel Arteta’s side have simply gone from one disaster to another, and yet, as things stand, they look set for a second-place finish in the Premier League and almost made it to the final of the Champions League.

However, while challenging is nice, the North Londoners have now done that for three campaigns on the bounce, and fans are understandably demanding that they get across that finishing line next season.

Fortunately, the board seem intent on making the signings to help them do that this summer, with recent reports now linking the club to a prolific goalscorer who could be an ideal Viktor Gyokeres alternative and a massive Kai Havertz upgrade.

Arsenal's striker search

While Arsenal have been linked with a host of sensational strikers in recent weeks and months, perhaps the most significant have been to Sporting CP star Gyokeres.

Transfer Focus

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

The Swedish international was touted for a move to North London last summer, and now, in recent weeks, it appears as if new Sporting Director Andrea Berta has really stepped up the club’s pursuit of the former Coventry City man.

In fact, reports from the last week or so have gone as far as claiming that the player has already agreed terms with the Gunners, while others have asserted that the North Londoners have submitted a bid in the region of £63m.

However, for all the goals Gyokeres has scored this season – 53 in all competitions – Arteta and Co might prefer to sign someone who could be even more of a sure thing, someone Premier League-proven, someone like Bryan Mbeumo.

Yes, according to a recent report from GIVEMESPORT, Arsenal have an ‘active interest’ in the Brentford star, whose raw output, versatility and underlying numbers have left the recruitment staff impressed.

Brentford's BryanMbeumocelebrates after the match

However, given the Cameroon international’s importance to the Bees and the interest from other sides like Nottingham Forest, Manchester United and Newcastle United, he wouldn’t come cheap, with the West Londoners expected to demand around £60m for his services this summer.

It could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Mbeumo’s sensational ability, it’s worth pursuing, especially since he could be an ideal Havertz upgrade.

How Mbeumo compares to Havertz

So, the first to say is that while Mbeumo has primarily played off the right for Brentford, he’s no stranger to playing down the middle either, making 42 appearances as a second striker and 32 as a centre-forward.

Brentford's BryanMbeumoreacts

Therefore, with that in mind and the fact that Bukayo Saka is near-enough undroppable when fit, it seems likely that Arsenal would sign the Bees ace primarily with the intention of starting him up top, in turn placing him up against Havertz for game time.

With that said, who comes out on top between the two attackers?

Well, when it comes to their raw output, which is, of course, what matters more than anything else for a striker, it’s the “unplayable” Cameroonian, by Brentford boss Thomas Frank, who comes out miles ahead.

For example, so far this season, he has scored 19 goals and provided nine assists in just 41 appearances, totalling 3487 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.46 games, or every 124.53 minutes.

In contrast, the Gunners’ number 29 has scored 15 goals and provided five assists in 35 appearances, totalling 2790 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.75 games, or every 139.5 minutes.

Unfortunately for the former Chelsea ace, the one-sided nature of this comparison only continues when we take a look under the hood at their underlying numbers.

Mbeumo vs Havertz

Statistics per 90

Mbeumo

Havertz

Goals + Assists

0.70

0.64

Progressive Passes

3.74

2.95

Progressive Carries

3.41

1.46

Shots

2.06

2.83

Shot on Target

0.93

1.11

Key Passes

1.84

1.08

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.54

0.49

Passes into the Final Third

1.71

1.53

Shot-Creating Actions

3.82

2.24

Goal-Creating Actions

0.54

0.15

Successful Take-Ons

1.38

0.49

Ball Recoveries

4.04

2.09

All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 Season

For example, the “monster” forward, as dubbed by presenter Beth Tucker, comes out on top in the majority of relevant metrics, such as goals plus assists, progressive passes and carries shot and goal-creating actions, key passes, passes into the final third and penalty area, successful take-ons and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while he might not be the biggest name around, Mbeumo has shown this season that he has what it takes to score bags and bags of goals in the Premier League, and therefore, Arsenal should sign him, even if it would be bad news for Havertz.

Their original Zubimendi: Deal done for £110k-per-week ace to leave Arsenal

Arsenal are set to lose one or two midfielders this summer.

ByMatt Dawson May 20, 2025

"لم يأتِ من فراغ".. كيف علق حسن شحاتة على تأهل منتخب مصر إلى كأس العالم 2026؟

وجه حسن شحاتة، المدير الفني الأسبق لمنتخب مصر، التهنئة لـ حسام حسن، مدرب الفراعنة الحالي، بعد التأهل إلى كأس العالم 2026.

وقاد حسام حسن، منتخب مصر، للتأهل إلى كأس العالم 2026، بعد احتلال صدارة المجموعة الأولى برصيد 23 نقطة، بعد مرور 9 جولات.

طالع.. فيديو | إنفانتينو يهنئ منتخب مصر على التأهل إلى كأس العالم 2026

وقال حسن شحاتة، عبر برنامج “كورة كل يوم” على قناة “الحياة”: “أبارك لمصر وحسام حسن واللاعبين على أدائهم والمكسب، وتأهلهم لكأس العالم في أمريكا”.

وتابع: “اللاعبون دائمًا يرفعون رأسنا باستمرار، وكل ذلك لم يأتِ من فراغ، بل جاء بمجهود بغض النظر عن المنتخبات التي نواجهها”.

ويعد شحاتة مدربًا تاريخيًا لـ منتخب مصر حيث قاد الفراعنة للتتويج بكأس أمم إفريقيا لثلاث مرات على التوالي، في الفترة ما بين 2006 إلى 2011.

Pathum Nissanka, fast bowlers script famous win for Sri Lanka

Nissanka’s calm century delivered a consolation victory for the visitors inside four days

Valkerie Baynes09-Sep-2024″Too soon!” That was the mood as autumnal conditions enveloped an Oval ground which, it felt like only yesterday, had hosted a packed-out Men’s Hundred eliminator tie in stunning summer twilight, T-shirts, shorts and sunglasses everywhere in the stands.But as a crowd of 9,860 raided the back of their wardrobes for more suitable attire and turned up on a chilly Monday morning to see Sri Lanka overhaul a target of 219 and claim a consolation victory over England, the mood among those clad all in white was more like: “Finally!”Related

  • Classy Nissanka leaves England as the best version of himself

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  • England's most profligate day under McCullum hints at a team who are coasting

  • Sri Lanka quicks burst through London's gloom for rare moment in the sun

It had all come together at last for the tourists, albeit too late when they were 2-0 down. The eventual 2-1 series scoreline didn’t matter though to Pathum Nissanka, whose calm century delivered victory inside four days and could well have cemented his place in Sri Lanka’s top order after two years in the wilderness.It took Sri Lanka 25.3 overs on the fourth day to complete their first Test win in England since 2014, their speed entitling spectators to a 50% refund on their tickets. The visitors resumed on 94 for 1 and needing 125 more. Nissanka’s unbeaten 127 off 124 balls built on his first-innings 64 and saw his side home by eight wickets.There was also a hint of relief that this match was over and done with for an England side that had dropped their bundle in the second innings and proved far from potent on the final morning when they managed to extract just one of the nine wickets they still needed after Chris Woakes’ return catch had removed Dimuth Karunaratne cheaply the previous evening.Bear in mind that no matter what the weather says, “summer” is far from over for England’s white-ball players who have a series looming against Australia from Wednesday, only the magnitude of Sri Lanka’s victory ensuring a gap of more than 48 hours in between.Gus Atkinson, who is nursing a thigh problem which kept him out of the attack for the second half of Sri Lanka’s first innings on Sunday, took the only other wicket to fall.He gingerly jogged halfway to Shoaib Bashir, who made up the rest of the ground from fine leg where he had taken an excellent catch running in and diving full-stretch to his left to remove Kusal Mendis for a brisk 39 in the fifth over of the day.But Nissanka, supported by Angelo Mathews, kept at Sri Lanka’s task in impressive time. He moved to 95 by threading a Woakes delivery that was too short and too wide behind point and raised his century running three with a neat cut off Atkinson to deep point.Nissanka soaked up the applause with arms spread wide and a warm bear-hug from Mathews, marking his second ton from 10 Tests, although this was only his second match in the format since mid-2022.Pathum Nissanka brought up a century•Getty Images

After bringing up the milestone, Nissanka clobbered an Olly Stone short ball over the fence at deep backward square and, two balls later, he saw Bashir spill his ramp to deep third.A facsimile six from Nissanka off Stone’s next over took Sri Lanka past the 200 mark and, fittingly, he hit the winning runs cutting Bashir to the boundary at deep backward point.The win was emphatic but followed a see-sawing contest which Sri Lanka’s bowlers seized control of on the third day.After missing a trick in favourable conditions on Friday, their seamers bundled England out for 156 in their second innings, Lahiru Kumara and Vishwa Fernando particularly effective against a home side kept afloat only by Jamie Smith’s thunderous half-century.They may want to forget it, but England will also have to examine their first-innings collapse from 261 for 3 to 325 all out.Meanwhile, this is a victory Sri Lanka will remember long after the boys of summer have – finally – gone.

Australia A close in on victory as Darke and Parsons stand out

India A made a solid start to their chase but fell away against the home side’s spinners

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Aug-2024

Maddy Darke hit an unbeaten century to put Australia A in a strong position (file photo)•Getty Images

India A 184 and 149 for 6 (Shubha 45) need 140 more runs to beat Australia A 212 and 260 (Darke 105*, de Broughe 58, Mani 6-92)Australia A were on course for victory in the four-day game against India A as they worked their way through some stubborn top-order resistance after Maddy Darke’s outstanding unbeaten 105 and set a tough target.Darke, who had her family watching on, helped add 96 further runs in the morning as the lower order, led by Grace Parsons at No. 10, provided important support, but India A gave themselves a good base in the chase before the home side’s spinners combined to do the majority of the damage as the visitors lost 5 for 42 across 21 overs.Related

Minnu Mani, Priya Mishra share nine wickets to bundle out Australia A

Mani and Peterson star as ball dominates before Darke extends lead

“Physically [I’m] probably not in the best shape at the minute, but really goes to show this format of the game, the way it tests you both physically, mentally and tactically as well. Come to see what red-ball cricket is all about,” Darke said after then keeping wicket for the rest of the day.”[It was about] just keeping it really simple, playing the right shot to the right ball as long as possible. Going back out there today, every run was going to be crucial on a wicket that’s getting harder and harder to bat on.”Captain Charlie Knott broke the opening stand by having Shweta Sehrawat lbw and fellow offspinner Lilly Mills ended a second-wicket stand of 52 in 23 overs when Priya Punia was well taken in the covers by Georgia Voll.Legspinner Parsons produced an excellent delivery to have Tejal Hasabnis caught low down at gully then Tess Flintoff provided the only wicket for pace so far in the innings with the key dismissal of Shubha Satheesh, although she did not seem pleased with the caught-behind decision.India A captain Minnu Mani tried to break the shackles but ran past a delivery from Knott and the impressive Parsons struck again to have Sajeevan Sajana caught in the off side. At that stage a three-day finish looked a possibility, but Raghvi Bist and Uma Chetry negotiated through to the close.Australia A had resumed with a lead of 192 but lost Mills early when offspinner Mani took her match haul to 11 wickets. However, Parsons showed her batting prowess to form a ninth-wicket stand of 75 with Darke who was content to give her plenty of the strike.Darke, who had come in with Australia 53 for 4 on the second day, was on 91 when Parsons fell but No. 11 Nicola Hancock was able to see her through to a superb century, brought up by just the fourth boundary of Darke’s innings when she pulled Sayali Satghare through midwicket. It was Darke’s second century of the multi-format tour after her unbeaten 106 in the second one-dayer.”She [Hancock] was definitely playing the team role there and I really appreciate what she did for me,” Darke said. “The whole family is here – mum, dad, brother – think they saw the opportunity for a one-four flight rather than a four-hour one [to Western Australia] so it’s really special. They are massive supporters of me.”

Éverton Ribeiro pode receber proposta do São Paulo? Talvez. Entenda a situação

MatériaMais Notícias

da bet esporte: Se vem atravessando uma janela de transferências relativamente sem nenhuma movimentação, o São Paulo usa o tempo que ainda resta para tentar garantir a Dorival Júnior pelo menos nomes que possam reforçar o elenco no ano que vem. É assim com Erick, ponta do Ceará que tem um pré-acordo definido com o Tricolor, que tenta (sem sucesso até o momento) antecipar sua chegada. E agora vai ser assim com o meia Éverton Ribeiro, multicampeão e ídolo do Flamengo.

Nos últimos dias, vem sendo grande a divulgação de informações sobre o interesse do clube do Morumbi no experiente jogador de 34 anos que, assim como Erick no Nordeste, tem vínculo só até o final do ano com os cariocas. Ou seja, poderia assinar um acordo com o Tricolor para defender a equipe a partir de janeiro.

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da imperador bet: + Renove o seu estoque de camisas do Tricolor com o cupom LANCEFUT 10% OFF

Pelo lado são-paulino, Ribeiro é um sonho desde os tempos em que ainda defendia o Cruzeiro. Recentemente, o fato do técnico atual do clube e o antecessor terem trabalhado no Flamengo com o jogador, inclusive dado a tarja de capitão a ele, ajudou ainda mais na avaliação interna sobre suas capacidades técnicas e de liderança.

Mas o que impede os dirigentes tricolores de oferecerem um contrato ao meia? O Lance! apurou o interesse do jogador. Não, Ribeiro não rejeitou de imediato o São Paulo. Mas segundo fontes revelaram à reportagem, o jogador espera pela desistência oficializada do Flamengo em seu futebol para poder, aí sim, decidir o futuro. E que não envolve somente o Morumbi.

Segundo o site ‘Coluna do Fla’, o vice-presidente de futebol do clube da Gávea, Marcos Braz, revelou que “na hora certa” irá procurar Everton Ribeiro para conversar sobre a renovação.

Enquanto isso, pelos lados do Morumbi há um misto de empolgação com ceticismo. O plano é aguardar o fechamento da janela para levar o assunto adiante e, quem sabe, fazer uma proposta. Até porque somente depois o clube do Morumbi saberá, de fato, quanto poderá gastar. E tentar satisfazer mais um desejo de Dorival.

+ Clique aqui e veja como apostar no Brasileirão

+ Confira os jogos e classificação resultados da Copa do Brasil-23 na tabela do LANCE!

Neither Lionel Messi nor Argentina would benefit from a new Inter Miami contract – but Barcelona homecoming ahead of 2026 World Cup makes perfect sense

The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner won't be much use to his country next year if he continues to play at a lower level

"Peace has cost you your strength; victory has defeated you," the muscle-bound, arch-villain Bane tells Batman after catching one of his punches in the hit movie 'The Dark Knight Rises'. The time-worn caped crusader continues to fight as hard as he can, but is ultimately left with a broken back at the end of the scene, having succumbed to the most dangerous pitfall of all: complacency.

There was a similar feeling of futility generated by watching Lionel Messi toil in the second half of Inter Miami's Club World Cup last-16 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain last weekend. Even at the ripe old age of 38, Messi was still able to produce dazzling moments of genius, including a beautiful first-time pass for Luis Suarez that should have earned him an assist, but it was nowhere near enough to lay a glove on an opponent operating at the highest possible technical and physical level.

It was sad to see perhaps the greatest player in the history of the sport fighting a battle he was never going to win. "The match was what was expected," Messi admitted to after the 4-0 thrashing. "They’re a great team, winners of the last Champions League, and they’re in really good shape. We tried to do our best, and I think we left a good impression at the Club World Cup."

Is simply leaving a "good impression" the goal now for Messi at this stage of his illustrious career? The diminutive wizard has found peace in Miami, but he's also become complacent, and that's bad news for Argentina one year out from their World Cup defence. However, fresh rumours of a potential return to Barcelona have also surfaced in recent days, which would change everything for Messi and the Albiceleste…

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    Contract uncertainty

    Those rumours were sparked by Esteban Edul, who claimed Messi is considering a move to a more competitive league once his current contract at Inter Miami expires in December, so he can have the best possible preparation for the World Cup. But the truth of the matter may not be that clear-cut.

    Spanish journalist Guillem Ballague has suggested that "nobody knows, least of all, Messi himself" if the Miami captain will even play at the 2026 tournament. "At the moment, he is just taking it game by game, tournament by tournament," Balague added to .

    "If he renews and stays in America, he'll evaluate the situation when he needs to, but for the time being he is just taking things step by step. Everyone involved wants to see him leading Argentina at the World Cup in America in a year's time. But he has not indicated to anyone what his final decision is."

    has since reported that Messi is open to signing an extension with Miami, who are confident that negotiations are heading in the right direction. But if Messi does decide to appear at his sixth World Cup, and he's serious about making a decisive impact, it would make little sense for him to stay in MLS, which is still a long way behind the most competitive leagues in Europe.

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    Club World Cup embarrassment

    That fact was underlined by how Miami, LAFC and the Seattle Sounders fared at the first edition of the expanded Club World Cup. Miami beat Porto 2-1 in the group stage, courtesy of a sublime Messi free-kick, to become the first club in CONCACAF history to defeat a European opponent in an official competition, and the first from America to win a Club World Cup match, while earning draws against Al Ahly and Palmeiras to secure passage to the round of 16.

    That was also a first for any team in MLS history, but LAFC and the Sounders finished bottom of their respective groups without a single win to their name. LAFC's failure was especially disappointing given their favourable draw alongside Chelsea and two very beatable sides in Flamengo and Tunisian outfit Esperance Tunis.

    Miami's humiliating thrashing at the hands of PSG also completely overshadowed their record-breaking achievements. The Sounders only lost 2-0 to Luis Enrique's side in their group clash, but Miami were four goals down by half-time in what turned out to be the mismatch of the tournament so far.

    It would likely have been even worse for Javier Mascherano's side had PSG not taken their foot off the gas after the restart, too, as Luis Enrique made five substitutions before the 70-minute mark. Miami didn't even register a shot until the 50th minute – a deflected effort from Messi – such was PSG's dominance.

    Miami's Club World Cup campaign cannot be painted as a success after such a chastening defeat, and it would be perfectly understandable if it has left Messi contemplating his future.

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    'Isn't the Messi I know'

    Indeed, it was all too much for one of Messi's former colleagues to bear. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who played alongside the Argentina icon at Barcelona in 2009-10, told immediately after the final whistle put Miami out of their misery against PSG: "Messi plays with statues, not team-mates. He's surrounded by players who run as if they were carrying bags of cement."

    Ibrahimovic added: "This isn't the Messi I know. If you put him in a real team, he'd go all-out. There are no coaches, no stars, not even players who understand how to move without the ball. If he were on a real team, any great team, you'd see the real lion. Messi plays alone because he loves the game, because he can still do what 99 percent of players can't. But this isn't the Messi I know."

    Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets complete Miami's contingent of Barcelona legends, with another in Mascherano currently serving as head coach, but they have precious little star quality in their ranks beyond that, and PSG ruthlessly exposed their glaring weaknesses.

    Ibrahimovic is right: Messi is a big fish in a very small pond and he's having to shoulder way too much responsibility. Messi needs to be a key part of a cohesive unit to reach his maximum, with fellow world-class players to bounce off, not a messiah-like figure who is quite literally expected to win games on his own.

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    Unfinished business

    If the "real lion" is to roar again in 2026, Messi has to return to Europe, or more specifically Barcelona. It's certainly difficult to imagine him representing any other European club, especially after his underwhelming two-year stint at PSG.

    There is still a real sense of unfinished business between Barca and Messi, too. La Masia's ultimate academy jewel left Camp Nou without a proper goodbye in 2021 because the Blaugrana couldn't afford to renew his contract after being plunged into an unprecedented financial crisis by former president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

    It was a terribly sad way for Messi's 21-year association with the club to end, not only because the Argentine maestro had smashed the club's all-time scoring record while helping to deliver 10 La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues, but also because he still had so much more to give. There is, though, still time for Barca to put things right.

    New reports in Spain have suggested that Joan Laporta, who was elected as Barca president for a second time shortly after Messi's exit, wants to bring the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner back on an initial six-month contract in January. If Messi leaves Miami at the end of the year, Barca can sign him on a free transfer, so it would be a surprise if the possibility hasn't at least been discussed in the club boardroom.

    Staying within La Liga's wage limits is still a concern for Barca, but Laporta is said to be willing to move heaven and earth to arrange Messi's homecoming so that it coincides with the full reopening of the renovated Camp Nou.

Shades of Dembele: Spurs make "generational" £60m star a priority signing

The closest Tottenham Hotspur have come to winning the Premier League in generations was under Mauricio Pochettino.

The Argentine’s best team may have ended up being less successful than Ange Postecoglou’s current side – trophy-wise, anyway – but it was stacked with some outrageously talented players.

The likes of Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen and a young Son Heung-min will always get the plaudits from those outside of the fanbase, and understandably so, but the Lilywhites faithful know full well that Mousa Dembélé was just as important to that side.

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The Belgian was an utterly superb central midfielder, so supporters should be excited about recent reports linking the team to a youngster who has shades of the retired monster about him.

Spurs midfield targets

Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other central midfielders who have been touted for moves to Spurs in recent weeks, like Quinten Timber and Angel Gomes.

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

The former is the brother of Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber, the captain of Feyenoord, reportedly worth £25m and could be an ideal addition to the squad, as he’s capable of playing in attacking, central and defensive midfield.

Likewise, Gomes could be a sensational signing as, thanks to his contract with LOSC Lille expiring this month, he’ll be available for nothing, and at just 24 years old, he already has experience of national team football, the Champions League and top-flight football in both Portugal, France and England.

Yet, neither one of these internationals could really be described as having shades of Dembélé to them, unlike Adam Wharton.

Yes, according to a recent report from TEAMtalk, the Crystal Palace star is now a serious target for the North Londoners.

The report has revealed that the club are ‘prioritizing a central midfield’ signing this season, and the young Englishman ‘figures highly on their shortlist.’

However, it won’t be an easy deal to get done, as the Eagles are after upwards of £60m for the midfield maestro, but even then, with his ability and potential, that may be a fee worth paying for Spurs, especially as he could emulate parts of Dembélé’s game.

How Wharton compares to Dembélé

So, before the pitchforks and torches come out, it’s important to state that we are not saying that Wharton is currently as good a player as Dembélé was during his pomp at Spurs, as that would just be silly.

However, given the fact that he’s still just 21 years old and will be until midway through next season, it’s not that out there to suggest he could reach that level in time, especially as there are some similarities between the pair.

The first, and perhaps most significant, is the fact that the Palace gem very rarely loses the ball.

In fact, according to FBref, the “generational” talent, as dubbed by members of the media, sits in the bottom 40% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues for the frequency he is dispossessed, coming in at just 0.89 times per 90, or, in other words, less than once a game.

A great example of this was in the FA Cup final against Manchester City, as, on top of winning duels, making tackles and playing a number of excellent passes, he was also able to hold onto the ball brilliantly despite the immense amount of pressure Pep Guardiola’s side tried to exert on him.

This ability to keep the ball was one of the Belgian’s most impressive, and it seems like the young Englishman has it in spades.

Then there are the more surface-level comparisons, such as both players coming from a London club – Fulham in Dembélé’s case – and the fact that they could and can play in either central or defensive midfield.

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Ultimately, while it’s a lot of money, Spurs should do what they can to sign Wharton this summer, as he looks like he has the raw abilities and ceiling to become the club’s next Dembélé.

Eriksen 2.0: Spurs looking to sign "extraordinary" £25m Sarr upgrade

The young leader could be just what Spurs are after.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 4, 2025

Chelsea in more hot water?! Blues fired warning by UEFA over 'inflated' swap transfer fees following £27m fine for financial breach

Chelsea have been warned by UEFA over inflated fees on swap transfers along with Aston Villa, with both under scrutiny after receiving recent fines.

Chelsea and Villa warnedEngaged in a controversial swap last summerUEFA attempting to enforce financial rulesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to UEFA are attempting to crack down on 'inflated' swap deals, which often involve home-grown players and are with the intention of avoiding a breach of PSR rules. As both Chelsea and Villa recently received fines from UEFA, £27 million ($36m) and £9.5m ($13m) respectively, the two Premier League clubs are being watched particularly closely. They are under settlement agreements and could face larger fines and a potential ban from European competition if they breach further financial rules.

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What makes the situation around these two clubs particularly intriguing is that they did engage in a controversial swap deal last summer. Omari Kellyman moved from Villa to Chelsea for £19m ($25.5m), while Ian Maatsen moved the other way for £37.5m ($50m).

Both figures raised eyebrows, particularly when you consider that Villa could simply have paid £18.5m for Maatsen and sent Kellyman across as part of the deal. The fact that both sides received payments for a home-grown player indicated a desire for PSR gains. It seems UEFA have picked up on this, as report states that European football's governing boy has confirmed they "knocked back the value of at least one deal involving both Chelsea and Villa".

DID YOU KNOW?

UEFA's financial rules are stricter than those of the Premier League in terms of permitted losses, which would explain why the two English heavyweights have been fined by the governing body but not domestically. The waters of football finance are becoming increasingly murky as Chelsea have reportedly sold two hotels in order to comply with PSR rules, while Villa agreed a deal to sell their women's team.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA AND VILLA?

Both clubs will need to be more careful as they are unlikely to be let off with any more warnings. Club World Cup winners Chelsea in particular have just enjoyed a fantastic first season under Enzo Maresca on the pitch, so must keep their act together if they are to avoid ruining their quick progress with more serious punishment.