Their statement is in response to criticism that called on CSA to boycott Afghanistan for the Taliban government’s treatment of women

Firdose Moonda19-Sep-2024Cricket South Africa has confirmed it will continue to engage Afghanistan in bilateral fixtures because it does not believe in punishing the men’s team for the Taliban’s actions in their home country.CSA’s statement comes in response to severe criticism including from activist organisation Lawyers for Human Rights, which said that by playing Afghanistan, South Africa were tacitly endorsing a repressive regime and called for CSA to boycott Afghanistan. The Taliban government has not only banned women from playing sport but from most areas of public life which the South African government has expressed grave concern over while not calling for outright sanction. CSA has taken a similar approach.In a statement issued on Thursday, CSA confirmed that although it believes “women’s cricket deserves equal recognition and success,” it would not unilaterally isolate the Afghanistan men’s team for its country’s government policy.Related

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“CSA remains mindful that gender equity should never come at the expense of one gender over another,” the statement said. “We recognise that advocating for the advancement of one gender should not undermine the rights of the other. CSA believes there is no justification for subjecting Afghan cricket players – both male and female – to secondary persecution for the actions of the Taliban. We will continue to engage with member countries within the formal structures of the International Cricket Council (ICC) to address this matter.”CSA’s stance is also in line with the position of the ICC, which is wary of banning Afghanistan despite their being the only Full Member without a women’s side. ESPNcricinfo understands that among the complexities of forcing the ACB field a women’s team is the risk it could take of retribution from the Taliban, which could include putting those women’s lives at risk.Cricket Australia, on the other hand, has taken the opposite position and on advice from its government has refused to play Afghanistan bilaterally in protest against human rights abuses. CSA does not believe this tactic will be effective and prefers to apply a wide lens on the issue. “Gender advocacy in cricket should never be advanced by meting out punishment on innocent cricket administrators and players for the misdemeanours of a regime that stands to lose nothing from that punishment,” its statement said.

“Any measures we consider must take into account the progress made by the Afghanistan Cricket Board in promoting women’s cricket prior to the Taliban’s ban on female participation in sports in August 2021”CSA official

South Africa are in a unique position to comment such as this because they were banned from international sport themselves from 1970, as a global response to the Apartheid regime. One of the continued discussion points of their isolation was what it would do to sporting careers. At the time, only white South Africans were allowed to represent South Africa, while people of colour had no hope of a professional sports career. South Africa were readmitted after two decades and questions over racial representation remain part of their reality. When asked whether the banning of their organisation also punished administrators and players, an insider pointed out that while it did, it was not effective in advocating for change. “The apartheid government continued with its atrocious policies despite their athletes being banned from international sport. What truly broke the camel’s back were economic sanctions.”CSA also argues that the situation at the ACB is slightly different as there were steps being taken to have a women’s team prior to the Taliban takeover. “Any measures we consider must take into account the progress made by the Afghanistan Cricket Board in promoting women’s cricket prior to the Taliban’s ban on female participation in sports in August 2021.”In 2020, the ACB pledged contracts to 25 female players, which showed steps towards creating a women’s team were being made. Those players attended a training camp and were due to play against Oman but the games did not take place. Many of them are now in exile in Australia and have called on the ICC to support the creation of a refugee team for them based at the East Asian Cricket office. It is not known if any of the refugee sportswomen are in South Africa.CSA’s statement is also a nod to the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) who, last week, issued an advisory supporting the promotion of women in cricket and called on CSA to use its leverage to highlight rights for Afghan women. Temba Bavuma, South Africa’s ODI captain, echoed SACA’s sentiments and called women’s rights “something that is quite strong within my own values.”South Africa and Afghanistan are currently playing a three-match ODI series in the UAE. Bavuma missed the first match, which South Africa lost by six wickets, with illness. The second and third ODIs are scheduled to be played on Friday and Sunday. This three-match contest was not on the original Future Tours Programme (FTP) and was sought by CSA and the ACB with a view to preparing for next year’s Champions Trophy.

Sixteen years after acquiring land from the Karnataka government to expand their cricketing infrastructure, the BCCI on Friday inaugurated its new state-of-the-art National Cricket Academy, which will be known as the ‘Centre of Excellence’, on the outskirts of Bengaluru.BCCI president Roger Binny and secretary Jay Shah unveiled the facility to the officer bearers, which when fully functional from early 2025, will take over as board’s primary centre for training, sports science, rehabilitation and injury management. The operations from the existing NCA premises at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium are expected to be shifted out in a phased manner.The facility, housed in a 40-acre campus, comprises three grounds, built as per ICC’s regulations to host first-class cricket, an indoor facility comprising surfaces imported from the UK and Australia apart from local surfaces – both red and black soil – and a vast expansive outdoor nets area featuring 45 pitches. There is also a separate area designated to house BCCI’s Sports Science and Medicine Block and lodging facilities.Related

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The main venue comprises modern floodlights, a sub-air drainage system, broadcast facilities and 13 red-soil surfaces brought in from Mumbai, which VVS Laxman, the NCA head, hopes can host ‘A’ tour games as soon as it is operational.Grounds B and C will serve as dedicated practice grounds, comprising black soil surfaces brought in locally from southern Karnataka and Odisha. The facility also has an indoor and outdoor athletics track, apart from pool and recovery facilities, which will also be made available to athletes from other disciplines. Seven acres of land has been set aside for future expansion.”I think the beneficiaries will be not only the future generation of cricketers but also the current generation of cricketers,” Laxman said during a media interaction on Saturday. ” Since the time I joined the NCA in December 2021, all the cricketers, they come here, not only for rehab. Obviously, there is a misconception that the cricketers come only for rehab. But they come to the NCA to upskill, get ready for the challenges during the various series they are going to participate in.”I am sure that all the players who come to this facility, all the players who will be part of this programme will strive to achieve excellence, will strive to become the best they can. And in the process, the Indian cricket team in all the formats will probably be the best in the world.”VVS Laxman at BCCI’s newly inaugurated Centre of Excellence•PTI

For the longest time, the BCCI has envisioned a centre of excellence similar to ECB’s facility in Loughborough or Cricket Australia’s facility in Brisbane. The land on which it has been built had to pass several litigation hurdles, which at one point had the BCCI mulling over the possibility of moving it outside the city. The project finally received clearance in late 2020, with work starting in early 2022 after a forced delay due to the Covid-19 pandemic.”The target for completion was 15 months,” Laxman said. “I was a bit skeptical, but the way work has progressed right from the time construction began has been remarkable. I have been to some of the best academies in the world, not only limited to cricket, but other sports also. But I have not seen this kind of a facility.With the upscaling of the NCA, Laxman underlined a number of aspects of their functioning that could be enhanced once the facility is fully functional. “The programmes we run, because the way the programmes run, all the best performers right from your under-15 for women and under-16 for boys are selected by the national selectors and from April, during the off-season, until September, we have various programmes,” he said.”We conducted close to 32 camps during this period for both boys and girls, but usually these happen in different parts of the country. And with the KSCA, we get the ground to have some of these camps. Whereas here with three grounds, I think we can have a lot more programmes. Also these grounds can be used to have some India A series, which can be played on these surfaces here.”The most important thing is, there are three different kinds of soils. What we want is the players to know how to adapt to different conditions. So in one place, instead of them travelling from one city to other city, they can have the experience and exposure of playing in different soils and different kinds of pitches, you know, which will enhance their performance.”

Manchester United have a huge task on their hands this summer if they are to be successful in the Premier League throughout the 2025/26 campaign.

The Red Devils ended the previous season in a measly 15th place, with Ruben Amorim unable to transform the club’s situation after taking the reins at Old Trafford.

If he is to be a success during his time in the role, he will need to receive backing from the hierarchy, with all areas of the pitch in desperate need of investment.

Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha have already made the move to join the Amorim revival, adding needed talent and depth into the forward line after netting 35 combined league goals last season.

However, if the side are to stand the best chance of rising up the Premier League in the near future, further signings will need to be made between now and the end of the current window.

The latest on United’s hunt for new signings this summer

Ollie Watkins is a player who’s been firmly on United’s radar over recent weeks, unsurprisingly so given his record of 16 league goals for Aston Villa last season.

A £60m price tag has been quoted for the 29-year-old’s signature this summer, potentially a figure that’s too high given he’s entering the back end of his professional career.

However, another name has been thrown into the mix over recent days, with Juventus star Dušan Vlahović firmly in their sights this summer, according to the Daily Mail.

They claim that the Red Devils have already been in talks with the Serie A side over a deal to land the Serbian international after he netted 17 goals across all competitions last time around.

The report also states that a deal could also see Jadon Sancho depart in the opposite direction, with the Italian outfit still interested in a move for the winger.

Why United’s latest target would be a better signing than Sesko

Alongside Watkins, RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko has also been touted with a move to join United, potentially costing the Red Devils a pretty penny in the process.

The Slovenian international has been one of Europe’s hottest talents, with the forward highlighting the quality he possesses last season despite his tender age.

He managed to net 21 goals for the Bundesliga side across all competitions, helping Ole Werner’s men end the 2024/25 campaign in an impressive seventh position.

However, given he’s just 22, the German outfit are currently demanding a fee in the region of £67m for his signature, a price tag which may put United off, given their heavy spending already this window.

As a result, the likes of Vlahovic have also been taken into consideration, with the Serbian subsequently handing Amorim’s side a cheaper alternative to Sesko.

Despite his cheaper valuation of just £15m, the 25-year-old would also be a better on-field addition, as he managed to better the Leipzig star in various key areas throughout 2024/25.

Vlahovic, who’s been labelled “world-class” by Bologna boss Vincenzo Italiano, may have registered fewer combined goals and assists, but because of his tally of fewer games played, he’s actually registered more contributions per 90.

Games played

29

33

Goals & assists

14

18

Goals & assists per 90

0.71

0.68

Shots on target

1.3

1.1

Pass accuracy

69%

67%

Carries into opposition box

0.9

0.5

Key passes made

0.8

0.7

He also registered more shots on target per 90, highlighting the threat he possesses with the ball at his feet in front of goal, potentially putting an end to United’s dismal run in front of goal.

The former Fiorentina talent’s dominance is further reflected in his higher tallies of passes completed and more key passes per 90, subsequently having the tools to provide others around him with opportunities in the final third.

Given the difference in price tags and also the stats produced, it’s evident that Vlahovic would be an excellent addition for United during the current window.

If he can replicate his form from Serie A in England, it would be a sensational signing and one that could allow them to forget about any expensive deal for Sesko.

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Tottenham Hotspur will have to balance the books soon by making key player sales, especially with the plethora of non-locally trained players in their squad, which could result in them having to submit a weakened Champions League squad.

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Due to UEFA rules, Spurs require at least eight ‘locally trained’ players to be named in their 25-man list, and if they cannot meet this quota, then their total of A-list players will be reduced to make up the deficit.

While Morgan Gibbs-White’s potential arrival – which has now been delayed due to legal complications – could have a positive impact on this, given he came through the Wolves academy, their recent signing of Mohammed Kudus means that the north Londoners currently boast around 24 non-locally trained players in their current squad, even if this does include the likes of Manor Solomon, Bryan Gil, Yang-min Hyeok, Luka Vuskovic and Kota Takai.

Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League – 2024/2025	Average match rating
Son Heung-min	7.00
James Maddison	6.98
Pedro Porro	6.95
Dominic Solanke	6.84
Dejan Kulusevski	6.83
via WhoScored

Taking this into account, The Telegraph reports that Tottenham will need to sell at least one player this summer, and there are plenty of candidates.

Gil and Solomon are very likely to be sold after spending 2024/2025 out on loan at Girona and Leeds United respectively, with the former already confirming his intention to leave N17 in the coming weeks.

“That’s something my agent will tell me where things are going, but they [Spurs] told me, and I told them, that the best thing is for us not to continue being linked to Tottenham,” said Gil to Estadio Deportivo in April.

“They bet on me when I was young, and they’ve treated me fairly well, but if I have to go back there, I’ll focus on giving my best as always. I’m calm because no one can have a bad word to say about me not being professional. Without playing, I’ve always trained well, I’ve done what I had to do, so whatever has to happen, will happen. We’ll see where we are next year.”

Son Heung-min has entered the final 12 months of his contract and may be sold by Spurs, according to recent reports, with Yves Bissouma also attracting interest from Turkey.

However, another option could be injury-plagued striker Richarlison.

Richarlison likely to leave Tottenham as Vasco de Gama phone him

They’re very unlikely to make a substantial fee back off the £60 million they paid Everton to sign the Brazil striker in 2022, but Tottenham’s signings of Gibbs-White and Kudus will only push him further down the attacking pecking order.

Spurs are also still interested in signing Brentford star Yoane Wissa, and if they were to sensationally bring in the Bees star too, it would surely draw the curtain on Richarlison’s north London career.

The 28-year-old, barring a fine purple patch under Ange Postecoglou midway through 2023/2024, has found life very difficult at Spurs overall – with journalist Leonardo Lacerda, via Bolavip, sharing that clubs in Brazil could offer him a route back home.

Lacerda is quoted saying that Vasco de Gama president, Pedrinho, has personally phoned Richarlison to gauge the possibility of a transfer, but the ex-Watford man also has admirers in Saudi Arabia.

“It’s happening! President Pedrinho, accompanied by a member of the Vasco leadership, contacted Richarlison directly through a phone call,” said Lacerda.

“The goal was to get a closer look at the striker’s situation, as he’s unlikely to remain at Tottenham next season. In addition to Vasco, the striker is attracting interest from Fluminense, Flamengo, and Palmeiras. Two Saudi Arabian clubs have also entered the fray—Al Ahli and Al Ittihad.”

With Richarlison emerging as a real man in demand, it is now Levy’s task to set a realistic asking price, with reports suggesting Spurs will let him go for around £20 million.

أعلن هانز فليك، المدير الفني لنادي برشلونة، عن قائمة الفريق لمواجهة نيوكاسل يونايتد، وذلك يوم غدًا الخميس ضمن بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا مرحلة الدوري.

برشلونة يحل ضيفًا ثقيلًا مساء يوم غدًا الخميس على نظيره نيوكاسل على ملعب سانت جيمس بارك، ضمن الجولة الأولى من مرحلة الدوري بدوري الأبطال، حيث يسعى البلوجرانا للخروج بنتيجة إيجابية.

اقرأ أيضًا .. حارس مارسيليا يروي كواليس واقعة طرد كارفاخال في مباراة دوري أبطال أوروبا

وشهدت قائمة برشلونة استمرار غياب لامين يامال عن تشكيلة الفريق الكتالوني، وذلك في ظل عدم تعافيه من الإصابة على مستوى الظهر والتي كان يعاني منها خلال الفترة الماضية.

يامال لم يكن متواجدًا كذلك خلال لقاء برشلونة مع نظيره فالنسيا، يوم الأحد الماضي بالدوري الإسباني.

وعاد فرينكي دي يونج في الجهة الأخرى إلى تشكيلة برشلونة، بعدما تماثل للشفاء من إصابته التي تعرض لها مع منتخب هولندا خلال فترة التوقف الدولي الأخير.

واستمر غياب جافي إلى جانب أليخاندرو بالدي بسبب الإصابة. قائمة برشلونة لمباراة نيوكاسل في دوري أبطال أوروبا

حراسة المرمى: فويتشيك تشيزني، خوان جارسيا، دييجو كوشين.

خط الدفاع: رونالدو أراوخو، جيرارد مارتن، باو كوبارسي، أندرياس كريستنسن، إريك جارسيا، جوفري تورنتس.

خط الوسط: داني أولمو، فيرمين لوبيز، بيدري، فرينكي دي يونج، مارك بيرنال، مارك كاسادو.

خط الهجوم: فيران توريس، روبرت ليفاندوفسكي، رافينها دياز، ماركوس راشفورد، روني بردجي، أنطونيو فيرنانديز.

The cogs are whirring away down Anfield Road, and Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes must be pretty pleased with Liverpool’s progress in the transfer market.

But they have more work still to do. In spite of signing Hugo Ekitike for £79m, Liverpool are mooted to remain in the market for Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, who has informed his club that he wishes to explore a move away this summer.

And though the Sweden international has many admirers, it is the Reds who lead the race.

They couldn’t, could they? Unfortunately for those not of a Liverpool persuasion, they could. FSG have run the club expertly in recent years, managing the finances with a deft touch to be in a position for big-money moves across the summer.

And while the Premier League champions have already broken their transfer record by signing through the addition of Florian Wirtz, the £100m figure potentially stretching to a British-record £116m, they are primed to break it once more here.

However, a few outgoings may be needed.

The players who might be leaving Liverpool

With Trent Alexander-Arnold having already left Liverpool for Real Madrid, there’s a chance that Ibrahima Konate might follow. The French defender has entered the final year of his contract, and negotiations over a renewal have yielded little fruit thus far.

From an attacking standpoint, the signing of Ekitike and the potential arrival of Isak would surely see Darwin Nunez leave. The 25-year-old has fallen down the pecking order in Arne Slot’s system and is being chased by Saudi Arabian suitors.

Liverpool seem happy to let him leave, but are less inclined to accept Bayern Munich’s advances for Luis Diaz, having rejected a £58.5m offer. The Bundesliga champions are expected to return for the versatile forward, who was so important for Slot’s title-winning side.

While Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon has been touted as a possible replacement for the Colombian, he’s been priced at £100m.

And when a cheaper and exciting alternative is available, the track to head down becomes clear.

Liverpool lining up Diaz replacement

According to Fabrizio Romano, Lyon’s Malick Fofana is one of the names on FSG’s list as they consider replacements for Diaz, who may indeed have played his last competitive game for the Reds.

The 20-year-old has put his name on the map over the past 18 months in France, and is also courted by Bayern, though their curiosity will fade away in the case they do sign Diaz.

Fofana might be young, but his talent is clear. Lyon recognise this, and as such have priced him at €60m (£51m).

Why Liverpool want Malick Fofana

Hailed for his “explosive” athleticism by analyst Ben Mattinson, Fofana has established himself over the past few years, leaving his Belgian homeland in January 2024 when joining Lyon from Genk for a €22m (£19m).

That figure made an interesting comment from the off regarding Fofana’s skill set, and having now featured 62 times for the Ligue 1 side, scoring 15 goals and supplying eight assists, he’s shaping into quite the interesting winger.

While Isak would be replacing Diaz at centre-forward, the 28-year-old is typically a winger, and someone like Fofana would be a more direct heir.

And given that he might end up costing around half of what has been demanded for the Prem-proven Gordon, FSG may well opt to sign the lesser-known talent, especially since the likes of Wirtz and Cody Gakpo already reside in the Liverpool ranks.

Matches (starts)

29 (16)

34 (28)

Goals

5

6

Assists

4

5

Shots (on target)*

1.1 (0.5)

1.7 (0.6)

Big chances missed

4

10

Pass completion

84%

81%

Big chances created

6

6

Key passes*

0.9

1.5

Dribbles*

0.8

1.1

Tackles*

1.1

0.9

Duels won*

2.9

4.4

Sure, Gordon rode the crest of a wave after the 2023/24 season, awarded Newcastle’s Player of the Year, having notched 22 goal involvements in the Premier League, but that year was followed by a regression in output and confidence.

His creativity and tenacious style were still clear, but Fofana is showing himself to have the making of a clinical winger beyond the goalscoring level of Gordon.

Does Gordon’s progress warrant the £100m fee? He’s a fine player, to be sure, with a Merseyside connection besides, but there’s little sense in forking out such a sum when there’s a player like Fofana waiting for his breakout move.

While Gordon has forged a slick partnership with Isak over the past few years, Fofana is considered by data-driven site FBref to be a statistically similar player to the England international, so he has the athletic, snappy style to thrive alongside the Swede.

It’s chalked down that the Belgian ranked among the top 10% of positional peers last term for non-penalty goals scored and the top 2% for progressive carries per 90.

Isak’s quality is such that he could elevate the level of any winger worth their salt, but Gordon is indeed tactically aligned with the number nine to a higher degree.

By signing Fofana as Diaz’s replacement this summer, Slot could capture that synergy and use it to Liverpool’s gain, fashioning another angle out of his burgeoning superpower.

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It’s been a frustrating transfer window for Newcastle United so far.

The Magpies have signed Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest for £55m, but have missed out on countless other targets.

Now though, could Eddie Howe be about to land his second addition of a key summer, as he prepares to lead his side back into the Champions League?

Newcastle's search for a new attacker

As outlined by Luke Edwards of the Telegraph, this transfer window has been a complete ‘nightmare’ for Newcastle United so far.

With James Trafford seemingly set to return to Manchester City, this would be the seventh transfer target the Magpies have missed out on already, after failed attempts to bring Liam Delap, João Pedro, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Dean Huijsen to Tyneside.

The most high-profile pursuit was of Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitiké, with David Ornstein of the Athletic reporting that the two clubs had agreed a £65m fee for the forward, but the Frenchman is now poised to join Liverpool instead.

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Thus, as they continue their search for a new attacker, Ben Jacobs of Give Me Sport is reporting that Newcastle have had a £25m bid rejected for Brentford striker Yoane Wissa, although they are “optimistic” a deal can be finalised for around £30m, with the player “open” to the move.

Elsewhere, Sam Dean of the Telegraph notes that the DR Congo international has left the Bees’ pre-season training camp in Portugal, suggesting he will soon be on the move, continuing the mass exodus from West London, following Thomas Frank, Mbeumo, Christian Nørgaard and Mark Flekken out the exit door.

Wissa has previously netted three times against Newcastle, two of which came last season, but could he soon be turning out at St James’ Park bedecked in black and white stripes?

How Yoane Wissa would improve Newcastle

Since joining Brentford from Lorient in the summer of 2021, straight after the Bees’ promotion to the Premier League, he has scored 49 goals in 149 appearances for the club.

Last season, by virtue of netting 19 times in the Premier League, his best-ever haul in a single campaign, he very much ranked amongst the division’s very best strikers, as the table below documents.

Yoane Wissa 2024/25 Premier League statistics

Statistics

Wissa

PL rank

Minutes

2,919

55th

Goals

19

6th

Non-penalty goals

19

=2nd

Shots

90

10th

Shots on target

51

5th

Goals-per-shot

0.21

8th

Expected goals

18.5

4th

All statistics courtesy of FBref.com

As the table outlines, Wissa ranked highly for all attacking metrics last season, with only Mohamed Salah scoring more non-penalty goals, joint alongside Erling Braut Håland and potential future teammate Alexander Isak for this metric.

Then-Brentford boss Frank labelled his form “remarkable”, adding “I definitely think he is best as a number ninw” given that he has “got that nose for goals”.

Meantime, David Astill of Total Football Analysis describes him as ‘prolific’, while analyst Ben Mattinson asserts that he is “massively underrated”, impressed by his dynamic runs in-behind and excellent “finishing” ability.

The key question still remains: how does he compare to Ekitiké? Let’s find out.

Yoane Wissa vs Hugo Ekitiké 2024/25 comparison (league only)

Statistics

Wissa

Ekitiké

Minutes

2,927

2,578

Goals

19

15

Non-penalty goals

19

14

Goals – xG

+0.5

-6.6

Shots

69

87

Shots on target %

62.32%

55.17%

Shot conversion rate

27.54%

17.24%

Big chances missed

17

16

Touches

1,020

1,155

% of touches in the box

16%

18%

Average Sofascore rating

7.16

7.27

Statistics courtesy of Squawka and SofaScore

As the table outlines, while Ekitiké’s statistics are impressive, hence why he is on his way to Liverpool for a reported fee of £79m, it’s actually Wissa who is the more clinical centre-forward.

Ekitiké ranked dead-last across all of Europe’s top five leagues last season when it came to goals – xG, with a figure of -6.6, according to FBref.com, which has to be a slight concern.

Wissa, on the other hand, overperformed his xG, albeit only by +0.5, while scoring more goals and finding the target with a higher proportion of his shots.

Of course, Wissa is 28 years old, 29 in September, while Ekitiké’s 23rd birthday came as recently as last month, so Liverpool are paying a premium for potential, but if Newcastle want a striker to come in now and improve their options, Wissa is surely their man.

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ECB Reporters Network28-Sep-2024

James Vince produced a matchwinning fifty•Getty Images

Skipper James Vince led from the front as Hampshire clinched runners-up spot in the Vitality County Championship with a five-wicket Division One victory over third-placed Somerset at Taunton.The home side added 120 to their overnight second innings score of 60 for four before being bowled out for 180, skipper Lewis Gregory top-scoring with 59 and Jack Leach making 33 not out. Kyle Abbott finished with five for 37 from 18 overs.Set 121 to win, Hampshire lost wickets to the first two balls of their second innings, bowled by Gregory, who was denied a hat-trick when Kasey Aldridge spilled a low chance at second slip offered by Vince.It proved an expensive miss as Vince went on to hit 54 and Liam Dawson 44 not out, helping the visitors to reach their target on the third afternoon from 27 overs.Hampshire took 19 points from the game to guarantee second place behind Surrey and Somerset only three, having seen their concerted challenge for all three trophies end without winning one is a desperately disappointing end to the campaign.Hopes that their fifth-wicket pair Tom Kohler-Cadmore and James Rew could build them a significant lead in the morning session were soon dispelled when Kohler-Cadmore was bowled by Mohammad Abbas, having added only two to his overnight score of 15.At 62 for five, the hosts led by just two runs. With a further 13 added, Aldridge, on 11, became Abbott’s fourth victim of the innings when edging to third slip. That brought in Gregory, who wasted no time in launching a spirited counter-attack, hitting Liam Dawson for three successive fours and a six in the 32nd over.James Rew, unbeaten on eight overnight, began solidly and the pair had taken the score to 108 when he drove loosely at a wide delivery from Abbas and was caught behind for 19.Gregory went to a defiant 38-ball half-century, with eight fours and a six, while Leach looked more competent with the bat than some of Somerset’s top order in a partnership of 55 that frustrated Hampshire for 12 overs.Inevitably, it was Abbott who ended it, scattering Gregory’s stumps with a ball that nipped back between bat and pad to make the score 163 for eight, a Somerset lead of 103. Off-spinner Felix Organ then chipped in with the last two wickets as Alfie Ogborne was caught behind cutting and Shoaib Bashir bowled pushing forward, while Abbott finished with match figures of nine for 74.Lunch had been delayed for the fall of the final wicket and Hampshire’s second innings began after the interval. It could hardly have started more dramatically as Toby Albert was caught behind off Gregory’s first ball and Nick Gubbins edged to fourth slip off the second.The chance offered by Vince off the third was far from easy, but Aldridge appeared to get two hands to the ball just before it touched the ground. With so few runs to defend, Somerset had to take every opportunity.Still they had hope as Fletcha Middleton edged Gregory to wicketkeeper James Rew to make it 21 for three and Leach gained a leg before verdict against Tom Prest, reverse sweeping, at 46 for four.But that was as good as it got for Somerset. Dawson joined Vince in defying the spin attack of Leach and Bashir, calming any nerves in the visiting dressing room with a solid stand of 57 in 14 overs.Vince went to his fifty off 58 balls with a four through mid-on off Bashir, misfielded by Leach, who looked the more menacing of the two England spinners in both innings, as his match figures of seven for 77 compared to Bashir’s none for 78 illustrated.By the time Vince was stumped dancing down the pitch to Leach, Hampshire needed only 18 more runs and the outcome was all but settled. Dawson had the satisfaction of hitting the winning runs off Bashir at the end of a crucial 56-ball contribution.

أكد جوزيه مورينيو المدير الفني لنادي بنفيكا، أن شخصيته قد تغيرت كثيرًا على مدار السنوات الخمس الأخيرة، موضحًا أنه أصبح أقل أنانية وغطرسة.

وعين مورينيو كمدير فني جديد لنادي بنفيكا، وذلك في عقد مدته عامين وفي ولاية ثانية، بعدما كان السبيشال وان قد درب النادي البرتغال في بداية الألفينيات من القرن الحالي.

ويسعى مورينيو إلى كتابة تاريخ شخصي جديد له في مسيرته كمدرب، بعد الاخفاقات خلال السنوات الأخيرة والتي كان آخرها الإقالة من تدريب نادي فناربخشة.

طالع .. رسميًا.. جوزيه مورينيو مديرًا فنيًا لـ ناد أوروبي كبير حتى 2027

وقال مورينيو خلال المؤتمر الصحفي الخاص بتقديمه كمدرب جديد في بنفيكا، والذي نقلته صحيفة توتو ميركاتو ويب: ”لدي مشاعر كثيرة لكنني أعتقد أن الخبرة تساعدني على التحكم بها، أنا مدرب أحد أكبر الأندية في العالم، مرت 25 عامًا على رحيلي عن بنفيكا في ولايتي الأولى لكنني لست هنا للاحتفال بمسيرتي المهنية، هذه الـ 25 عامًا حظيت فيها بفرصة العمل مع أكبر الأندية في العالم”.

وأضاف مورينيو في حديثه: ”في ختام هذا الخطاب بصفتي ممثلًا لهذا النادي، أود أن أقول إنه لم يشعرني أيٌ من الأندية الكبيرة الأخرى التي أتيحت لي فرصة تدريبها بشرف أو مسؤولية أو تحفيز أكبر من كوني مدربًا لبنفيكا، أحيانًا ما تجرفني الأقوال مع الرياح لكن الأفعال لا تجرفني والوعد واضح وضوح الشمس، سأعيش من أجل بنفيكا خلال الفترة المقبلة”.

وأوضح: ”يقول البعض إن لدي سيرتين ذاتيتين: إحداهما استمرت لفترة معينة والأخرى تمثل مرحلة أقل حظًا من مسيرتي، الجزء السلبي والجزء المثير قادني إلى المشاركة في نهائيين أوروبيين في السنوات الخمس الماضية”.

وأردف: ”وصلت إلى بنفيكا في مرحلة مختلفة من مسيرتي وكشخص أيضًا، نحن نتغير للأفضل وأصبحت أكثر إيثارًا وأقل أنانية وأقل غطرسة وأقل تفكيرًا في نفسي وفي الخير الذي يمكنني تقديمه للآخرين، وفي الفرح الذي يمكنني إسعادهم به”.

وتابع: ”كانت أول تجربة لي مع بنفيكا في بدايات مسيرتي، واليوم بلغت مرحلة نضجٍ كبيرة ويمكنني القول بموضوعية إن من يتوقع مني إنهاء مسيرتي الكروية خلال أربع أو خمس سنوات فهو مخطئ، أنا من سيقرر متى سأنهيها وسأنهيها عندما أشعر أنني لم أعد أمتلك نفس الشغف، الرئيس يعلم ذلك جيدًا وما تغير هو أنني اليوم أكثر تعطشًا للنجاح مما كنت عليه قبل 25 عامًا في مرحلة مختلفة تمامًا من وجهة نظر إنسانية”.

وواصل: ”ما لم يتغير إطلاقًا هو شغفي بالفوز في المباراة التالية، هذا هو جوهر شخصيتي، أصبحت أكثر نضجًا وكل شيء تقريبًا في كرة القدم أصبح أشبه بأشياء رأيتها من قبل، من الصعب جدًا أن يحدث شيء لم أجربه من قبل”.

واعترف مورينيو بأنه ندم على تجربته في فناربخشة، حيث قال: “أخطأت بالانتقال إلى فناربخشة، لم يكن هذا النادي مناسبا لمستواي الثقافي ولا مستواي الكروي، لم يكن كذلك ومن الواضح أنني بذلت قصارى جهدي معهم حتى اليوم الأخير، تدريب بنفيكا هو العودة إلى مستواي، ومستواي هو تدريب أكبر أندية العالم”.

وعن مسيرته أوضح مورينيو: ”بالنظر إلى مسار مسيرتي المهنية أعتقد أنني أحسنت صنعًا، من الواضح أنني لم أحسن صنعًا، لقد ارتكبت الكثير من الأخطاء واتخذت الكثير من القرارات الخاطئة، لكنني أعتقد أن الأمور سارت على ما يرام معي”.

وعن مواجهته لفريقه السابق بورتو اختتم مورينيو: ”أعود الآن كمنافس عظيم لبورتو مع علمي أن الهدف ليس الاستمتاع بمباراة خارج أرضي بل الفوز بها، أتوقع استقبالًا مختلفًا، احترامي لهم واحترامهم لي لن يتغيرا، لكنني أعود كمدرب لمنافس عظيم، ومن الواضح أنني لا أستطيع فعل الكثير حيال ذلك لكن لا مشكلة لدي في ذلك”.

Manchester United are now expected to accelerate talks to sign a “fantastic” forward, who is set to be available for a fee of £35m, according to a report.

Man Utd set to miss out on Gyokeres

It was always going to be a tall order to convince Viktor Gyokeres to move to Old Trafford, having missed out on Champions League Football, and it now appears as though the striker is edging closer to joining one of Man United’s Premier League rivals.

As such, the Red Devils will likely need to move on to alternative targets, and they have identified a number of potential options, many of whom have experience in the Premier League.

Player	Current club	Goals in 2024-25
Ollie Watkins	Aston Villa	17
Dusan Vlahovic	Juventus	15
Ivan Toney	Al-Ahli	30
Dominic Calvert-Lewin	Free agent	3
Victor Osimhen	Napoli	37

According to a report from Spain, Man United are also expected to accelerate talks to sign Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku, with negotiations over a potential £35m deal likely to move quickly, given both clubs’ willingness to make a deal.

At the moment, discussions are in their early stages, but United are looking to strike an agreement soon, having made it clear they want to take the forward to Old Trafford, with more talks set to take place in the coming weeks.

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By
Brett Worthington

Jul 7, 2025

"Fantastic" Nkunku could reignite career at Old Trafford

The Frenchman’s time at Stamford Bridge hasn’t gone exactly to plan, picking up just three goals and two assists in the Premier League last season, but his previous exploits in the Bundesliga suggest he has the quality to succeed in England.

During his final two seasons in Germany, the 27-year-old amassed a remarkable 36 goals in the league alone, and given his age, he still has plenty of time to rediscover his previous form in front of goal.

Former Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino was also left impressed by the France international’s exploits in a RB Leipzig shirt, saying: “He is a player, a fantastic player, that was top scorer in the Bundesliga and he can play in different positions. His quality is amazing.”

Paul Merson has insisted that Nkunku is unlucky to be behind Cole Palmer at Chelsea and could flourish at another club, but it may also be worth bringing in an out-and-out striker alongside the former Leipzig man, given that he most commonly plays in attacking midfield.