Category Uncategorized

حقق منتخب العراق فوزًا غاليًا على نظيره إندونيسيا، في المباراة التي جمعتهما ضمن التصفيات المؤهلة لكأس العالم 2026 بهدف نظيف.

واستضاف ملعب “الإنماء” بمدينة الملك عبد الله الرياضية في جدة، مباراة منتخب العراق مع نظيره الإندونيسي، ضمن الجولة الثانية من المجموعة الثانية في الملحق الآسيوي المؤهل إلى نهائيات كأس العالم 2026 المقررة في الولايات المتحدة وكندا والمكسيك.

طالع.. المنتخبات الآسيوية المتأهلة إلى كأس العالم 2026

وجاء هدف العراق والمباراة الوحيد في الدقيقة 76 من عمر المباراة عن طريق زيدان إقبال، ليحصد 3 نقاط غالية قبل مواجهة السعودية.

ويلتقي منتخب العراق في مباراته المقبلة مع السعودية، من أجل حسم المتأهل إلى المونديال.

وتساوى منتخب العراق مع السعودية برصيد 3 نقاط، فيما يتذيل المنتخب الإندونيسي الترتيب بدون نقاط. هدف فوز العراق على إندونيسيا

شوف الهدف|
العراق يتقدم 1-0 إندونيسيا .. بواسطة زيدان اقبال في الدقيقة 76.#العراق_إندونيسيا#تصفيات_كأس_العالم2026 #قنوات_الكاس || #منصة_شوف pic.twitter.com/E43yCuQttY — قنوات الكاس (@AlkassTVSports) October 11, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

Passada a estreia comvitória contra o América-MG por 3 a 0, Dorival Júnior terá um grande desafio sob o comando do São Paulo na próxima semana. Nesta terça-feira (25), o Tricolor decidirá seu futuro na Copa do Brasil diante ao Ituano, válido pela terceira fase da competição.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasSão PauloDorival Júnior revela sua principal dificuldade em início de trabalhoSão Paulo22/04/2023São PauloEm estreia com vitória, Dorival Júnior fala sobre a saída de Ceni do São Paulo e destaca: ‘Ele representa todo legado’São Paulo22/04/2023São PauloDorival explica mudanças em reestreia pelo São Paulo e revela busca por ‘segundo homem’ no meio-campoSão Paulo22/04/2023

No jogo de ida, que aconteceu no Morumbi, o São Paulo empatou sem gols. Agora, no duelo de volta, que será disputado no estádio Novelli Júnior, terá que correr atrás e garantir a vitória para conseguir avançar na competição sem precisar das penalidades.

ATUAÇÕES: Rafael tem noite de “paredão” e salva São Paulo na estreia de Dorival

Veja tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro

Durante a coletiva de imprensa após o confronto pelo Campeonato Brasileiro, Dorival falou sobre a partida que o aguarda e destacou ser um “jogo que promete muito”.

continua após a publicidade

Para o treinador, sempre é difícil jogar contra um adversário como o Ituano, uma vez que “fez um campeonato equilibrado e pode passar de fase”, segundo suas palavras.

-É uma partida decisiva, um jogo que promete muito. Equipes que já se conhecem, por terem atuado pelo menos duas ou três vezes. Sempre muito difícil jogar com adversário como o Ituano. Fez um campeonato equilibrado, e ainda chegando com possibilidade até de passar de fase. Eu não tenho dúvidas que será mais um jogo muito disputado – disse.

+Todos os jogos do Brasileirão você encontra no Prime Video. Assine já e acompanhe o seu time do coração

continua após a publicidade

Dorival revelou que assistiu ao jogo do Ituano deste domingo (22), que aconteceu na parte da manhã contra o Tombense, pela Série B. O treinador acredita que será no nível da partida contra o América-MG.

– Assistimos hoje àpartida que tiveram as onze da manhã. Mas eu espero, até pelo momento que o São Paulo vive, uma partida tão difícil quanto foi aqui o América hoje. Até porque nós encontraremos um caminho, mas vai demorar um pouco – disse.

Por fim, destacou que a equipe precisa “lutar contra o tempo que falta para encontrar o que querem”. Vale lembrar que a Copa do Brasil seria um título inédito para o São Paulo.

-Temos que lutar contra esse tempo que nos falta, para encontrarmos rapidamente tudo aquilo que nós queremos – finalizou.

Arsenal have an estimated 100 million fans worldwide, with the Gunners one of the most recognisable clubs in the world.

As to be expected, plenty of famous faces support the red side of north London. From rappers to political leaders and sporting superstars, here is a list of Arsenal’s most famous fans.

1

Sir Keir Starmer

British Prime Minister

Sir Keir Starmer is a lifelong Arsenal fan and has been a season ticket holder at the Emirates for many years.

After becoming Prime Minister in July, Starmer has been watching Arsenal’s games from a corporate box instead of his regular seat – an arrangement he was forced to defend to the BBC.

“I’ve had a season ticket for many, many years. I’m a regular attender but now, for security reasons, I can’t go in the stands, and therefore the club have made arrangements for me to watch from elsewhere. It’s as simple as that.”

2

Lewis Hamilton

Formula 1 driver

Lewis Hamilton has long professed to be an Arsenal fan, so it raised more than just a few eyebrows in 2022 when it was revealed he had joined a consortium led by Sir Martin Broughton that was trying to buy rivals Chelsea.

At the time, the Formula 1 star even seemed to deny he was a true Arsenal supporter.

“I remember 5, 6 years old that I then became a supporter of Arsenal. But my Uncle Terry is a big Blues fan, so I’ve been to so many games with him to watch Arsenal and Chelsea play,” he told the press ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.

3

Jay-Z

Rapper & entrepreneur

It was Thierry Henry that prompted Jay-Z to start following Arsenal in the mid-noughties.

“I saw him play, and I just thought he was an amazing player,” the rapper and music mogul explained in an interview with Arsenal Magazine in 2010.

“Ever since then I have been a big fan of the club, following you guys, and still today you play the beautiful football that Thierry did. I think he had a real long-term effect on the team.”

4

Piers Morgan

Journalist

Piers Morgan isn’t afraid to speak his mind and he never hides his love for Arsenal.

The journalist is regularly at the Emirates with friends and family to watch the Gunners, and he described the club’s 3-0 win over Real Madrid in the Champions League in 2025 as his best moment in his 55 years of supporting Arsenal.

However, when things go wrong in north London, Morgan is also quick to call those at the Emirates out, whether it be players, board or managers.

5

Kevin Costner

Actor

Ahead of the 1998 FA Cup Final between Arsenal and Newcastle United, Hollywood star Kevin Costner revealed he was a Gooner in an interview with Sky Sports.

Costner told Sky that he first went to watch the Gunners play while shooting the film “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” in 1991, and that he has been a fan since.

He’s since been back to watch Arsenal on numerous occasions, including in 2014, when he was in the stands to see Arsene Wenger’s side beat take on Aston Villa in the Premier League.

6

Mo Farah

Long-distance runner

Shooting to fame after winning double Olympic gold at London 2012, Mo Farah is another high proifle Arsenal fan.

The 5,000m and 10,000m champion moved to Britain at the age of eight and instantly fell in love with the Gunners. He even previously admitted he would love to be Arsenal’s fitness coach one day.

“One thing I really love is football and I have a good relationship with Arsenal. I started supporting them when I first came to Britain as a kid.

“I liked the way they played. They also had a lot of players from African backgrounds. One day, I’d love to be able to work for them, maybe as a fitness coach.”

7

Anne Hathaway

Actress

Anne Hathaway managed to keep her love for Arsenal secret until she let it slip during a junket for her movie “The Idea of You” in 2024.

Between interviews, Hathaway’s co-star Nicholas Galitzine celebrated after checking his phone to find out that the Gunners had gone a goal up against Wolves last season.

Hathaway seemed excited by the news, and after Galitzine had confirmed that it was Leandro Trossard who had scored, Hathaway responded by leaning forward in her chair and professing her love for the Belgian.

8

KSI

Influencer and media personality

Media superstar KSI is one of the most well-known names on the internet. He first began making YouTube videos with the Sidemen and has since gone on to be successful in the influencer boxing world and music industry.

He is another who regularly visits the Emirates to watch Arsenal in action, and his drink brand Prime are even in partnership with the Gunners.

9

Christian McCaffrey

NFL star

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey has been an Arsenal fan since watching them play during a pre-season trip to the United States in 2019.

After seeing Unai Emery’s side thump Serie A side Fiorentina 3-0 in the International Champions Cup at the Bank of America Stadium, McCaffrey announced his support for the Gunners in a video on the club’s social media pages.

10

Idris Elba

Actor

Idris Elba is another well-known Arsenal fan and has been from a child, with the English actor working with the Gunners on numerous occasions.

Back in 2022, Elba and Ian Wright helped Arsenal with their anti-knife crime initiative by promoting a one-off all-white kit with no red, and he is no stranger to the Emirates.

The system was previously used in the Hundred and IPL 2024

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Oct-2024The 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup, starting October 3 in the UAE, will be the first ICC event to feature the Smart Replay System. The technology was previously used in the Hundred and IPL 2024.”The coverage will feature a minimum of 28 cameras at every game, and will be complemented by a variety of analytical and visual enhancements. The Decision Review System (DRS) will also be available at all matches, with a Hawk-Eye Smart Replay System in place that enables the TV umpire to instantly review synchronized multi-angle footage for accurate decision-making,” the ICC stated in a release.Related

'It can be tough to do both skills full out' but Kapp will do it for South Africa

Catching in focus as Women's T20 World Cup enters the ring of fire

The Devine dilemma – to open or not to open?

'Be fearless, don't play safe' – Ratnayake spells out SL's mantra

Shafali: 'I get good sleep' when India win

Under the Smart Replay System, the TV umpire will receive inputs directly from two Hawk-Eye operators who will be sitting in the same room as the umpire and provide her with images captured by Hawk-Eye’s eight hi-speed cameras across the ground. The TV broadcast director, who used to be a conduit between the third umpire and the Hawk-Eye operators until now, will no longer be involved under this system. This also allows the TV umpire to refer to more visuals than she previously had access to, including split-screen images.In case of a stumping referral under the Smart Replay System, the TV umpire can ask the Hawk-Eye operators for split-screen visuals. In case there is a visible gap when the ball passed bat, the TV umpire will not ask for the UltraEdge (to see if it was a caught behind) and instead directly proceed to check the side-on replay for the stumping. If the TV umpire doesn’t see a clear gap between bat and ball, only then will she refer to UltraEdge.For stumpings, the new system will show the TV umpire tri-vision – essentially footage from side-on cameras as well as from front-on in a single frame. The front-on camera angle is important because it gives an accurate picture of bails being removed. Previously the broadcaster would show the side-on angle from each side along with footage from Stump Cam. But Stump Cam records the action at a low speed of approximately 50 frames per second, as opposed to the Hawk-Eye cameras which record at approximately 300 frames per second, meaning there will now be more accurate footage for the umpires to base their decision on.Like it was at the T20 World Cup last year, this tournament will also have an all-female panel of umpires and match officials.

Arsenal’s pre-season is on the horizon, and technical director Andrea Berta is now pushing forward to complete Mikel Arteta’s squad well ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Smart signings have been made in central midfielder Christian Norgaard (pending the completion of his medical) and Kepa Arrizabalaga, who will be expected to play back-up to David Raya between the sticks.

Furthermore, Martin Zubimendi’s arrival will add genuine star quality to the middle of the park, the Real Sociedad maestro coveted by many of Europe’s top outfits in recent years due to his intelligent, deep-lying midfield performances.

However, we’re yet to see Arteta welcome some new forwards to the fold. Heading into the summer market, this would have unanimously have been agreed to be the Gunners’ chief objective.

It hasn’t happened yet, but expect a flurry of movement in the coming weeks.

Arsenal's offensive transfer plans

Arsenal’s centre-forwards shortlist is comprised of four parts: Viktor Gyokeres, Benjamin Sesko, Ollie Watkins, Alexander Isak.

The latter’s exorbitant price tag likely puts him out of reach, but the English giants desperately need a new number nine, and it’s likely one of the four will arrive at the Emirates soon.

Sesko and Gyokeres are the frontrunners, with it revealed by David Ornstein on Sunday that the Swede “only wants” Arsenal now that Sporting and the Gunners are locked in advanced talks concerning a move.

However, Arteta is set on signing more than just a new frontman as he looks to bring silverware back to Arsenal next season, five years on from the club’s last triumph.

Chelsea’s Noni Madueke has emerged as a top target for the club. Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that contacts between the clubs are set to take place for the versatile winger, with personal terms having seemingly been agreed.

However, there’s another Premier League star on the cards in north London who’s been riding the crest of a wave of late.

Arsenal pushing to sign Premier League star

As per Football Transfers, Arsenal are internally weighing up an official bid for Crystal Palace hero Eberechi Eze, who scored the winning goal as his side defeated Manchester City in the FA Cup final in May.

The Londoners are felt to have taken their curiosity up a notch after cooling their interest in Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, and Eze has a £68m release clause that the Eagles expect to be met.

Kay has revealed that the 26-year-old “wants to join Arsenal”, his close friendship with Bukayo Saka factoring in. Tottenham Hotspur are also keen on the England international.

Why Arsenal want Eberechi Eze

Crystal Palace have been a mainstay in the Premier League since achieving promotion in 2013. For over a decade, they have been regarded as an entertaining and stable club, but Eze turned them into something greater with his driven finish against City at Wembley.

Five years earlier, he joined from the Championship’s Queens Park Rangers in a deal worth £19.5m. The maverick’s rise has been an incredible thing, having now bloomed into the “superstar” that analyst Ben Mattinson had crowned him as over a year ago.

An electric attacking midfielder with a tendency to drift over to the left, Eze could prove to be Arsenal’s own version of Florian Wirtz, with the German sensation joining Liverpool in a British-record £116m deal this summer.

Wirtz’s remarkable blend of vision, intelligence and technical quality make him a one-of-a-kind playmaker, and while he’s not a carbon copy, Eze has the skill set to mirror that of the Premier League champions’ new talisman.

The data certainly suggests the Three Lions man could bring his own firebrand style to the Emirates. As per FBref, Eze ranked among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers across the 2024/25 English top-flight season for shots taken, the top 11% for shot-creating actions, the top 16% for ball recoveries and the top 10% for successful take-ons per 90.

In this way, we can observe that the Palace star, ever-improving, could be a “magician” – as he has been dubbed by pundit Micah Richards – of similar proportions for Arteta’s title-chasing side.

24/25

43 (40)

14

11

23/24

31 (26)

11

6

22/23

40 (30)

10

4

21/22

19 (7)

1

1

20/21

36 (31)

3

6

In a similar vein, Wirtz, 22, has been described as a “genius” in the past by his former Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso, who had drawn notice to his Mesut Ozil-esque qualities.

But it’s not just the Liverpool star’s ability on the ball, his faculty for a fleet-footed surge or a thunderous strike, but his physicality too.

Luckily, Eze would bring similar athletic abilities to Arteta’s door, having averaged 4.8 successful duels, 1.1 tackles and four ball recoveries per Premier League match last term, as per Sofascore.

Given the existing options in Arsenal’s first team, it feels like Eze could be a game-changer, someone arriving with fresh ideas and a different style of quality to open up a dimension that was lacking last term.

It’s easy to blame the club’s issues across the 2024/25 campaign on the lack of a focal frontman, but the £100k-per-week Palace star could have made a world of difference too.

There’s an early sense that the Premier League title, sure to be tighter next year, will be determined, or at least influenced, by moments of magic, players of unique ability who can drive their side toward an extra three points here or a rousing draw at the most ominous enemy ground there.

In any case, Arsenal fans have plenty to look forward to next season. If Berta can oversee the signing of Eze along with a first-rate central striker and maybe another left winger too, there’s every chance Arteta could lead the Gunners to glory.

Arsenal's next Auba: Berta opens talks for "one of the best CFs in Europe"

Arsenal are interested in signing a new centre-forward this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 4, 2025

Everton are believed to be willing to pay £16.8m to complete the signing of a midfielder who possesses “enormous qualities” this summer.

Everton pushing to sign £30m Liam Delap

The Blues have been linked with various potential new signings of late, but Liam Delap is a name who has stood out as a particularly exciting option, as they look to bolster their attack ahead of next season.

It has been claimed that David Moyes has even held face-to-face talks with the Ipswich Town striker, who looks almost certain to leave Portman Road in the summer transfer window, following relegation from the Premier League to the Championship.

Delap has enjoyed a hugely impressive season, despite the demise of his own team, scoring 12 goals in 32 starts in the league, which is three more than any Everton player managed in the competition, with Iliman Ndiaye leading the way with nine strikes.

The 22-year-old stands out as a brilliant option for the Blues with a £30m release clause, considering he is a young striker who should only mature as the years pass, and he should be looked at as the leading choice to come in and lead the line at the club’s new Bramley Moore Dock stadium this summer.

Everton also ready to pay £16.8m for new midfielder

According to a new update from Africa Foot [via Sport Witness], Everton are ready to pay £16.8m to sign Lille midfielder Ngal’ayel Mukau this summer, having sent scouts to watch him in action in recent weeks.

He is actually valued at £12.6m by the Ligue 1 club, but the Blues are willing to bid higher to get their man, seeing him as another strong option alongside Delap.

Mukau may not be as well-known to Everton fans as Delap, due to him not playing in the Premier League, but he is an exciting young player in his own right.

The 20-year-old has scored twice in six Champions League starts this season, as well as averaging 1.5 tackles per game across 22 matches in Ligue 1 in 2024/25. Meanwhile, Lille head coach Bruno Genesio hasn’t held back in his praise of him, saying:

Everton keen on stunning signing of "special" Liverpool ace in shock move

This piece of business would create shockwaves.

ByHenry Jackson May 24, 2025

“He’s an aggressive player, with a big volume of play, capable of recovering balls from the opponent’s feet. He’s also a forward-thinking player, who can get forward from the first touch and find verticality.”

Lille president Olivier Letang has also described him as a “very likeable lad” with “enormous qualities”, adding that “he burst onto the scene” and “we know his potential and his state of mind.”

Everton could do with fresh blood in the middle of the park, considering Abdoulaye Doucoure is leaving and Idrissa Gueye is now well into his 30s, and Mukau could be a great choice to add into Moyes’ squad.

Liverpool’s season will live long in the memory, but FSG won’t want the 2024/25 campaign to stand as an outlier in the post-Jurgen Klopp years.

Luckily, that doesn’t look likely, not when Arne Slot is at the helm and thriving. The Dutch coach has been a remarkable success story, arriving last summer after several trophy-laden years in his homeland with Feyenoord.

The record-equalling title triumph must now be used as a foundation, built upon over the coming years to create another dynasty on Merseyside.

Arsenal and Manchester City will both feel their campaigns have been laced with disappointment, and they will be determined to strengthen over the next few months.

Liverpool need to do the same, especially after such nominal transfer activity in recent years. While a striker is among the priorities, it’s Anfield’s defence that could see the most dramatic shifts.

Liverpool's defensive plans this summer

Trent Alexander-Arnold will leave Liverpool, but he will leave a two-time Premier League champion and one of the harbingers of the illustrious modern age for the club.

Liverpool are going to need to replace their vice-captain, even if Slot is willing to give Conor Bradley the chance to prove himself as the first-choice option. However, matters are complicated by the urgency for a new left-back, with Andy Robertson showing signs of decline.

FSG do have a name in mind. Milos Kerkez is the far-and-away favourite to join Liverpool’s ranks this summer, having enjoyed an exemplary campaign on the south coast with Bournemouth.

The Telegraph claim Wolves are growing in confidence that they can tie Rayan Ait-Nouri down to a new deal, with Liverpool ready to bin their interest in the Algerian in favour of signing the £45m-rated Kerkez.

That’s not all. Andoni Iraola is doing a fine job at the Vitality Stadium, and the Reds are keen on raiding the European contenders for their star centre-back Dean Huijsen too.

Huijsen, 20, has been one of the most exciting prospects in the Premier League this term, with analyst Ben Mattinson even going as far as to call him “the most in-demand centre-back in the world.”

With a £50m release clause, the young Spain star is wanted by every top team, but Liverpool need a long-term Virgil van Dijk replacement.

And there’s more going on in central defence too, with one of Slot’s superstars continuing to pad along without any real clarity on their future, and whether that will remain on Merseyside.

In any case, Liverpool have struck gold on their towering titan.

Slot has hit gold on "monster" defender

Liverpool have a self-sustaining model under the ownership of FSG. This has rankled at times, but who can say the Premier League champions have been unsuccessful over the past decade?

This model does mean that certain hardships have to be endured, with some talented players warming to the idea of a pay rise that simply won’t be granted. Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, it must be said, are the two exceptions to the rule.

However, in the case of Ibrahima Konate, it feels we have an incipient transfer saga on our hands, Reds, with the France international about to enter the final year of his £70k-per-week contract.

It’s understandable that he should want a new deal to better reflect his “monster” defending alongside the skipper, as has been said by Liverpool writer Josh Williams. However, if reports are to be believed, Konate is looking for a £200k-per-week salary to stay put.

This would make him the third-highest-paid player in Slot’s senior squad, perhaps not an unfair reflection of Konate’s worth, but maybe a little tall.

There’s also the matter of Real Madrid. That ever-present and ominous shadow that lurks over Liverpool. They are taking Trent, and now they want Konate too, disassembling and then piecing back together the right side of Slot’s backline, though in a shiny white hue.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

According to Spanish outlet Marca, Konate is very much a transfer target for Los Blancos, but given that he is valued at €100m (£85m) by Liverpool’s chiefs, they are hoping to call upon more dark magic and sign another world-class player on a free transfer.

This is quite the hike in value for the 25-year-old, who first arrived in Liverpool from RB Leipzig in 2021 after his £36m release clause was met.

24/25

29 (27)

1

2

12

23/24

22 (17)

0

0

5

22/23

18 (17)

0

0

7

21/22

11 (11)

0

0

4

It’s a neat reflection of Konate’s improvements on the fitness front; never has the 6 foot 4 star been so consistently available in a Liverpool shirt.

His value as one of Europe’s elite defenders is further underscored by how far he is currently away from up-and-comers like Kerkez and Huijsen, whose combined transfer value would only exceed Konate’s by about £10m.

Both talented players, the young Bournemouth duo are worthy of a move to Merseyside this summer, but they are not yet the finished article.

Konate has spent several years learning from Van Dijk beside him, completing 90% of his passes in the Premier League this season, winning 71% of his aerial battles, as per Sofascore.

He’s athletic and imposing, technical and tenacious. Liverpool have reaped the fruits of his labours for several years now, but he’s truly made himself known as an elite player under Slot’s wing, so important in winning the title.

Liverpool have hit the jackpot on their French defender, but it won’t feel that way in 12 months, if the ghost of Alexander-Arnold returns to take another top-tier player away from Slot’s ranks on a Bosman.

It’s paramount that FSG manage to engineer a new deal for this wonderful player. Maybe £200k-per-week demands aren’t so absurd after all.

Dream Kerkez alternative: Liverpool plot move for "incredible" £50m star

Liverpool could forget about Milos Kerkez with a summer deal for another left-back.

ByEthan Lamb May 7, 2025

Liverpool have made an enquiry to sign a new midfielder who has been compared to Reds star Ryan Gravenberch.

Liverpool prepare for summer transfers after Salah and Van Dijk deals

Arne Slot has enjoyed a brilliant first season in charge at Anfield, with the Reds closing in on the Premier League title. Liverpool can be crowned champions this weekend, should Arsenal suffer defeat against Ipswich Town and the Reds beat Leicester City on Sunday afternoon.

The main headlines at Anfield recently have been with Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk’s new contracts. The pair have both penned new two-year deals, with Van Dijk set to earn more than £40m on Merseyside between now and 2027.

Talking about Van Dijk’s new contract, Slot said that keeping the centre-back and Salah means that it is “already a big summer” for Liverpool.

“[Van Dijk’s contract] tells you that we want to keep our best players. The players that have played a great season for so many years in row. When we are able to keep them as free agents, it tells you the ambitions we have for the upcoming years.

“I’m really happy they both extended. Virgil is so important, defensively and offensively, in and around the dressing room. A great personality and a great football player. I think at Liverpool there is always a big summer and it is already a big summer now. Maybe the players don’t follow everything what has been said in the media, me neither, but what I do know it was it was a big thing – ‘can we hold onto them?’ – and by already holding on to two it is already a big summer.”

Imagine him & Van Dijk: Liverpool lead race for 'world's most in demand CB'

Liverpool are looking to sign one of football’s biggest talents this summer to partner Virgil van Dijk

ByAngus Sinclair Apr 17, 2025

New signings could join Van Dijk and Salah ahead of the 2025/26 season, and a new defensive midfielder appears to be on the wish list.

Liverpool make contact to sign £60k-p/w Nicolo Rovella

According to reports in Italy, relayed by Sport Witness, Liverpool have made an enquiry over a move for Lazio midfielder Nicolo Rovella.

The 23-year-old is also wanted by Arsenal and Manchester City and could now be set to leave the Serie A side following their Europa League exit to Bodo/Glimt on Thursday.

Lazio would want to keep their star players including Rovella this summer, however, the financial implications of not qualifying for the Champions League may mean they cash in on some.

Currently sixth in Serie A, Lazio only have Rovella on loan from Juventus, although there is an obligation to buy with certain conditions. Liverpool could swoop in over the coming months and land the holding midfielder, who has been compared to Gravenberch among others, as per FBref.

Ryan Gravenberch

Liverpool

Moises Caicedo

Chelsea

Koke

Atletico Madrid

Billy Gilmour

Napoli

Leandro Paredes

AS Roma

Rovella, on around £60,000-a-week, was also hailed as “wonderful” by Italy boss Luciano Spalletti last year, and by the looks of things, a move to Anfield could be one to keep an eye on.

Women’s Ashes thumping the last straw which demanded change at the top

Valkerie Baynes21-Mar-2025As an ECB-employed index finger hovered over the “send” button on Jon Lewis’s sacking announcement, a number of prominent cricket journalists were departing The Oval after Surrey’s pre-season media day.The cynical among us might roll our eyes at the timing which either buries a negative story or steals attention from England’s largest cricket club, depending on how you look at it.But whether you view Lewis’s departure after just over two years as England Women’s head coach as good or bad news, it does – as these things often do – raise plenty more questions.The second line of the ECB’s announcement after the news itself celebrated Lewis’s record of 52 wins from 73 matches at the helm and the fact that England are ranked second behind Australia in T20Is and ODIs.World No.2 they may be but it was the gulf between them and Australia that proved Lewis’s undoing after a disastrous Women’s Ashes defeat.He went on that tour of Australia off the back of a disappointing group-stage exit at the T20 World Cup – a successful tour of South Africa in between notwithstanding.Related

Charlie Dean: 'Whether I'm ready for leadership, I'm not sure'

'Like the English Graeme Smith' – Grace Scrivens, future England captain?

Heather Knight's captaincy ends but her work as a leader goes on

Knight's inglorious exit exposes limits of England women's evolution

Kate Cross: Cultural change required as England women seek to rise from Ashes

Clare Connor, ECB Managing Director, England Women, and Deputy Chief Executive Officer, was quoted celebrating “the team’s consistent success in bilateral cricket” which “included a remarkable eight consecutive ODI series wins for which he should take real credit”.But England also suffered their first series defeat to Sri Lanka in the home T20s during his tenure in 2023, exposing a weakness batting against spin which Lewis tried to address with training camps in India and the Middle East in the lead up to last year’s T20 World Cup, where a rash of fielding errors saw them knocked out by West Indies.Connor did admit “the recent ICC Women’s T20 World Cup and Women’s Ashes in Australia have been disappointing” but upon announcing that Lewis had left his position – with no mention of stepping down or mutual agreement as is often the case when that is the case – what else could she say publicly to avoid a PR disaster and hurting a man whose intentions were good?One can only hope that the ongoing review into England Women’s cricket, which Connor announced immediately after an innings defeat in the Ashes Test which sealed the 16-0 scoreline in Australia’s favour, is more introspective about what went wrong rather than clutching onto things that went right.Players have given input to the review, as confirmed by Kate Cross at a Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) event earlier this month and Sophia Dunkley at Surrey’s media day on Friday, with the latter pointing out that it was “above my pay grade” to guess at the outcome.”We all want to be part of a successful England team, so we’re going to be doing our utmost to try and make that happen,” Dunkley told reporters.Heather Knight addresses the crowd at the end of England’s Ashes campaign•Getty ImagesSurrey have a big part to play in the future of the England Women’s team, as do their counterparts in the new domestic structure for 2025 whereby the women’s teams will be aligned with counties and therefore more closely to the men’s teams at those counties rather than representing regions as they have done for the past five years.Among the many things the Ashes defeat exposed was a lack of depth in the England set-up with a firm core of players being selected and very few putting pressure on them from outside.Before he became head coach, Lewis had been the ECB’s elite pace bowling coach since 2021, working alongside the England Men’s Test and white-ball teams. That stretch included the men’s own Ashes 4-0 Ashes drubbing but also encompassed a season of Bazball and Lewis attempted to import that mindset to the women’s side without the same depth of players to call upon.Over the past 18 months, attempts to establish teenage quick Mahika Gaur in the side have been interrupted by school commitments and injury. Her selection has obvious parallels with England Men giving off-spinner Shoaib Bashir a platform to become an integral part of their attack seemingly from nowhere. But, amid persistent gender pay disparity, the need for an education to fall back on illustrates the limitations of trying to transfer the men’s “high-ceiling player” selection policy.The introduction of experienced allrounder Paige Scholfield – who scored a £65,000 pay day with Oval Invincibles in the recent Women’s Hundred draft – ended abruptly when she was injured on the December tour of South Africa before the series began. Ryana MacDonald-Gay, the 21-year-old seamer, held her place between England’s tour of Ireland last September to the Ashes Test but she is five matches into an infantile international career.All three are part of the England A series about to get underway in Australia in which England will attempt to start bridging the gap to their fiercest rivals longer term.Meanwhile, the senior Australia side have unearthed 21-year-old opener Georgia Voll to step seamlessly into the void left by injured captain Alyssa Healy.Lewis’s clumsy attempt to explain the chasm between the teams opened him up to criticism. His suggestion that Australia’s outdoors culture fostered the development of natural athletes overshadowed another improbable storyline – a furphy to use Australian slang – when he said: “On Sunday morning, pretty much every Australian in the eastern suburbs was in the water. There’s about a million kids down there, and they were doing surf lifesaving, or playing touch rugby. For me, that’s a cultural difference. I definitely think Australia have an advantage in terms of athleticism, and also our talent pool at the moment is small, so it’s important for us to grow the game.”The talent pool line doesn’t hold water – pardon the pun. With a population more than double that of Australia, England cricket should be able to catch more, not less of the potential out there.Sure, they’re not all playing cricket – yet – but Lewis’s parting words, beyond his telling “unfortunately I won’t be able to finish this incredibly challenging but enjoyable job of developing this young team…” confirmed a steadfast belief in his own approach, which at its heart was about growing the game.”I am proud that we have seen unprecedented bumper crowds in 2023 and 2024 and I am determined to continue to help drive women’s cricket forward in whatever comes next for me,” he said.The “bumper crowds” thing harks back to what became a hackneyed phrase during Lewis’s tenure – their desire to “inspire and entertain” the next generation of cricketers, a kind of Bazball if you will. That the “how” appeared to take precedence over the on-field results, at times, ensured that the phrase came back to bite him. Praising a manner of defeat can only work so many times if the defeats pile up in the biggest games.Charlotte Edwards has enjoyed great success on the global franchise circuit•Mumbai IndiansCross toured Australia but didn’t play as she battled a back injury. She gave one of the first player interviews following the ill-fated 2025 Ashes at the launch of the PCA’s Women’s Impact Report, highlighting advances made in the game since 2020. There, she acknowledged that the manner of England’s defeat would have done little to attract new players and fans.”Ultimately as players, we still want to try and get young girls interested in the game and us losing quite drastically isn’t going to do that,” she said. “So we’re going to have to have a real look at how we want to portray ourselves as a team moving forward and try and get a bit of love back from our fans because we, or certainly I, felt that we kind of lost a lot of that from our Ashes series, so hopefully we can move in the right direction now.”So what is the way forward?We are yet to hear whether Heather Knight will stay on as captain or whether any sweeping selection changes will be made. In fairness to Knight, she was one of England’s best performers of the Ashes as the second-highest run-scorer overall with 229 at an average of 32.71. Nat Sciver-Brunt followed with 227 at 28.37, but their efforts paled in comparison to Beth Mooney’s 409 at 68.16. A lack of an obvious successor as England captain also makes her position look more tenable.Connor said the ECB would look to appoint Lewis’s successor shortly as England prepares to host West Indies and India ahead of the 50-over World Cup followed by a home T20 World Cup next year.Charlotte Edwards stands out as a potential candidate, the former England captain having forged a highly successful coaching career in women’s franchise leagues globally and domestic women’s cricket.Before taking Mumbai Indians to their second WPL title in three years last weekend, Edwards had led Southern Vipers to five titles, including two Charlotte Edwards Cup victories, and Southern Brave to three Women’s Hundred finals, winning the 2023 edition.As women’s cricket in England embarks on its next move, it makes sense that the woman who has been an integral part of the game’s initial move to full professionalisation since 2020 oversees this next phase from the top.

While the rule has given local players more chances to shine, high-impact batting innings from subs have been few. Could some suffer from coming into the game cold?

Matt Roller18-Apr-20231:36

The Impact Player rule – will part-time bowlers lose out?

Halfway through Royal Challengers Bangalore’s game against Delhi Capitals on Saturday afternoon, history told Faf du Plessis that they had enough runs. “In normal circumstances in a day game, 175 [174] feels like a really good score,” he said after the game.”[But] with the new rule – the extra batter – you just feel like you need more runs…” he added. “You feel like it’s maybe 10 or 15 runs you need to get more.” After taking four early wickets, Royal Challengers eventually closed out a 23-run victory, but the batting depth enabled by the new rule saw Lalit Yadav walk out as low as No. 9 in Capitals’ chase.Du Plessis’ analysis was near-perfect. The average first-innings score in IPL 2023 so far is 183.4. It was 12.3 runs lower in IPL 2022 at 171.1; at the equivalent stage in the tournament, it was 8.8 runs lower at 174.6. There have been as many 200-plus totals chased down this year as there have sub-190 totals defended (two of each).!function(){“use strict”;window.addEventListener(“message”,(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();