Tottenham Hotspur have now made contact over a deal for an attacking midfielder, and there is a growing belief they will now be able to beat one of their Premier League rivals to his signature, according to a report.
Tottenham's summer transfer plans
There is a lot of speculation surrounding the future of Ange Postecoglou, particularly since the 2-0 loss away at Fulham at the weekend, which leaves Tottenham 14th in the Premier League table with just nine games left to play.
As such, Spurs’ summer transfer policy could be heavily dictated by whether they have a new manager in the dugout, but they are continuing to assess potential targets who could improve Postecoglou’s side.
Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Rayan Ait-Nouri appears to be one of the main targets in defence, with widespread reports suggesting a £30m bid has been submitted for the left-back, while the Lilywhites are also keen on strengthening in more advanced areas.
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Lille’s Jonathan David is among the targets at striker, with the 25-year-old set to be available on a free transfer this summer, while Postecoglou’s side also hold an interest in Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman.
According to a report from GiveMeSport, Tottenham have now taken their first steps towards signing an attacking midfielder, having made contact over a move for River Plate’s Franco Mastantuono.
Franco Mastantuono for River Plate
Spurs are now growing in confidence that they could win the race for Mastantuono, given that rival suitors Manchester United have now started to look at alternative targets, and they have now stepped up their interest.
The maestro is protected by a £38m release clause, but there is hope of being able to bring him in for a reduced fee, given that the full amount would be a huge fee to pay for a 17-year-old.
"Pure joy to watch" Mastantuono could be future star
The teenager has already been a part of the River Plate first-team setup for quite some time, scoring a remarkable free-kick goal for the Argentine side when he was just 16 years old.
That remarkable effort caused football talent scout Jacek Kulig to laud the starlet as a “pure joy to watch”, and he has continued his fine form this season, most recently putting in a top display against Ciudad de Bolivar in the Copa Argentina.
The young Argentine scored a goal and completed three dribbles in his side’s 2-0 triumph, causing major problems for the opposition defence and showcasing that he could soon be ready for a move to a top European club.
As such, it is exciting news that Tottenham have made the first move to sign Mastantuono, but it could be difficult to win the race for his signature, with reports from elsewhere revealing the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona are also keen.
Aston Villa are now monitoring a speedy new forward target who once described Unai Emery as an “amazing football brain”, according to a report.
Villa weighing up attacking options
Villa were extremely busy in the January transfer window, with Emery particularly keen on bringing in new attackers as a result of Jhon Duran’s departure, and the manager will be pleased by the arrivals of Marcus Rashford and Donyell Malen.
As things stand, however, Rashford will only remain at Villa Park until the end of the campaign, meaning Emery may have to bring in some new attacking options in the summer, and a number of targets have been identified.
The Villans have been named as one of the potential suitors for Atalanta striker Mateo Retegui, who has been in fantastic form this season, bagging 20 goals in the Serie A, the highest number of any player.
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He could replace Duran…
By
Tom Cunningham
Feb 15, 2025
Retegui is an out-and-out striker, who could be brought in to provide competition for Ollie Watkins, but Villa are also keen on signing a new winger, with a report revealing they are now monitoring AC Milan’s Samuel Chukwueze.
Chukwueze nearly joined Fulham in a deal worth around €30m (£25m) during the January transfer window, but the Cottagers ended up running out of time to discuss the complexities of the deal.
That opens the door for the Villans to make a move for Chukwueze in the summer, and he is a player Emery will know very well, having spent time working with him at Villarreal.
AC Milan's SamuelChukwuezein action with GNK Dinamo Zagreb's Josip Misic
It is clear the ex-Villarreal man was a fan of working under his former manager, too, saying: “I enjoy playing under Unai Emery, He’s amazing, and so tactical in everything he does. He can push you to the limit, but he is a fantastic coach.
“He has an amazing football brain. He has amazed me how I have seen him change things from game to game.
"Fantastic" Chukwueze could shine under Emery
It would be fair to say the Nigerian has not set the world alight at Milan, with just seven goals and four assists in 59 outings, but he has previously proven himself to Emery.
The right-winger played a key role in Villarreal’s 2020-21 Europa League triumph, picking up one goal and four assists in 11 games, and he was regularly in and amongst the goals during his time in La Liga.
Season
La Liga appearances
Goals
Assists
2018-19
26
5
2
2019-20
37
3
5
2020-21
28
4
3
2021-22
27
3
3
2022-23
37
6
5
Lauded as “fantastic” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, it is clear the forward has a lot of ability, but he could well be in need of a fresh start, having fallen down the pecking order at the San Siro this season.
Given how highly Chukwueze rates Emery from their time working together at Villarreal, a move to Villa Park could make perfect sense for all parties this summer.
There have not been many positives this season for Glasgow Rangers. The Ibrox side won’t win any domestic silverware, trailing their arch-rivals by 16 points in the Premiership title race, also being knocked out of the Scottish and League Cups.
Barry Ferguson did mastermind a 3-1 victory over Fenerbahce in the Europa League first leg of their last-16 clash, but even the most optimistic Rangers supporter will feel glory in Europe is beyond them.
Vaclav Cerny has been a hit since joining the club on loan from Wolfsburg, scoring 17 goals in all competitions, although finances will likely prevent the Gers from securing his signature on a permanent basis.
Hamza Igamane has also been another bright spark for the club. Costing just £1.7m from Moroccan side AS FAR last summer, the 22-year-old has since netted 13 goals in all competitions, despite this season being the first outside his native Africa.
Hamza Igamane
One of the most underrated players since he returned to the starting XI in October has been Nico Raskin.
The Belgian has missed only two games between September and the time of writing, establishing himself as a key member of the team.
How Nico Raskin has grown in importance at Ibrox
Against Celtic at the start of the year, Raskin was given the captaincy due to James Tavernier missing the game through injury.
During the 3-0 victory, Raskin provided an assist while also making two key passes, creating a big chance and winning 60% of his ground duels throughout the game.
He controlled the midfield, making four interceptions and three tackles which nullified Celtic and contributed to the stunning Old Firm win.
The midfielder has struggled with his injury problems during his first year or so at the club, but his performances this season have proved he is now indispensable to any future success at Ibrox.
Raskin may not offer too much in the final third, but in terms of providing effective support in the heart of the midfield, he has been crucial.
In the Premiership, the Belgian has averaged 3.6 tackles per game, along with averaging 7.8 ball recoveries, 1.6 interceptions and 1.4 clearances each match in the top flight.
If he continues this current form until the end of the campaign, the new manager might have to fend off interest from other clubs this summer.
Indeed, these impressive performances for the Light Blues have seen Raskin’s market value soar since joining the club.
According to Transfermarkt, the Belgian is currently worth around £5.5m and this value should only continue to rise over the coming months ahead of the summer transfer window.
Rangers midfielder Nicolas Raskin
He has the highest market valuation in the entire squad apart from Cerny, who will depart this summer once his loan spell ends.
Whoever comes in to take charge of the Gers ahead of the 2025/26 campaign must utilise Raskin in his desired position, as he could be an ideal choice to take over the captaincy from Tavernier, especially following his display against Celtic in January.
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?
Having also starred in continental competition, shining against Fener last week and standing out against Spurs, he’s certainly following in the path of a Europa League hero from a few years ago.
Rangers' European hero is now worth less than Raskin
Joe Aribo may have only been at the club for three seasons, yet he developed from a raw talent to a player who scored in a major European final.
Glimpses of his talent were on show during the Gers title-winning 2020/21 campaign, where he registered 15 goal contributions – eight goals and seven assists – as the club went the entire league season undefeated.
2023/24
40
4
1
2022/23
27
2
0
2021/22
57
9
10
2020/21
43
8
7
2019/20
49
9
8
2018/19
39
10
5
2017/18
34
6
3
2016/17
22
0
7
From a personal point of view, the following season was even better. Indeed, the Nigeria international scored nine goals while chipping in with ten assists across all competitions, helping the Gers reach the 2022 Europa League final.
He opened the scoring in that match against Eintracht Frankfurt, becoming just the fourth player in the club’s history to score in a European final. Unfortunately, Rangers lost the game on penalties to the German side.
With Giovanni van Bronckhorst needing to raise some funds that summer in order to bring in the players he wanted, a few were moved on.
How Joe Aribo is playing in 2025
Calvin Bassey departed the Ibrox side in 2022, with Ajax signing him for a club-record fee after an impressive campaign.
This bolstered the coffers, but when Southampton came in for Aribo, a deal was concluded that could rise to around £10m, and it was too good to turn down, that’s for sure.
This fee proved to be a significant profit on the midfielder, although they would have a big gap to fill.
Aribo hasn’t exactly proved his worth on the south coast, however, struggling to adapt at times.
The “exceptional” gem – as so dubbed by his manager Ivan Juric recently – scored just twice for the Saints in his first season.
He helped them secure a place back in the Premier League last term, defeating Leeds United in the playoff final, but they look set to drop back down into the second tier.
Now part of a team that could end with the fewest points in Premier League history, Aribo has netted three top-flight goals. As a result, his value has decreased since making his move south of the border three years ago.
Now, according to Transfermarkt, Aribo is currently worth £5m and if he fails to perform in the Championship next term, this could drop even lower.
This valuation is even lower than Raskin’s at the time of writing, indicating that the Gers have struck gold by selling Aribo when they did, maximising the best possible transfer fee for the former Charlton Athletic midfielder.
The new manager will be aiming to bring in his own players for cheap, before making millions on them after a few years at Ibrox. That’s a certainty.
49ers must move on Rangers star who earns more than Raskin & Hagi
Rangers should move on from the reportedly highly-paid star in the summer window.
Stars were in the game at various points, but Murphy first and then Vince and Hughes took the game away from them
AAP06-Jan-2024
James Vince top-scored in the chase with a 57-ball 79•Getty Images
Opener James Vince and No. 3 Daniel Hughes were dominant, leading Sydney Sixers to an easy BBL win over Melbourne Stars. Chasing Stars’ 156 for 4 on Saturday night at the MCG, Sixers got past the target with 11 balls and seven wickets left.The result lifted Sixers to second place, and broke a run of rain-affected games and Stars’ four-game winning streak. It’s an important result, with Sixers third and Stars fourth on eight points apiece going into the game.Vince and Hughes put on 99 for the second wicket off 67 balls to take the game away from Stars. Vince top-scored with 79 from 57 balls, with 12 fours, while Hughes made 41 from 32 balls four fours and a six.The game was evenly poised midway through the Sixers’ innings, at 68 for 1 in comparison to Stars’ 81 for 3 at the same stage. But Sixers were 128 when Hughes was dismissed at the end of the 15th over and the match was as good as over.Scott Boland returned for Stars and took 2 for 38 from his four overs.Earlier, Sixers won the toss and after Glenn Maxwell threatened one of his special innings that would have torn the match apart, Todd Murphy responded with an outstanding spell in which he claimed the crucial wicket of the big-hitting Stars captain.Todd Murphy was outstanding, keeping things tight and picking up the wickets of Glenn Maxwell and Beau Webster•Cricket Australia via Getty Images
Maxwell came to the crease with his side in early trouble at 41 for 2 in the sixth over.He quickly went on the warpath and belted four fours and two sixes in his 31 from 14 balls before Murphy struck – Murphy enticed Maxwell with a wide ball and Sean Abbott caught him at deep cover.Murphy was outstanding, also bowling the in-form Beau Webster for a duck in his 2 for 15 from four overs.After opener Dan Lawrence was dismissed for 36 in the 14th over, Marcus Stoinis and Hilton Cartwright struggled to find the boundary with any regularity in their 56-run partnership. Cartwright hit a six into the second tier of the Shane Warne Stand off Abbott at the end of the 19th over, before he and Stoinis added some much-needed meat to the innings with three fours in the last over.Stoinis scored 34 from 30 balls and Cartwright made 29 from 22.Stars were without wicketkeeper Sam Harper, who was hit on the head while batting at Friday training, but is now out of the hospital. Peter Handscomb took his place behind the wickets as Stars also welcomed back Boland, while Sixers brought back Hughes to great effect.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers was heavily backed by the board in the summer transfer window last year as they made several big-money signings to bolster his squad.
USA international Auston Trusty was brought in from English side Sheffield United for a reported fee of £6m to compete with Liam Scales for a starting berth at centre-back.
The Hoops also agreed a £9.5m deal, with an initial fee of £8.5m, to sign Ireland international Adam Idah from Norwich City on a permanent basis, after he spent the second half of last season on loan and scored the winner in the SFA Cup final against Rangers.
Idah was not the only signing to threaten Odsonne Edouard’s club-record deal – a £9m move from PSG in 2018 – as Belgian central midfielder Arne Engels arrived from Augsburg for a reported fee of £11m.
The 21-year-old talent has racked up nine goals and 12 assists in all competitions so far this season and has the potential to be one of the club’s next big sales in the future.
Arne Engels
Celtic are no strangers to cashing in on their best players as they have made millions over the years by doing exactly that, with Matt O’Riley’s move to Brighton & Hove Albion last summer being the most recent example.
Celtic's biggest sales
The Scottish giants have made a habit out of making big money on their stars and it shows that the club have an excellent recruitment strategy, as they have consistently found quality young prospects and developed them into hugely valuable assets.
O’Riley is a brilliant example of that because Celtic swooped to sign him from English League One side MK Dons for a fee of £1.5m in the January transfer window at the start of 2022, before going on to sell him for a significantly higher fee just two-and-a-half years later.
Matt O’Riley
Brighton
£24.5m
Jota
Al-Ittihad
£24.1m
Kieran Tierney
Arsenal
£24.2m
Moussa Dembele
Lyon
£18.2m
Odsonne Edouard
Crystal Palace
£13.5m
As you can see in the table above, current Celtic forward Jota, who re-joined the club in the recent January window, is among the club’s biggest-ever sales.
Kieran Tierney has agreed to join the club on a free transfer from Arsenal in the summer, which means that two of Celtic’s top three record sales will be back at Parkhead together for the 2025/26 campaign.
One player the Scottish giants may wish they could bring back to Parkhead is central defender Virgil van Dijk, whose move away from the club does not crack the top five biggest sales in the team’s history.
How much Celtic sold Virgil van Dijk for
In the summer of 2015, Premier League side Southampton swooped in to sign the Dutch centre-back for a reported fee of £11.5m, with a further £1.5m in potential add-ons.
The Hoops had signed the Netherlands international from Groningen for a fee of €2m (£1.7m), according to manager Neil Lennon, ahead of the 2013/14 campaign and this means that the club made a huge profit on him by cashing in for just shy of £10m more up front.
Van Dijk racked up a staggering 115 first-team appearances for Celtic in just two years at the club and contributed with an eye-catching 15 goals and seven assists from a centre-back position.
The giant central defender then proved his worth in the Premier League with the Saints over the next two-and-a-half years before being snapped up by Liverpool for a record fee.
According to BBC Sport, Jurgen Klopp’s side made Van Dijk the most expensive defender in the history of the game with a £75m swoop for his services in January of 2018.
2023/24
Yes
2022/23
No
2021/22
Yes
2020/21
No
2019/20
Yes
2018/19
Yes
2017/18
No
As you can see in the table above, the Dutch star has been included in the Premier League PFA Team of the Year in four of his six full seasons at Anfield, after joining them midway through the 2017/18 campaign.
Celtic, however, were once able to cash in on a centre-back for even more than they got for van Dijk, despite what the Dutchman has gone on to achieve, as they hit the jackpot with Kristoffer Ajer.
Celtic struck gold with Kristoffer Ajer
Back in February 2016, the Hoops swooped to sign the Norwegian giant for a reported fee of just £650k after a trial spell at the club from Start in his home country – a fee that would go on to look insignificant in the face of the money they raked in for his services.
The young defender arrived as a youth team player at first, playing five times in the UEFA Youth League in the first half of the 2016/17 campaign, before being sent out on loan to Kilmarnock to gain some valuable experience in senior football in Scotland.
Ajer returned to Celtic for the 2017/18 season, with Rodgers in the dugout in his first spell at the club, and emerged as a regular first-team player for the Hoops, as he went on to play 176 times for the Hoops in total throughout his spell in Glasgow.
The Norway international, who scored seven goals for the Bhoys, won three Scottish Premiership titles, three League Cup trophies, and three SFA Cup trophies, which shows that it was a successful period for him and the club.
In the summer of 2021, Premier League side Brentford swooped in to sign the centre-back for an initial fee of £13.5m, with an undisclosed amount of add-ons that could increase it, which meant that he was sold for £2m more than van Dijk – not including add-ons – was six years earlier.
Brentford defender Kristoffer Ajer.
This shows that Celtic hit the jackpot with Ajer because they turned a £650k signing for their development squad into an incredibly successful player, given the nine trophies he won with the Scottish giants, who was then sold for a mammoth profit.
At the time of writing, the Norwegian titan is valued at €18m (£15m) by Transfermarkt. This suggests that the Hoops did well to cash in on him for an initial £13.5m as his value has only marginally increased over the past three-and-a-half years, whereas van Dijk’s soared to a staggering £75m in a similar timeframe.
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Rodgers will, now, hope that he can help the current crop of Celtic youngsters to develop and improve, to the point where they go on to become the next big-money sales to propel their careers to the next level.
Jadeja’s 3 for 28 restricted Australia to 199, but India’s pursuit of a modest target began with a historically bad start
Vithushan Ehantharajah08-Oct-20231:19
Tom Moody: Australia did not have a plan for that sort of pitch
The hosts and favourites for the 2023 World Cup are up and running. But as clinical as India’s six-wicket victory over Australia looks on paper, there was far more jeopardy out on the field in Chennai.Ravindra Jadeja’s exemplary 3 for 28 restricted Australia to 199, but the pursuit of a modest target began with a historically bad start. India were reduced to 2 for 3 – the first time in ODIs three of their top four were dismissed without scoring; Mitchell Starc removed Ishan Kishan for a first-ball duck before Josh Hazlewood’s double-wicket maiden snared captain Rohit Sharma lbw and Shreyas Iyer, caught tamely at short cover.But from the ruins rose Virat Kohli and KL Rahul – two of India’s “been there, done that” world-beaters. A stand of 165 turned a problematic start into a cakewalk of a finish. So much so that while Kohli fell for 85 – he was dropped on 12 – Rahul was able to manoeuvre himself into a position for an outside shot at ODI century number seven.With 91 to his name and five left to get, a four and a six would have taken him to three figures. Alas, too sweet a connection on a lofted drive off Pat Cummins cleared the boundary sponge at extra cover, finishing the match and leaving the keeper-batter dismayed on 97 not out.It was particularly chastening for Australia for the match to end in such one-sided circumstances. Cummins’ decision to be the first captain to win the toss and choose to bat at this World Cup looked optimistic, especially as the second innings wore on and the ball stopped talking.Halzewood’s 3 for 38 ended up being the only plus point in the second half. But one imagines most of the post-match debrief will centre around the inability to combat the turn and nous of Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and R Ashwin.Ravindra Jadeja dismissed Steven Smith with a ripper•Associated PressIndia’s spin amigos shared six wickets between themselves, instigating an inescapable chokehold epitomised by the 16.5 overs worth of dot balls within their collective 30. The control assumed throughout the guts of Australia’s innings was primarily through Jadeja, who was introduced in the 20th. Australia had made a steady start before an eight-over-straight spell of 3 for 28 from the Chennai Super Kings stalwart on familiar conditions demolished those foundations.Despite losing opener Mitchell Marsh for a six-ball duck – edge found by Jasprit Bumrah, well-taken by Kohli tumbling to his left at first slip – David Warner was typically breezy, moving past 1000 ODI World Cup runs in just his 19th innings, setting a new benchmark for the feat having done so in one knock fewer than Sachin Tendulkar and AB de Villiers.A return catch for Kuldeep’s first of two dismissals ended his stay on 41, and a stand of 69 with Steven Smith, who himself made it to 46 before losing his off stump, beaten on the outside edge and losing his off stump. It was the first of three wickets to fall in the space of 10 Jadeja deliveries.Marnus Labuschagne was adjudged caught behind off a sweep, before the Alex Carey lasted just two deliveries before behind adjudged lbw in front of middle. Both batters took Australia’s two DRS reviews back to the dressing room.At 119 for 5, the onus fell on the last two remaining “full-time” batters Glenn Maxwell and Cameron Green to conjure a partnership of note. Maxwell was able to strike Jadeja through extra cover for the first boundary in 73 deliveries, but an awry shot across the line to Kuldeep followed by Green’s lazy cut to backward point off Ashwin took the score from 140 for 5 to 140 for 7 in the space of four balls.Starc and Cummins were valiant in pursuit of late runs; the latter striking the first six of the innings midway through the 40th over (Kuldeep heaved over deep square leg) before the former bashed the second over the same region off Bumrah.Starc would be the last to fall, holing out into the leg side to bring the innings to a close with three balls to go. But within four balls of the restart, the left-arm quick had Kishan departing first ball, slashing to Green a first slip.Virat Kohli and KL Rahul piled up pressure on Pat Cummins and Co•AFP/Getty ImagesHazlewood followed with his double-hit in his opening over and, just like that, India’s task looked far from academic. But the fact there was only 197 to clear in 48 overs when Kohli and Rahul came together meant no undue risks needed to be taken.And yet, India should have been 19 for 4 when a top edge from Kohli on 12 – hurried by a skiddy bouncer from Hazlewood – fell through the hands of Marsh running in from square leg after some miscommunication with Carey behind the stumps. Kohli then survived an edge past his own stumps off Cummins on 13.Kohli was soon back into his work, supreme through midwicket for back-to-back fours off Green – the first just his second boundary in 50 deliveries. The pair exchanged strike regularly, until Rahul struck three fours – two fine of third, then a drive through cover – to take 13 off Adam Zampa’s opening over to jump-start his innings.That the legspinner was held back until the 17th over spoke of the loss of that early movement with the two new balls under lights, dissipating Australia’s incisiveness. By then, Starc had changed his angle to over the wicket to both right-handers, hoping to elicit either movement or a mistake off the straight.Kohli would win the race to the half-century, whipping a Cummins bumper off his nose to reach fifty for the 114th time in ODIs, off 75 balls. Soon after the century stand was reached, Rahul square drove his 72nd delivery for a 16th fifty in the format. ODI hundred number 48 looked odds on for Kohli, only to fall 15 short when pulling Hazlewood straight to Labuschagne at midwicket. His walk-off suggested a desire to take the side home, but with 33 required off 74, the finish line was in full view.And so came the sprint finish. Pandya charged Hazlewood to muller him over wide long off for India’s first six of the tournament. Rahul then followed with the second in the next over, planting Maxwell into the stands down the ground.Perhaps a century for Rahul would have been the neatest of bows on a professional opening win. As far as consolations go, sizeable red ink and victory by 52 deliveries should more than make up for it.
da betcris： O Fluminense oficializou a saída de Yago Felipe nesta quinta-feira (23) rumo ao Bahia. Em uma postagem divulgada em suas redes sociais, o Tricolor das Laranjeiras agradeceu ao jogador de 28 anos por sua passagem no clube. Além disso, divulgou um vídeo com lances do volante defendendo a camisa tricolor.
da betway： 160 jogos, identificação enorme e muita entrega por essas três cores. Obrigado por tudo, @YagoFelipe20! 🥰🇭🇺
— Fluminense F.C. (@FluminenseFC) February 23, 2023
Os direitos de Yago pertencem em 60% ao Fluminense e 40% ao Tombense, clube ligado ao empresário Eduardo Uram. O Bahia adquiriu 90% por cerca de R$ 10 milhões, de acordo com “O Globo”. O Fluminense deve ficar com R$ 4,8 milhões e manterá 10% dos direitos sobre Yago.
The top seven sides at the end of the league stage of the ongoing ODI World Cup in India will qualify for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, along with hosts Pakistan, to compete in the eight-team event.An ICC spokesperson confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that the qualification system for the 2025 Champions Trophy was approved by the ICC Board in 2021, when the competition was brought back as one of the eight men’s global tournaments to be held in the 2024-31 cycle.The development has come as a surprise to a few boards – both whose teams are in India as well as others who missed making it to the ODI World Cup – who told ESPNcricinfo that they were unaware about qualification for the 2025 Champions Trophy being at stake in this tournament.At present, Bangladesh and England are at No. 9 and 10 on the ODI World Cup points table, and therefore outside the top seven who will qualify for the Champions Trophy along with hosts Pakistan. “Yeah, I’m aware of that,” England captain Jos Buttler said when asked if he knew a place in the Champions Trophy was at stake following their loss to India in Lucknow. “And absolutely, it just proves we’ve still got lots to play for.”This also means other Full-Member nations like West Indies, Zimbabwe and Ireland will not even have the opportunity to qualify for the tournament, by virtue of not having made it to the 2023 ODI World Cup.In November 2021, the ICC had unveiled several global events for both men and women in the new cycle (2024-31) including two editions of the Champions Trophy – in 2025 and 2029. In a media statement, the ICC had said that the Champions Trophy would be an eight-team event and the tournament structure “will follow previous editions with two groups of four, semi-finals and final”.For the 2013 and 2017 editions of the Champions Trophy, the top eight teams in the ODI rankings at a cut-off date qualified for the event. It is understood that the decision to have the top seven teams at this World Cup qualify for the 2025 Champions Trophy was approved originally by the ICC’s chief executives committee following which the ICC board ratified the recommendation.One Full Member board confirmed that the qualification pathways for all the events were discussed and approved at the 2021 ICC meetings. For the 2027 men’s ODI World Cup, which will be a 14-team tournament co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, the qualification process is: the two Full Member hosts – South Africa and Zimbabwe – plus eight highest-ranked teams as of March 31, 2027, and four remaining teams through global qualifier tournaments.The qualification for the 2025 Champions Trophy was highlighted this week by Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan more than once. With his team almost out of the semi-final race in the ODI World Cup, Shakib spoke of the importance of finishing in the top eight. “I mean, not the semi-final hope. It is not a semi-final possibility,” Shakib said on Saturday, after Bangladesh were beaten by Netherlands. “At least, do a little better. Suppose, you have to be in the [top] ranking 8 if you want to play in the Champions Trophy. So, there are still three matches left considering that in mind.”
Luis Enrique insists Paris Saint-Germain played like a "real team" when Kylian Mbappe was part of the squad, but admits they are more efficient now.
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PSG thriving despite Mbappe exit last year
Luis Enrique explains what has changed
French side could win treble of trophies
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Mbappe was the undisputed star at PSG after Lionel Messi left for Inter Miami and Neymar was sold to Al-Hilal, but the French giants have improved since his free transfer to Real Madrid last summer. Having won Ligue 1 by 19 points, they could complete a European and domestic treble in their upcoming Champions League and Coupe de France finals.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
The Spanish coach is happy his players have stepped up to share the goals and assists in Mbappe's absence this season as he highlighted the changes he made that turned them into contenders for the Champions League crown.
WHAT LUIS ENRIQUE SAID
The PSG boss said in a press conference on Wednesday: "We scored more goals than last season, and more players provided assists. Our numbers are exceptional. To achieve this, our players need to get the ball to whoever is best positioned. Many players scored or provided assists, and I'm very happy not to be dependent on just one player.
"Last year, too, we were a real team. I said we would manage to improve the team. Players have arrived, and the numbers show that the team is better. But we were a team last year, without a doubt. Don't forget that we also played in a Champions League semi-final."
He added: "I was delighted with what I saw, what we tried. Players were criticised and exploded. We had to overcome all that. We played some very high-level games in the Champions League and lost them, like Atletico Madrid and Liverpool. The change was when we broke the deadlock in terms of efficiency. Some players managed to get into better positions in the box. We've gone from lamentable statistics to the best in Europe. It's the same version of the team but with efficiency."
DID YOU KNOW?
Mbappe missed out on three trophies in his debut season at Madrid, but the France international is on track to beat Robert Lewandowski to La Liga's top-scorer prize with 29 goals heading into the last game of the campaign.
يسعى نادي روما الإيطالي للتعاقد مع أحد لاعبي فريق ليفربول الإنجليزي، خلال سوق الانتقالات الصيفي الجاري، والذي ينتهي بنهاية شهر أغسطس الحالي.
وشهد ليفربول عدة تغييرات في صفوفه هذا الصيف، برحيل عدة لاعبين وإبرام تعاقدات جديدة تحت قيادة مديره الفني آرني سلوت.
وافتتح ليفربول موسمه في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز بفوز برباعية لهدفين أمام بورنموث، ويستعد اليوم الإثنين لمواجهة نيوكاسل في الجولة الثانية.
ويرغب روما في التعاقد مع اليوناني كوستاس تسيميكاس من صفوف ليفربول، ويسعى لضمه على سبيل الإعارة، وتواصل بالفعل مع النادي الإنجليزي بحسب ما أفاد الصحفي فابريزو رومانو عبر حسابه على منصة “إكس”.
اقرأ أيضًا | ليفربول يتخذ قرارًا حاسمًا بشأن صفقة رودريجو
وذكر رومانو، أن تسيميكاس يريد الرحيل والانضمام إلى روما، لكن ليفربول لم يُعط الضوء الأخضر للصفقة بعد، حيث يريد النادي الإنجليزي بيع لاعبه اليوناني وليس إعارته.
وأشار رومانو إلى أنه بجانب روما، يوجد ناديين آخرين يرغبان في ضم تسيميكاس، لكن لم يوضح من هما.
وكان ليفربول قد تعاقد هذا الصيف مع فلوريان فيرتز، هوجو إيكيتيكي، جيريمي فريمبونج، ميلوس كيركيز، ريدي وودمان، أرمين بيتشي، إلى جانب ويل رايت الذي انضم لفريق الشباب، فيما غادر صفوفه عدة لاعبين مثل لويس دياز، داروين نونيز، ترينت ألكسندر أرنولد، نات فيليبس، كاومين كيليهر.