The former USMNT defender has shared a surprising take on the Belgian, suggesting the MLS side may have avoided a potentially disappointing move

Lalas questions whether De Bruyne's style would translate effectively to MLSComparison to Pirlo's struggles adapting to physical demandsBelieves Fire potentially saved from a signing who might not have joined for right reasonsGet the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED

Fox Sports analyst Alexi Lalas addressed the growing rumors that Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne is now favoring a move to Italian side Napoli rather than joining Chicago Fire. The Belgian is set to leave City on a free transfer, and the MLS side had been heavily linked with a deal for the midfielder.

“Yeah, it's an interesting move,” Lalas said on his podcast. “Obviously, we were just talking about how good they [Napoli] are, and him coming in only makes them better. But you know, all along, you have to be a specific type of person and personality, I think to take that step [move to the MLS]. You know what, for example, when [Andrea] Pirlo came over, it did not go well. And I never saw him as one of those guys who would function well in an MLS capacity. And I get the same vibe from Kevin De Bruyne."

Lalas surprisingly suggested Chicago might be better off, countering the prevailing narrative that losing De Bruyne would be a major setback.

“I know, like, I'm not saying that he wouldn't have been fun to see and that if you're Chicago right now, you're like, 'we gave our best and it didn't work out'," Lalas said. "But who knows, maybe you dodged a bullet there. Wonderful player and I wish him well with what's happening, but if you're going to go to MLS, I want you to go for the right reasons."

He added, “And I want you to have the personality that accepts that it is a very different and unique type of experience, and you embrace that and want that. And obviously, that's not something that he wanted either from a soccer perspective or a lifestyle perspective.”

AdvertisementWHAT ALEXI LALAS SAIDTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The growth of MLS has altered the calculus around designated player signings, with clubs increasingly focused on players who view the league as a serious competitive challenge rather than merely a lifestyle choice or retirement option. That especially occurred in the wake of Pirlo’s underwhelming stint at New York City FC, with it serving as a notable cautionary tale.

Getty Images SportWHAT’S NEXT?

Chicago Fire will likely redirect their designated player search toward other potential targets as the summer transfer window approaches. Meanwhile, De Bruyne's future remains uncertain, with Napoli reportedly leading the race for his signature among other European sides when he leaves Manchester City as a free agent this summer.

Battle for big names set to intensify as rival northern-hemisphere tournaments go head-to-head

Matt Roller23-Jan-2024The Hundred will clash with Major League Cricket (MLC) for the first time in 2024. The two leagues will be in direct competition for the world’s leading men’s players in late July, after narrowly avoiding an overlap last year.MLC, which launched last year and is backed by Indian and American investors, announced last month that its second season will launch on July 4 and conclude “by early August”, with dates and fixtures due to be finalised imminently. The ECB announced the Hundred’s fixture list on Tuesday, with The Oval hosting the opening men’s and women’s matches on July 23.The Hundred will also go up against an England men’s international in 2024, after a dedicated window last year. England’s third Test against West Indies starts on July 26, which will rule those involved out of at least the first week of the Hundred. There will not be a clash for England’s women, who finish a T20I series against New Zealand on July 17.ESPNcricinfo understands that the Hundred is unlikely to clash with the Caribbean Premier League in 2024. The men’s and women’s finals will again be held at Lord’s on August 18 and while CPL dates are yet to be finalised, a source said that it is unlikely to start until the final week of August as things stand.But the clash with MLC will pose a major challenge in terms of availability. Last year, the inaugural MLC final took place two days before the Hundred started and 19 players – including Tim David, Heinrich Klaasen and Sunil Narine – made at least one appearance in both leagues, highlighting the reliance on a similar player pool.Related

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The ECB have made clear their concern about the launch of a new lucrative franchise league during the northern hemisphere summer and told centrally-contracted players that they would not be given No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) for MLC. Jason Roy was the only Englishman to feature last summer and is expected to return to LA Knight Riders for at least some of the 2024 season.The ICC voted last year to introduce a global limit of four overseas players per team in franchise leagues, which MLC currently exceeds – though the cap only applies to new leagues. Richard Thompson, the ECB’s chair, spoke to the this week about leagues which are “basically international tournaments masquerading as domestic competitions”, with reference to MLC.MLC paid its top earners around US$175,000 (£137,500) in its inaugural season to play a minimum of five games, while the Hundred’s highest men’s salary is £125,000 (US$159,000) for a minimum of eight games. Men’s Hundred salaries have been frozen for the 2024 season, with the ECB currently weighing up the merits of opening the tournament up to private investors from 2025.

da bet7： There could be a huge summer on the cards for Michael Edwards and Arne Slot at Liverpool due to potential player movement in and out of Anfield.

da marjack bet： Firstly, Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, and Trent Alexander-Arnold are all out of contract at the end of this season, and it remains to be seen if any of them will put pen to paper on extensions on Merseyside.

Losing any of them would be a significant blow for Liverpool, as they are all regular starters, but Salah could be the biggest loss as he has scored 32 goals and provided 22 assists in all competitions this season.

Rather than finding a one-for-one replacement, which would be incredibly difficult to do, the Reds could sign players in several positions in hope that they all step up to make up for the goals and assists lost.

For example, Liverpool have been linked with a move to sign Atletico Madrid centre-forward Julian Alvarez, who they reportedly ‘appreciate’ and hold a long-term interest in.

Why Liverpool need to sign a player like Julian Alvarez

Salah has been Liverpool’s main source of goals from a right wing position and that has papered over the cracks in the front three, as Slot has had a problem in the centre-forward position this season.

Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez have both had attempts at being the main number nine for the Reds, but they have both failed to provide a reliable presence in front of goal. The former has scored five goals from 7.21 xG and the latter has scored five times from 5.28 xG in the Premier League.

These statistics show that Liverpool do not possess a ruthless number nine who can make the most of the chances that come their way in the box, which is why they need to go out and sign a player like Alvarez.

The former Manchester City man joined Atletico Madrid last summer to bolster Diego Simeone’s squad, and has proven to be a big hit in Spain with his performances at the top end of the pitch.

Julian Alvarez (24/25)

LaLiga

Champions League

Starts

22

10

xG

8.86

2.38

Goals

11

7

Minutes per goal

166

113

Big chances missed

5

1

Assists

2

1

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Alvarez has outperformed his xG in both LaLiga and the Champions League this term, which shows that he can be ruthless in front of goal.

In fact, the Argentina international has only missed 26 ‘big chances’ in all competitions for Atletico and Man City combined since the start of the 2022/23 campaign.

Nunez, for comparison, has missed a staggering 81 ‘big chances’ in all competitions for Liverpool in that time, having joined from Benfica in 2022, which illustrates the stark difference in quality between the two centre-forwards.

The Reds, though, are also interested in signing a defender who could be as important of a signing as Alvarez in the summer transfer window.

Liverpool have held talks to sign Premier League star

According to journalist Bence Bocsak, Liverpool “have held talks” with Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez over a potential move to Anfield next season.

The reporter claims that the club “like” the Hungary international but that a transfer to Merseyside is not advanced at this moment in time, with nothing beyond those initial talks.

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Bocsak’s article for Anfield Watch expands on the news, adding that Liverpool wanted to sign Kerkez from AZ Alkmaar in the summer of 2023, but the player decided to move to Bournemouth instead to play regular football.

The report reveals that Arsenal, Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Manchester City are also keeping tabs on the Hungarian dynamo, which suggests that there will be plenty of competition for his services this summer.

Michael Edwards, though, must push to sign the left-back, who is reportedly valued at £40m by the Cherries, because he could be as important of a signing as Alvarez.

Why Liverpool need to sign Milos Kerkez

Liverpool are reportedly in the market to sign a replacement for veteran left-back Andy Robertson this summer, and Kerkez would be a dream signing to take the Scottish star’s place.

The Scotland international has been a terrific servant for the Reds over the years, racking up 66 assists in 336 appearances in all competitions for the club, as a consistent creative threat down the left flank.

However, Robertson’s powers appear to be waning. The 31-year-old star has failed to register a single goal or assist in his 27 appearances in the Premier League this season, along with just one assist in his eight outings in the Champions League.

He is heading towards the latter stage of his career and has not been as influential as in previous seasons, as shown by his lack of production in the final third, and that is why a new long-term left-back option should be a priority this summer.

Kerkez, at the age of 21, is ten years younger than Robertson and could, therefore, be the new left-back for the club for the next decade, if all goes to plan, which is one of the reasons why he would be such an important addition this summer.

The Hungarian star’s performances in the Premier League for Bournemouth this season also suggest that he would come in as an immediate upgrade on the current Liverpool defender.

24/25 Premier League

Milos Kerkez

Andy Robertson

Appearances

29

27

Goals

2

0

Assists

5

0

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.6

2.0

Clearances per game

2.7

1.3

Dribbled past per game

0.4x

0.6x

Ground duel success rate

58%

51%

Aerial duel success rate

33%

27%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Kerkez has vastly outperformed Robertson with his play in and out of possession in the top-flight, as he has made a bigger impact at the top end of the pitch whilst being far more active and reliable defensively.

Wingers find it harder to get past the Bournemouth star, as he makes more tackles and interceptions whilst being dribbled past less, and opposition defenders find it harder to deal with him, as he has scored more goals and provided more assists.

Therefore, Kerkez could come in as a big upgrade on Robertson at left-back this summer, which is why Liverpool must push hard to get a deal done for him this summer.

As important as Alvarez and the addition of his finishing quality would be for the Reds, signing a Premier League proven left-back with the potential to be a key player for the next decade is equally as important.

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Posts ByDan Emery Mar 19, 2025

da blaze casino： Sheffield United picked up the league double in the Steel City Derby on Sunday lunchtime as Chris Wilder’s Blades got the better of Danny Rohl’s Sheffield Wednesday by a single goal.

da dobrowin： As is often the case in a contest that has huge bragging rights on the line, the clash itself was cagey and attritional at points, with only five shots on target registered by both sides at Hillsborough.

Thankfully for the promotion-hungry Blades, one of their on-target efforts would trickle in courtesy of Rhian Brewster, with the number seven one standout performer that would help his side go joint top of the Championship with Yorkshire foes Leeds United.

Brewster's game-changing performance vs Wednesday

Indeed, Wilder would elect to start the ex-Liverpool forward for this full-blooded affair ahead of Callum O’Hare, which was a decision that proved to be a masterstroke come full-time.

The injury-prone attacker is enjoying his finest spell in a Blades shirt to date at the moment, with this late tap-in taking his second-tier goal haul for the campaign up to two alongside his three assists.

Not the most memorable strike in terms of quality, but the effort – which was all Tyrese Campbell’s making down the wing – would still send the Blades masses into pandemonium at Hillsborough, knowing their title charge remains on.

But, although Brewster would steal all the headlines at the end with this invaluable contribution, there were other faces in South Yorkshire who stood out even more, including this defender who could now be deemed as undroppable moving forward.

The Sheffield United star who is now undroppable

Whilst certain positions in Wilder’s XI are fixed now, with Michael Cooper an absolute shoo-in in-between the sticks among other names, the right-back position is still very much up for grabs.

With both Harry Clarke and Alfie Gilchrist absent for the Steel City Derby, Wilder would hand Femi Seriki only his fourth start of the Championship season to try and make up for these woes, which was another close call the United boss got spot on.

Seriki’s performance in numbers

Minutes played

90

Touches

54

Accurate passes

17/20 (85%)

Key passes

1

Accurate long balls

3/4

Successful dribbles

4/6

Clearances

4

Tackles

4

Total duels won

11/21

Stats by Sofascore

The 57-year-old wouldn’t have felt any worry with Seriki at the right-back spot despite the occasion, having seen him win five duels against Bristol City just the league match before, only for him to put in even more of a determined and dogged effort against Rohl’s hosts when glancing at the table above.

Across the course of the 90 minutes, the Manchester-born 21-year-old won a steep 11 duels for his side when they were under the cosh, on top of also relieving danger with some sprints in attack, leading to four successful dribbles also coming his way before the high-stakes game was done and dusted.

Having battled back from his own injury concerns, the up-and-coming Blades prospect will hope he’s gifted an extended run in the main team now as Wilder’s first-choice right-back, with Sheffield Star journalist Danny Hall even gifting Seriki a high 8/10 rating post-match.

United will know the win wasn’t clinched in the prettiest of manners, but another three points being tallied up on the board keeps the title race ticking over for another day, as the red and white half of South Yorkshire aim to take Leeds all the way.

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Posts ByKelan Sarson Mar 14, 2025

Leeds United are now likely to make a move for an “excellent” attacker if they are promoted from the Championship, with his club setting a £20m asking price, according to a report.

Leeds storming to promotion

Leeds’ dramatic turnaround against Sunderland earlier this month felt like a big moment in the season, with Pascal Struijk bagging a late double to secure a 2-1 victory against a fellow promotion-chasing side at Elland Road.

However, the Whites have since followed it up with an even more impressive win, defeating Sheffield United 3-1 away from home in a real statement victory last time out, moving five clear of the Blades at the top of the Championship table in the process.

Daniel Farke’s side have lost just three league games all season, and they have given themselves a great chance of returning to the top tier next season, but the manager will be aware of the need to strengthen in the summer if his side are to return to the Premier League.

Leeds expected to move for "fantastic" £15m striker; he's "keen" on joining

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Dominic Lund

Feb 25, 2025

Some loan players have played a key role in Leeds’ promotion push, namely Joe Rothwell and Manor Solomon, and there has been talk of a potential move to sign the latter player on a permanent basis in the summer.

According to a report from GiveMeSport, it is now likely the Championship leaders will enter negotiations with Tottenham Hotspur over a deal for Solomon, should they achieve their aim of promotion to the top flight.

Spurs are willing to sanction the winger’s departure this summer, but he could be a relatively expensive signing for the Whites, as the asking price is now believed to be £20m, which is an increase from the previously reported number between £10m and £15m.

Everton have also been named as potential suitors for the 25-year-old, who is keen on a return to the Premier League, so there may be competition for his signature.

Solomon has been "excellent" in 2025

The Israeli’s loan spell got off to a slow start, often being utilised as a substitute, while also missing a number of matches due to a hamstring injury, but he has been in red-hot form in 2025.

The Spurs loanee has now amassed 14 goal contributions in the Championship, with eight of those coming since the turn of the year, having now established himself as a regular starter.

CBS Sports’ Jake Winderman lauded the left-winger as “excellent” for his performance against Norwich City, and he has also put in some impressive performances in the top flight in the past, scoring four Premier League goals for Fulham in the 2022-23 campaign.

As such, there are signs that Solomon is ready to make the step-up back to the Premier League, so Leeds should definitely pursue a move this summer, although a fee of £20m for a player with very limited top-level experience feels a little high.

Liverpool are facing a potentially huge summer transfer window with three of their biggest stars set to become free agents at the end of June.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, and Mohamed Salah are all out of contract at the end of this season, which means that they will be free to discuss moves elsewhere unless the club can agree fresh terms with them.

As it stands, there have not been any reports that suggest that any of them are set to sign extensions at Anfield, but none of them have been signed by another team, which means that there is plenty of time left.

Appearances

29

xG

22.15

Goals

27

xA

7.01

Big chances created

21

Assists

17

As you can see in the table above, losing Salah – in particular – would be a significant blow for Arne Slot and his side because the winger has been in sensational form this season in the Premier League.

The Reds will need other players to step up and carry the load at the top end of the pitch if the Egypt international does move on from Anfield ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Of the stars currently at the club, former PSV forward Cody Gakpo is, perhaps, best placed to step up and establish himself as the main man for Slot.

Cody Gakpo's incredible form this season

The Netherlands international has racked up 16 goals in 40 appearances in all competitions for the Reds so far this term, matching his tally from 53 outings in the 2023/24 campaign.

This shows that he has improved his output in the final third, with as many goals in 13 fewer matches, since Slot arrived on Merseyside with his 4-3-3 set-up, predominantly utilising Gakpo on the left flank – cutting in on his right foot.

Make no mistake, Salah has been the main man for Liverpool this season but the Dutch winger has also played a significant role in the team’s success on the pitch.

Gakpo scored five goals and provided four assists in five appearances in the League Cup in the run-up to the final, only to miss out on a place in the starting line-up at Wembley as he recently returned from injury. Slot may wonder if the result would have been different if they had his attacking qualities on the pitch from the start.

Starts

16

xG

5.99

Goals

8

Big chances created

7

Key passes per game

1.2

Assists

3

As you can see in the table above, the 25-year-old winger has also offered a big threat at the top end of the pitch in the Premier League, outperforming his xG and being unlucky to only have three assists to his name.

Liverpool may hope that he can add even more goals to his game and become an established star for the Reds if Salah moves on this summer, as a result of more responsibility being placed on his shoulders – despite him not being one of the most highly-paid players at the club.

According to Capology, Gakpo is currently on a wage of £120k-per-week and that does not even earn him a place in the top ten earners at Anfield this season.

That speaks to the value-for-money that the Reds have got out of the Dutch sensation this term, because he has been a terrific performer despite not being one of the highest earners, but it also suggests that the club may not be getting value for their money from other forwards.

Mo Salah

£350k

Virgil van Dijk

£220k

Trent Alexander-Arnold

£180k

Andy Robertson

£160k

Alexis Mac Allister

£150k

Alisson

£150k

Federico Chiesa

£150k

Ryan Gravenberch

£150k

Darwin Nunez

£140k

Diogo Jota

£140k

As you can see in the table above, there are ten players in the current Liverpool squad who earn more than Gakpo does at this moment in time, including Diogo Jota.

The Portugal international started the League Cup final against Newcastle on Sunday and put in the type of performance that explains why Liverpool chief Michael Edwards should ruthlessly cash in on someone who’s been described as a “pointless footballer” by one Liverpool content creator.

Why Liverpool should cash in on Diogo Jota

Jota failed to get his only shot attempt on target and completed just 40% of his attempted passes, whilst losing three of his four ground duels, at Wembley.

Quite simply, the Liverpool number 20 did not do anywhere near enough to cause problems for Fabian Schar and Dan Burn, who had a relatively easy time keeping him quiet.

It was a laboured performance from the 28-year-old forward and one that has become all-too-familiar to Slot and the supporters in the 2024/25 campaign, as the striker has failed to offer consistent quality at the top end of the pitch.

Jota, who earns £20k more per week than Gakpo, has only scored eight goals in 29 appearances in all competitions for the Reds this season, half as many as his Dutch teammate has scored.

The Portuguese attacker’s form in both the Premier League and the Champions League this term has been a cause for concern, as he has struggled quite badly.

Appearances (starts)

18 (10)

4 (3)

xG

6.10

0.98

Goals

5

0

Big chances missed

9

3

xA

1.08

0.11

Assists

3

0

As you can see in the table above, Jota has underperformed against his xG in both competitions, scoring just five goals in 22 matches, and has created very little for his teammates at the same time.

This shows that the former Atletico Madrid man has not made enough of the opportunities that his teammates have created for him, as he has missed 12 ‘big chances’ to go along with those five goals, which means that Slot cannot rely on him to perform week-in-week-out.

TEAMtalk recently reported that Wolverhampton Wanderers are keeping tabs on his situation at Anfield ahead of a possible swoop for his services in the upcoming summer transfer window.

With this in mind, Edwards must brutally cash in on the Portuguese dud who has not offered enough on the pitch this season to justify his £140k-per-week wages, particularly in comparison to Gakpo’s contributions as part of the front three.

Therefore, Liverpool must take advantage of the interest from Wolves to move on from the 28-year-old forward, who has been unreliable in front of goal this season, in order to make room for Slot to bring his own signings in to bolster the playing squad ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

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FSG are gearing up for a summer of change at Liverpool.

ByAngus Sinclair Mar 18, 2025

Everton are gearing up for investment in the transfer market this summer, with David Moyes’ impressive return to Goodison Park stabilising the club after many turbulent years.

But things are still changing. The Toffees will drape the curtain on their long and distinguished history at Goodison this summer, moving to the new and fashionable Bramley Moore.

It’s a seismic leap, but one fans hope will advance the club’s restoration. New owners, The Friedkin Group, are reported to have promised Moyes he will be granted significant transfer powers this summer, and he may even be prepared to rock the boat a little (per The i Paper).

So, with that in mind, let’s have a look at how Everton might look on new turf next season.

How Everton's squad is shaping up for Bramley Moore

Everton are set to part ways with no less than 15 first-team players this summer, a staggering number though one which is contextualised by the inclusion of players out on loan, such as Mason Holgate and the notorious Neal Maupay, and loanees such as Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom.

By and large, Everton’s soon-to-depart cohort consists of twilit players. Abdoulaye Doucoure, Seamus Coleman, Ashley Young and Asmir Begovic illustrate that point.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s contract is also up for expiry. Beto’s fine form under Moyes’ wing attenuated the need for a new striker this season, but with Armando Broja’s buy clause unlikely to be activated after an injury-blotted season, fresh firepower will be needed at number nine.

What, then, sits as the first port of call for Moyes and inbound Director of Football Angus Kinnear, who will leave Leeds United at the end of the season?

The door is wide open for incomings. Alongside Charly Alcaraz, whose purchase option will surely be activated, the rumour mill is beginning to speed up. The Blues have been reliably linked by Sky Sports with Sunderland talent Chris Rigg.

Lastly, there’s a growing sense that Jarrad Branthwaite is tempted by a move away from Merseyside. However, the Toffees are understood (via the earlier iNews report) to hope to initiate talks for a fresh deal to ward off suitors.

Everton must part with "struggling" star

If Branthwaite were to leave, it may feel like a pragmatic move to tie Michael Keane down to an extension, but this would actually be a move of stagnancy, maybe regression.

In either scenario, Keane is ageing and approaching the final few months of his contract, having fallen into the realm of insignificance over the past several years.

Everton signed Keane from Sean Dyche’s Burnley in a deal rising to a club-record-equalling £30m in 2017, part of a summer splurge after Farhad Moshiri first appeared on the scene.

He’s paid his due, for sure, but Keane’s deficiencies have been glaring in recent years.

Matches (starts)

22 (20)

10 (9)

Goals

0

2

Assists

1

0

Clean sheets

7

2

Touches*

50.5

41.3

Pass completion

82%

83%

Ball recoveries*

3.1

2.3

Tackles + interceptions*

2.4

2.0

Clearances*

6.3

5.0

Ground duels won*

2.0 (74%)

1.0 (42%)

Aerial duels won*

1.6 (53%)

1.9 (58%)

Branthwaite was out injured for the opening weeks of the campaign, and so Keane deputised alongside James Tarkowski in his stead.

When comparing the respective metrics across the 2024/25 campaign, it becomes clear Keane is dramatically outstripped by his younger peer in relation to defensive security. To his credit, he does have a shrewd eye for goal.

Failing to match Branthwaite isn’t of itself to Keane’s detriment, but he’s long been at odds with fans’ satisfaction, with talkSPORT pundit Terry Groves even commenting that he’s “always struggling.”

As per FBref, the dormant England international ranks among the bottom 18% of Premier League defenders this season for pass completion and the bottom 1% for progressive passes per 90.

While Everton hardly enforce possession-centric football, Keane has failed to uphold even the most rudimentary of ball-playing games. Branthwaite, by comparison, ranks among the bottom 21% of divisional defenders for progressive passes per 90, which is of course still low but indicates more initiative and enterprise on the ball.

And when considering the fact that he earns about £80k per week for the Blues, it becomes very clear that Keane needs to leave when his contract is up this summer.

Considering this, Keane has actually cost Everton more than £26m in wages since arriving from Burnley way back when. Though he’s made 226 appearances for the Toffees across his stay, his positive impact has been nominal in recent years, and it’s the right time to move on.

It’s been an eight-year stay at Goodison for this veteran, but his expiration will coincide with that of the club’s hallowed stomping ground. It’s for the best.

With West Ham United’s Vladimir Coufal on Everton’s radar as he nears the end of his contract at the London Stadium, Jake O’Brien may well find a more permanent home at centre-back, thus mitigating Keane’s potential departure. There would also, for sure, be a central fresh face brought in to deepen the ranks.

Keane still has gas left in the tank at 32 but certainly hasn’t proved in recent years that he is worthy of playing a significant part in the coming era.

Everton need to act with firm intent in the coming months; parting with Keane and replacing him with a younger, more exciting talent would issue a statement to hungry fans: this is a new era, and sights are set on lofty goals.

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2 ByJoe Nuttall Mar 26, 2025

West Ham United have now received a boost in their pursuit of a “magnificent” striker, who could be available for £21m this summer, according to a report.

West Ham's striker pursuit

With Graham Potter currently severely lacking options in the striker department due to Michail Antonio and Niclas Fullkrug’s injury issues, West Ham have now started to look at new forwards to potentially bring in this summer.

AS Roma’s Tammy Abraham has emerged as a target for the Hammers, and there is a feeling a move to the London Stadium would be of great appeal to the Englishman, given the opportunity to work with Potter.

Potter has also instructed the board to sign Lille striker Jonathan David, with the Canadian set to be available on a free transfer this summer, at which point his contract with the French club is set to expire.

There will be no shortage of options for the Irons, with a report revealing they are also determined to sign Fenerbahce star Youssef En-Nesyri, who has been a long-term target.

It is possible West Ham could look to bring in more than one striker this summer, with Strasbourg’s Emanuel Emegha also under consideration, and there has now been a development in their pursuit of the 22-year-old.

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ByDominic Lund Mar 17, 2025

According to a report from The Boot Room, the Hammers remain keen on signing Emegha, given the lack of options in attack, and the striker wants to move to the Premier League this summer.

Strasbourg are now ready to sell the forward, who is attracting a lot of attention from the Premier League, with Newcastle United and Chelsea also named as potential suitors, alongside Everton, and the Merseyside club are believed to be leading the race.

"Magnificent" Emegha enjoying another impressive campaign

The Dutch forward has been lauded as “magnificent” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig this season, and with good reason, given that he is enjoying his most prolific season to date in front of goal.

Since first making his breakthrough with Sparta Rotterdam, the Den Haag-born striker has improved year-on-year, and he has regularly been amongst the goals for Strasbourg in Ligue 1 this season.

2021/22

19

2

2022/23

27

9

2023/24

28

8

2024/25

21

11

The former Sparta Rotterdam man’s goal record can be put down to his ability to constantly get in the right areas, ranking in the 97th percentile for non-penalty xG per 90 over the past year when compared to other forwards.

As such, it is promising news that Emegha, who has a £21m price tag, is now keen on a move to the Premier League, and he could soon move up West Ham’s list of striker targets, given that David is now reportedly closing in on a move to Barcelona.

أعلن نادي البنك الأهلي رسميًا تعيين أيمن الرمادي مديرًا فنيًا للفريق الأول لكرة القدم خلفًا لطارق مصطفى، الذي أنهت الإدارة تعاقدها معه بسبب تراجع النتائج في الجولات الأخيرة من الدوري الممتاز، وآخرها التعادل أمام طلائع الجيش.

وجاءت التغييرات الفنية بقرار من مجلس إدارة النادي برئاسة اللواء أشرف نصار، حيث تم توجيه الشكر للجهاز الفني السابق على ما قدمه، مع الاعتماد على تشكيل جهاز جديد يضم عبد الواحد السيد مديرًا للكرة، وأحمد سمير مدربًا عامًا، ومحمد عبد المنصف مدربًا لحراس المرمى.

ويعد ظهور أيمن الرمادي مع البنك الأهلي في الجولة السادسة أمام بتروجيت هو الاختبار الرسمي الأول له مع الفريق، في وقت تنتظر فيه الجماهير تحسن الأداء وعودة النتائج الإيجابية.

وكتب أيمن الرمادي عبر صفحته الشخصية على موقع “فيس بوك”: “بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم.. بسم الله نبدأ وبه نستعين وعلي الله نتوكل اللهم صل وسلم وبارك علي سيدنا محمد وعلي أله وصحبه أجمعين.. دعواتكم بالتوفيق”.

طالع أيضًا | كواليس الساعات الأخيرة قبل رحيل ريبيرو عن الأهلي.. حملات هجوم وعرضان في جنوب إفريقيا

وتابع: “وهنا أحب أن أشكر أولآ الكابتن المحترم وصديقي الكابتن طارق مصطفى والكابتن الكبير سامي الشيشيني على جهدهم مع الفريق الذي لا ينكره إلا جاحد، فقد قاموا بعمل نقلة نوعيه لفريق البنك خلال عامين عمل بذلوا فيها جهد كبير جهد محترف ووضعوا الفريق ضمن الفرق التي يعمل لها الجميع ألف حساب”.

وأضاف: “حتى استطاعوا أن يوصلوا الفريق إلى أفضل مركز له في تاريخ النادي وكانوا قاب قوسين أو أدني من الوصول إلى الكونفدرالية ووصلوا لنهائي كأس العاصمة وتعاونوا مع ادارة النادي في عمل متميز”.

واختتم: “كما أتوجه بجزيل الشكر والعرفان إلي إدارة البنك بصفه عامة وإلى اللواء أشرف نصار الفاضل الذي أتمنى من الله عز وجل أن نكون كجهاز عند حسن ظنه لدماثه خلقه ولتفانيه في عمله حتى أوصل مع زملائه من إدارة النادي الفريق لمكانة مرموقة في سنوات قليلة والشكر موصول للأستاذ محمد عبدالمنعم على مجهوداته الكبيره مع الفريق مع باقي زملائهم.. والله ولي التوفيق وهو خير موفق”.

New Zealand all but booked their place in the World Cup semi-final against India with a dominant five-wicket win – with 160 balls to spare – against Sri Lanka in Bengaluru. The result took them to ten points, and a net run rate (NRR) of 0.743, leaving Pakistan needing to beat England by 287 runs, while Afghanistan need an even more fantastical 438-run win over South Africa, if they are to surpass New Zealand’s NRR.If Pakistan were to chase, they would have no chance of qualifying.As for Sri Lanka, the margin of defeat against New Zealand left them languishing in ninth place, thus out of qualification for the 2025 Champions Trophy. They now need one of England or Bangladesh to suffer defeats – while Netherlands also need to lose to India – to the extent that their respective NRRs drop below Sri Lanka’s.New Zealand’s win was the product of an all-round performance with bat and ball. While the threat of rain in Bengaluru ultimately proved to be a red herring, winning the toss and putting Sri Lanka in seemed to be the most prudent way to ensure both an NRR-boosting victory as well as hedge against any rain interruptions and DLS interventions.And so it proved. Despite the loss of some late wickets, Sri Lanka’s total of 171 was comfortably dealt with, as Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell all pitched in with forties.On a pitch that proved even better to bat on under lights, Ravindra and Conway put on 86 to break open the chase, before Mitchell’s 43 off just 31 balls rammed home the result. All three fell before the finish, but the win was never in doubt.Kusal Perera counterattacked for Sri Lanka amid plenty of early blows•AFP/Getty Images

That it was so easy in the end was down to a solid bowling effort and a haphazard outing with the bat for Sri Lanka. New Zealand shared the wickets around, with Lockie Ferguson, Mitchell Santner and Ravindra picking up two apiece, though Trent Boult’s 3 for 37 was what had set his side up at the top of Sri Lanka’s innings – and earned him the Player-of-the-Match award.Such was New Zealand’s dominance that they won so comfortably despite dropping three catches. The first was of Kusal Perera without scoring, as Tom Latham grassed a straightforward caught behind. Latham got his shot at redemption a ball later though, with Pathum Nissanka nicking through for an even more simple chance.Kusal Mendis fell a few overs later, splicing a leading edge to deep third while looking to hit over midwicket, with Sadeera Samarawickrama following soon after edging through to Mitchell at first slip. Both those wickets were grabbed by the excellent Boult, taking him past 50 wickets in World Cups – he ended the game with that tally on 52.But even as wickets fell at one end, Perera functioned as a one-man army, finding boundaries all around the Chinnaswamy Stadium, and punishing New Zealand for that early drop. Two picked-up sixes over long-on off Tim Southee were the highlights of some belligerent ball striking, as he brought up his 50 off just 22 deliveries – the joint second-fastest by a Sri Lankan in ODI World Cups.Trent Boult went past 50 World Cup wickets•ICC/Getty Images

An over later, though, Charith Asalanka was adjudged lbw off Boult after a well-taken review, before Perera fell a few deliveries later, getting under a delivery from Ferguson that was not full enough to drive and slicing it to cover.Sri Lanka were in free fall at 70 for 5 in the tenth over, before Angelo Mathews and Dhananjaya de Silva put up mild resistance. Dhananjaya was reprieved too, courtesy Latham’s second drop of the game, a tough chance off Santner during that stand of 34. Santner’s guile, control and subtle variations in pace, however, were eventually too good for the pair.Mathews was the first to go in what might have been his last World Cup innings – perhaps even ODI innings – lunging forward at one that was floated up and then dipped. He failed to get to the pitch, and the bounce and turn did the rest, grazing the outside edge to Mitchell at slip. It was a similar story for Dhananjaya, after another flighted delivery with some added bounce found its way into Mitchell’s hands.Maheesh Theekshana batted for 91 deliveries•ICC/Getty Images

Chamika Karunaratne, making just his second appearance at this World Cup, did not fare any better, edging behind Ferguson. A swift end to the innings seemed imminent but Maheesh Theekshana, in partnerships with Dushmantha Chameera and Dilshan Madushanka, showed the resistance that was lacking throughout the rest of the innings.In facing 91 deliveries, Theekshana played more balls than all of Sri Lanka’s frontline batters combined. Even Madushanka’s 48 balls were more than what any other batter faced apart from Theekshana.Theekshana remained unbeaten on 38 – the second-highest scorer of the innings – as the ninth and tenth wicket stands, despite only contributing 58 runs, spanned 139 deliveries. Sri Lanka lost their eighth wicket in the 24th over, but it wasn’t until the 47th that New Zealand dismissed them, with Ravindra finding Madushanka’s edge for Latham to complete a sharp take.It took a while for New Zealand to get there, after winning their first four matches and then losing their next four, but this victory has all but ensured a fifth consecutive ODI World Cup semi-final.