Tag Futebol

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is personally driving the Gunners’ pursuit of an “underrated” player, amid a growing behind-scenes belief that he’s growing tempted to make a move to north London.

Arsenal suffer PSG loss in Champions League semi-final first leg

It is only half-time for Mikel Arteta and his squad, but they now carry a one-goal deficit heading into their Champions League semi-final second leg against PSG at the Parc des Princes.

Related Arsenal set to contact 18-goal star as key issue stops Barcelona signing him

The Gunners are planning to reach out.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Apr 29, 2025

Ousmane Dembélé’s acute finish inside four minutes was enough for Luis Enrique’s men to come away from England with a 1-0 victory, and Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma showcased his usual heroics to ultimately protect PSG’s slender advantage.

Arsenal’s final Premier League games

Date

Bournemouth (home)

May 3rd

Liverpool (away)

May 11th

Newcastle United (home)

May 18th

Southampton (away)

May 25th

Mikel Merino had an equalising header ruled out by VAR for offside, with Donnarumma making excellent saves to thwart both Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard at tight angles.

PSG did have golden chances of their own to make it a much worse night for Arsenal on away turf, but the aggregate scoreline remains on a knife edge.

“Not a lot,” said Arteta on what went wrong for Arsenal in the early stages of their PSG clash.

“I’m telling you it’s just something that is very specific but very important, especially the way we played. We corrected it and it’s not easy to correct it constantly but we did it and we did it much better. And in the end, we have two of our front players one v one with Donnarumma, if they scored the goal, it’s different.

“He made the saves like he did against Liverpool and Villa and that’s the difference in the Champions League, the margins are so small. We had a disallowed goal as well and another two big situations that happened in the game that didn’t go unfortunately our way.”

There is no doubt that Arsenal’s second leg against PSG is Arteta’s most important game of the season, and certainly their most crucial in Europe for a long time.

It is a 90 minutes which will make or break the Gunners’ campaign, but off the field, Berta is already putting serious focus into 2025/2026. Berta is laying the groundwork for key transfer targets ahead of the summer window, according to reports, and one of them is Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres.

Berta driving Arsenal move for Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres

The Swede’s extraordinary haul of 52 goals in all competitions this term has definitely not gone unnoticed in N5, with Arsenal believed to be seriously targeting Gyokeres.

As per Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal have been informed that Sporting want a total package of around £60 million to sell the former Coventry City sensation, which could be seen by many as amazing value considering he’s scoring goals for fun in Portugal.

According to GiveMeSport, Berta is personally driving Arsenal’s move for Gyokeres, and there is a growing belief that the 26-year-old is becoming increasingly tempted by a potential move to London Colney.

As a result, they’re planning to hold talks with Gyokeres’ camp, and Arsenal are also planning the contractual package they will present to him during these discussions.

The star attacker has been called “underrated” by some, and it is perhaps a surprise that he’s had to wait this long for a blockbuster move, given Gyokeres’ heroics in the Primeira Liga since the beginning of 2023/2024.

With the 13th season of the CPL set to kick off on August 14, here’s a primer to bring you up to speed

Deivarayan Muthu13-Aug-2025

So, the biggest party in cricket is back?

Yep, the six-team league will start on August 14 and will run until September 21, with six venues set to host 34 games. The top four sides in the league phase will qualify for the playoffs, which will be held at the Providence Stadium in Guyana. Just like the IPL, the top two teams will get two tilts at the final.

Okay, how many countries are hosting the tournament?

CPL 2025 will be played in six countries: St Kitts, Antigua, St Lucia, Trinidad, Barbados and Guyana.Related

• CPL 2025: Pooran replaces Pollard as Trinbago Knight Riders captain

• Tahir: 'It doesn't matter how good you are, you always learn about the game every single day'

• David Wiese to captain St Lucia Kings in CPL 2025

• Five rookies who could make a splash in CPL 2025

Are you excited about the reunion of the Bravo brothers?

Dwayne Bravo, who has been one of the faces of the CPL for a number of years, had retired from competitive cricket after an injury had cut short his CPL season in 2024. He has since coached the Knight Riders’ franchises around the world, and this will be his first stint in the CPL as head coach. He will take over the role at Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) from Phil Simmons, who is now in charge of Bangladesh.Can the most decorated player in the CPL – he has won five titles – add another to his kitty, this time as TKR’s head coach?Dwayne Bravo was appointed TKR head coach earlier this year•CPL T20 via Getty ImagesUnder Dwayne, his brother Darren Bravo, who has won four titles, will return to the CPL, having last featured in the league in 2022. Darren has not played any competitive game in senior cricket since 2023, but after taking a break from cricket, the 36-year-old is ready to return to action.

The league of ageless wonders

Imran Tahir, who turned 46 this March, showed that he still has it in T20 cricket, taking 14 wickets in five games at an outstanding average of 9.28 and economy rate of 6.61 in Guyana Amazon Warriors’ run to the Global Super League title. He remains the only overseas player with 100 or more wickets in the CPL and hopes to bring home a second CPL title for Amazon Warriors.Faf du Plessis, who had led St Lucia Kings to CPL glory in 2024, will miss the tournament this year. The 41-year-old had originally prioritised the Hundred over the CPL, but has now withdrawn from that competition too for groin surgery. David Wiese, who turned 40 earlier this May, has been appointed as the new captain of Kings. He brings a wealth of T20 experience, having played 400 T20s around the world, including 39 in the CPL.Then, there’s Moeen Ali, 38, who has opted to skip the Hundred for the CPL, where he will team up with Tahir.After winning the MLC with MI New York, 38-year-old Kieron Pollard is back in the Caribbean with TKR. Colin Munro, also 38, and Alex Hales, 36, lend more experience to TKR. Hales is 41 runs away from surpassing Pollard as the second-highest run-getter in the history of T20 cricket.Shakib Al Hasan, 38, was Falcons’ second-round pick at the draft and is now just two strikes away from 500 T20 wickets. He is set to become the fifth player to the landmark.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

New captains in the spotlight

Four of the six franchises have new captains*. Nicholas Pooran will take over as TKR captain from Kieron Pollard. Apart from Tahir, Imad Wasim (Falcons) and Wiese (Kings) are the overseas captains in the league. Meanwhile, Jason Holder, who had exited Royals after 13 years, has been appointed as the captain of Patriots. Holder will work with head coach Simon Helmot, who had replaced Malolan Rangarajan. Helmot had coached Patriots and the Trinidad & Tobago franchises to CPL titles in the past.

Who are the defending champions?

Kings are the reigning CPL champions, having won their maiden title in 2024, when they toppled Tahir’s Amazon Warriors in Guyana. USA international Aaron Jones, who cracked an unbeaten 48 off 31 balls in the final last year, has been retained by Kings for the upcoming season. Jones qualifies as a local player in the CPL through his Barbados passport.

Which are the strong teams?

It’s hard to look past TKR, who have a number of T20 stalwarts such as Andre Russell, Pooran, Sunil Narine in addition to Pollard, Hales and Munro. They’ve added more variety to their attack by recruiting the Pakistani pair of Mohammad Amir and Usman Tariq.Under Tahir, Amazon Warriors won the title in 2023 and came close to successfully defending it last season. They have lost a key signing, Glenn Phillips, to injury, but the depth in their spin attack makes them one of the favourites.The absence of left-arm wristspinner Noor Ahmad, who has opted for the Hundred over the CPL, and injury to allrounder Matthew Forde has depleted Kings, but count Daren Sammy’s team out at your own peril.Jediah Blades is one of the players to watch out for•Randy Brooks

How many overseas players can be part of the XIs?

In CPL 2025, each franchise must play at least one player from the breakout league, a new tournament that was held earlier this year to identify emerging talent from the region, in every game. This gives the franchise the option of picking five overseas players in their XI to go with their ‘breakout’ player.

Any unknown local players to keep an eye on?

The depth below the first-choice West Indies T20I XI isn’t particularly encouraging, but do watch out for Amazon Warriors’ Jediah Blades who swings the new ball and is also capable of operating with the older one. Barbados Royals’ Kofi James, who goes hard in the powerplay with the bat and can also pitch in with offspin, might emerge on West Indies’ radar, especially if he has a good CPL season.

Does the CPL clash with any other franchise tournament?

Of course. What’s a franchise league without a schedule clash these days? It overlaps with the Hundred.

How can fans outside the Caribbean follow the action?

Every match of CPL 2025 will have ball-by-ball commentary right here on ESPNcricinfo. Fans in India can watch the CPL on JioStar (linear TV) or Fancode (digital). USA and UK viewers can watch it on Willow and TNT Sports respectively. Sky NZ will be broadcasting in New Zealand and SuperSport in Sub-Saharan Africa.*GMT 2pm, August 14: The story was updated following TKR’s announcement of a captaincy change

Spinner’s non-stop schedule epitomises the nature of the T20 franchise circuit

Matt Roller31-Jul-2023Rashid Khan looked tired. There were bags under his eyes as he sat in a hotel room in North Carolina and logged onto a Microsoft Teams call. No wonder.In the last eight months, Rashid has played 69 games for eight different teams in eight different countries, across innings lasting 10, 20 and 50 overs. Since the start of the Covid pandemic, he has played 199 games with full T20 status, the most of any player in the world – and it’s not even close.Two weeks ago, Rashid played a T20I in Sylhet, Bangladesh one day, and in Major League Cricket in Dallas, Texas the next. “Straightaway, from the ground, I went to the airport then flew from Sylhet to Dhaka, Dhaka to Qatar, Qatar to here,” he explained. “I reached the hotel, I took a shower and changed in 15 minutes, went to the meeting, then straightaway to the game.”Such is the life of a T20 globetrotter who, at 24, has already played more than 500 professional games. “It was very hard,” Rashid reflected, “but mentally it was a good preparation. That was a flight of more than 20 hours and still I was feeling very fresh, like I’m ready to go and can deliver for my team.”That team was MI New York, one of the three Mumbai Indians affiliates – along with MI Cape Town and MI Emirates – who have been formed in the last 12 months. Rashid has played for all of them; in between times, he played against Mumbai Indians themselves three times in IPL 2023, taking 2 for 33 to help knock them out in the second qualifier.Rashid played a key role in MI New York’s victory in the MLC•SportzpicsIt is unsustainable, a scenario which sums up why franchises are increasingly keen to tie players to year-round contracts. “Sometimes you are in the same team; next, you are in the opposite side,” Rashid said. “It’s the same with the national team: playing with them, then tomorrow in the leagues, you’re playing against them. That’s what T20 is all about. It’s a great franchise to be part of.”Rashid was speaking as part of the launch of KP Snacks’ community cricket pitches initiative, which will fund 100 new pitches over the next three years. It is part of a tie-in with the Hundred, where he was due to represent the defending champions Trent Rockets on Tuesday night – another quick turnaround, having claimed 3 for 9 to help win the inaugural MLC final late on Sunday night. Related

The Hundred 2024 news: Rashid Khan out with hamstring injury

Rashid Khan mania in the Lone Star State

The Hundred 2023 news: Stirling joins Invincibles for Hundred final

Wayne Parnell to lead Northern Superchargers in Hundred

Roy agrees termination of ECB incremental contract to play in MLC

He was locked in to play three games for Rockets this season before flying to Pakistan for a three-match ODI series, as Afghanistan ramp up their preparation for the Asia Cup and the World Cup beyond – but, on the eve of the opening game, he pulled out of the tournament at the 11th hour due to an unspecified injury.Even before his withdrawal, Rashid conceded that he could use a break. He missed two ODIs against Sri Lanka last month with a back injury that he says is “still to be fully recovered” and his upcoming schedule is relentless. “There is so much cricket,” he said. “Asia Cup is there, World Cup is there. We have 20-21 ODIs in the next two or three months. It’s a big task.”So why does he do it? “You just need to look after yourself, and try your best to make sure you enjoy your skills,” he explained. “That’s what I have been doing. Every day is the best chance for me to entertain the crowd, entertain the fans all around the world and that is something which gives me the motivation and makes me prepared for the next game.”Trent Rockets won the 2022 Men’s Hundred, despite Rashid’s limited involvement•ECB via Getty ImagesWherever Rashid goes, Afghanistan fans follow. “It gives me so much energy on the field when I see my own flag and the people in the stands cheering for me. That is so beautiful – even here in the US as well. It’s the same in the UK. It’s a positive energy for me when I see them in the ground. I just try my best to give something to make them smile.”Rashid was the only Afghan player due to be involved in the Hundred this season, and hopes that will change in future. “As the T20 captain of Afghanistan, I feel if we get more batters in the Hundred and they get the opportunity to get better and better, it’s going to be a massive help – and also great for the fans in the UK, where they come to see the best players.”[Rahmanullah] Gurbaz has been playing around the world. Ibrahim [Zadran] has been delivering so well so far. There is lots of young talent as well in the Under-19s… Hazrat Zazai is there as well. Good talent is there but it’s just about the opportunity. I feel like the best opportunity for them is now the Asia Cup and the World Cup where they show their talent and everyone is watching.”This will be Rashid’s – and Afghanistan’s – second 50-over World Cup, but he is still chasing his first win. “It’s the best conditions you can ask for, as a team who has a very good spin attack,” he says. “We have been contributing in the World Cups, but we don’t have many wins.”This year, we are not just going to be part of the World Cup. We are going to be a team which win games – and not only one or two. If you see the schedule, we have most games on good tracks where it spins as well. I think it’s going to be a good opportunity for us where we can beat the teams and we can create history.”KP Snacks are funding 100 new community cricket pitches over the next three years. To find out more and search for a pitch visit: www.everyonein.co.uk/pitchfinder

From being called up for the Ashes to freak injuries and an inaugural Hundred title, he has had an up-and-down career that may truly take off at the IPL this year

Vishal Dikshit29-Sep-2021An out-of-nowhere Test call-up at the age of 20 for the 2017-18 Ashes. A freak injury at the Los Angeles Airport in 2018 while picking up a suitcase to rush for a connecting flight. An ODI call-up in the summer of 2021 but still no England cap. A Hundred trophy for Southern Brave in its inaugural edition. And now a prospective IPL debut for Royal Challengers Bangalore.If there was a rollercoaster to be opened in Sussex any time soon, it could be named after their 24-year-old bowling allrounder George Garton.Garton is a left-arm quick who could possibly slot into the No. 7 position for Royal Challengers. It’s a batting position they did not need in the first leg of the 2021 IPL and a bowling spot they would want to get all four overs out of, especially in the absence of Washington Sundar and Daniel Sams. As AB de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell and are going to be two obvious overseas picks, Garton will have to fight for a spot with a proven name in Kyle Jamieson, but will bring that X-factor of a left-arm quick that the franchise has lacked for a while.Like Sams, Garton can bowl in the powerplay, something he did with aplomb in the Hundred recently with a dot-ball percentage of over 54 (minimum 30 balls), only behind Adam Milne’s 62%, and he can even add some value with the bat down the order.In the Hundred Eliminator against Trent Rockets, for example, Garton sent back the hard-hitting top order of Dawid Malan, Alex Hales and D’Arcy Short single-handedly to take home the Player-of-the-Match award. Malan was undone by extra bounce which Garton’s height and unique action extract, Hales was deceived by a slow cutter, and Short spliced a catch to midwicket, also possibly because of bounce.The night before the IPL resumed this month, Garton delivered in yet another knockout match, but in a lost cause for Sussex against Kent with a first spell of 2 for 12 from three overs by dismissing Zak Crawley (off a slower ball again) and Joe Denly. He later smashed a 23-ball 41 with some big swings, sweeps and reverse sweeps to hammer four fours and three sixes.George Garton leaps in celebration•Getty ImagesGarton’s knack for removing the big fish began well before the Hundred though. In April this year, he dismissed Joe Root with a late inswinger in a county match and a format the batter is unmatchable in many ways around the world. Just a week before that, Garton scored a career-best 97 against Glamorgan to further add to his batting credentials. And against Essex in last year’s Bob Willis Trophy, his maiden first-class five-for – in a total of nine wickets in the match – included the scalps of Alastair Cook and Dan Lawrence, his Under-19 team-mate from the 2016 World Cup in Bangladesh.With the wickets of a former and current England captain in the bag, it’s somewhat fitting that he has landed himself a contract with a team led by India captain Virat Kohli, thanks to a call team director and acting coach Mike Hesson made at the back-end of the Hundred. Some of Garton’s intense celebrations – a leap with a clenched fist in his follow through – are already a perfect match for the on-field gesticulations a forthright and passionate character like Kohli believes in.”I’m a very competitive person myself, being upfront and honest. And that seems exactly like how he is,” Garton said of Kohli before leaving the UK for the IPL. “He’s one of the icons of the game worldwide, so it’ll be brilliant to share a dressing room with him. People like him and AB de Villiers, Glenn Maxwell, Dan Christian, who is a proven T20 player all around the world…It’s certainly a star-studded team who I’m looking forward to tapping into a bit of knowledge when I can and just being around them.”What makes Garton stand out, apart from the value he will add as a sought-after left-arm quick, is his repertoire and the adaptability to mould his skills for the five formats he has played. Yes, five: the Hundred and T10 to add to the usual three. Since he was fast-tracked into the Ashes set-up nearly four years ago via the Lions route, Garton has excelled with the white ball too. He was the leading wicket-taker in the 2019 Abu Dhabi T10 and more recently joint-seventh in the Hundred with 10 wickets.George Garton claimed two in two balls•Getty ImagesBowling around the 135kmh-mark, Garton is a smash-the-deck-hard kind of bowler with his back-breaking action, releasing the ball like a vertical slingshot that gets him extra bounce. His slower delivery can dip below 120kmh and the offcutter moving away from right-hand batters makes the angle tougher to tackle. If he gets a good run with Royal Challengers, Garton’s skillsets could come in handy the way James Pattinson’s did last year for Mumbai Indians on the same UAE surfaces – tie up the oppositions with pace and bounce from hard lengths in the powerplay and slip in some cutters in the middle overs.”I think there’s a lot more to bowling than just trying to bowl fast and I think especially with the white ball, I guess all cricket is now the faster you bowl, the faster you go to the boundary if you don’t put it in the right place,” Garton said. “It’s certainly learning more about my skills, being more accurate and you just have to look at someone like Jimmy [Anderson] who, at the age of 39 is, probably as skilful as he ever has been and that’s probably why he’s taking more wickets than he has at a better average. So there’s certainly more to bowling than just raw pace but it’s nice to be able to fall back on that for sure, and go, ‘ok, well, I might be struggling a little bit today with my skills so just ramp it up a bit and put some pressure on the batters that way’.”Developing his array of skills and maturing with his mentality is something Garton worked on since almost getting a taste of international cricket in 2017, when he couldn’t convert a trial with Rajasthan Royals before the 2020 IPL into a contract.”I think I’ve developed massively, both on and off the pitch,” Garton said remembering his Ashes call-up. “I’m not just an angry fast bowler that runs in and tries to bowls fast. There’s a few more strings to my bow – batting has come on a lot, my knowledge of my bowling, when to turn it on and when to bowl within myself, my skills around red-ball cricket as well. I feel like I’m developing nicely, I’m still got a long way to go but definitely if I look back to the bowler I was or the cricketer I was three years ago, there’s been big developments.”In these years, Garton has had to cope with the sudden pressures of being fast-tracked into the Lions and England’s international set-up, but sometimes not even finding a place in the Sussex XI which already had Jofra Archer, Ollie Robinson, Chris Jordan, Tymal Mills and Reece Topley in the ranks. Whether getting game time or not, Garton also tapped into his team-mates’ wealth of experience, especially taking death-bowling tips and tricks from Jordan and Mills.”Off CJ it’s just staying calm and collected and really picking your moments and try and take wickets but also picking your moments to try and take a medicine and go for a single,” Garton says of his conversations with Jordan. “CJ is brilliant, especially in the death overs, very experienced. Millsy has got the best record I know of bowling in the death as well. So they’re two pretty good people to tap into for the death. It means I don’t bowl too much at death for Sussex but definitely in the nets I tap into them as much as possible. I’ve learnt a lot from those two and Jof as well, Ollie in the powerplay so we’re very lucky to have such a good bowling unit to tap into.”George Garton took Sussex across the line•Getty ImagesMore death-overs experience in Garton is something Royal Challengers might have valued, but being in red-hot form in recent years and the ability to think on his feet is what his IPL team bought him for.”Recently I’ve been thrown the ball in the powerplay a lot and I think wickets in the powerplay is the biggest thing,” Garton says. “My mindset in the powerplay is to be as aggressive as possible, try and take wickets because that really sets the game up in your team. If I’m coming in the middle and towards the death then you have to assess, are there two set batsmen, is there one in and one not? Can I get that bloke off strike and then looking at the opportunity to take wickets as well? I think shorter-format cricket, the more wickets you take the better off you are but you also have to sometimes concede and take your medicine and try and be smart as well.”This, being a gun fielder, and a handy batter down the order to become a “genuine allrounder” has drawn Garton a lot of praise from several coaches he has played under. A “real gem,” Sussex bowling coach Jon Lewis called him. “Great package,” said Mahela Jayawardene for Brave in the Hundred.”He is one of several players that we see as pillars of our side in the years to come,” Sussex’s T20 head coach James Kirtley said recently. “He adds great balance to any side and is one of the best fielders in the world.”Garton says he is in a “really good space physically and mentally” before the IPL, which, in some ways, is like his third coming even before his career has taken off on the big stage. He may not have an England cap yet but a Royal Challengers and IPL debut could do justice to the hype that has been built around him.

Celtic were in Scottish Premiership action on Sunday against Dundee, but Chris Sutton made his vehement opposition known to one Brendan Rodgers decision at Dens Park.

Celtic fall to dismal defeat against Dundee

The international break passed, and Celtic came back into things looking to close the gap on Heart of Midlothian following their victory over Kilmarnock on Saturday evening.

Truthfully, the Bhoys have been well below par this campaign and appear to be struggling in their quest to put together a convincing run of victories. This was reflected on Tayside as they turned in an abject display that left far more questions than answers.

Dundee were spirited and got themselves into a deserved two-goal lead, something that Celtic never looked like recovering from as their problems continue to show themselves at an alarming rate and the hosts earned a victory that vindicated their performance.

Daizen Maeda’s injury blow left the Bhoys short of attacking options, and they looked toothless from the outset, something that the club hierarchy has a lot to answer for in the grand scheme of things.

Remaining five points behind, they now look ahead to the toughest week of their season so far, starting off with a home clash against Sturm Graz in the Europa League before travelling to face Heart of Midlothian at Tynecastle.

Patrick Roberts 2.0: Rodgers must now unleash Celtic's forgotten star

As Brendan Rodgers searches for a winning formulae, should he give a debut to Celtic’s “dominant” youngster who could be the new Patrick Roberts?

1 Oct 19, 2025

Win in Edinburgh and the gap will narrow again to two points. Lose, and an eight-point gap could stare Celtic in the face heading into a key run of fixtures between now and the November international break.

Pressure has arguably never been higher on Rodgers, even if he has been left grossly short by his hierarchy, though some believe he has a lot to answer for after another terrible day for the Scottish Premiership holders.

Chris Sutton can't believe Hyunjun Yang started vs Dundee

Speaking on Sky Sports shown via X, Sutton couldn’t believe that Hyunjun Yang started for Celtic against Dundee and made a vocal plea for the manager to take him off at half-time.

He said: “I do not understand the decision to start Yang in front of James Forrest. James Forrest, he’s getting on a bit, but you know what he’s going to do, I don’t think Yang knows what he’s going to do with the ball himself. He gives players the ball when he’s finished with it. Just get him off!”

Sutton is an outspoken Celtic pundit, but he is completely right on this occasion. Yang, alongside many others, simply put in a performance that was miles off the standard needed to claim three points at Dens Park.

Fotmob show that the £6,000 per week earner achieved a 6.1/10 match rating and had 25 touches in total, doing nothing to trouble the Dundee backline before he was hooked at half-time.

The South Korean winger was far from the only culprit, it has to be said. Celtic are in a bad place and need to improve swiftly to avoid public scrutiny of their performances multiplying.

تحددت أسماء الوفد المصري المقرر حضوه لمراسم قرعة بطولة كأس العالم 2026، التي تقام في العاصمة الأمريكية واشنطن.

ومن المقرر أن تجرى قرعة كأس العالم 2026، يوم الجمعة الموافق 5 من شهر ديسمبر الحالي، لتحديد مجموعات المونديال.

وستقام بطولة كأس العالم 2026، بمشاركة 48 منتخباً، وستستضيفها كل من كندا والمكسيك والولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، خلال الفترة من 11 يونيو وحتى 19 يوليو 2026.

وأعلن الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا”، عن تصنيف المنتخبات المشاركة في بطولة كأس العالم 2026، وجاء منتخب مصر بالتصنيف الثالث، بين 48 منتخبًا مشاركًا.

طالع | يتجنب مواجهة 16 منتخبًا.. مجموعة مصر المحتملة في كأس العالم 2026 بعد إعلان التصنيف

وعلم بطولات أن الوفد المصري المقرر حضوه قرعة كأس العالم 2026، يضم خالد الدرندلي نائب رئيس الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم، والتوأم حسام وإبراهيم حسن مدرب ومدرب منتخب مصر.

ويستعد منتخب مصر في الوقت الحالي، لبدء معسكره الختامي، استعدادًا للمشاركة في بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا 2025، بالمغرب والذي سينطلق 21 ديسمبر الجاري.

Arsenal have identified a marquee Nottingham Forest star as one of their top transfer targets heading into 2026, according to a report this week.

Gunners sporting director Andrea Berta splashed nearly £270 million on new recruits last summer, and the Italian’s investments have paid dividends thus far.

This was evident in the North London derby last weekend, when Arsenal put arch rivals Tottenham to the sword in a 4-1 win, piling pressure on Thomas Frank and cementing Mikel Arteta’s side as the overwhelming Premier League title favourites.

A hat-trick from summer signing Eberechi Eze, who was once on the verge of joining Spurs before Berta hijacked the deal, and Leandro Trossard’s strike saw Arsenal claim all the bragging rights on Sunday while extending their lead at the top of the table to six points.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham

Another new recruit, Piero Hincapie, was also handed his first Premier League start by Arteta with star defender Gabriel Magalhaes sidelined due to a thigh injury.

The Ecuadorian shone in Gabriel’s stead, with Arteta hailing his exceptional display against Spurs on the eve of their Champions League clash with Bayern Munich.

Arsenal’s water-tight backline is one of the major reasons why they’re top of the pile and unbeaten in all competitions since August, with Arteta very well-stocked in defence after both Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera’s arrivals in the summer.

Both men have performed exceptionally when called upon, but according to Spanish media sources, Berta and co are still planning to reinforce their backline in future windows.

Arsenal identify Nottingham Forest star Murillo as top target

Indeed, it is now believed that Arsenal have identified Nottingham Forest centre-back Murillo as a priority transfer target, entering a three-way battle with Chelsea and Barcelona for the Brazilian’s signature.

Arteta has apparently earmarked the young defender as crucial to strengthening his backline for the long term.

The Spanish tactician particularly values Murillo’s ball-playing prowess, ability to break defensive lines and his left-footed profile, which Arteta believes would bring even more balance to Arsenal’s central defence.

However, Forest have set a large price tag for their defensive jewel, and Evangelos Marinakis could charge up to £79 million for Murillo to ward off potential suitors like Arsenal.

Since arriving from Brazil, Murillo has become a cornerstone of Forest’s backline.

The 23-year-old’s links with a move away are nothing new, and Arsenal have been named as suitors for Murillo even before now. Despite their many options at the back, Berta’s admiration for the South American hasn’t gone away, and it is clear to see why.

Murillo ended 2024/2025 as Forest’s best-performer by average match rating in the Premier League last season, according to WhoScored, with only Matz Sels and Nikola Milenkovic playing more minutes than the ex-Corinthians sensation.

The Jupiter Hammerheads are the single-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. On Tuesday they began a six-game homestand against the Dunedin Blue Jays and it did not go well. The Blue Jays won 19-5 and it was even uglier than the final score suggests.

The Hammerheads pitchers combined to give up just nine hits, but walked 22 batters, which is apparently a minor league record.

They issued six bases-loaded walks and hit three batters, with one of those HBP's coming with the bases loaded for another run. They also threw three wild pitches, with one of them allowing a run to score.

The home team's announcer could barely take it.

"This is only my fifth season," he said. "And I’ve been in baseball a little under a decade because of my college days. I’ve never written so many RBI walks in a book before. This is, listen, I know that I’m supposed to be optimistic about our team here, but I mean, come on guys. I could go out there. Let me loosen up my shoulder. I’ll go help things out. Because you’ve gotta put it over the plate. You’ve gotta give your defense a shot. They’ve not been given a shot all game."

With five games remaining in this early season series it can only get better.

Being the massive club they are, Arsenal have had some genuinely world-class players represent them.

From the likes of Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp in the Invincibles era, to Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and their backline today.

However, the Gunners also have more than their fair share of cult heroes, such as Sunderland’s current captain, Granit Xhaka.

The Swiss international left Arsenal in the summer of 2023, but it looks like Mikel Arteta might have someone in his squad today who could be the club’s next Xhaka.

Xhaka's turbulent Arsenal career

It’s summer 2016, and after a reasonably impressive Euros with Switzerland, Arsenal opt to splash around £34m on Xhaka.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Unfortunately, while he certainly wasn’t one of the team’s worst players, the former Borussia Mönchengladbach ace was fairly underwhelming over the following few years.

However, given his experience, combative nature, and general personality, he was chosen by his teammates to become the club’s captain in September 2019, under Unai Emery.

It was a decision that would cataclysmically backfire just a month later, when, during a game against Crystal Palace, he was substituted off to a jeering crowd, to which he responded by throwing the shirt and armband to the floor and swearing.

At that point, it looked like his Arsenal career was well and truly over, but once he was appointed manager, Arteta was able to convince the fiery midfielder to stay and fight for his place.

Over the next two years or so, that is exactly what the Basel-born titan did, and finally, against all the odds, away to Brentford in September 2022, the fans began to sing his name once more.

The tough-tackling, all-action international had his best campaign in red and white that season, ending it with nine goals and seven assists in 47 games as the club launched a surprising title charge.

16/17

46

4

3

17/18

48

3

8

18/19

40

4

5

19/20

41

1

2

20/21

45

1

2

21/22

30

1

2

22/23

47

9

7

It would prove to be his final year with the club, but instead of leaving in disgrace like so many thought he would, the Swiss icon was serenaded by an adoring Emirates crowd as he grabbed a brace and said his goodbyes.

Now, two and a half years later, it looks like Arteta could have his own Xhaka-type player in his Arsenal squad.

Arsenal's new Xhaka

Now, arguments could certainly be made for either Declan Rice or Martin Zubimendi becoming the next Xhaka for Arsenal, but instead, it’s actually Myles Lewis-Skelly.

It might sound a little out there at first, but there are a few reasons, such as the youngster’s natural position.

Yes, the teenager has played at left-back for the first team, but spent most of his time in the academy playing as either a defensive or central midfielder.

Moreover, when you watch him play, it is so apparent that he’s more of a central player, as not only does he have the spatial awareness and range of passing to thrive there, but he also has the carrying ability.

In fact, it was his incredible drive and assist for Gabriel Martinelli against Atletico Madrid that led one content creator to label him as one of the best in “world football” when it comes to carrying.

Furthermore, the 19-year-old has already shown the physical and mental strength Xhaka possess, and as Rice has pointed out, he seems utterly “fearless” on the pitch, regardless of the opposition.

Finally, in addition to the fiery attitude, the Hale End gem also has a wand of a left foot, and has already chalked up a few assists thanks to his weight of pass.

Ultimately, it is still so early in his career, but it’s clear that Lewis-Skelly shares some of Xhaka’s best traits and could become Arsenal’s new version of the Swiss monster.

Forget Dowman: Arsenal's "explosive" Hale Ender looks like another Saka

The impressive youngster could be the next Saka and the next talent off the block for Arsenal after Dowman.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 7, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras inicia a semana com foco total na partida diante do Atlético-MG, no Allianz Parque, pela 27ª rodada do Brasileirão.

RelacionadasPalmeirasAlém do volante Aníbal Moreno, Palmeiras planeja reforços para pelo menos duas posiçõesPalmeiras16/10/2023PalmeirasPalmeiras busca alternativas para abater dívida de R$ 50 milhões contraída na gestão BelluzzoPalmeiras16/10/2023VaivémPalmeiras acerta primeiro reforço para 2024, Cruzeiro afasta centroavante… O Fim de Semana do Mercado!Vaivém15/10/2023

+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

Precisando voltar a vencer após mais de um mês sem saber o que vitória, a equipe de Abel Ferreira busca um triunfo que além de espantar a crise que cerca o elenco, também faria o Verdão respirar na tabela, uma vez que a briga pelo G-4 ficou acirrada nesta reta final de campeonato.

continua após a publicidade

Se os jogadores e Abel Ferreira poderiam sofrer com as cobranças da torcida após a eliminação para o Boca Juniors, na Libertadores, Leila Pereira tratou de trazer todo o foco da ira da torcida em sua pessoa.

Após a entrevista coletiva na dada na última semana, na Academia de Futebol, toda torcida alviverde se uniu contra a mandatária, e o que já era nítido durante o ano, ficou ainda mais exposto agora.

continua após a publicidade

+ Palmeiras se acerta com Aníbal Moreno e fica perto de confirmar primeiro reforço para 2024!

A cobrança da torcida nesta decepcionante temporada de 2023 terá sempre o foco maior na diretoria e não nesses jogadores e comissão técnica que entregaram tanto para os palmeirenses nas últimas temporadas.

O Verdão encara o Galo na próxima quinta-feira (19), a partir das 19h (horário de Brasília), com transmissão apenas do Premiere.