Saturday 31 August 2024
$415M ROMELU LUKAKU
2011: Anderlecht ➡️ Chelsea—$17M
2013: Chelsea ➡️ Everton—$4M (loan)
2014: Chelsea ➡️ Everton—$40M
2017: Everton ➡️ Man Utd—$95M
2019: Man Utd ➡️ Inter—$83M
2021: Inter ➡️ Chelsea—$127M
2022: Chelsea ➡️ Inter—$9M (loan)
2023: Chelsea ➡️ Roma—$7M (loan)
2024: Chelsea ➡️ Napoli—$33M
$415M has been spent on Romelu Lukaku 💸
- BR Football
SURREY WORKING ON A DEAL TO SIGN SHAKIB TO PLAY ONE COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Bangladesh allrounder could be in England for a four-day game on September 9 and then fly to Chennai for the start of a Test series against India.
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| Shakib Al Hasan played a key role in Bangladesh's win in the first Test against Pakistan earlier this month • AFP/Getty Images |
Shakib Al Hasan could be in line to play one County Championship game next month with Surrey working on a deal to bring him in, before he leaves for Bangladesh's tour of India. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has reportedly issued him a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the match, set to be played from September 9, against Somerset in Taunton. Surrey will be without all of their England players as that round coincides with the end of the ongoing Sri Lanka Test series and the start of the Australia white-ball series.
From London, Shakib will fly to Chennai where Bangladesh play their first Test against India from September 19. Bangladesh are set to play two Tests and three T20Is against India, before their home series against South Africa in October. Shakib is currently playing in the Test series in Pakistan.
A former member of parliament in Bangladesh's previous government, Shakib is among 147 people against whom charges have been filed in connection with an alleged murder during the protests in Bangladesh in early August. At that time, Shakib was out of the country, playing in the Global T20 Canada.
The BCB had said that Shakib can continue playing for Bangladesh since the investigation is in its nascent stages. "It's an FIR (first information report), there are a lot of legal procedures left to prove someone guilty following the filing of FIR," new BCB chief Faruque Ahmed told the Dhaka-based the Daily Star on Tuesday. "At this moment there is no bar on Shakib to continue playing. We have responded to the legal notice served to us and we have said the same thing (no bar on Shakib playing in the UK) there too."
ESPNcricinfo has learned the ECB has the right to withhold Shakib's registration to play in their domestic system even if he is granted a UK visa.
Bangladesh's Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs adviser, Asif Nazrul, said on Wednesday it was unlikely for Shakib to be arrested.
"This is a matter for the police administration," Nazrul told reporters in Dhaka. "We have tried to say as much as we can. Filing a case does not mean an arrest. I believe our Ministry of Home Affairs will take steps to ensure that no one becomes overly enthusiastic about making an arrest. I hope Shakib will not be arrested. As far as I know, our police force has been given certain instructions."
Bangladesh posted a historic win against Pakistan in the first Test in Rawalpindi, with Shakib taking three important wickets on the fifth day. He is also part of the second Test, whose first day, on Friday, was washed out due to rain.
- ESPNcricinfo staff
ATLÉTICO, ARSENAL WIN TRANSFER WINDOW; CHELSEA BIGGEST LOSERS
For Europe's biggest clubs and leagues, the time for transfers in 2024 has come and gone.
The transfer window closed at 11 p.m. BST (6 p.m. ET) in England and Spain on Friday, an hour earlier in France and even earlier in Italy and Germany. It remains open in select countries such as the Netherlands, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, but there's little room for any more major deals.
All parties -- clubs, players, managers and agents -- will now sit back and assess. Some got their wishes and some didn't. Some excelled in their movements over the summer, while others will be lamenting missed opportunities.
With that, let's look back at what happened during the window and neatly sort the results into winners and losers (with a few who sit in between). Here's who nailed it -- and who didn't.
Winners
ATLETICO MADRID
Let's begin with one of the most impressive but shocking spending sprees of the window, courtesy of Atlético Madrid.
After a couple of very quiet years in the market, they exploded into life this summer, spending over €180m to sign four marquee players -- Julián Álvarez (€75m), Conor Gallagher (€42m), Robin Le Normand (€34.5m) and Alexander Sørloth (€32m) -- plus a few depth guys.
A big clear-out paved the way, as the club finally moved João Félix on permanently to Chelsea for €52m, let Samu Omorodion (€15m) and Álvaro Morata (€13m) depart for Porto and Milan, respectively, loaned midfielder Saúl Ñíguez again, and waved goodbye to four centre-backs. It marks the start of an exciting, new dawn for Los Colchoneros.
ARSENAL
Arsenal needed cover in defence and spent €45m to land Riccardo Calafiori, while manager Mikel Arteta also added to his midfield and landed Spain's Euro 2024 star Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad for a fair price (€33m).
Goalkeeper David Raya was secured permanently for €30m, having spent last season on loan at the club from Brentford, and his performances so far this season suggest the club's decision to back him as No. 1 is going to pay dividends.
Then in the closing moments, Raheem Sterling signed on loan for the season, adding much-needed depth to the wing corps and a healthy dollop of title-winning experience to the squad.
In addition, the Gunners raised funds extremely effectively, which is something they've not been particularly good at in recent years. They've made €80m-plus in moving on Eddie Nketiah, Emile Smith Rowe and Aaron Ramsdale, which could be very handy for market flexibility in the next 12 months.
It should be noted the club refrained from splashing a huge amount of cash on a striker, which many fans wanted, but they still go down as winners in this window.
PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN
In the wake of losing Kylian Mbappé to Real Madrid for nothing this summer, PSG kept their cool in the market. Rather than reflexively sign a mega-money, star-studded replacement, they instead invested in very good, young players as João Neves (€70m), Désiré Doué (€50m) and Willian Pacho (€40m) all arrived. Pacho is the oldest at 22, Doué represents another welcome French connection for the capital club to cherish, and Neves is just flat-out brilliant and has shown as much already.
PSG also successfully shifted a glut of players who don't suit manager Luis Enrique's style, most notably Manuel Ugarte to Manchester United for €50m. This feels a little like the turning of a page for PSG, not only in terms of eras (post-Mbappé) but in transfer strategy, too. We have to give credit when it's due.
JUVENTUS
Juventus have completely overhauled their squad this summer in an effort to make it a better fit for new manager Thiago Motta. Aside from losing out on one target (Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori, who joined Arsenal for €45m), they've nailed the brief.
Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz, Atalanta's Teun Koopmeiners and Nice's Khephren Thuram will all transform the midfield; two loanees from Fiorentina, Nicolas Gonzalez and Francisco Conceição, bring fresh life to the wings; and Monza's Michele Di Gregorio is a goalkeeper who excels with the ball at his feet, which is crucial for Motta's style.
Admittedly, Juve had to sacrifice a little to make this happen. Matìas Soulè and Dean Huijsen lead a notable crop of younger players departing, but it puts the club in a position to challenge Inter Milan as possibly the most credible title rival for 2024-25.
SAUDI PRO LEAGUE
It's only fitting to mention the Saudi Pro League as our last winner, as it was the great, late beneficiaries of the market's dying embers. Snaffling Brentford's Ivan Toney (€47.5m) and RB Leipzig's Mohamed Simakan (€45m) on the final day of the European window for very reasonable fees was a big win.
A handful of days previous, Manchester City defender João Cancelo had made the move to Al Hilal for €25m while, much earlier in the window, Al Ittihad paid €55m to land a top player in his prime: Aston Villa's 25-year-old winger Moussa Diaby. The Saudi transfer window tactics have changed. The league is a much quieter, smarter force these days.
Neutral
MANCHESTER UNITED
Under new ownership, it's clear and obvious Man United have shifted their transfer strategy. They're avoiding the temptation to patch up the squad with experienced signings and focusing on young or prime-age talents. They also adopted something of a "one in, one out" policy and set their sights on multiple targets per position, rather than set their hearts on one player they would then pay a wild amount to sign.
United have bought some good players for mostly reasonable fees, namely: Lille teenager Leny Yoro (€62m), midfielder Manuel Ugarte from PSG (€50m), Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee (€42.5m), and Bayern Munich duo Matthijs de Ligt (€45m) and Noussair Mazraoui (€15m). The new signings suit manager Erik ten Hag's intended style and it helps that half of them have worked with him before at Ajax. The club also finally said goodbye to a cluster of players who earn a lot but don't play much, such as Raphaël Varane and Anthony Martial.
So why aren't they in the winners' column? Well, for United, this is clearly progress, but for most other clubs, this is just normal behaviour. They've signed pretty well but haven't scored any major bargains who move the needle.
LIVERPOOL
Liverpool's transfer window was incredibly frustrating in parts. With fans entering the summer already fearful over what the post-Jürgen Klopp era might look like, a lack of activity in terms of incomings, plus a very public rejection from Real Sociedad defensive midfielder Martín Zubimendi, has done little to quell concerns.
But in the end, a couple of signings came. First, arguably the world's best young goalkeeper, Giorgi Mamardashvili, for €40m before they sent him back to Valencia on loan; then second, an intriguing punt on the brilliant-but-often-injured winger Federico Chiesa, from Juventus for a measly €13m. Otherwise, the club resisted the temptation to just sign anyone. Not falling into that trap is a positive -- in their search for a new No. 6, the Reds wanted top quality and refused to settle for less.
The events of this summer could still have a "losing" knock-on effect over the next year if Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah take a dim view of this inactivity and decide to leave for free next summer. Only time will tell on that one, though.
Losers
CHELSEA
Chelsea's remarkable, strange transfer window has confounded many. ESPN's Ryan O'Hanlon did a wonderful job questioning the hierarchy's strategy earlier this month, but here's a recap:
Twelve players in, 21 out; goalkeepers galore on the books; homegrown talents such as Conor Gallagher and Trevoh Chalobah pushed out the door; Raheem Sterling exiled to Arsenal; Ben Chilwell, David Datro Fofana and Harvey Vale stranded in no-man's land; and still no elite No. 9 striker signed, despite all the activity and interest in Napoli's Victor Osimhen throughout the summer.
It has left fans divided and neutrals utterly perplexed. Chelsea slimmed down the squad in the end, but at one point there were more than 40 players carrying first-team status, with just under half of them training away from Enzo Maresca's chosen crew. Just when you thought they were done, Jadon Sacho joined on deadline day on loan with an obligation to sign permanently next summer.
It's important to not forget Chelsea have acquired a lot of talented stars here, but the aggressive stockpiling of players, combined with treatment of some of the existing crop, has led to heavy scrutiny, which is well-deserved.
BARCELONA
It was another troubling transfer window for financially stricken Barcelona, who spent the first half of the summer publicly courting Athletic Club winger Nico Williams only to fail to sign him, then the second half of the summer frantically trying to cut enough costs to ensure they could register new €60m arrival Dani Olmo with the first team. It's not often you see a matchday squad with an asterisk next to a player's name.
Raising funds is an art form that continues to evade Barça. They did make €10m each from the exits of Julián Araujo and Mikayil Faye, but having to settle for loans for Clément Lenglet, Vitor Roque (who signed for only €40m in January), and Oriol Romeu means they weren't able to book income or fully clear the wage bill. Young striker Marc Guiu leaving to join Chelsea for a miserly €6m (his release clause) must have stung a bit too, but they did at least replace him with €2m worth of Pau Víctor.
The prime casualty of the Olmo signing was Ilkay Gündogan, who departed for free back to Manchester City after just a year. As good as Olmo is in an attacking sense, there will be concern over whether Barca's gaps in defensive midfield and centre-back will come back to bite them at some point this season.
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Newcastle United fans woke up on the morning of deadline day hoping for a signing or two, as up until that point the window had been pretty stagnant. Sadly for them, no new faces arrived.
That means that not only did a summer-long pursuit of €80m-rated Crystal Palace defender Marc Guéhi fail, but no one else was signed instead. It means long-standing interest in Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford led to nothing, and an enquiry for Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga fell flat. In addition to that, no new home was found for winger Miguel Almirón.
To balance the argument, there's always something to be said for simply retaining your best players, and Newcastle achieved that in keeping Alexander Isak and Bruno Guimarães. But the club and fans alike were hoping to kick on and progress again. Sadly, that didn't happen.
HOMEGROWN PLAYERS
Spare a thought for the homegrown players this summer. For each one, the dream was to rise through the academy ranks, graduate to the first team and play football; many of them were representing clubs they and their families support.
Unfortunately for some, they were moved around to other clubs like pawns as Premier League clubs struggled to satisfy Profit & Sustainability Regulations.
It led to a strange mini-transfer window all of its own in late June, where players such as Omari Kellyman (€22m) and Elliot Anderson (€40m) made stunning transfers. Later in the window, Conor Gallagher (€42m) moved to Atlético Madrid in part because Chelsea needed the pure profit that academy graduates generate. It even played a part in Scott McTominay's €30.5m transfer to Napoli, with manager Erik ten Hag lamenting "it is the [financial] rules."
- Sam Tighe
VICTOR OSIMHEN IN LIMBO AFTER CHELSEA DEADLINE DAY MOVE FAILS
Victor Osimhen 's future is in limbo after Chelsea failed to agree a deal to sign the Napoli striker before England's transfer deadline.
Sources have told ESPN that Osimhen that the Serie A club had accepted an €80 million ($88.5 million) offer from Saudi Pro League side Al Ahli but the Nigeria international expressed doubts about leaving European football.
That left Chelsea in a position to potentially pounce, stepping up their longstanding interest in the 25-year-old as talks intensified over Thursday and Friday.
However, sources have told ESPN that a deal could not be reached in time.
Al Ahli also pursued a deal for Brentford striker Ivan Toney and with the Saudi club unable to register both forwards, it now appears Osimhen faces up to the prospect of waiting for another Middle East club to make a late move -- the Saudi Pro League window closes on September 2 -- or try to rebuild his relationships at Napoli.
Osimhen will have an uphill battle at Napoli after new head coach Antonio Conte successfully pushed the club to sign Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea in a £30 million ($39.4 million) deal.
- James Olley, Senior Writer, ESPN FC
ARSENAL SIGN CHELSEA'S RAHEEM STERLING ON SEASON-LONG LOAN
Arsenal have signed Chelsea forward Raheem Sterling on loan for the rest of the season, the clubs confirmed Friday.
Sterling has three years remaining on his current contract at Chelsea but had been deemed surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge. After previously being linked with Man United, Sterling completed his move to Arsenal just before the close of the summer transfer window.
The deal for Sterling came as ESPN reported that Chelsea had agreed to sign Man United winger Jadon Sancho on loan.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta distanced the club from a move from Sterling last week despite speaking positively about his character after the pair worked together for three years at Manchester City.
However, Arsenal have been open to signing an attacking player throughout the window and are discussing their options, having also been linked with a late move for Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman.
The move for Sterling came after Arsenal sent fellow winger Reiss Nelson on loan to Fulham for the season, with the Gunners of the view that Sterling would be an upgrade on the 24-year-old.
Also on Friday, Arsenal announced the signing of Bournemouth goalkeeper Neto on a season-long loan deal.
The 35-year-old has been identified by Arsenal as a backup for first-choice goalkeeper David Raya, with his arrival enabling Aaron Ramsdale to complete his move to Southampton.
As ESPN reported on Thursday, Ramsdale has agreed a deal worth up to £25 million ($33m) including add-ons.
- James Olley, Senior Writer, ESPN FC
Friday 30 August 2024
CARLOS ALCARAZ STUNNED BY BOTIC VAN DE ZANDSCHULP AT US OPEN
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| Carlos Alcaraz, who was the pre-tournament betting favorite after winning the French Open in June and Wimbledon in July, had never lost before the quarterfinals in three previous US Open appearances. Luke Hales/Getty Images |
After double faulting and falling behind two sets to none -- a deficit he has never overcome -- in the second round of the US Open on Thursday night, Carlos Alcaraz slung his equipment bag over a shoulder and trudged toward the locker room.
Glancing in the direction of his coach, 2003 French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero, Alcaraz pointed his right index finger at his temple then wagged that finger, as if to say, "I'm not thinking straight."
He might have been excused for being confused by what was transpiring under the closed retractable roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium on a chilly evening. One set later, Alcaraz's 15-match Grand Slam unbeaten streak was over with a sloppy 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 loss to 74th-ranked Botic van de Zandschulp.
"It was a fight against myself, in my mind, during the match," Alcaraz said. "In tennis, you are playing against someone that wants the same as you -- to win the match -- and you have to be as ... calm as you can, just to think better in the match and try to do good things. Today I was playing against the opponent, and I was playing against myself, in my mind. A lot of emotions that I couldn't control."
The result eliminated the pre-tournament men's favorite and certainly was hard to predict beforehand, given the No. 3-seeded Alcaraz's standing in the game, his excellence of late and his opponent's far-lesser résumé.
It followed another exit in Ashe for a past US Open champion, Naomi Osaka, who was sent home Thursday by Karolina Muchova 6-3, 7-6 (5). That one, though, was not anywhere near what happened to Alcaraz.
He won the French Open in June and Wimbledon in July to raise his career total to four major championships, including taking the title at Flushing Meadows in 2022. In early August, Alcaraz won a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, losing to Novak Djokovic in the final.
Maybe, Alcaraz acknowledged, a tennis schedule he called "so tight" drained him too much.
"Probably, I came here with not as much energy as I thought that I was going to [have]," he said. "But I mean, I don't want to put that as excuse."
What's clear is he never found his footing against Van de Zandschulp, a 28-year-old from the Netherlands. Alcaraz was off, repeatedly missing the sorts of shots he routinely makes.
The 21-year-old from Spain came in with a 16-2 record at the US Open, where he never lost before the quarterfinals in three previous appearances. This also was Alcaraz's earliest defeat at any major tournament since bowing out in the second round of Wimbledon in 2021 as a teenager; he has never been beaten in the first round at a Slam event.
In contrast, Van de Zandschulp only once has been to a Grand Slam quarterfinal, getting that far at the US Open in 2021.
Otherwise, he is not someone most folks would have expected to pull off this sort of monumental upset. Consider: Van de Zandschulp was 11-18 for the season at the start of this week and hadn't won consecutive matches at a tour-level event in 2024 until now.
"Actually, I am a little bit at a loss for words," he said. "It's been an incredible evening for me."
It sure was.
The key stat was that Van de Zandschulp won the point on 28 of his 35 trips to the net.
The opening set was unbelievably lopsided. With Van de Zandschulp's powerful forehands and serves at up to 132 mph finding their marks, Alcaraz never seemed to get comfortable.
He did not produce a single winner in that set and was nearly doubled up in total points 24-13. The second set was a bit better for him, but not enough so, and a double fault gift-wrapped a service break that put Van de Zandschulp up 6-5. When Alcaraz pushed a forehand wide to end the next game, Van de Zandschulp finished off a hold at love that gave him the initial two sets after 1½ hours of play.
It didn't take long for Alcaraz to fall behind by a break in the third, at 3-2, but he made a stand immediately -- with help because Van de Zandschulp's double fault ceded a break that made it 3-all. Alcaraz then held at love and smiled as he strutted to the changeover.
That grin quickly was gone, though, because Alcaraz's mistakes kept arriving, and Van de Zandschulp never folded.
"Of course I had some nerves, but I think if you want to beat one of these guys, you have to keep your calm and keep your head there," said Van de Zandschulp, who will face No. 25 seed Jack Draper of Britain in the third round Saturday. "Otherwise, they take advantage of it."
Alcaraz is the first top-three men's seed to lose within the first two rounds at the US Open since 2006, when No. 3-seeded Ivan Ljubicic lost in the first round to Feliciano López. The second-round loss is the earliest by a men's US Open pre-tournament betting favorite since Patrick Rafter in 1999, who was the defending champion but retired from his first-round match against Cedric Pioline because of a shoulder injury.
Alcaraz had entered the night 25-1 in majors against players ranked outside the top 50, with the lone loss coming against No. 95 Mikael Ymer in the second round of the 2021 Australian Open.
The Associated Press and ESPN Stats & Information contributed to this report.
- ESPN News Services
AL AHLI AGREE £40M DEAL WITH BRENTFORD FOR IVAN TONY - SOURCES
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| Ivan Toney has agreed to join Al Ahli from Brentford. Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images |
Al Ahli have agreed a £40 million ($53m) deal to sign Ivan Toney from Brentford, sources have told ESPN.
The 28-year-old has agreed terms on a lucrative three-year contract and is set to undergo a medical ahead of a proposed move.
As of Friday morning, it was unclear whether the Saudi Pro League's pursuit of Toney would have any impact on their negotiations with Napoli for Victor Osimhen.
Toney has less than one year remaining on his contract at Brentford and the west London club have reluctantly admitted they need to cash in on the wantaway striker this month rather than risk losing him for nothing.
Toney has scored 72 goals in 141 appearances for Brentford and speaking on Thursday, Brentford boss Thomas Frank confirmed the England international would not be part of Saturday's matchday squad to face Southampton, regardless of what happened on deadline day.
"I can say that Ivan will not play on Saturday," Frank said.
"I can say I'm very happy to speak about the players who played last night [against Colchester] or the players who will play tomorrow.
"Ivan is training well, and in good spirits, and I'm happy to [answer] more questions about Ivan the next time we are sitting here."
- James Olley, Senior Writer, ESPN FC
CRISTIANO RONALDO IN PORTUGAL SQUAD AFTER GOALLESS EURO 2024
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| Cristiano Ronaldo's international future was uncertain after a disappointing Euro 2024. Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images |
Portugal coach Roberto Martínez has included Cristiano Ronaldo in his squad for the first two Nations League matches following the veteran forward's disappointing European Championship.
Martínez announced the squad on Friday for its home games against Croatia on Sept. 5 and Scotland on Sept. 8.
The 39-year-old Ronaldo holds the record of 130 goals for international men's football, but he went scoreless in all five of Portugal's games at Euro 2024 as they were eliminated in the quarterfinals by France via a penalty shootout.
Martínez said after Euro 2024 that his team is starting "a new cycle" for the 2026 World Cup, which is being hosted in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Ronaldo will be 41 by the time that tournament in North America kicks off, and Martínez said after their exit from Euro 2024 that it was "too soon" to say whether Ronaldo had played his final game for his country.
Martínez restored Ronaldo to the starting lineup for the tournament in Germany after predecessor Fernando Santos had stunned his team and nation by benching him midway through the 2022 World Cup, where he scored in an opening win over Ghana but then failed to mark in the next four games, including a quarterfinal upset to Morocco.
Portugal squad:
Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa (FC Porto), José Sá (Wolverhampton), Rui Silva (Real Betis).
Defenders: Rúben Dias (Manchester City), António Silva (Benfica), Renato Veiga (Chelsea), Gonçalo Inacio (Sporting), Tiago Santos (Lille), Diogo Dalot (Manchester United), Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain), Nélson Semedo (Wolves).
Midfielders: João Palhinha (Bayern Munich), João Neves (Paris Saint-Germain), Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Rúben Neves (Al-Hilal), João Félix (Chelsea), Francisco Trincão (Sporting), Pedro Gonçalves (Sporting).
Forwards: Rafael Leão (AC Milan), Geovany Quenda (Sporting), Pedro Neto (Chelsea), Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr), Diogo Jota (Liverpool).
ARSENAL GIVEN CHANCE TO SIGN CHELSEA'S STERLING - SOURCES
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| Raheem Sterling has been told he is surplus to requirements at Chelsea. Jeff Dean/Getty Images |
Arsenal have been offered the chance to sign Chelsea winger Raheem Sterling, sources have told ESPN.
The 29-year-old has been deemed surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge and sources have said he is keen to secure a permanent move to another Premier League club to revive his career at club and international level.
Chelsea want to offload his £325,000-a-week wage and are thought to be open to a loan deal given Sterling has three years remaining on his contract.
They have been in talks with Manchester United over a possible swap deal involving Jadon Sancho but that proposal remains complicated given the salary levels involved.
Juventus also remain interested in Sancho, while Sterling's camp have sounded out other options including Arsenal and Aston Villa.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta distanced the club from a move from Sterling last week despite speaking positively about his character after the pair worked together for three years at Manchester City.
However, Arsenal have been open to signing an attacking player throughout the window and are discussing their options, having also been linked with a late move for Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman.
Meanwhile, Arsenal are closing in on the loan signing of Bournemouth goalkeeper Neto with the Brazilian set to undergo a medical on Friday morning, sources have told ESPN.
The 35-year-old has been identified by Arsenal as a back-up for first-choice goalkeeper David Raya and his arrival will enable Aaron Ramsdale to complete his move to Southampton.
As ESPN reported on Thursday, Ramsdale has agreed a deal worth up to £25 million ($33m) including add-ons. Sources have told ESPN that Arsenal are open to signing another goalkeeper on Friday if the right opportunity arises having allowed Karl Hein to go out on loan to Real Valladolid.
They have shown an interest in Espanyol's Joan García and have also been linked with Wigan's Sam Tickle. Sources added that Espanyol want a fee in excess of €20m ($22m) for Garcia.
Thursday 29 August 2024
SOUTHAMPTON SIGNING AARON RAMSDALE FROM ARSENAL - SOURCES
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| AP |
Southampton have agreed a fee of £25 million including add-ons for Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, sources told ESPN.
The 26-year-old is expected to undergo a medical on Thursday and finalise personal terms.
Sources added that the fee consists of an initial £18 million with a further £1 million due if Saints avoid relegation from the Premier League and the remaining £6 million based on individual performance targets.
The Gunners are expected to move for Espanyol goalkeeper Joan García as Ramsdale's replacement, although sources have told ESPN the LaLiga club will demand a fee in excess of €20 million.
Ramsdale fell out of favour at Arsenal after the club moved to sign David Raya from Brentford last summer, initially on loan for £3 million before making the deal permanent in July for a further £27 million.
Bournemouth showed an interest in Ramsdale but opted to sign Kepa Arrizabalaga on loan from Chelsea while Southampton were close to signing Justin Bijlow until the Feyenoord goalkeeper failed a medical.
- James Olley, Senior Writer, ESPN FC
CRISTIANO RONALDO: I WANT TO SCORE 1,000 GOALS, ALL 'ON VIDEO'
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| Cristiano Ronaldo is targeting 1,000 goals for club and country. Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images |
Needing just one goal to reach 900 in his career for club and country, all-time leading scorer Cristiano Ronaldo said he is setting the bar at 1,000 to unquestionably leave his mark on the game.
In a sit-down interview with former England star Rio Ferdinand released to his YouTube channel, the 39-year-old Ronaldo spoke about keeping his level of play high as he builds on his scoring record.
"I want to reach 1,000 goals," said the Al Nassr and Portugal star, estimating that the historic mark could come around the age of 41. "If I don't have any injuries, this for me is the most important [thing], I want that. For me, the best mark that I can have in football is to reach, first, 900 goals. After, my challenge is to be at 1,000 goals."
Ronaldo spoke candidly with Ferdinand, his former Manchester United teammate, on topics ranging from the quality of play in the Saudi Pro League to the passion he has maintained and the criticism that stems from it.
Ever competitive, Ronaldo was quick to point out what would set his goals apart from those by other all-time scorers, including legends such as Pele and Alfredo Di Stefano, who played in eras when cameras weren't as prevalent.
"All the goals I have scored, they have video," he said. "They all have video. Listen, I respect all of them [Pele and Di Stefano]. And if you want more goals, I can bring them from training, too. And I will prove to the people after. They prefer this player, or this is the best one. I don't care about that."
Asked about adapting to playing in Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo said it's been relatively easy given the challenges he has endured since entering the spotlight at a young age.
"No country is perfect, so for me the adaptation was easy and I really love to be there," he said. "In my opinion, the league is very, very good."
As for the criticism he received for crying after missing a crucial penalty against Slovenia with a trip to the Euro 2024 quarterfinals on the line, Ronaldo said it's all part of the scrutiny that comes with being "the most followed guy in the world." Portugal would win the match in a shootout 3-0.
The tears, he said, were the result of the pressure he has put on himself since he was 11 years old.
"When you have passion for what you're doing, you cannot be worried about how you're feeling," he said. "I failed because I've made pressure for myself since I was 11 years old. 'Cristiano, you are the best player in the world,' I'm always thinking in that way.
"But when I missed the penalty, I felt bad with myself, the fans, family, not because of other stuff that people say."
Though he realizes he is close to the end of his career, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner could not predict when he will finally hang up his boots.
"I don't know when I'm going to finish," he said. "Since you play more, you learn many, many things. One thing that I've learned is, enjoy the moment. Because you don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. I know I'm still looking good. The day that I start to feel I don't produce nothing, listen, I'll pack my bags and I'll go away. But it's far from that."
- ESPN
BARCELONA MAKE LOAN OFFER FOR LIVERPOOL'S BAJCETIC
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| Stefan Bajčetić has yet to feature for Arne Slot's Liverpool in the Premier League. Nikki Dyer - LFC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images |
Barcelona are in talks to hijack Liverpool midfielder Stefan Bajčetić's move to RB Salzburg, sources have confirmed to ESPN.
Bajčetić, 19, has emerged as a loan target for Barça after Marc Bernal was ruled out for months with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament injury on Wednesday.
Salzburg, now coached by Jürgen Klopp's former assistant Pep Lijnders, were in the driving seat to complete a deal for the Spanish youngster.
However, the emergence of Barça could change Bajčetić's final destination before the transfer window closes on Friday.
Former Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara knows Bajčetić well from his time at Anfield and sources say he is pushing hard for a season-long loan move to be completed.
Thiago was part of new Barça coach Hansi Flick's coaching staff during the summer on a short-term deal and could return again when he's completed his badges.
Sources add that other clubs in Spain, Germany and France have also made enquiries to Liverpool.
The Catalan side had previously decided against bolstering their midfield this summer but Bernal's injury has changed their plans.
With Gavi and Frenkie de Jong still out injured and Ilkay Gündogan back at Manchester City, they have been left short in the middle of the park.
Barça have had trouble registering new signings this summer, with Dani Olmo missing the first two games of the season before making his debut in the win over Rayo Vallecano on Tuesday after his inscription was finally processed.
However, with Bajčetić only arriving on a potential loan deal and not commanding a huge salary, there is hope they would be able to make space to register him while complying with LaLiga's financial regulations.
Bajčetić joined Liverpool from his hometown club Celta Vigo in 2020 and has made 22 appearances for the first team.
Initially a centre-back, Klopp moved him into midfield, while he can also play anywhere across the back four.
Injuries have hampered his progress in recent seasons but sources say he is fully fit after a full preseason.
- Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens
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