Newcastle United have reportedly been boosted in their pursuit of Borussia Monchengladbach striker Marcus Thuram after he turned down a move to Inter Milan.
Thuram on the move this summer?
The 25-year-old is enjoying an excellent season for the Bundesliga side, standing out as one of their most important players throughout the campaign. He has scored 12 goals in 22 league starts, as well as chipping in with three assists, not to mention averaging 3.2 shots per game.
Thuram's form has seen him linked with a move away from Monchengladbach during the summer transfer window, with a number of clubs believed to be eyeing him up. Newcastle are reportedly one of them, with the Magpies seeing him as someone who could add more firepower to a team that hasn't always been prolific this season, scoring 39 times in 26 league games.
Serie A giants Inter are also thought to be in the mix when it comes to trying to snap up the Frenchman at the end of the season, but a key update has now emerged regarding their pursuit of him.
Borussia Monchengladbach forward Marcus Thuram in action.
Will striker pick Newcastle?
According to TuttoMercatoWeb [via Sport Witness], Thuram has "refused an offer" from Inter, acting as a clear boost for Newcastle in the process. He is out of contract at Monchengladbach this summer, meaning he will be able to leave on a free transfer if he doesn't extend his stay in Germany.
This update is certainly encouraging from a Magpies perspective, with Inter seemingly not appealing enough for Thuram to want to move there, potentially paving the way for a switch to St James' Park. He could be an outstanding signing if they manage to get a transfer over the line, with Wolfsburg sporting director Marcel Schafer calling him a "world-class striker".
Not only has he scored 43 goals in 128 appearances for Monchengladbach, but he has also won 10 caps for France, featuring five times for them as a substitute during the 2022 World Cup. He has proven pedigree and could be a significant and long-term upgrade on Callum Wilson, who is now 31 years of age and arguably not quite the force he once was.
Whether or not Thuram ends up picking Newcastle remains to be seen – Champions League qualification could ultimately prove pivotal – but this update can only be considered a positive, ahead of what could be a marquee piece of summer transfer business.
West Ham United have overtaken Premier League rivals Crystal Palace to sign Juventus defender Koni De Winter this summer, according to reports.
What's the latest on De Winter to West Ham?
The Belgian first joined the Allianz Stadium’s U17s back in 2018 and has since worked his way up through the ranks to become a feature of their reserve side, as per Transfermarkt. The Italian giants’ centre-back is currently out on a season-long loan at Empoli to gain some valuable first-team experience, where in his 11 Serie A starts and two substitute appearances, via WhoScored, have been attracting interest from England.
Calciomercato recently credited the Irons with an interest in the 20-year-old, who is valued at €15m (£13m), claiming that they were 'ready to knock' on Juve's door, but weren’t alone in their pursuit, with Southampton and Palace also monitoring his situation. Now, though, David Moyes has since been handed a huge boost…
According to Tutto Juve (via Sport Witness), West Ham are still “very much keen” on De Winter and have overtaken the Eagles, whose interest has “slowed down”. Roy Hodgson replacing Patrick Vieira is listed as a potential reason for this, but it’s stated that the veteran’s side are “no longer” as attracted as they once were.
The London Stadium outfit have therefore received the “good news” and are set to face less competition in the top flight for their target’s signature during the upcoming transfer window – though it’s worth noting that Monza and Sassuolo are admirers outside of the Premier League.
FC Empoli defender Koni De Winter.
Should West Ham make a move for De Winter?
Standing at 6 foot 2, De Winter has been lauded as a “strong” centre-back by former Juventus vice-president Pavel Nedved and adds a physical presence to the backline with his height, so we think West Ham should definitely consider making an offer.
The Antwerp native currently ranks in the 98th percentile for clearances among players in his position in Europe's top competitions over the past year, showing that he’s a no-nonsense defender and isn’t afraid to clear the danger, alongside recording an 85.3% pass success rate, highlighting his composure on the ball.
The Belgian U21s international would also bring plenty of versatility to E20 having previously operated at right-back and slightly higher up in defensive midfield outside of his natural position, which is likely to be an attractive attribute to Moyes – so we believe this really is a no-brainer of a deal to complete.
Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz had a “tough time” during the Premier League game vs Brentford, says journalist Gregg Evans.
How did Luiz perform at the Community Stadium?
The Midlands outfit were the visitors at the Community Stadium on Saturday afternoon where Unai Emery and his side earned a 1-1 draw against Thomas Frank’s hosts, with goals scored either side of the break from Ivan Toney and Luiz.
The Brazilian was named in the starting line-up for the trip to TW8 and was kept on the field for the full length of the game, and despite netting the all-important equaliser, his performance prior to that was underwhelming having lost possession of the ball 14 times, not to mention that he was also dribbled past twice and received a yellow card in the second-half, as per SofaScore.
Taking to Twitter, Evans criticised Luiz’s display vs the Bees and thought it was obvious that his level of standard today had dropped compared to the bright spark that he was earlier in the season. He wrote:
“Douglas Luiz is having a tough time today. Nutmegged early on. Fair few fouls gone in on him. Given the ball away a few times. He's just not quite at the same level as recent weeks/months.”
Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz.
Should Villa be worried about Luiz's performance?
Aston Villa had a mediocre day at the office and will be disappointed not to have come away with all three points, but despite Luiz having a real individual mixed bag of a performance, he still received a match rating of 7.6 which was the highest throughout the whole of the squad showing that he remains one of the most key players for Emery.
The Rio de Janeiro native has clocked up five assists and scored four goals across all competitions this season, via Transfermarkt, so has proven what he’s capable of and therefore the boss shouldn’t be concerned about one display that was slightly under par considering the promising signs the £75k-per-week ace has displayed up until this stage of the campaign.
كشف محمد عبد المنصف، مدرب حراس فريق الزمالك، كواليس خروج ثلاثي الأبيض ليلة مباراة زد في بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.
وشهد معسكر مباراة الزمالك وزد في الدوري، خروج الثلاثي أحمد فتوح ومحمد صبحي ومصطفى الزناري، ليلة اللقاء، دون الحصول على إذن، الأمر الذي تسبب في غضب كبير من الإدارة والجماهير، وقرر المجلس إيقاف الثلاثي وتحويلهم للتحقيق، بالإضافة لخصم جزء من مستحقاتهم وعرضهم للبيع.
وقال عبد المنصف في تصريحات عبر برنامج “اللعيب”، على قناة “mbc masr”: “محمد صبحي في تلك الفترة كان الحارس الأساسي، طُلب مني أن يكون هناك قرار تجاه الحارس بعد الأزمة التي أثيرت، ولم يكن لدي غيره، لأن عواد كان يُعاني من إصابة في الركبة”.
وتابع: “كان عندنا معسكر وليلة المباراة الثلاثي خرج بدون إذن، وتواصلنا معهم من أجل الرجوع، وتم عرض الأمر على مجلس الإدارة، وجلسنا مع أوسوريو في اليوم التالي وقررنا استبعادهم وانتظار قرار مجلس الإدارة”.
وأضاف: “صبحي والزناري عادا للمعسكر، لكن نحن نظرنا للأمر بشكل مختلف، الثنائي عاد لأننا اتصلنا بهما ولولا ذلك ما عاد اللاعبان، ونحن أخذنا الموضوع بأن الخطأ خطأ، ولم يسبق أن حدث هذا الأمر”.
واستكمل: “أول لقاء بيني وبين صبحي بعد ذلك، قلت له لم أكن أتوقع منك ذلك، المفروض أنك على مشارف المنتخب، ومحمد عواد مصاب، وكان يجب أن تثبت نفسك، وغير صحيح في هذا التوقيت الذي تريد فيه التجديد للنادي والانضمام للمنتخب وتفعل ذلك”.
طالع أيضًا | أول تعليق لـ أحمد فتوح بعد تجديد عقده مع الزمالك: كلنا خطائين وأعتذر للجماهير
وأردف: “أنا فسرت الموقف قلة خبرة من لاعب صغير أخذ الأمر بشكل عادي، ولم ير الجزء الآخر من عدم الالتزام والجدية، وأعتقد أن صبحي تعلم الدرس بشكل كبير”.
وبسؤاله عن ما دار بين شيكابالا وفتوح، قال: “طبيعي جدًا لقائد الفريق عندما يصل له عدم التزام لاعبين، أن يتدخل ويكون له دور، وشيكابالا اتصل بـ فتوح وطلب منه العودة للمعسكر، وكان رد الأخير لم يكن له علاقة بموقف الخروج على قدر ما كان هناك شيء يُزعجه، لم يكن فتوح الذي نعرفه، خاصة أن علاقته بـ شيكابالا جيدة”.
واستكمل: “شعرت أن فتوح ذهنه مشغول، وكان طبيعي جدًا أن قائد الفريق يُحافظ على النظام، وعندما عاد اللاعب متأخرًا لم يتدخل شيكابالا، والأمر كان متروك لـ الجهاز الفني، الأمر تسبب في غضب بين الثنائي وقتها وهذا يحدث، ولكن بعد ذلك عاد فتوح للتدريبات والأمور سارت بشكل طبيعي”.
واختتم: “الالتزام والنظام واحد، ولا بد أن نخرج قصة التجديد من الموقف الذي تم اتخاذه ضد فتوح حتى لو كان جدد قبلها، موضوع تجديده لم يكن مرتبطا بالموقف، أعتقد في البداية أن الناس كانت منزعجة من عدم تجديد اللاعب، وكانت تخشى على غرفة الملابس، لكن بعد أن وقع اللاعب واعتذر، أثبت أنه سيكون ملتزما ولن يعود للخروج عن النص مرة أخرى”.
أكد النجم الفرنسي كيليان مبابي، لاعب فريق كرة القدم الأول بنادي باريس سان جيرمان، أنه يفتقد عفويته خلال الفترة الأخيرة، والسير بدون اختباء من الناس.
النجم الفرنسي حقق بطولة كأس العالم ودوري الأمم الأوروبية مع منتخب بلده، وجميع البطولات المحلية مع باريس سان جيرمان.
وفي حديثه لمجلة “Envoyé Spécial” الفرنسية، قال: “عندما كنت طفلًا، كنت أقوم ببعض الأعمال الروتينية لكن الآن أدفع أموالًا طائلة حتى أتمكن من القيام بهذه الأشياء”.
طالع أيضًا..مبابي: ميسي لم يحصل على الاحترام المستحق في فرنسا
وأضاف ردًا على سؤال حول ما سيفعله إذا أتيحت له الفرصة للتخفي لمدة 48 ساعة، قال: “سأقضيهم بالكامل في الخارج، هذا أمر مؤكد، سأفعل كل شيء دون أن أفكر في الأمر مرة أخرى”.
وأكمل صاحب الـ25 عامًا: “لقد فقدت عفويتي كإنسان، لا أستطيع الخروج والقيام بالأشياء إذا أردت ذلك، كل شيء منظم الآن، وأكون مضطرًا للاختباء من الناس”.
وواصل: “كنت أذهب لتناول الطعام في المطعم وأخرج وأقابل الأصدقاء، وأحتفل، مع تناول وجبة الفطور على شرفة مشمسة، تلك الأشياء البسيطة في الحياة أفتقدها للغاية”.
ومن المقرر أن يكون عام 2024 حافلًا بالنسبة لـ كيليان مبابي، حيث أنه يقترب من نهاية عقده مع باريس سان جيرمان، مع اهتمام ريال مدريد وليفربول بضمه.
بالإضافة إلى ذلك، هناك احتمالية لانضمام مبابي في دورة الألعاب الأولمبية في باريس الصيف المقبل، بعد المشاركة في يورو 2024 مع فرنسا.
Rangers legend Ally McCoist has been left thrilled by news that the club are reportedly closing in on the signing of goalkeeper Jack Butland.
What's the latest news on Butland?
Reports in the last few days have claimed that the Scottish Premiership giants, lead by manager Michael Beale, are on the brink of signing Butland as he nears the end of his contract.
Indeed, the 30-year-old's contract at Crystal Palace expires in June, opening the door for interested sides to sign him for nothing on a Bosman deal.
Butland boasts caps at international level with England, and while he has found game time difficult to come by of late, he could bring a wealth of experience to any club looking to win his signature.
Rangers are thought to be close to signing the shot-stopper, coming as a plethora of their fringe and first team players head towards the Ibrox exit door.
The Gers currently have a wealth of squad members out of contract just next month, with this summer presenting the opportunity for Beale to oversee a major overhaul.
McCoist, reacting to news of Butland nearing a move to Glasgow, had this to say on the matter to talkSPORT (via Ibrox News):
"I’d take that all day. Greegsy (Allan McGregor) has been a phenomenal servant to the club.
“I don’t know how Robby McCrorie is coming on but we definitely need a keeper. I’m saying that although I haven’t seen him (Butland) for a while.
“But if he’s anything like he used to be I’d take him all day.”
What could Butland bring to Rangers?
As well as being a former England international, Butland has made 87 Premier League appearances in total, keeping 21 clean sheets, with a further 161 Championship cameos under his belt (Transfermarkt).
The former Stoke City keeper has been praised in past seasons for his work between the sticks, with former Palace manager Patrick Vieira also raving over Butland's attitude and professionalism.
“Jack is a real professional, he is a positive professional,”
“He has been frustrated not playing but he never complained, he never showed it, he always kept working hard and when forwards want to do finishing (in training) he’s always the first to put his hand up and he is a really good character in the dressing room."
Going by Vieira's comments, he could be exactly the kind of figurhead Rangers are looking for to usher in the new era, especially on a free deal.
Tottenham Hotspur gem Jude Soonsup-Bell has torn his hamstring and will miss the rest of this season, according to reports.
What’s the latest Spurs injury news?
Spurs interim head coach Ryan Mason is having to cope without a few first team stars in the final run of this Premier League season.
The coach is tasked with helping Tottenham maintain their fight for a top four finish and subsequent Champions League qualification, but after a humbling 6-1 loss to Newcastle on Sunday, he faces a real uphill battle.
Mason won’t be helped by the absence of five major players, with goalkeeping number one Hugo Lloris the latest to be sidelined after pulling up with an injury against Newcastle.
The Frenchman joins Emerson Royal, Ryan Sessegnon, Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur on the treatment table as Mason scrambles to make the most of his thin squad.
jude-soonsup-bell-tottenham-hotspur-academy
Spurs signed Soonsup-Bell from Chelsea in the January transfer window, with the teenager already possessing quite a reputation from his time at Stamford Bridge.
Even league champions Man City were thought to be interested in the forward before he opted to join Spurs, highlighting his obvious ability, but it appears he won’t be able to showcase his potential in the academy until next season.
According to Spurs expert John Wenham, writing via his Lilywhites Rose social media account, Soonsup-Bell will now miss the rest of this campaign after tearing his hamstring.
He explained:
Who is Soonsup-Bell?
The England Under-18 international has been a brilliant player at youth level for both Chelsea and Spurs, with Blues U18 coach Ed Brand raving over Soonsup-Bell in an interview, stating:
“Jude is a top goalscorer. He showed great composure to get the ball out of his feet and finish well when he got his chance. He is a fantastic player at this level and he should be really proud.”
While he is arguably yet to truly showcase that in a Spurs shirt, the potential to succeed at Tottenham is certainly there, having racked up five goal contributions (four goals and an assist) in 14 Premier League 2 appearances before his injury.
Spurs will be hoping his recovery goes as smoothly as possible with hamstring issues known to be problematic depending on the severity.
كشف نادي الإسماعيلي، عن سفر المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم إيهاب جلال إلي الولايات المتحدة الأمريكة، بعد الخسارة أمس الإثنين، من الداخلية في كأس الرابطة المصرية.
الإسماعيلي خسر أمام الداخلية، بهدف دون رد، في المباراة التي أقيمت ضمن منافسات الجولة الأولي من عمر مواجهات المجموعة الثالثة لبطولة كأس الرابطة المصرية.
ووفقاً للموقع الرسمي للإسماعيلي، كشف عن مغادرة إيهاب جلال، مساء أمس الإثنين، متوجها إلى الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، لحضور دورة تدريبية سريعة بلوس أنجلوس.
طالع.. فيديو | تونجي يقود الداخلية للفوز على الإسماعيلي في كأس الرابطة
ويعمل إيهاب جلال على التطوير الدائم لكافة الأمور الفنية، حيث يحرص على حضور الكثير من الدورات من أجل الاطلاع على كافة الأمور الحديثة في عالم التدريب.
ومن المقرر أن يعود المدير الفني من الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، قبل مباراة سيراميكا كليوباترا المقرر لها يوم 17 يناير الجاري، على ستاد الإسماعيلية، ضمن كأس الرابطة.
ويلتقي الإسماعيلي مع سيراميكا كليوباترا، في الجولة الثانية من عمر منافسات بطولة كأس الرابطة المصرية.
ويتواجد الإسماعيلي في المجموعة الثالثة من بطولة كأس الرابطة المصرية، كل من سيراميكا كليوباترا وإنبي والداخلية.
تفقد الجهاز الفني ولاعبو منتخب مصر الأول عصر اليوم الجمعة استاد “فيليكس هوفويت بوانيي” المستضيف لمباريات الفراعنة في بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا 2023 المقرر انطلاقها مساء غد السبت.
ويستهل منتخب مصر مبارياته في كأس أمم إفريقيا، بمواجهة موزمبيق يوم الأحد 14 يناير، في الجولة الأولى.
وأكد الاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة القدم في اجتماعه بمسؤولي منتخب مصر أن الفريق سيخوض كل التدريبات على ملعب جاردان بوتانيك كما هو متبع في البطولات المجمعة.
طالع أيضًا.. بي إن سبورت تعلن معلق مباراة مصر وغانا في كأس أمم إفريقيا 2023
تواجد خلال تلك الجولة التفقدية خالد الدرندلي نائب رئيس اتحاد الكرة ورئيس البعثة وحازم إمام عضو اتحاد الكرة والمشرف على المنتخب.
ويتواجد منتخب مصر في المجموعة الثانية لـ كأس أمم إفريقيا بجانب غانا والرأس الأخضر وموزمبيق.
When 2021/22 FA Cup and Carabao Cup champions Liverpool sank Manchester City in the dying embers of the 2022/23 curtain-raiser, the Community Shield, optimism was awash on Merseyside that previous feats could be replicated, and the club could look to take it one step further after an impressive but bitter end to the campaign.
With little over a week of the term to go, Jurgen Klopp's Reds were on course for a historic quadruple, unseen ever before on English soil.
Liverpool trailed Pep Guardiola's City by an infinitesimal distance and had soared into the Champions League finale to exact vengeance against the imperious Real Madrid.
So bitterly close; the Cityzens completed a remarkable turnaround on the closing day of the Premier League season to overcome a two-goal deficit against, ironically, Steven Gerrard's Aston Villa and Los Blancos extended their dominance in Europe's most coveted competition to leave Klopp and co enmeshed in dejection, falling short despite taking 24 shots to the LaLiga giants' four.
Instead of avenging the demons of the previous year and adding to the ever-expanding collection of silverware under Klopp's tutelage, Liverpool have collapsed like a shack in a storm, and there has been no golden sky to instil any shred of hope for much of the campaign.
With Liverpool fifth in the Premier League after 33 matches, seven points behind Manchester United (who have a game in hand), a six-year stint in the Champions League looks set to come to an end, and to exacerbate the woes, coveted midfield target Jude Bellingham is seemingly an unattainable target following revelations last month that a move would be detrimental to the planned summer overhaul of the club.
This comes as a blow packing the punch of a champion prizefighter for the expectant Reds support, who have witnessed just one permanent senior midfield signing – the £25m acquisition of pass master Thiago Alcantara – since the inception of the 2018/19 season.
There is, however, hope yet that Liverpool can return to former vigour despite the ostensible early defeat in the Bellingham race, with an unlikely man – that of Curtis Jones – perhaps assuming the boots many had projected Borussia Dortmund's "generational talent" to don – as hailed by Raphael Honigstein.
Who is Curtis Jones?
22-year-old Jones has endured a somewhat tumultuous journey throughout his Liverpool career to date.
A boyhood Red, the versatile midfielder has scored nine goals and supplied 11 assists across 92 appearances since making his debut in 2019, and despite gleaning the whole gamut of trophies under Klopp's wing, has failed to cement a starting berth in the team with regularity.
This is not to bemoan his skill set, Jones is an exciting talent and a useful option for the ambitious Merseyside outfit, with the past two seasons hindered by injuries as he looks to stamp his authority and take the next step in his career.
However, with Liverpool exhibiting greater control over recent weeks and showing signs of the verve that had evaporated like mist on a windowpane for much of this stricken season, Jones' importance cannot be understated, having started the last six Premier League matches in succession – scoring a goal and assist apiece.
Currently valued at just £18.5m by Football Transfers, Jones has been a forgotten man in the eyes of many fans of English football, but his recent exploits indeed not just reaffirm his potential in this Liverpool team but also why he can be the unlikely figure to soften the Bellingham blow.
Is Curtis Jones like Jude Bellingham?
Recently, pundit Paul Merson said: "I quite like Curtis Jones, but he's not a name, is he? He's not a £60-70m player. I like him. I think he does a good job and he doesn't let you down. But he's not a superstar."
This might well be true, and it would be ludicrous to state that Bellingham's desired role at Anfield can be solely claimed by Jones, who has been a peripheral, if promising figure over the past few seasons, but with recent exploits starting to illuminate the skills that the £15k-per-week gem can bring to the table, he could yet play an integral role for his outfit over the coming years.
Take, for example, the similarities between the compatriots.
As per FBref, the €150m (£132m) valued Bellingham ranks among the top 5% of midfielders for rate of goals, the top 8% for shot-creating actions, the top 8% for progressive passes, the top 1% for successful take-ons and the top 7% for blocks per 90 – truly the all-encompassing arsenal of a midfielder destined for the very top.
Jude Bellingham in action for Borussia Dortmund.
Jones yields a similarly dynamic scope, while not so prolific in front of goal, the maestro ranks among the top 9% of positional peers for shot-creating actions, the top 5% for pass completion, the top 5% for progressive carries, the top 18% for progressive passes and the top 13% for successful take-ons per 90.
And with Liverpool's star boasting a match average of 2.41 tackles – the very same rate as the Yellow Wall's prized asset, it's clear he is growing into his skin as an assured and varied midfield outlet, hailed as the "complete #8" by one analyst & scout.
With Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner all looking set for a departure at the end of their respective contracts in a matter of months, it's a given that Liverpool will bolster the ranks with a torrent of acquisitions to replenish the centre of the park.
Captain Jordan Henderson and the aforementioned Thiago are also both 32 years old, and the youth of Jones could be imperative in cultivating balance and uniformity in the side, especially given the expected arrivals of several new faces.
Providing Jones with greater responsibility would also enhance the club's prospects of clinching the right signatures on the transfer front; with the 12-cap England U21 international's place in Klopp's squad complemented by the prodigious 18-year-old Stefan Bajcetic, the club can take meticulous care over their summer pursuits, emboldened by the knowledge that dynamic options already exist and can provide sturdy support when called upon.
He could be the "Gini-like" signing – as per 90min's Grizz Khan – Liverpool really need to steady the ship, with Gini Wijnaldum a resounding success at Anfield after flourishing in his industrious midfield role for the club, playing 237 matches and serving as a centrepiece to the triumphs of Klopp's reign.
Only time will tell if Jones can truly quell the concerns over the ostensible defeat in the race for Bellingham, but if his recent form can indeed be maintained, he could play a major role in his boyhood club's return to the forefront after a year littered with strife and suffering.