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دافع تييري هنري، أسطورة نادي آرسنال والكرة الفرنسية، عن نجم ليفربول، محمد صلاح، وذلك على هامش الانتقادات التي يتعرض لها الدولي المصري خلال الفترة الأخيرة من هذا الموسم.

وانهالت الانتقادات على محمد صلاح هذا الموسم، وذلك في ظل عدم تمكن الدولي المصري من تقديم المستوى المطلوب مع ليفربول وتراجع مردوده بالفعل.

ولم يستطع محمد صلاح سوى تسجيل هدفين فقط في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز خلال 8 مشاركات مع ليفربول هذا الموسم.

ويرى هنري في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “ديلي ميرور”، أنه من الصعب أن يكون اللاعب نجم الفريق، موضحًا أن محمد صلاح يتحمل انتقادات زائدة عن الحد بالنسبة له.

طالع .. كوكي عن إلغاء مباراة برشلونة وفياريال في أمريكا: طالبنا بالشفافية فقط

وقال هنري: “ليس من السهل دائمًا أن تكون اللاعب الرئيسي ونجم الفريق، لأنه من الواضح كما ترون عندما لا يسجل محمد صلاح، يخسر ليفربول أيضًا، لكن بعض اللاعبين قد يظهرون أحيانًا بشكل جيد وليس بالضرورة أن يكون صلاح دائمًا في الصورة”.

واختتم هنري في حديثه عن محمد صلاح: “لم يكن دائمًا يسجل، ولكن في أغلب الأحيان يسجل ثم يفوز ليفربول، انظر إلى النتائج، لقد سدد محمد صلاح في القائم ثلاث مرات هذا الأسبوع، كان من الممكن أن يكون الأمر أفضل بالنسبة له، إن الأمر بالتأكيد ليس سهلًا عليه ولا على الفريق”.

ليفربول يستعد اليوم الأربعاء لخوض مباراة مرتقبة أمام أينتراخت فرانكفورت، وذلك لحساب منافسات الجولة الثالثة من مرحلة الدوري في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويسعى ليفربول لتحقيق الفوز على فرانكفورت ومصالحة جماهيره، بعدما خسر الفريق في أربع مباريات متتالية بكافة المسابقات، وهو أمر لم يحدث منذ عام 2014.

da bet nacional： Oliver Glasner is now pushing Crystal Palace to sign a “warrior” centre-back as a possible replacement for Marc Guehi, according to a recent report.

Crystal Palace’s transfer plans beginning to take shape

da apostaganha： The Eagles still remain in the dark about whether or not they will be able to play in the Europa League next season. Due to issues around multi-club ownership, UEFA may make the decision to remove Palace from the Europa League, which would be a huge blow not only on the pitch but in the boardoom, limiting what business takes place this summer.

Related Crystal Palace now keen to hijack 21 y/o gem who's the 'next Upamecano'

The Eagles could get one over on their rivals.

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But while Palace wait to find out the verdict, club chiefs are continuing to work hard behind the scenes to identify players who they think will help them compete both in the Premier League and Europe. Indeed, it came to light over the weekend that Palace have made an ambitious approach to sign Ousmane Diomande from Sporting CP.

The South Londoners have made an enquiry to get an understanding of a potential deal, with the Portuguese club said to be looking to get around £40 million.

As well as looking at Diomande, Palace are also lining up ways of strengthening their midfield, and it’s been claimed that Kalvin Phillips is now a genuine target for the Eagles. Phillips is looking to leave Manchester City this summer, but his wages may be a stumbling block.

Glasner wants Crystal Palace to sign Pavlovic

The Eagles are not keeping their defensive options just down to Diomande, as according to The Sun, Crystal Palace are also looking at signing Strahinja Pavlovic from AC Milan.

The report states that Glasner is a big fan of the defender, and the boss believes Pavlovic would be an ideal arrival for European football next season.

It is claimed that Milan value the centre-back around the £40 million mark, but were Palace to make a move this summer, they would look to start the bidding on the cheap, at around £25 million.

Not only could Pavlovic’s arrival at Selhurst Park be seen as adding more competition, but he could also be seen as a player who could replace Guehi. The England defender has been linked with a move away for the last 12 months, and commenting on Palace’s own links to Diomande, reports in Lisbon believe Newcastle are now close to signing Guehi.

Strahinja Pavlovic’s 24/25 Serie A stats

Apps

24

Starts

21

Goals

2

Assists

1

Touches

67.8

Passing accuracy per game

50.0 (89%)

Clean sheets

7

Interceptions per game

0.7

Tackles per game

2.2

Balls recovered per game

2.8

Dribbled past per game

0.9

Clearances per game

3.3

Palace value Guehi at least the £50 million mark, so his departure would likely pay for the arrival of Diomande or Pavlovic, who has been dubbed a “warrior” by scout Jacek Kulig, standing at 6 foot 4. The Serbia international has played 19 times in the Champions League and 10 times in the Europa League in his career, so he would be bringing European experience with him should he move to Selhurst Park.

While Arsenal have plenty of talented players in their squad, there is one star who most fans would now class as their best: Bukayo Saka.

The Hale End icon has become a lean, mean output machine in recent seasons, as even though he missed over three months of action this year, he ended the campaign with a sensational haul of 12 goals and 14 assists in 37 games.

Unfortunately, Mikel Arteta’s options for off the left have not been nearly as effective, with Gabriel Martinelli chalking up 16 goal involvements in 51 games and Leandro Trossard doing marginally better with 20 in 56 games.

So, with that in mind, it’s hardly been a surprise to see the club linked with a host of brilliant left-wingers in recent weeks, with one of the most notable links being to Rodrygo – although recent reports have now touted a player compared to the Brazilian and Saka for a move to Arsenal this summer.

Arsenal transfer news

As mentioned, the last few weeks and months have seen Arsenal linked with many talented left-wing options, from the versatile Xavi Simons at RB Leipzig to the soon-to-be free agent of Leroy Sané.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Yet, one of the names that has caused the most excitement among the fans, and understandably so, has been Rodrygo.

The 24-year-old has won all there is to win in the club game with Real Madrid, and according to most reports from the last month or so, could be available for around £85m unless something changes with new boss Xabi Alonso.

However, with the required fee being so high, it’s unsurprising to see the club continue to be linked with other options, and now someone who has been compared to Saka and the Brazilian has reentered the frame in a big way.

According to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal have retained their intense interest in Nico Williams.

In fact, the report has now revealed that the Gunners are ‘very close to signing’ the Athletic Bilbao star, despite the La Liga side’s desire to keep him for another season.

The report has revealed that for the North Londoners to get their man, whom Arteta has made ‘a priority,’ they’ll have to pay his release clause, which, according to stories from earlier this week, stands at about £50m.

While it would be a lot of money to spend on a 22-year-old, it would be more than worth it thanks to his ability and the comparisons to Saka and Rodrygo.

How Williams compares to Saka & Rodrygo

So before addressing the other reasons why Arsenal might want to sign Williams this summer, it’s important to examine these comparisons to Saka and Rodrygo and where they come from.

In both cases, they stem from FBref, which compares players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, and then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each.

In this instance, it was concluded that the Brazilian was the most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Spaniard across the last 365 days, while the Englishman was the tenth most similar.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.35

0.32

Non-Penalty G+As

0.45

0.51

Progressive Carries

5.32

5.28

Shots

2.43

2.52

Shots on Target

0.86

0.93

Expected Assists

0.19

0.20

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.31

1.21

Shot-Creating Actions

5.05

4.95

Blocks

0.90

0.84

The best way to understand how these conclusions were reached is by looking at the underlying numbers in which the players rank closely, which, in the case of the Real Madrid star, include metrics like non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive carries, shots and shots on target, passes into the penalty area and more, all per 90.

For the Gunners’ gem, the metrics in which he’s incredibly similar to the Bilbao star include things like tackles won, clearances, carries into the penalty area and non-penalty goals per 90, suggesting he can do some of the defensive work the Englishman so often carries out for the Gunners.

Non-Penalty Goals

0.23

0.26

Tackles Won

0.81

0.78

Clearances

0.41

0.42

Carries

31.4

32.7

Carries into the Penalty Area

2.61

2.66

Aerial Duels Won

0.50

0.52

On top of these flattering and incredibly encouraging comparisons to two of the best wingers around, Arteta and Co should also be going all out to sign the 22-year-old “level-raiser,” as dubbed by data analyst Ben Mattinson, because he’s a reliable source of goals and assists.

For example, since the start of last season, the Pamplona-born dynamo has scored 19 goals and provided 25 assists in 82 appearances, which comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 1.86 games.

Ultimately, while some fans may prefer the bigger name in Rodrygo, it looks like Arsenal are on track to sign one of the most exciting wingers in the game in Williams, and given his age, there is plenty of scope for him to get even better.

Their answer to Cherki: Arsenal close in on first summer signing for £38m

The incredible prospect could be sensational at Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 5, 2025

Ian Bell, who last played for England in 2015, proved to be a surprise pick, while Shahid Afridi found a new home and Brendon McCullum was overlooked

Umar Farooq20-Nov-2018If Pakistan’s fourth-innings implosion against New Zealand on Monday was a poor warm-up, the Pakistan Super League 2019 draft lost much of its sheen to the PCB’s case against the BCCI being dismissed by the ICC dispute panel on Tuesday. However, the semblance of attention the draft received, as the glittery ceremony unfolded in Islamabad, came via its most celebrated pick – AB de Villiers – going to Lahore Qalandars, followed by the ‘Sixth Team’, formerly Multan, snapping up the banned Australia batsman Steven Smith.Aside from de Villiers and Smith, the focus was on veterans Shahid Afridi and Misbah-ul-Haq, as both had been released by their former franchises, making it tough for both players to remain relevant. Although Afridi’s chances of recruitment had been slim in the lead-up to the draft, the Sixth Team bought him in the Platinum category – the highest-paid bracket. Misbah reneged on his agreement with Islamabad United as a mentor to make himself available to be picked up Peshawar Zalmi in the Diamond category.The 36-year-old Ian Bell, who last played for England in 2015, proved to be the most surprising pick, by Islamabad United. A prolific season in county cricket was perhaps one of the factors that clinched the deal for Bell. Although thin on T20 experience in England colours, Bell flourished in the format in the last three years, amassing 1551 runs in 50 matches, at an average of 37.83 and a strike rate of 131. He has also played in the Big Bash with Perth Scorchers. ESPNcricinfo understands that Bell was seen as a like-for-like replacement for JP Duminy, given his ability to accumulate runs in a largely risk-free manner, in a team otherwise replete with power-hitters.Until last night, Lahore Qalandars were faced with a difficult choice between de Villiers and Smith – both red-hot picks of the season. They went with de Villiers, but later in the opening Platinum round, also picked Mohammad Hafeez, who was released by Peshawar Zalmi. They have retained spinner Yasir Shah, who was also part of the side through the last three seasons. They bolstered their legspin contingent with the addition of Nepal’s Sandeep Lamichhane, in the Gold category.The biggest omission from the top five categories was Pakistan batsman Ahmed Shehzad, who is currently serving his doping ban but is set to return to action later this month. He was classified in the Gold category but was overlooked by all teams, before being relegated to the Silver category, where, too, his fate remain unchanged. However, Quetta Gladiators, who released him for the third season, picked him in the supplement category among four extra players.Abdul Razzaq and Imran Nazir, both on a quest to revive their careers, entered the draft but remain unpicked, as were Umar Gul and Salman Butt. The major miss, however, was former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum. Among the younger lot, 20-year-old Ibtisam Sheikh, a legspinner who was originally released by Pesawar Zalmi, made it back to their squad.

Also: Has anyone lost more Tests at an overseas venue than Tendulkar has at the MCG?

Steven Lynch21-Jan-2020Marnus Labuschagne did not bat, bowl or take a catch in his first one-day international – yet Australia won it by ten wickets. Has anyone else managed this feat? asked Andrew Balding from Australia
I was quite surprised to discover that Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne, against India in Mumbai last week, became the 37th player to finish on the winning side in his first one-day international without batting, bowling or taking a catch. The list is headed by none other than Viv Richards, who had a quiet time for West Indies against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford during the first World Cup in 1975. The list also includes Jeremy Coney, Mark Waugh, Jonty Rhodes, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Mushfiqur Rahim.Only one of the other 36 instances, though, ended in a ten-wicket win (Richards’ was by nine, as were four of the others). By a remarkable coincidence, the man concerned in that one – South Africa’s Martin van Jaarsveld – was, like Labuschagne, born in Klerksdorp, about 100 miles from Johannesburg. In van Jaarsveld’s first ODI, in Benoni in 2002-03, South Africa beat Bangladesh by ten wickets. He did, however, effect a run-out in Bangladesh’s innings.For the full list of the players who finished on the winning side in their first ODI without batting, bowling or taking a catch, click here.Mark Wood hit five sixes in the third Test, but scored only 12 other runs. Was this the lowest Test score to include five sixes? asked William Green from England
Rather surprisingly perhaps, Mark Wood’s 42 for England in Port Elizabeth last week comes in only third on this particular list. The record was set just two months ago, also against South Africa: Umesh Yadav clouted five sixes in Ranchi, but was out for 31 (from just ten balls). Two months before that, Kemar Roach belted five sixes in a defiant 38 for West Indies against India in Antigua.Umesh Yadav smashed five sixes in his 10-ball 31 against South Africa in Ranchi last year•BCCIThe recent ODI at Rajkot featured nearly 650 runs but no individual hundreds – was this a record? And what would be the equivalent record without a half-century? asked V Siddhesh from India
The match aggregate of 644 runs in last week’s one-day international in Rajkot, in which Shikhar Dhawan and Steve Smith both fell just short of centuries, stands fourth on this particular list. Top is the 656 runs in the match between South Africa (326 for 3) and Australia (330 for 7) in Port Elizabeth in 2001-02, when the highest individual score was Ricky Ponting’s 92 (Darren Lehmann made 91).The others to shade the Rajkot game were India (329 for 7) v England (320 for 8) in Bristol in 2007 (649 runs, including 99 by Sachin Tendulkar), and England (351 for 9) v Pakistan (297) at Headingley in 2019 (648; Sarfraz Ahmed 97). In all, there have now been 23 ODIs that featured 600 or more runs but no individual centuries.The most runs in an ODI without a half-century is 468, by England (243) and West Indies (225) in Chennai during the 2011 World Cup, when the highest individual score was 49 by Andre Russell.Sachin Tendulkar lost five Test matches at the MCG. Is this the highest number of defeats for a player at one venue overseas? asked Nirad from India
Sachin Tendulkar is one of 11 players who have had the misfortune to lose five Tests at a single overseas venue. The England pair of Jack Hobbs and Tom Hayward also lost five in Melbourne, while Willie Bates, Johnny Briggs, Wilfred Rhodes, Herbert Strudwick and Frank Woolley (all England) lost five in Sydney, as did South Africa’s Jacques Kallis, whose tally includes the Super Series Test for the World XI at the SCG in 2005. Two early Australians, Jack Blackham and Syd Gregory, finished on the losing side five times at The Oval.But the great Surrey and England opener Jack Hobbs leads the way here, as he lost six Tests in Sydney – in 1907-08 and 1911-12, and twice each in 1920-21 and 1924-25. Hobbs did, however, finish on the winning side five times in Melbourne – a record matched for overseas Tests only by Johnny Briggs, with five wins for England in Sydney. It should be pointed out that Ashes tours down under until the late 1920s usually included two matches in both Sydney and Melbourne.Following on from last week’s question about the most balls faced by a batsman in a T20 match, what’s the record for a one-day international? Has anyone faced more than Rohit Sharma’s 173? asked Ninad Parab from Canada
Rohit Sharma faced 173 balls in making his ODI-record 264 for India against Sri Lanka in Kolkata in November 2014. That was the longest innings in a 50-over ODI, beating the previous record by one – Ashish Bagai made 137 not out from 172 balls for Canada against Scotland in Nairobi in 2006-07.However, there were four longer innings (and another of 173 balls) in the days when an ODI innings lasted 60 overs rather than 50. On the opening day of the inaugural World Cup, in 1975, Glenn Turner batted for 201 balls in making 171 not out for New Zealand against East Africa at Edgbaston. Turner also lies second on this list, with 114 not out from 177 balls a week later, against India at Old Trafford. For the full list, click here.Use our feedback form or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

Third fifty of this campaign sees her side home by six wickets at Lord’s

ECB Reporters Network06-Jun-2024

Paige Scholfield on her way to fifty•Getty Images

South East Stars 118 for 4 (Scholfield 50*, Grewcock 2-18) beat Sunrisers 116 for 8 (Miller 39*, Jones 2-13, Stonehouse 2-17) by six wicketsPaige Scholfield continued her rich vein of form as South East Stars cantered to a six-wicket win over hosts Sunrisers at Lord’s to remain unbeaten in this season’s Charlotte Edwards Cup.The South African-born allrounder – currently only able to bat because of an ongoing niggle – and who had made two half-centuries already in the campaign, made her third in finishing 50 not out, reaching the landmark with the winning hit, her eighth four.In truth, the chase for 117 was not an arduous one, Sunrisers having earlier been restricted to 116 for 8, Emma Jones with 2 for 13 and Alexa Stonehouse with 2 for 17 the principal wicket takers, while teenage starlet Tilly Corteen-Coleman got a wicket with her first ball of the game for the second time in the tournament. Flo Miller produced the only resistance with 39 not out from 45 balls.Sunrisers were soon in trouble. Shortly after steering the first boundary of the innings through third, skipper Grace Scrivens slashed one from Stonehouse straight to point.Corteen-Coleman bowled Alice Macleod and Sunrisers’ leading scorer in the tournament Jo Gardner then spooned Stonehouse to Sophia Dunkley at cover to depart for only 1.Mady Villiers sparkled briefly with two fours and a five from an overthrow in her 14, but when she chipped Jones to Phoebe Franklin at midwicket the hosts were in disarray at 27 for 4.That they mustered any sort of score was largely down to Miller, who played the only of innings of substance, sending a full toss from Franklin to the fence before later pulling a short one from Jones down to the Tavern boundary.Others came and went. Jodi Grewcock contributing to her own downfall with a sloppy piece of running which saw her run out by Corteen-Coleman’s direct hit, while Jones picked up a second wicket with a caught-and-bowled to see the back of Eva Gray.Dunkley (24) was quickly into stride, caressing one through the covers in the opening over of the Stars’ reply before dancing down the pitch to strike the spin of Villiers back over the top.Skipper Smith, scratchy at first, caught the mood, twice depositing short balls from Gray to the midwicket boundary. However, both departed in the same over from Grewcock, Dunkley stumped by Amara Carr as she again ventured down the wicket, while Smith nicked one through to the keeper.Jones, promoted to four, should have departed in the next over, only for two fielders to collide meaning a simple catch at mid-on was grassed. The Cambridge University student of veterinary surgery failed to profit from the life, holing out in the deep soon afterwards.Stars, though, were ahead of the rate and simply needed a steady hand on the tiller and not for the first time in the campaign that proved to be Schofield, who swept and pulled with authority in another sparkling knock. And while Phoebe Franklin departed before the end, Stars sauntered home.

They only played together in two of Pakistan’s 11 losses in a row, and their tandem act contributed significantly to ending that losing streak

Osman Samiuddin06-Jun-2019No wise man ever said that legspin and left-arm pace make the world right. Let’s just say that that speaks more to the wisdom of Pakistani men in particular, given how right their world has always looked with one of each.The simple fact of Mohammad Amir and Shadab Khan playing together in only two of Pakistan’s 11 losses in a row was not an insignificant contributor to their world being so wrong recently. Since the Champions Trophy final, where both were so key, they’ve played together in less than half of Pakistan’s ODIs. And the fact that they finally both bowled against England was, it follows, a fairly significant contributor to the ending of that losing streak.The pair took four wickets between them including the two, five overs apart, of Joe Root and Jos Buttler. That was the winning of the game. It was a collective bowling triumph – this was a bowling side that had the second-highest average coming into the World Cup and worst strike rate (from January 2018). They were also, on average, taking the fewest wickets per match.Hasan Ali was in a rut, Shaheen Afridi’s youth was catching up with him, Mohammad Hasnain was exciting but the time when rawness worked as surprise was gone two decades ago, and Wahab Riaz was on holiday until two weeks ago. This wasn’t an attack that looked like it could defend 348 precisely because it hadn’t only earlier this month.Mohammad Amir sends back Jos Buttler•Getty ImagesBut the individual wins can’t be ignored. Amir had gone through a drought unlike any in his career, and it had driven him mad – as much from the criticism as from the frustrations of bowling adequately but not picking up wickets. Who’d have blamed him if he thought he was undergoing some kind of karmic retribution, now that the legal toll had been taken?The headline was that he swung that first ball and boy did he ever swing it, full and late, curving in and turning Jonny Bairstow, for one ball only, into a tailender. For many Pakistani fans, that alone was worth the admission price and they won’t be the only ones who will cling to its memory: at some point in this tournament, even if it is for just that first over, it’ll be something Amir and whoever he is bowling to will remember.The swing went quickly, but only for Amir to unveil the non-sexy bits. He’s always been a sharp reader of contests and batsmen, just that everything else has often overshadowed that. One instance was the set-up of Root. Two balls angled across him to start, but neither wide enough to let him breathe out, a quick, accurate bouncer to squeeze harder, another angled across but no room so that an inside-edged boundary was and wasn’t an exhale, and then the mirage: fuller and wider. Come and get me, I’m your oxygen.It played on a pattern in Root’s career, having worked him into a state before doing it. Babar Azam dropping it at slip was the fingerprint on this otherwise perfect, gleaming black mirror, but the dismissal of Buttler later was plenty consolation. Amir, unafraid to go wide despite having been twice slice-driven over mid-off off such deliveries, went this time with a cutter and so got a little extra bounce for the edge – both those sliced fours had come soon after Buttler was beaten by almost this exact delivery.One of the more curious observations about Amir since his return has come from Mickey Arthur, that Amir is a big-game gun. It’s curious because such assessments sound glib and reductive, and yet you see Amir as he was at Trent Bridge – the opponent, the crowd, the occasion – and you think maybe there’s something to it. He was completely on, the eyes alive, body and mind primed, the pace up. It’s a tiny sample size, because Pakistan don’t play that many big games: a couple against India, some Tests in England, but in those games is not the Amir 2.0 seen and bemoaned on many other days.Shadab Khan is pumped after taking a wicket•AFPShadab, in plainer words, is a wonder, and his impact right through England’s chase reaffirmed this. He’s Sarfaraz Ahmed’s go-to guy in the early death overs, and here again his three from the 39th to 43rd, for just runs (plus Root’s wicket), were game-breaking. He concedes just 4.66 per over from overs 36 to 45, and among spinners who’ve bowled in at least 20 innings in that phase since his debut, only Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman (who have bowled a lot more overs against lower-quality opponents) have been more economical.It was those opening overs, though, where he self-corrected so quickly after a poor first over, that speak of the expanse of his gifts. He doesn’t like bowling with the new ball and the few times he’s done it – in T20s – results have been mixed enough for him to not be especially confident about it. Neither can it have been easy to be the legspinner to open against England in this tournament, the element of surprise long gone, and the chances of ending up a cheap, desperate imitation high. Still he pulled it off.Intriguingly he bowled only six googlies, intriguing because his wrong ‘un is a really good ‘un, and the days of using it sparingly to retain mystery are long past us. The white-ball googly is as abundant as it is successful. But he made up for it with what appears to be a new variation, one he is said to have been working on ever since Thisara Perera hit him for 22 in four balls in Lahore nearly two years ago.Shahid Afridi had a fun quicker ball but he generally delivered that seam-up, and it doubled up as a reminder that he could’ve been a proper fast bowler. Shadab’s been taking tips from Afridi but on close observation, the quick ball that did for Joe Root – 69mph – seemed to be delivered as a leg-break, or leg-cutter; that is, difficult as hell to pull off.To do it at the moment that he did – Root already on 107 and the game tipping wildly towards England – was a moment of genius. Won’t be his last either.

Fulham have now made their first move to sign a “special” player on a free transfer for manager Marco Silva, according to a new report.

Fulham’s summer transfer plans

It has been another impressive campaign for the Cottagers, as they remain firmly in the race to finish in a European spot. The Premier League side have nine games remaining in the top flight to secure European football for next season, but they also have the FA Cup, where success could see them into the Europa League.

Fulham considering move to sign £6m+ a year Premier League player for free

Fulham are among the Premier League teams chasing a soon to be free agent.

By
Brett Worthington

Mar 6, 2025

Securing European football for next season would be a huge boost to Fulham, as not only will it increase their transfer budget for the summer, but it could also mean they have a better chance of retaining Silva, who has emerged as a top target for the Tottenham job should Ange Postecoglou be sacked.

In terms of transfers, it’s already been reported that Fulham are keeping a close eye on Tammy Abraham’s situation ahead of the summer, as he looks set to leave AS Roma, following a disappointing loan spell at AC Milan. However, they are not the only team from the Premier League interested in signing the former Chelsea striker.

As well as looking at adding to their attacking options, the Cottagers are also looking at improving their defence and are considering making an offer to Victor Lindelof, who looks set to become a free agent at the end of the campaign.

Fulham make move to sign "special" ace on free transfer

Lindelof is not the only player set to become a free agent who is on the club’s radar, as TBR Football report that Fulham have held talks over the signing of Angel Gomes, who is set to leave Lille at the end of the season.

The report states that the Cottagers have made Gomes a target for the summer, as they believe he would be the perfect fit for Silva and his system at Craven Cottage. However, Fulham are not the only team interested in signing the Englishman, as more than 10 clubs have held discussions about a move.

But Fulham are firmly in the mix to sign Gomes and have held talks of their own over a potential deal to London. The Cottagers also hope the potential arrival of the England international could help convince Silva to reject any approach that may come from Tottenham.

Angel Gomes’ 24/25 Ligue 1 stats
Apps	14
Starts	10
Minutes per game	53
Goals	1
Shots per game	0.6
Assists	1
Touches per game	30.7
Big chances created	4
Key passes per game	1.0
Passing accuracy per 90	20.6 (82%)
Balls recovered per 90	1.4

The 24-year-old, who has been dubbed “special” by French manager Jocelyn Gourvennec, struggled to make an impact at Manchester United, but his move to Lille has really helped his career.

The midfielder, who can also operate as a more advanced player, has scored 10 goals and recorded 19 assists in 134 games for the French side. This season, Gomes has found himself in and out of the team, so his impact in front of goal has been rather minimal, but this hasn’t put Fulham off, as they see him as someone who could be a real difference maker for Silva.

Reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has shared a “really important” update on Aston Villa and their chances of signing Marcus Rashford permanently this summer, with the England international currently enjoying a new lease of life under Unai Emery.

Marcus Rashford praised since joining Aston Villa

After being left out in the cold by Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford, the 27-year-old opted to pursue a different club in January.

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Rashford was linked with a Man United exit for months, before Villa eventually took the bait and signed him on loan with an option to buy for around £40 million – a move which NSWE and Monchi will be overjoyed with.

Since putting pen to paper on a temporary move to the Midlands, Rashford has worked his way back into the England fold with four assists from nine appearances in all competitions and some truly impactful performances.

Player

Average match rating

Youri Tielemans

7.05

Marcus Rashford

6.96

Morgan Rogers

6.83

Tyrone Mings

6.80

Marco Asensio

6.79

“The Holte End have a new hero,” said Sky pundit Jamie Redknapp after Rashford’s excellent substitute appearance in a 2-1 win over Chelsea.

“That sub made all the difference. He was fantastic. Rashford came on, he gave energy, enthusiasm, everything we want to see from him. The running, the desire… he was excellent. He gave them that impetus to put Chelsea on the back foot.

“Right now, he looks like he is loving every second of it. He’s involved, he’s showing enthusiasm – all the things that were thrown at him at Man Utd, he is now doing the opposite. And he’s got sweat on his face and he’s not jogging around like ‘I don’t want to be here’. He looks like he wants to be in that claret and blue shirt.”

His impressive form means Villa could even face competition from the likes of Bayern Munich for Rashford’s signature this summer, even if Emery’s side possess an option to trigger his buy clause.

Fabrizio Romano shares "really important" Marcus Rashford update

Now, speaking on GiveMeSport’s Market Madness, respected reporter Romano has shared an update on Villa’s plans to sign Rashford permanently.

He claims that Villa’s finances will be “really important” in determining whether they’ll trigger the £40m buy option, but in any case, the journalist expects him to remain beyond 2024/25.

“Aston Villa are very happy with Marcus Rashford in general,” said Romano.

“So I don’t think, in any case, if they decided to trigger the £40m option clause, I don’t think they would do that just to sell the player again.

“So in that case, I see Marcus Rashford staying at Aston Villa and having the opportunity to make something long-term with the club. What I can say about Marcus Rashford is that it’s going to be really important to understand financially what happens for Aston Villa.

“So now they’re obviously really focused on the quarter-finals of the Champions League, and to see what happens in the Premier League table from now to the end of the season. That’s going to be obviously really important, and then we will have to see financially.”

Afghanistan’s participation in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics is in the hands of the International Olympics Council (IOC), not the ICC. This is the view expressed by ICC’s chief executive officer Geoff Allardice, who was responding to how cricket’s governing body will tackle the challenge of Afghanistan women players being forced into exile since Taliban assumed power in 2021.In October the IOC approved the LA28’s recommendation of adding T20 cricket as a new sport, convinced by its popularity across the Commonwealth countries as well as the younger generation, along with the potential it brings for growth in markets such as the USA.In its proposal, the ICC had recommended a six-team event for both the men’s and women’s competitions which was approved by the IOC. By 2025, the LA28 and ICC will work out a competition structure as well as the way in which teams can qualify for the event.The LA28 organisers have stressed on gender equality at the Olympics, which normally sees participation from both genders in individual and team sports. However, Afghanistan currently do not have a women’s cricket team, with 22 out of the 25 contracted players moving overseas since the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021. There remains a chance, however, that the men’s team might take part in the event in five years’ time.”(In) the Olympic competition teams are fielded by the National Olympic Committees of those countries,” Allardice told the ‘s Stumped podcast. “As an international sporting federation, we position our sport with the LA28 organisers for inclusion. And the IOC and they (LA28) have included cricket. In terms of the position of the National Olympic Committee of Afghanistan, it’s probably something for the IOC to be able to address more accurately than me. But I know that they (IOC) have been following the progress or the developments there. Our position on cricket and supporting our member in Afghanistan is not dissimilar to those of other international sporting organisations.”Related

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In its communication with the Taliban government, the IOC has been emphasising that the country’s National Olympic Committee (NOC) will be in danger of suspension if access to sports for women continues to be restricted. The IOC has not cleared Afghanistan’s participation for the 2024 Paris Olympics.Addressing the IOC session in Mumbai in October, James Macleod, IOC head of Olympic Solidarity and National Olympic Committee Relations, said that there was a “tiny bit of progress” made which was evident in the Hangzhou Asian Games recently. Out of the 83 Afghan athletes, 17 were women. While it was the men who owned all five medals, the women athletes – all of whom reside overseas – competed in volleyball, athletics and cycling. They also had male and female flag bearers at the event.IOC president Thomas Bach had pointed out at the Mumbai session that the onus was on Afghanistan’s National Olympic Committee to show the progress it was making to ensure women cricketers were receiving encouragement and support to compete at all levels. “In this broader context, cricket will be considered in the end,” he saidAfghanistan men were part of the gold medal match in the Asian Games in the absence of the women’s team. Allardice, who traveled to Hangzhou, said that the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) had committed to developing women’s cricket when it was granted ICC’s Full Membership in 2017.”They were in the process of doing that through to 2021,” Allardice said. “And in 2021 the regime in the country changed and has brought in rules, laws that prohibit women from playing sport in the country. Whilst we have spoken with the Afghanistan Cricket Board and their position is that they have to operate within the laws of the country and the rules set by the government.”An ICC working group, led by its deputy chair Imran Khwaja, has been liaising with the Taliban government in the last year with the ultimate aim of helping women play cricket safely. “The question for the ICC board is do we support our member in their ability to promote cricket within the rules set by the government of the country? And view is yes,” Allardice said.As a Full Member, the ACB receives significant funding. As per the ICC’s financial distribution model for the next cycle (2024-27), the ACB will receive approximately USD 16.8 million as its share from the commercial earnings. Allardice said that the member boards had the autonomy to utilise the funds as they saw fit.”How those members distribute those funds and the use of that money is very much up to those members. With any of our members, we have a check and balance over how that money is distributed and whether it goes to certain contracts or other contracts. We don’t stipulate how that needs to be managed.”