During the 2024 Olympics, which began this weekend, Japan's Yuji Nishida paid tribute to Al-Nassr and Portugal star Ronaldo with a 'Suiii' celebration after scoring a point in volleyball. Of course, the celebration has been seen in multiple sports but it is always traced back to the ex-Real Madrid and Manchester United legend.
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Ronaldo's influence is undoubtedly astonishing but he has somewhat struggled to live up to his own standards in recent months. At the European Championship, he was twice reduced to tears, first after missing a penalty, and then following Portugal's exit at the hands of France.
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Ronaldo is preparing for the new season. He has yet to win a trophy for Al-Nassr but will hope to change that this season.
CSA president Chris Nenzani also confirms Graeme Smith is in ‘final talks’ to take up the position of director of cricket
Firdose Moonda07-Dec-2019CSA have appointed Dr Jacques Faul as acting CEO and are hopeful of unveiling former captain Graeme Smith as director of cricket on Wednesday. Faul replaces Thabang Moroe, who was suspended on Friday on allegations of misconduct, and whose presence was one of three reasons Smith withdrew interest in the position last month.At a press briefing on Saturday afternoon, CSA president Chris Nenzani confirmed Faul’s appointment, for a maximum period of six months, and that CSA and Smith are in “final talks,” for the role. As reported by ESPNcricinfo, Smith initially discussed the position with Moroe at a meeting mediated by former United Cricket Board (now CSA) managing director Ali Bacher on August 28. Smith was due to begin work on October 1.However, CSA then also interviewed suspended interim director of cricket Corrie van Zyl and former national selector Hussein Manack for the role, but identified Smith as their preferred candidate. On November 14, which was 11 weeks after his initial discussions, Smith had yet to receive a contract for consideration and issued a statement on social media making himself unavailable for three reasons which Nenzani recognised.”One, he said he does not trust the operation. Two, he said he does not believe he would have enough space to do the work he needed to do such that he could not guarantee there would be no political intervention as well as executive management interference. And three, he did not trust the CEO,” Nenzani said.Nenzani travelled to Cape Town to meet Smith, along with Moroe and independent board member Professor Shirley Zinn, who resigned this week. “It was a very cordial meeting. We addressed all the issues openly and said let’s move to a point where we are negotiating terms,” Nenzani said.Following Moroe’s suspension and guarantees of Smith’s independence, Nenzani is hopeful Smith will put pen to paper in the next three days and can begin work imminently so that South Africa can begin preparations for their series against England which starts on Boxing Day. “If you have your director of cricket in place, then your selection process is going to kick in and then your team preparation is going to kick in,” Nenzani said.Currently, South Africa do not have a confirmed selection panel or a date for the announcement of the squad (England named theirs earlier today) but it is expected that interim team director Enoch Nkwe, who took the team to India, will continue in the role.For Faul, Smith’s appointment would represent a step forward to start his tenure. “If he comes in now, at least there is some form of progress. That’s what we need. We need a competitive Proteas team on the field, its very, very important. We’ve got to get there,” Faul said.Graeme Smith looks set to become CSA’s new director of cricket•Getty ImagesBut even if Smith was to start immediately, Faul still has his work cut out for him. CSA are facing what many have described as their worst crisis since readmission which includes a severely strained relationship with the player body, the South African Cricketers Association (SACA), a lack of sponsors with Standard Bank announcing its decision not to renew after April 2020, and a mounting debt crisis. Fortunately, Faul has seen similar seven years ago.When he stepped into the same role in 2012, Standard Bank had pulled out, then-CEO Gerald Majola had been dismissed after the 2009 IPL bonus scandal, an independent judicial inquiry chaired by Judge Nicholson had issued instructions on how CSA’s board should be set up and the organisation’s reputation was on a knife edge. Faul saw them through to more stable times and though he has experience in this capacity, he acknowledged this time is not quite the same. “The challenges now are a little bit different. Then, we had Nicholson which was a clear pathway in what to do. In this case, there seems to be a lot of relationship problems that we need to sort out. It’s difficult to say which one is worse, they are different,” he said.To that end, he will have assistance in the form of former ICC CEO Dave Richardson, who was not able to accept the interim position but is willing to “offer support and be available when required,” according to Nenzani and from board resolutions intended to support the rebuilding process. After a meeting of the 14 provincial presidents that make up the Members’ Council last night, the board has been mandated to fix its relationship with SACA as a matter of priority. “The board will be putting in place a negotiating panel engaging the arm that is going to do the actual talking with SACA. We are going to inform SACA in due course so that we are able to move together on the basis of honesty,” Nenzani said.Nenzani did not confirm what this means for the proposed domestic restructure, which aims to eliminate the six-team franchise system and put in place a 12-team provincial structure. SACA claim 70 cricketers could lose their jobs as a result and have taken CSA to court. The case is ongoing.All that means CSA’s board remains in place despite reports on Friday night that at least half the provincial affiliates, seven, were in favour of the entire board being dismissed. Instead, the members’ council “supported and endorsed the board to continue in its role and move forward in its efforts to turn the organisation,” Nenzani said.CSA’s board lost three members this week, all independent directors, in the wake of the current crises and Nenzani said their positions will be filled once the nominations process has taken place. The situation in CSA’s office remains equally fluid. The fate of the seven suspended staff members including Moroe, van Zyl, COO Naasei Appiah, head of sales and sponsorships Clive Eksteen, finance manager Ziyanda Nkuta, procurement manager Lundi Maja, and administrator Dalene Nolan, will be decided by a disciplinary process which will be independently chaired and prosecuted.While that plays out, CSA’s focus needs to shift to the end of year tour. South Africa have lost five Tests in succession in 2019, have yet to collect any points in the World Test Championship and could face more retirements from senior personnel. Still, Nenzani remained bullish: “We will be ready to face England and we will give them a tough time,” he said.
West Ham United will meet Newcastle United on Tyneside to kick off the last phase of Premier League action, with the term's final international break now concluded.
David Moyes' side are seventh in the standings but are trailed by a host of heel-snapping rivals who wish to usurp their hold on European qualification, with Newcastle very much in that mix, four points behind with a game in hand.
West Ham United manager David Moyes looks dejected during a Premier League match.
Injuries might have ravaged the Magpies but West Ham certainly have their own issues to deal with. Edson Alvarez is suspended and Mohammed Kudus appears to have picked up a knock with Ghana, so some shuffling will be necessary at St. James' Park.
Why Edson Alvarez is so important
Alvarez signed for West Ham from Ajax in a £35m transfer last summer with the impossible task of replacing Declan Rice. Despite this, his tough-tackling and commanding performances have led The Athletic's Roshane Thomas to describe him as West Ham's "best summer signing."
His loss is big. Very big. Across the four Premier League matches he has not featured in this term, the Hammers have failed to win, drawing twice and losing twice.
Edson Alvarez for West Ham
As per Sofascore, the Mexican has completed 86% of his passes in the top flight this season, also averaging 2.6 tackles. 5.5 ball recoveries, 2.5 clearances and 4.9 successful duels per game.
No one offers the qualities he brings to the same table, not in the same way, not with the same prowess and steel. Kalvin Phillips was brought in to add some depth and mettle to the engine room, but he has quite remarkably struggled to succeed thus far.
vs Bournemouth (H)
1-1 draw
4/10
vs Manchester United (A)
3-0 loss
4/10
vs Arsenal (H)
6-0 loss
4/10
vs Nottingham Forest (A)
2-0 loss
3/10
vs Everton (A)
3-1 win
6/10
vs Burnley (H)
2-2 draw
3/10
As you can see above, he's not exactly been great across his Premier League appearances in a United shirt. Mistakes, lack of movement and rustiness have been prominent parts of a stuttering season for the England international, who has almost certainly lost his Three Lions' place ahead of the summer's European Championship.
He's won just 40% of his ground duels and averaged 1.1 tackles, 2.8 recoveries and 0.4 clearances per fixture in the Premier League this season too. Compared to Alvarez, it's pretty dire, accentuating his motionless efforts.
So then. Who should replace him? Indirectly, Ben Johnson's the man.
Why Ben Johnson must be unleashed vs Newcastle
At the risk of things getting a touch convoluted, 5 foot 9 Johnson must be chosen for a starting berth ahead of Phillips this afternoon, with the versatile wideman earning a place in the line-up as a knock-on from Kudus' likely absence.
With Kudus, lightning-sharp down the wing, missing out on his nation's recent matches with a shoulder injury sustained against Aston Villa, he may well start from the bench, meaning usual full-back Johnson could make his third display of the campaign further up the pitch, having started just four times in the Premier League in total.
Admittedly, these appearances both came during chastening defeats against Manchester United and Arsenal in February, but he produced a particularly eye-catching performance against the Red Devils, completing 94% of his passes, winning five ground duels and taking three shots, as per Sofascore.
Unleashing the fleet-footed Johnson, who has been described as a "wonderful professional" by Stuart Pearce, would hand West Ham a semblance of the style that Kudus brings, with James Ward-Prowse coming in to partner Tomas Soucek in the centre of the park, Lucas Paqueta assuming the No. 10 spot.
Worse than Haller: West Ham messed up with flop who's now worth only £860k
This player had been in excellent form before making the move to east London.
ByAngus Sinclair Mar 28, 2024
It's not ideal, but West Ham have weathered harsher storms and will be buoyed by the emphatic advance to the Europa League quarter-finals before the break, also well worth their money during a recent Premier League draw against Aston Villa.
It's not quite crunch time, but the stakes have been raised and Moyes will need to ensure he gets team selection right at this crucial stage.
Leeds United are currently top of the Championship table after their 2-0 win over Millwall at Elland Road last Sunday before the international break.
The Whites are battling to secure automatic promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, and the form of their attackers has been crucial to their success so far.
Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter, Patrick Bamford, Joel Piroe, Daniel James, and Wilfried Gnonto have all scored at least six league goals for the club this season.
Leeds forward Patrick Bamford.
Gnonto, after a difficult start to the campaign, has emerged as a huge goalscoring threat down the right flank for Leeds in 2024, and Daniel Farke may already have a homegrown replica of the Italian whiz in the form of exciting academy talent Connor Douglas.
Wilfried Gnonto's form this season
The former Inter prospect handed in a transfer request last summer after the Whites had rejected four offers from Premier League side Everton – the fourth of which was reportedly worth £25m.
Sky Sports claimed that the forward was unhappy at being denied the chance to return to the top-flight, which is why he requested a transfer from Elland Road, but Leeds were eventually able to keep hold of the talented gem.
Farke and the club may have wondered if they made the right call when the attacker only produced one goal and one assist in 21 appearances and six starts in the Championship during the first half of the season.
Leeds forward Wilfried Gnonto.
Since the start of February, Gnonto has started eight of the club's nine league games and contributed with an eye-catching six goals and one assist in those eight starts, along with one goal in two FA Cup matches during that period.
This means that the right-footed right winger has produced a goal every 1.57 games on average since the start of last month, which has taken his tally to eight goals in 35 games in all competitions this season.
Why Connor Douglas could be Wilfried Gnonto 2.0
Farke could unearth his next version of the Italian dynamo in U21s star Connor Douglas, who is also a goalscoring winger with the quality to find the back of the net on a regular basis.
The 18-year-old gem, who does not turn 19 until October, has caught the eye with his ability in the final third at both U18 and U21 level over the last two seasons.
Appearances
15
2
Goals
6
2
Assists
3
0
As you can see in the table above, Douglas was directly involved in nine goals in 15 outings in the U18 Premier League, and then earned himself a chance to impress for the U21s with two goals in two matches.
The exciting teenage marksman has been promoted to the U21s on a permanent basis this season and is on two goals in eight Premier League 2 outings so far.
This means that the Leeds whiz has plundered ten goals and three assists in 25 league games for the academy, at U18 and U21 level combined, since the start of last season – compared to Gnonto's eight strikes in 35 outings for the Whites this term.
Wilfried Gnonto
Douglas, who predominantly plays down the right wing, is still in the early stages of his U21s career and there is no immediate rush for him to emerge as a first-team option.
If he can continue to score and assist goals at an impressive rate for the academy, though, then Farke may look to bring him through as his next goalscoring right winger, like Gnonto.
Pep Guardiola has dropped a fresh hint on his Manchester City future, indicating he may be willing to stay beyond the end of this season.
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Guardiola has a contract until 2025City want him to extend at least until 2026The manager is seemingly not averse to the offerWHAT HAPPENED?
Guardiola's future has been the subject of much speculation as the Spaniard has been tipped to conclude his impressive spell at the Etihad next summer. After years of collecting numerous trophies, it seemed plausible that he would seek new challenges, maybe that of a national team as he harbours ambitions to be on the sidelines of a major international tournament.
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According to the the City board is actively working to retain Guardiola until 2026, which would mark a decade of his leadership at the club. Although it is not clear whether the manager remains open to extending his stay for an additional year after the expiry of his current contract, he insisted that he is refreshed after the summer break and is ready to give his all for a fifth consecutive Premier League title.
WHAT GUARDIOLA SAID
On the sidelines of a Puma block party near New York's Rockefeller Centre, Guardiola stated: "If you love what you do, why should I stop? I like it – as much now as when they hired me – so let’s go."
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According to several reports, The Football Association (FA) of England is lining up a bid for Guardiola and is even prepared to wait and see if he leaves City in 2025 before appointing a permanent successor to Gareth Southgate. They remain open to the possibility of appointing an interim manager in the meantime with Lee Carsley being considered as a strong contender.
Hosts fail to capitalise on bowlers’ discipline but don’t feel match has got away from them
George Dobell in Mount Maunganui21-Nov-2019New Zealand were left to rue missed opportunities after a day of hard work and few rewards at the Bay Oval.On a slow – some might say painfully slow – surface, New Zealand kept such a check on England’s scoring that, for much of the day, the run-rate barely rose much above two-an-over.But a couple of missed opportunities – not least a dropped chance offered by Ben Stokes on 63 – meant New Zealand were unable to capitalise on their bowlers’ discipline. Rory Burns also survived a chance on 37, when he edged the deserving Tim Southee between slip fielders who left the chance to one another while Burns might also have been given out had New Zealand reviewed an appeal for caught behind when he had 10. Replays suggested he had edged Trent Boult to the keeper, but New Zealand were unable to hear the edge in the blustery wind.Also read: Patience pays off in England’s new old-fashioned wayWhile Neil Wagner later insisted, with more than a little justification, that New Zealand were satisfied with the way they bowled and “fairly happy” with the match situation, he accepted such moments were “frustrating”.”By no stretch have they got away from us so I think we’re still fairly happy with where we are at,” he said. “It is frustrating when catches go down and those things happen, but we’re a close group and no-one drops a catch on purpose. It can happen.”Ben Stokes is a special talent and he is a bit of a freak at times. Everyone wants to get him out because you know how important a wicket he is.”When it’s windy it’s quite hard to hear those things [edges]. There was a little bit of a noise but it was a bob each way, you have to take that risk with reviews but also you want to keep hold of them for when you do need them.”I thought we bowled well today and stuck at it. I know that our bowlers have bowled way worse than that and had more luck.”Although New Zealand were able to gain more swing than was, perhaps, anticipated the slow nature of the pitch meant both sides were persuaded to take a fairly attritional approach to the game. And Wagner was quick to pay tribute to England’s patient batting.”They batted really well,” he said. “They showed lots of patience and left well. There was swing on offer throughout the day and everything we threw at them they played quite well. At times they had a bit of luck but you need a bit of luck sometimes in cricket. The toss was always going to be crucial. It tends to be nice to bat on on day one.”There may be questions about the role – or the usage – of spinner Mitchell Santner, though. He was not called upon to bowl until the 72nd over of the day and delivered only five overs on the day. He may yet win the game for New Zealand in the second innings – though it doesn’t seem especially likely; he’s taken 13 wickets in 10 Tests in New Zealand – but his lack of overs on the first day does increase the workload on his colleagues.Much of the burden was taken up by Colin de Grandhomme. In 19 disciplined overs he conceded only two boundaries and went at under one-and-a-half an over. He also claimed the wickets of both openers as he maintained a perfect length and gained just enough swing to threaten the edge of the bat.”He’s got good skills and, with the pitch being on the slow side and getting slower, his slight lack of pace makes it hard to force the gaps,” Rory Burns said. “The men in the ring become catching options and you have to wait to pick him off.”The pitch seems like it’ll probably get slower so it’s lending itself to quite attritional cricket. You’ve got to scrap in and get in.”Wagner added: “There’s a long way to go and a lot of cricket to play. It is hard to say if the pitch will deteriorate. There’s a lot of unknown factors at the ground. This is the first Test match here and in the domestic games we’ve played here it tends to dry out with the wind.”
India have named a 16-member squad for the five-match T20I series that will kick off their tour from January 24
ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jan-2020India have named a 16-member squad for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, which will kick off their tour from January 24. Rohit Sharma, who was rested for the recently concluded three-match series against Sri Lanka, is back in the squad as vice-captain. His direct replacement for the series, Sanju Samson, has been drafted out of the squad.An addition has also been made to the squad that played Sri Lanka, with fast bowler Mohammed Shami back in the T20I squad after playing one match against West Indies in December, which was his first since July 2017.Shami’s inclusion makes it three express fast-bowling options for India, with Jasprit Bumrah and Navdeep Saini retaining their places. Shardul Thakur, who was Man of the Match in the last T20I against Sri Lanka, and took five wickets in two matches in the series, rounds up the frontline seam options. Backing them up is the medium-pace of allrounder Shivam Dube.Sharma’s return and Shikhar Dhawan’s retention gives India three in-form opening options, while KL Rahul will also double up as the back-up wicketkeeper. The length of this series, however, may also prompt India to try all three of them together as they have before, with Virat Kohli acknowledging during the Sri Lanka series that he was open to batting lower than the top three if needed. In essence, that would mean Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant could see themselves in and out through the course of these five matches, depending on which top-three combination India chooses.Among the spinners, India have continued to go with one of every kind – Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Kuldeep Yadav have all kept their places in the squad.India T20I squad for New Zealand tour: Virat Kohli (capt.), Rohit Sharma (vice-capt.), KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant (wk), Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Navdeep Saini, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur
Leeds United's automatic promotion chances took a big hit on Saturday as they failed to pick up any points from their trip to the CBS Arena in the Championship.
The Whites were beaten 2-1 by Coventry City, who were 2-0 up inside 50 minutes thanks to goals from Haji Wright and Ellis Simms, and now sit third in the division.
They failed to make the most of Ipswich Town's 1-0 defeat to rivals Norwich City in the early kick-off on Saturday. A win would have moved them two points clear of the Tractor Boys, and they are now one behind with five games left to play for both teams.
Daniel Farke's side need to finish strongly and hope that Kieran McKenna's men slip up again along the way. Otherwise, they will need to go through the play-offs to secure promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
Daniel Farke before a game with Leeds United.
One player who needs to up his game over the coming weeks is former England international Patrick Bamford, who had a nightmare against Coventry.
The experienced marksman, as FFC explained on Sunday, had a howler with one 'big chance' missed and six of his eight duels lost during his time on the pitch.
Just under three years ago, Leeds decided to sell academy striker Rafa Mujica, and it now appears as though former sporting director Victor Orta fumbled the club's dream Bamford upgrade in doing so.
Rafa Mujica's Leeds story
The Whites swooped in to sign the young centre-forward on a free transfer from Spanish giants Barcelona, after his contract with the LaLiga side expired in the summer of 2019.
As per Leeds' announcement at the time, Mujica had scored seven goals in 33 games for Barcelona B during the 2018/19 campaign, which convinced the club to bring him in to strengthen Carlos Corberan's attacking options for the U23 side.
Over the next two seasons, the young marksman spent time on loan with Extremadura, Villarreal CF B, Real Oviedo, and UD Las Palmas and did not make a single appearance for Leeds at senior level.
Appearances
8
7
5
13
Goals
0
4
2
1
Assists
0
0
0
0
As you can see in the table above, the former Spain U21 international did not enjoy a successful time out on loan back in his home country, although he did manage seven goals in 12 appearances for Villarreal B and Real Oviedo combined.
In the summer of 2021, after two years at Elland Road, Mujica was sold to Las Palmas on a permanent deal for an undisclosed fee, having scored one goal in 13 matches on loan.
He spent one year with the Spanish side on a permanent basis before a move to Arouca in Portugal, where the 25-year-old star is currently outperforming Bamford.
Patrick Bamford's season in numbers
The 30-year-old striker has left a bit to be desired in front of goal with some less-than-impressive finishing in the Championship so far this season.
Bamford has found the back of the net seven times in 30 appearances in the division, with a goal every 189 minutes on average, for the Whites.
Those seven goals have come from an Expected Goals (xG) of 9.31, and this means that the attacker has underperformed his xG by 2.31 – the second most within the squad, only behind Georginio Rutter (-8.14).
Patrick Bamford in action for Leeds United in the Championship.
This shows that the former Chelsea academy graduate has not made the most of the opportunities that have come his way in the final third so far this term.
Bamford has only scored seven times in 30 appearances and scored two fewer than his xG suggests that he should have. His wasteful nature was costly against Coventry as he missed a 'big chance' and failed to score from 0.55 xG in a 2-1 loss for Leeds.
The Whites may now look back on their decision to part ways with the then-22-year-old Mujica back in 2021 as a mistake, as the talented finisher has gone on to develop into a quality centre-forward.
Why Rafa Mujica would be an upgrade on Patrick Bamford
The 25-year-old Arouca star produced 14 goals and one assist in 32 appearances in all competitions during his debut season with the Portuguese side last term.
During the current campaign, Mujica has racked up a staggering 21 goals and four assists in 33 outings in all competitions, whilst no Leeds player has scored more than Crysencio Summerville's 18 goals this season.
The Spanish whiz, who scored two goals against Braga on Saturday, has plundered an eye-catching 18 goals in 27 matches in the Portuguese top-flight.
Appearances
27
30
Sofascore rating
7.23
6.82
Goals
18
7
Assists
3
1
Goal conversation rate
18%
15%
As you can see in the table above, the former Leeds youngster has significantly outperformed Bamford in front of goal so far this season in their respective leagues, with far more goals, more assists, and a considerably higher Sofascore rating, in fewer appearances.
He has found the back of the net 18 times from an xG of just 14.76, which means that the Arouca marksman has outperformed his xG by 3.24 in total, whilst no Leeds player has outperformed their xG by more than 2.68.
Viktor Gyokeres, who played in the Championship for Coventry last season, has scored 22 goals from 17.24 xG (+4.76) for Sporting in Portugal this term and is reportedly valued at £68.5m ahead of the summer transfer window.
The Sweden international, who is the same age as Mujica, has only scored four more league goals than the ex-Leeds gem but is valued at a staggering fee.
It will now be interesting to see whether or not the Arouca star generates any interest in his services ahead of the summer, and what sort of fee he could command.
Leeds, who already appear to have fumbled a dream Bamford upgrade with the talented ace, could also live to regret a huge missed payday if the Portuguese side go on to rake in a big fee for his signature.
For now, though, it is safe to say that Orta had a howler when he cashed in on Mujica as the lethal forward has been on fire over the past two seasons, and has been significantly better than the English striker has been for the Yorkshire-based side.
Niclas Fullkrug has reportedly been encouraged to leave Borussia Dortmund by Julian Nagelsmann as West Ham come calling.
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Fullkrug pursued by West Ham German striker keen for a fresh challenge Nagelsmann tells him to get regular game time WHAT HAPPENED?
According to , the Hammers have entered the race to sign Fullkrug, and the 31-year-old forward now seems open to the idea of joining the Premier League side. West Ham have proposed a three-year deal with an option for a fourth year. This would allow Fullkrug, to potentially extend his career longer at West Ham than at Dortmund, where his current contract runs until 2026. West Ham's contract includes a salary comparable to his earnings at Dortmund, around €2.5 million (£2.1m/$2.7m) net per year.
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It has been reported that Fullkrug was initially hesitant to respond to West Ham's offer as it would mean giving up on Champions League football. However, the allure of playing in the Premier League, coupled with the long-term contract and the promise of a starting role, has forced him to give a second thought. The striker had harboured hopes of a move to AC Milan, but the Italian club was unable to meet the financial demands for a permanent transfer and subsequently withdrew from the negotiations. This development has left West Ham as the frontrunner for his signature.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Sky report also mentions that Fullkrug had reached out to Germany's coaching team, including Julian Nagelsmann, Sandro Wagner, and Benjamin Gluck. They have reportedly advised him to make the move to London, emphasizing the importance of regular minutes in preparation for the 2026 World Cup.
Dortmund are reluctant to part with Füllkrug, as they plan to rely on two top strikers – the other one being Serhou Guirassy. However, they have set a price tag of €30m (£25m/$33m) on the player and will be ready to offload him if any suitor matches that amount.
It is believed that West Ham have already submitted an offer of approximately €25m (£21m/$27m), including bonuses. While this offer is below Dortmund's asking price, it puts pressure on BVB bosses Sebastian Kehl and Lars Ricken to ponder over it. If Dortmund insist on the €30m, West Ham may withdraw and focus on signing 20-year-old striker Jhon Duran from Aston Villa.
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A decision on Fullkrug's future could be made soon, possibly as early as Thursday evening, as West Ham prepare to engage in further talks with Dortmund. Encouraged by Nagelsmann and enticed by a lucrative contract, Fullkrug must weigh the benefits of playing in the Premier League against the sacrifices of leaving Dortmund and the Champions League. As negotiations continue, it remains to be seen where Fullkrug ends up playing next season.
Newcastle United want to complete the signing of a "special" English player this summer, aiming to bring him in as one of two free agents alongside Lloyd Kelly.
Newcastle latest on Kelly
The Magpies have found themselves looking depleted in defence at times this season, with injuries acting as a big problem throughout the campaign. Sven Botman has arguably been the most high-profile absentee, and won't play again in 2023/24, but the likes of Kieran Trippier, Harvey Barnes, Joelinton and Joe Willock have all missed long periods, among others.
One player who has been linked with a move to Newcastle in the summer transfer window is Kelly, with Eddie Howe knowing him well, having worked with him at Bournemouth. The 25-year-old is out of contract with the Cherries at the end of the season, meaning he would be available on a free transfer. He can play at left-back or centre-back, which would reinforce two of the most injury-hit areas this season.
Kelly may not be the only Premier League player being targeted by the Magpies in the coming months, with Nottingham Forest star man Morgan Gibbs-White also reportedly wanted. The Englishman could be keen on a new challenge at a club chasing European football, and he could be an excellent signing. A natural left-back wouldn't go amiss either, and Wolves ace Rayan Ait-Nouri has been backed to come in and provide competition in that area.
Newcastle also chasing "special" Premier League player
According to The Telegraph, Newcastle are keen on signing Fulham centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo in the summer, seeing him as an additional signing on top of Kelly, rather than an alternative. The Magpies are interested in snapping up both soon to be free agents, immediately bolstering their defensive options in the process.
With Trippier, Burn and Fabian Schar all now in their 30s, there is a clear need to bring in younger players, so signing both Adarabioyo and Kelly this summer makes complete sense, heralding the start of a new era in Newcastle's back-line.
Adarabioyo is enjoying an impressive season for Fulham, averaging 3.9 clearances and 2.9 aerial duel wins per game in the Premier League this season, while manager Marco Silva has heaped praise on him in the recent past, saying: "We missed him a lot, we missed him because he didn’t play the first three months of the season. Tosin is a special player for us, I can’t hide that situation.
"The way he can defend the box but also on the ball he is a special player for me, the way I want to play, the way he can build (from the back). For three months we missed him but he has just played the last four or five games and he is getting better and better."
Appearances
19
18
Starts
17
14
Goals
2
0
Assists
0
1
Clearances per game
3.9
2.6
Aerial duel wins per game
2.9
1.2
Tackles per game
1.1
1.3
Like Kelly, Adarabioyo is also available on a free transfer at the end of the current campaign, and assuming he doesn't sign an extension at Craven Cottage, he would be a strong addition to Howe's squad.