حذر خورخي فالدانو، أسطورة نادي ريال مدريد، المدرب تشابي ألونسو عقب خسارة الفريق الملكي يوم السبت الماضي أمام أتلتيكو مدريد في ديربي العامة الإسبانية.

أتلتيكو مدريد حقق مفاجأة كبيرة وتمكن من اكتساح نظيره ريال مدريد بخمسة أهداف مقابل هدفين يوم السبت الماضي، وذلك في قمة منافسات الجولة السابعة من بطولة الدوري الإسباني للدرجة الأولى.

وتعتبر هذه هي الهزيمة الأولى التي يتعرض لها ريال مدريد خلال هذا الموسم، حيث تراجع الميرنجي إلى المركز الثاني في ترتيب الدوري الإسباني بفارق نقطة عن برشلونة.

وتصدر برشلونة ترتيب الدوري الإسباني، بعدما فاز على ريال سوسيداد بهدفين مقابل هدف واحد على ملعب مونتوجويك.

اقرأ أيضًا .. باردجي بعد تخطي ريال سوسيداد: متحمسون لما هو قادم.. ودرو: لم أصدق مشاركتي أساسيًا

ويرى فالدانو في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “ماركا”، أن الخسارة أمام أتلتيكو مدريد ناقوس خطر لريال مدريد، مضيفًا في الوقت ذاته أن هناك بوادر تحسن على مستوى الميرنجي هذا الموسم مع ألونسو.

وقال فالدانو: “في ديربي مدريد الليلة الماضية، عاد ذلك الوحش إلى الحياة وأتلتيكو مدريد كان رائعًأ، لعنة الخسارة من برشلونة بفارق أربع أهداف حصلت من جديد يوم السبت”.

وأضاف فالدانو في حديثه: “صحيح أنها عملية مستمرة وأن المدرب الجديد تشابي ألونسو قد وصل، إنه يعمل بشكل جيد وبدا أن هناك بوادر تحسن، لكن الضربة التي تلقاها من أتلتيكو مدريد تجبرنا على مراجعة المشروع، هي ناقوس خطر حقًا”.

وأوضح: “انتهى الأمر بأتلتيكو مدريد بالسيطرة على ريال مدريد بطريقة لم نشهدها منذ فترة طويلة”.

وأردف: “لم يلعب ريال مدريد بنفس قوة أتلتيكو مدريد. في الدقائق الأولى لعب ريال مدريد بلا إيقاع يذكر ولعب أتلتيكو في المساحات المفتوحة بشراسة كبيرة”.

وتابع: ”فاز أتلتيكو بالمباراة بوضوح من الضغط الذي مارسه على ريال مدريد، كل تمريرة عرضية كانت مشكلة حقيقية لريال مدريد”.

واختتم فالدانو: “ومع ذلك، فإن لمسة واحدة رائعة وبدقة وسرعة هائلتين بين جولر ومبابي جعلتنا نعود في النتيجة، ثم تقدم ريال مدريد بهجمة رائعة من فينيسيوس وهذا ما جعلني أشعر في الشوط الثاني أنه إذا تمكن ريال مدريد من اللعب بشكل أفضل، فسيتمكن من الفوز بالمباراة”.

New Zealand were 112 for 1 in 21 overs when rain arrived

Madushka Balasuriya19-Nov-2024No Result Persistent rain in Pallekele meant the final ODI between Sri Lanka and New Zealand was washed out, with Sri Lanka, who had won the first two games, taking the series 2-0. This is Sri Lanka’s fifth ODI series win this year.It was an anti-climactic end to a game that had begun with much promise, courtesy a fresh pitch that was expected to suit the batters as opposed to the more sluggish surfaces served up in the first two games.New Zealand, having won the toss, decided to take first lease of it and proceeded to get off to their best start of the series. The first ten overs saw them ticking along at a touch under six an over, despite not taking many risks. That was primarily down to the fact that nearly 40% of those runs had come off the wayward Dilshan Madushanka, whose two overs went for 23 runs.Related

Whisper it, but Sri Lanka may be turning a corner in ODIs

That was the last of Madushanka with the ball, but some sloppy efforts in the outfield meant it was a day to forget for the left-arm seamer who had just 12 months prior been one of the most sought-after seamers in world cricket following a stellar World Cup in India. That, though, seemed to be a lifetime ago as he struggled to maintain consistent lines and lengths. The first five boundaries of the New Zealand innings came of his bowling.At the other end though, Sri Lanka kept things relatively tight – first through seamer Mohamed Shiraz and then their bevy of spinners. The solitary wicket of the innings had in fact come courtesy Shiraz, playing just his second ODI and his first of the series, though it had also owed much to skipper Charith Asalanka who leapt high to his left at mid-off to hold on to a mistimed drive from Tim Robinson. Shiraz’s five overs went for 23 runs as both Robinson and Will Young were troubled by his late swing – 20 dot balls out of 30 legal deliveries spoke of his control.New Zealand, though, managed a scoring rate nearing six even after the powerplay, comfortably knocking the ball around despite Sri Lanka cutting off the boundary opportunities. Young and Henry Nicholls were largely untroubled, with the pair unbeaten on 56 and 46 respectively, and their partnership at a threatening 88 off 106, before rain brought play to a permanent end after just 21 overs.The abandonment of the game is a missed opportunity for both sides as they sought to test their bench strength. For the visitors, there was a debut for seamer Zakary Foulkes, who had impressed in the T20I leg, while fellow seamer Adam Milne also got his first game on the tour. They had come in for Nathan Smith and Jacob Duffy.Sri Lanka, meanwhile, made no less than five changes, with Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Dunith Wellalage and Asitha Fernando all making way. In came batters Nishan Madushka and Nuwanidu Fernando, seamers Madushanka and Shiraz, while there was also a debut for seam-bowling allrounder Chamindu Wickramasinghe – he bowled just two overs and gave away 14 runs.

After being handed the encouragement they so desperately craved to pursue Alexander Isak, Liverpool could now reportedly see their big-money raid funded by one player’s departure – and it’s not Luis Diaz.

Alexander Isak asks to leave Newcastle

The line all summer long has been that if Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes believe there is a chance, they will go for Isak. In recent months, however, it looked as though that chance would not arrive. The Reds instead welcomed Hugo Ekitike, stealing Newcastle’s top target in the process, and had seemingly solved their striker problem.

Since the Frenchman’s arrival though, there’s been an almighty twist. In a matter of days, Isak’s thigh injury quickly transformed into a desire to leave Newcastle this summer as the real reason why he didn’t join the Magpies on their Asia tour became clear. Now, the ball is in Liverpool’s court as they look to fund another big-money move and take their spending beyond the £300m-mark this summer.

There will be question marks over how Liverpool would play both Ekitike and Isak, but those are questions that Arne Slot would rather see answered in reality rather than in mere fantasy teams.

On paper, Florian Wirtz, Isak, Ekitike, Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong represent Liverpool’s greatest-ever transfer window. On the pitch, meanwhile, it could yet take the Reds to a second-consecutive Premier League title.

AI names and ranks the formations Liverpool can play with Ekitike and Isak

Slot could have an unbelievable side at his disposal next season…

ByTom Cunningham Jul 24, 2025

There’s still a long way to go before Isak is a Liverpool player, however. Before then, those at Anfield must work their magic in the transfer window and fund what would be the deal of the summer.

Saudi giants now discussing Nunez move

One way they could fund their move is by selling a player who’s looked likely to depart all summer long. According to transfer reporter Ben Jacobs, Al Hilal are now holding internal talks about signing Darwin Nunez at the request of manager Simone Inzaghi. The struggling forward is likely to cost the Saudi side more €70m (£61m) after Liverpool turned down such a fee to sell Nunez back in January.

As reported by The Athletic, the Isak package could cost as much as £250m with agent fees and other add-ons, which should make the sale of Nunez a top priority for Liverpool.

The forward endured greater struggles than ever at Anfield last season and now finds himself even further down the pecking order after Ekitike’s arrival. As such, it goes without saying that if Liverpool sign Isak, it would be the nail in the coffin for Nunez’s time in Merseyside.

Indian allrounders Krunal Pandya and Nitish Rana were sought after by RCB and RR

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Nov-20242:04

Moody: Curran poses a left-hand conundrum with bat for CSK

Bhuvneshwar Kumar emerged as the most expensive player sold in the early bidding on day two of the IPL 2025 auction in Jeddah, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) buying him for INR 10.75 crore (US$ 1.28 million approx.).Fast bowlers were in high demand with Deepak Chahar going to Mumbai Indians (MI) for INR 9.25 crore ($1.10 million approx.), Akash Deep to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for INR 8 crore ($0.95 million approx.), Mukesh Kumar to Delhi Capitals (DC) for INR 8 crore ($0.95 million approx.), pace-bowling allrounder Marco Jansen to Punjab Kings (PBKS) for INR 7 crore ($0.83 million approx.), and Tushar Deshpande to Rajasthan Royals (RR) for INR 6.50 crore ($0.77 million approx.).RCB and RR also went up against each other for Indian spin allrounders, with RCB snapping up Krunal Pandya for INR 5.75 crore ($0.68 million approx.)and RR getting Nitish Rana for INR 4.20 crore ($0.50 million approx.).Related

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A large number of players were unsold in the early bidding, including established IPL names like Shardul Thakur, Kane Williamson and Ajinkya Rahane. There were no takers for Prithvi Shaw either, despite his base price being only INR 75 lakh. On day one, David Warner and Jonny Bairstow were among the high-profile players to go unsold.Records were broken on day one of the IPL 2025 auction in Jeddah, when PBKS first bought Shreyas Iyer for INR 26.75 crore and then LSG bought Rishabh Pant for INR 27 crore, making them the most expensive players in the history of the league.

Marcus Harris helped lead a Victorian revival against Queensland as day two of the pink ball Sheffield Shield clash concluded with the match in the balance.A lower order fightback had earlier given Queensland a 111-run first innings lead. Test hopeful Harris and stylish young gun Campbell Kellaway erased the deficit under lights at the Gabba in an unbroken 122-run opening stand.Related

• Swepson takes four as pink ball holds sway at the Gabba

• All-round Webster shines, Patterson falls for 99

• Bancroft emerges from lengthy slump as Western Australia take charge

Queensland resumed at a precarious 94 for 5 as wicketkeeper Jimmy Peirson and Angus Lovell built an 84-run sixth wicket stand.Peirson, so often a man for a crisis, received support from paceman Jack Wildermuth.It was an aggressive 57 off 70 balls by fast bowler Xavier Bartlett, batting at No. 9, that enabled the hosts to post 297 and take a sizeable first innings lead.Bartlett played several agricultural heaves and an assortment of classic cricket strokes to showcase the hard work he has put into his batting of late.Victoria pace bowler Xavier Crone returned his best figures in first class cricket.The failure of Australia’s top order in the thrashing by India in the first Test in Perth has provided an opportunity for batters in the domestic scene to bash down the door and convince selectors they deserve an opportunity.Harris, who missed out in the first innings, had made 469 runs for Victoria and Australia A this summer at an average of 46.9 leading into his second innings knock.A hefty score is what the 32-year-old needs to add to his 14 Tests. He will be aiming for a hundred when play resumes on Tuesday.

Everton have entered the summer transfer window with a clear mission: reinvigorate their squad after a campaign that demanded both patience and pragmatism.

The club has already made notable additions, including Carlos Alcaraz, whose loan from Flamengo has been made permanent, Thierno Barry from Villarreal, and a headline-grabbing move for Jack Grealish from Manchester City.

This flurry of activity comes amid a period of departures, as several senior players have left on free transfers, including Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Abdoulaye Doucouré, and Ashley Young.

These exits have created opportunities for the Toffees to bring in Premier League talent seeking a fresh start.

Moyes appears to be targeting players who, much like Grealish, have been cast out or underutilised at bigger clubs and now need a platform to reignite their careers.

The player in question offers a blend of defensive tenacity and midfield intelligence, and, like Grealish, he represents a gamble but could be someone who could transform the spine of a team when given the right environment and playing time.

Everton eyeing move for Spurs midfielder

According to Sacha Tavolieri, Yves Bissouma is the midfielder at the centre of Everton’s interest, a player who has found himself on the fringes at Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs paid £25m to acquire him from Brighton in 2022, but the midfielder has struggled to consistently secure a starting spot.

Despite these challenges, pundits like Adam Smithy have lauded Bissouma as “world-class,” praising his ability to control the game from midfield and break up opposition attacks.

Football Insider revealed that Tottenham are unlikely to stand in his way this summer, but any move will depend on the club finding a suitable replacement.

Spurs have already invested heavily in Mohammed Kudu, who joined from West Ham United for £60m. Additionally, Spurs have secured Palhinha on a season-long loan from Bayern Munich and are eyeing Atlético Madrid’s Conor Gallagher, who could potentially be available for around £40 million, although Madrid are reportedly reluctant to sell.

At Tottenham, Bissouma has competed with Rodrigo Bentancur, Archie Gray, and Pape Sarr in a crowded central midfield.

For Everton, Bissouma represents the chance to acquire a Premier League-proven midfielder who is hungry to prove himself again.

His contract at Spurs runs until summer 2026, meaning Tottenham will want to recoup part of their £25m investment rather than risk losing him for nothing.

Why he could be a Jack Grealish repeat

The parallels between Bissouma and Jack Grealish are striking.

Both players arrived at their respective clubs with strong reputations, only to find themselves needing a fresh start to reach their full potential.

Grealish, who joined Everton from Manchester City, faced limited game time at City and struggled with injuries, ultimately playing just 721 minutes last season, representing 21.1% of squad minutes, per Transfermarkt.

Thomas Tuchel reportedly told him he needed regular football to maintain his World Cup ambitions, prompting the move to Goodison Park. Similarly, Bissouma has the capability to dominate matches when given trust and continuity.

Over 100 appearances for Spurs, he has contributed six goals and three assists while maintaining exceptional defensive metrics: 91st percentile for tackles (3.09 per 90), 83rd percentile for interceptions (1.39 per 90), and 92nd percentile for clearances (2.65 per 90), per FBref.

He also boasts a 83rd percentile pass completion rate of 88.6%, highlighting his dual ability to break up attacks and distribute effectively.

Yves Bissouma – Premier League Stats 2024/25

Matches Played

28

Starts

16

Minutes

1,408

Goals

1.02

Shot Creating Actions per 90

1.02

Tackles

49

Blocks

11

Bissouma’s profile evokes comparisons with Boubakar Kamara and Edson Álvarez, two players who provide balance in the centre of the park and thrive in roles where they can cover ground, intercept play, and initiate transitions.

Age is another factor that favours Everton’s pursuit.

At 28, Bissouma combines maturity with peak athleticism, offering immediate value rather than a long-term developmental gamble.

Furthermore, Everton’s summer recruitment strategy reflects a clear intention to blend experience and ambition.

With departures opening up space for new arrivals, the club is seeking players who have Premier League experience and can make an immediate contribution.

Bissouma fits this mould perfectly. His experience in England’s top-flight, combined with European competition exposure at Spurs, ensures he arrives ready to adapt and lead.

For a player already acclimated to Premier League demands, this represents a low-risk, high-reward investment, just like Grealish.

Finally, Bissouma’s move could serve as a statement of intent.

Everton are signalling that they are prepared to offer players a platform to succeed, encouraging other talented professionals seeking a new start to consider Goodison Park as a destination where their abilities will be maximised.

Australia’s lower order extended the lead to 333 after they had slipped to 91 for 6 at one stage

Andrew McGlashan29-Dec-2024In one of the most absorbing days of Test cricket you could wish to see, another remarkable performance from Jasprit Bumrah blew the game wide open. But, Marnus Labuschagne and Pat Cummins played their second vital innings of the match before the last-wicket pair of Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland extended Australia’s lead to 333, and potentially out of India’s reach.Having kept themselves in the match for so much of the day, India were frustrated by Lyon and Boland who eked out a precious 55 runs and couldn’t be separated before stumps on day four. Lyon should have become Bumrah’s fifth wicket in the final over of the day when he edged to third slip, where KL Rahul somehow held the ball between his legs, but an exhausted Bumrah had overstepped. Lyon ended up taking 14 off the over to close the day with his joint second-highest Test score.Related

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Whatever India’s final target, it will no doubt spark memories of events at the Gabba in 2021, particularly with the nature of how the lower order kept them in the contest on day three. As on that occasion, they will again have to defy history: no team has ever chased a higher fourth-innings total for a win at the MCG, with the highest being England’s 332 for 7 which they achieved in 1928. A crowd of 299,329 has watched the match across the first four days, the highest-ever attendance for a Boxing Day Test.Nitish Kumar Reddy’s maiden century narrowed Australia’s first-innings advantage to 105. India’s new-ball bowling, with Bumrah well supported by Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep, made life extremely tough for the top order and the home side progressed at barely two-and-a-half runs an over. But at 80 for 2 – a lead of 185 – more comfortable territory was looming for Australia, only for the picture to change dramatically.Steven Smith’s wicket sparked a collapse of 4 for 11 in three overs in the first part of the afternoon session which included Bumrah’s 200th Test wicket as he removed Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh and Alex Carey in an electric passage of play.However, at 99 for 6 came a potentially defining moment when Labuschagne, on 46, was dropped in the gully by Yashasvi Jaiswal when he looked to glide the luckless Deep to third. Jaiswal, who had early shelled Usman Khawaja at leg gully, had a day to forget in the field as he also gave Cummins a life in the final over before tea when he missed a low chance at silly point.Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland walk off at stumps after keeping India at bay for 110 balls•Quinn Rooney/Getty ImagesLabuschagne and Cummins extended their partnership to 57, every run feeling like gold dust before Labuschagne was lbw to Siraj who had his best day of the series since Perth.Any notion that Australia would add freely to their lead soon vanished in the morning as India bowled excellently with the new ball on a pitch offering more seam movement than previous days. This time Bumrah got the better of Sam Konstas when he seamed one through the gate and didn’t hold back in a celebration that appeared to mimic Konstas’ interactions with the crowd.Bumrah moved the ball so much that it was sometimes impossible to hit, while both Akash and Siraj were challenging, although the former might have wanted to pitch the ball a touch fuller. The benefit of pitching up a fraction more was shown when Siraj seamed a delivery through Khawaja. At one stage during the morning session, the broadcast said that Australia’s batters had been beaten 21 times in 18 overs.Briefly after lunch, it appeared Labuschagne and Smith, who had started the innings within 51 of 10,000 runs, were trying to increase the tempo but any thought of that was soon shut down.Siraj opened the door when Smith chased a wide delivery, then Rohit Sharma sensed a moment and immediately brought back Bumrah who was breathtaking. With his second delivery, he had Head flicking to forward square leg and four deliveries later, he continued Marsh’s lean series with a delivery that climbed and brushed the glove. Marsh was left with 73 runs in seven innings (47 of which came in one knock) and he will likely be at the centre of much debate ahead of the Sydney Test regardless of the result here.Mohammed Siraj had his best day of the series since the Perth Test•Cricket Australia via Getty ImagesWhen Bumrah seamed one back sharply at Alex Carey, the game was threatening to be turned on its head barely 24 hours after India looked likely to concede a lead over 200. Then came Labuschagne’s reprieve and Australia breathed again.Scoring was never free but Labuschagne constructed one of the most important innings of his career although at times could only smile when another delivery would whistle past his edge. Overs such as one from Deep that went for nine – with a boundary apiece to Labuschagne and Cummins – were like small momentum shifts.When the pair survived Bumrah’s first spell after tea that felt like a good result for Australia, but Siraj produced a superb delivery to earn an lbw against Labuschagne that was upheld on umpire’s call.Mitchell Starc fell to a misunderstanding with Cummins and a brilliant piece of work from Rishabh Pant who removed a glove to collect Reddy’s throw from the deep and produced a direct hit at the non-striker’s end. Cummins then edged Jadeja to slip having produced his highest runs tally in a Test.The contributions by the lower order have made Australia favourites, although nothing feels certain.

GOAL reviews the major takeaways from Americans playing in MLS, including Freese's goalkeeping heroics for NYCFC

To say the march to the MLS playoffs is heating up is a understatement. With just under a month of the regular season remaining, there are eight clubs with a realistic chance of claiming the Supporters' Shield. And there have already been seven teams eliminated from the playoffs – five from the Eastern Conference.

The USMNT national pool has several players who are becoming significant factors. Matt Freese helped NYCFC ice their trip to the postseason (see what we did there) with a win over the previously surging Charlotte FC. Orlando City SC's Duncan McGuire has spent the majority of his season on the mend, but got his shooting boots back for an important three points.

And Jack McGlynn continues to have a largely under-the-radar dominant season for the Houston Dynamo – despite the club's current struggles. 

GOAL looks at the major takeaways from USMNT players in MLS.

ImagnFreese-ing out Charlotte's attack

Has any USMNT star had their stock rise as much as Freese in 2025?

The NYCFC goalkeeper was an afterthought in the U.S.'s January camp, failing to get minutes behind the Columbus Crew's Patrick Schulte and the Colorado Rapids' Zack Steffen. Since then, it appears as if everything is going right for the former Harvard standout.

At the Gold Cup, he overtook longtime starter Matt Turner for the No. 1 spot and had several memorable performances. He resumed as the USMNT's starter for the September friendlies and could hold that role for the upcoming October matches. Last week, he landed a new contract with NYCFC, with the 27-year-old ensuring his future at the club for the next five years. Barring the unforeseen, he will be there for the opening of Etihad Park. 

Freese brought all of that momentum to a critical match against Charlotte FC Saturday. The Crown came into the match having tied the MLS record for consecutive wins, having won nine straight. Led by an in-form Idan Toklomati and Wilfried Zaha, the team was punishing MLS defenses. But not against NYCFC and their star goalkeeper. 

Freese led a stout defense that only allowed just six shots at Yankee Stadium – and the goalkeeper delivered two key saves for the home side. With the upset, NYCFC booked their trip to the postseason.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMcGlynn comes through, again

Where would the Houston Dynamo be without McGlynn?

Despite issues on both sides of the pitch, the Orange Crush remain in the thick of the playoff hunt, and that's largely due to their American talisman. McGlynn delivered once again for Ben Olsen's side, launching a pinpoint corner to the leaping head of Ezequiel Ponce to score the game's only goal against Portland, the No. 7 team in the Western Conference.

To be fair, McGlynn likely deserved more. He was impressive, delivering key passes, hitting three shots on target, and connecting on 87.5 percent of his passes. His assist brings his season tally to 14 goal contributions, with eight assists and six goals. To put that into perspective, Houston has 40 goals scored this season, meaning that McGlynn has directly contributed to 35 percent. No, it's not Messi, but its still very impressive. 

Following the win, the Dynamo are just one point back from Texas rival FC Dallas for the final Western Conference spot, though Dallas have a game in hand. Houston are also just three back from the Colorado Rapids, and both teams have three games left in the season. 

ImagnTime to worry in Commerce City?

The Rapids have a U.S. international at goalkeeper in Steffen, two U.S. internationals in their backline in Sammy Vines and Reggie Cannon, a local homegrown star in Cole Bassett, a blockbuster signing in rising U.S. midfielder Paxten Aaronson, and arguably a top-five striker in Rafa Navarro.

Yet, this team hasn't worked effectively as a sum of its talented parts. 

Colorado aren't expected to be on the same level as bigger spenders such as Inter Miami, LAFC, or Charlotte, but this team shouldn't be worrying about securing a trip to the postseason with just three matches left. This is the second-straight campaign in which Chris Armas' side is waning as opposed to storming at the end.

Against a FC Dallas team who were below the Rapids in the standings, the Burgundy Boys capitulated after equalizing in the 21st minute off a goal from Calvin Harris, losing 3-1 at Toyota Stadium. While Colorado remain two points ahead of Dallas in eighth, the Texas team has a game in hand and Houston are lurking. 

After generating a lot of buzz for the signing of Aaronson, it appears as if Armas hasn't yet found an effective fit for his No. 10, as the former Frankfurt man struggled to have much of a playmaking impact Saturday. Since Aaronson joined the Rapids, outside of the win against Houston, the team has lost to three teams below them in the standings – the LA Galaxy, Sporting KC and FC Dallas.

Time is running out for Colorado to lock in a playoff spot. They face an uphill battle with Minnesota, Real Salt Lake, and LAFC in their final three matches. Despite the positive vibes Armas has brought, questions will be asked if his team fails to reach the postseason. 

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McGuire is back

It's been a rough road for Duncan McGuire since his failed move to Blackburn almost two years ago. While he signed a new contract with the club following the botched transfer, he's been in and out of the lineup for Oscar Pareja since. The striker was expected to get more playing time this season following some outbound transfers, but he had a left shoulder injury that sidelined him for almost four months. 

After returning and working his way back into more minutes, McGuirre sent a timely reminder of his talent in a much-needed moment for his club. With Orlando trading blows with Nashville SC, the forward scored an impressive tap-in in front of the goal, courtesy of a well-made assist from Tyrese Spicer, to secure three points for the home side.

Sure, Spicer did the heavy lifting on the play, but McGuirre – working off months of rust – could have fluffed his lines. But he didn't, and Orlando are one step closer to sealing their fifth consecutive trip to the postseason as a result. 

Another USMNT player, Alex Freeman, also featured 90 minutes in the win, connecting on one cross. 

تغنى بيبي ماروتا، رئيس نادي إنتر ميلان، بالنجم لوكا مودريتش، أسطورة ريال مدريد وصفقة إي سي ميلان الجديدة، موضحًا أن الدولي الكرواتي سيلهم العديد من اللاعبين في إيطاليا ليقوموا بمسيرة مشابهة له.

مودريتش يعتبر من بين أفضل اللاعبين في تاريخ كرة القدم خلال القرن الحالي، وقدم اللاعب مستويات رائعة مع نادي ريال مدريد على مدار السنوات الـ13 الماضية.

لكن مودريتش غادر صفوف ريال مدريد في نهاية المطاف هذا الصيف، وذلك بعدما لم يجدد ريال مدريد عقد اللاعب البالغ من العمر 40 عامًا.

وانضم مودريتش إلى صفوف ميلان في صفقة انتقال حر، وبعقد مدته موسم مع إمكانية التجديد لموسم آخر، حيث أصبح اللاعب المخضرم لا غنى عنه في تشكيلة الروسونيري الأساسية.

ويساهم مودريتش بشكل أساسي في منافسة ميلان على بطولة الدوري الإيطالي هذا الموسم.

أقرأ أيضًا .. تشيزني يدافع عن نفسه بعد تصرفه الغريب في مباراة برشلونة وإشبيلية

وقال ماروتا في تصريحات نقلها موقع ”Tribalfootball”: “لا أرى تألق مودريتش مع ميلان مقلقًا، بل على العكس أراه أيضًا متنفسًا إيجابيًا لكرة القدم الإيطالية، لأن أبناءنا وأحفادنا عندما يشاهدون لاعبًا كهذا كما يحدث لنا نحن الأكبر سنًا، يقعون في حبه، والأمر ليس مجرد أمر نظري، ربما يرغبون في تكرار إنجازاته في التدريبات وتعلم درس منه”.

وأضاف: “المشكلة هي أن مستوى كرة القدم لدينا دائمًا ما يكون منخفضًا فنحن دوري انتقالي ولم نعد بنفس القوة في العقد الأول من القرن الحادي والعشرين، اليوم نتعاقد مع لاعب وصل إلى سن الأربعين والقوة الشرائية للدوري تقود الأندية لشراء تلك النوعية من اللاعبين”.

واختتم: ”في عام 2000، كان من النادر أن نرى أندية تبيع لاعبيها أما اليوم فبدون الربح الرأسمالي لما تمكنا من تقديم ميزانية عمومية كافية، هذا هو الفرق الكبير، ويعود ذلك إلى أن حقوق البث التلفزيوني الخارجية لهذه الأندية بيعت بعشرة أضعاف ما بعناها به”.

Tottenham are in the market for a new number 10, which has been made all the more imperative by James Maddison’s nightmare injury, and Thomas Frank is also in need of a replacement for club legend Son Heung-min.

It was a night of both beauty and heartbreak in Seoul last Sunday as Son bid adieu in what was his final ever appearance.

The Seoul World Cup Stadium brimmed with 64,773 fans as he received a guard of honour from both Spurs and Newcastle players, before being subbed off in the 65th minute. Tears streamed down his face as he walked off, overwhelmed by chants, tributes and heartfelt ovations in his homeland.

The now-former Lilywhites captain, who helped to end Tottenham’s trophy drought whilst etching his name into folklore with 173 goals in 454 games, has arrived in Los Angeles after sealing a near-£20 million move to LAFC as per PA Media – drawing the curtain on an incredible last decade in north London.

In what was a major blow for Frank, the occasion was unfortunately somewhat marred by James Maddison’s horrific-looking knee injury. Maddison, having finally returned from a knee issue that kept him out of the Europa League final, entered the fray late only to collapse off the ball clutching that same knee.

He was stretchered off around seven minutes from full-time, later seen leaving the stadium on crutches, with Maddison now joining fellow chief creative outlet Dejan Kulusevski on the sidelines.

Kulusevski and Madders were Tottenham’s standout attacking outlets when fit and available last term, and Frank now faces the overwhelming headache of being without them both for the start of 2025/2026 – alongside the departed Son.

It makes signing a new attacker absolutely non-negotiable, and chairman Daniel Levy would ideally have at least one before they face off against PSG in the UEFA Super Cup on August 13.

Technical director Johan Lange has displayed a tendency to operate in silence, as we’ve seen previously with his out-of-nowhere moves for Wilson Odobert last summer and Morgan Gibbs-White this window, so the Dane may have something brewing.

Their deal for the latter unceremoniously failed in almost ‘Spursy’-like fashion, with Gibbs-White joining the likes of Paulo Dybala and Jack Grealish on Levy’s list of transfer near-misses.

Lange is still in the market for a new playmaker as a top priority for Tottenham, as per reliable media sources like Alasdair Gold, and GiveMeSport claim that they have registered an interest in Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers.

Tottenham given response as Levy eyes Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers

Rogers lit it up at Villa last season with his dynamic runs, direct dribbling and eye for goal – earning both their Young Player of the Season award and a PFA Young Player of the Year nomination.

The England international can operate on both the left-hand and right-hand sides, as well as in the 10 position, meaning he could step into both Maddison and Son’s shoes.

The 22-year-old’s 14 goals and 16 assists in all competitions were absolutely vital for Unai Emery, so much so that Villa are demanding around £100 million to let Rogers leave the Midlands before deadline day.

As per GMS, Tottenham are eyeing a move for Rogers, but Villa have responded to this with a ‘not for sale’ stance with London rivals Chelsea also thought to be admirers.

It would take Levy to completely smash the club’s transfer record to even get Villa talking, but time is running out for Spurs to sign a new playmaker and replacement for Son, so they’ll need to make a decision very soon.