Real Madrid legend Toni Kroos has suggested that his former side will find it difficult to identify a player capable of replacing him.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Kroos says Madrid missing midfielder like himLos Blancos considering midfield signingMadrid face PSG in Club World Cup semi-finalFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Since retiring a Champions League winner with Real Madrid, Kroos has continued to offer his opinion on his former side on a regular basis. In their first season without the German, Los Blancos finished second in La Liga and were thumped 5-1 on aggregate by Arsenal in the Champions League – a pair of disasters that led to Carlo Ancelotti's sacking and the appointment of Xabi Alonso. Madrid have at times struggled to control games, despite possessing the world's best players, and Kroos believes that a dearth of controllers in his mould has been the key factor behind this.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT KROOS SAID
Via , Kroos said: “They’re still missing a profile like mine, they’re still looking for it. There aren’t many players like that, and the ones that are there aren’t easy to get.
“It’s too early to judge Xabi’s Real Madrid. It takes time to evaluate the changes and implementation of his ideas.
“I’m sure Xabi knows how to correct things, as there are things that need to change, because with so much quality – things have to go well.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
When Kroos retired, Ancelotti admitted that it would be difficult to replace the German with existing options Jude Bellingham, Aurelien Tchouameni, Federico Valverde, Dani Ceballos and Eduardo Camavinga unable to match Kroos' abilities with the ball. There have been suggestions that Arda Guler could move into a more central role but the Turkish playmaker remains young. Los Blancos also pushed hard to sign Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad, but the Spanish midfielder opted to move to Arsenal.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
AFPWHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?
Madrid will continue to search for the right midfielder to offer a Kroos-esque level of control to their midfield, but options remain scarce. Yet, if there is one manager who knows best about finding the right deep-lying playmaker, it would be Alonso. The new Madrid boss played 158 times in La Liga for the club and was the predecessor to Kroos' own excellence.
It’s 7-0 in Pakistan’s favour at the ODI World Cup; though Sri Lanka won the recent crucial fixture between the sides at the Asia Cup
Danyal Rasool09-Oct-20231:11
Jaffer: Pakistan should stick with Fakhar Zaman for two more games
Big pictureIt seems bizarre, given this is a World Cup game, but just three weeks ago Pakistan and Sri Lanka played an ODI that arguably mattered more. They battled it out to the final ball of a knockout match at the Asia Cup, with Sri Lanka stealing the win and booking a berth in the final. Hindsight might cast Tuesday’s fixture in Hyderabad to be just as pivotal, but at the moment nothing feels so urgent, so drastic, as everything did in Colombo.Both sides have played one game in this World Cup, have shaken hands and introduced themselves to this World Cup. Neither has quite made the best first impression, but Pakistan have two points and a win pinned to their lapel, while Sri Lanka remain unadorned at the points table. The mitigating circumstance, of course, is that Pakistan played Netherlands and still looked shaky during certain passages of play, while Sri Lanka took on a South African batting juggernaut, and for a while gave as good as they got in a frenetic, if ultimately unsuccessful, chase.Sri Lanka are now in Hyderabad which, as Babar Azam said earlier, has already begun to feel a bit like home for Pakistan. They have been here since they arrived in India two weeks ago, and will play one last game in the city before moving to Ahmedabad. They know there were plenty of imperfections in that victory against Netherlands, not least with the openers’ loss of form, but fortunately for Pakistan their middle order has suddenly sprung to life. And for all their worries about loss of control with the ball in the middle overs, Haris Rauf showed he was back to his best, finding wickets through that period and blasting batting line-ups wide open.Sri Lanka might just consider writing off their bowling performance against South Africa and starting over. Few bowling units can control a South African onslaught in full flow, as Australia discovered last month in the a bilateral series. Pakistan do not possess that kind of power, and Hyderabad is less likely to be conducive to the kind of monstrous hitting Sri Lanka couldn’t withstand in Delhi.They will be buoyed by the manner in which they went about the chase, demonstrating their own ability to take on a bowling attack relentlessly across 50 overs. Meanwhile, memories of the control they possessed during a cold, calculated chase against Pakistan in that high-pressure Asia Cup fixture should power their belief they can finally break their World Cup duck (0-7) against Pakistan.Form guidePakistan WLLWW (last five completed matches, most recent first) Sri Lanka LLWLWIn the spotlightFakhar Zaman’s poor form has got the most attention, but Imam-ul-Haq’s runs appear to have tapered off as well. He has only one score above 16 in his last seven 50-over games including the World Cup warm-ups. While there is no reason to believe he isn’t fully fit, Pakistan will need to see him prove it with runs in a top order that has suddenly run dry. In Sri Lanka, he has a bowling unit theoretically ripe for plunder after what South Africa did to them, and an opportunity to go into Pakistan’s game against India with World Cup runs under his belt.Charith Asalanka led Sri Lanka to victory in a knockout game against Pakistan in the Asia Cup last month•AFP/Getty ImagesCharith Asalanka is one of the best middle-overs batters in the world at the moment. No one has scored more runs batting at No. 5 or lower since his ODI debut, and his 1327 runs have come at an average above 45 and a strike rate above 90. Time and again, he has maintained – or provided – impetus to a Sri Lankan innings through the middle, and broke Pakistan hearts with a nerveless unbeaten 49 to knock them out of the Asia Cup last month. After an indifferent couple of warm-ups, he was back in form against South Africa, top scoring with a 65-ball 79. So his form, combined with the question mark over Pakistan’s spinners, will make that passage of play an intriguing and possibly match-defining one.Team newsFakhar Zaman’s poor form has seen the pressure pile on him, and with Abdullah Shafique waiting in the wings, expect him to come into the side.Pakistan (possible) 1 Abdullah Shafique 2 Imam-ul-Haq 3 Babar Azam (capt) 4 Mohammad Rizwan (wk) 5 Saud Shakeel 6 Iftikhar Ahmed 7 Shadab Khan 8 Mohammad Nawaz 9 Hasan Ali 10 Shaheen Shah Afridi 11 Haris RaufSri Lanka may consider a change or two in their bowling line-up after what happened against South Africa. Maheesh Theekshana didn’t start that game with an injury but is available for Tuesday’s game. He could replace Kasun Rajitha.Sri Lanka (possible) 1 Pathum Nissanka 2 Kusal Perera 3 Kusal Mendis (wk) 4 Sadeera Samarawickrama 5 Charith Asalanka 6 Dhananjaya de Silva 7 Dasun Shanaka (capt) 8 Dunith Wellalage, 9 Maheesh Theekshana, 10 Matheesha Pathirana, 11 Dilshan MadushankaPitch and conditionsSome cloud cover is expected in Hyderabad during the game, but no rain. The pitch should be conducive to big scores; New Zealand scored 322 against the Netherlands in Hyderabad on Monday.Stats and trivia Imam is nine short of 3000 ODI runs. If he gets them tomorrow, it will have taken him 67 innings. Only Hashim Amla (57) has got there quicker. Fakhar Zaman and Shai Hope also took 67 innings, while Babar Azam needed 68.Sri Lanka have never beaten Pakistan at the ODI World Cup, losing all seven completed matches. The sides’ clash in 2019 was washed out.Quotes”We have faith in our players to know what they need to do to prepare. Some have chosen to prepare another way instead of draining out energy at training today. From a coaching point of view, I’m very happy with that”
The Chelsea star stole the show with a brace while further goals from Georgia Stanway and Ella Toone helped the defending champions seal an emphatic win
Home
Home Kit
Inspired by retro sportswear and Lioness kits of the pastFeatures classic English colours in a modern and energetic execution Available in S, M, L, XL and 2XL
From
£84.99
BuyAway
Away Kit
Celebrates the squad's impact on future generations of female athletesFeatures bursts of bright colours accenting a fearless blackAvailable in S, M, L, XL and 2XL
From
£84.99
BuyGoalkeeper
Goalkeeper Kit
Comes in the traditional green colourwayLogos centralised for a retro look Available in S, M, L, XL and 2XL
From
£84.99
BuyHome
Home Kit
Inspired by retro sportswear and Lioness kits of the pastFeatures classic English colours in a modern and energetic execution Available in S, M, L, XL and 2XL
From
£84.99
BuyAway
Away Kit
Celebrates the squad's impact on future generations of female athletesFeatures bursts of bright colours accenting a fearless blackAvailable in S, M, L, XL and 2XL
From
£84.99
BuyGoalkeeper
Goalkeeper Kit
Comes in the traditional green colourwayLogos centralised for a retro look Available in S, M, L, XL and 2XL
From
£84.99
BuyHome
Home Kit
Inspired by retro sportswear and Lioness kits of the pastFeatures classic English colours in a modern and energetic execution Available in S, M, L, XL and 2XL
From
£84.99
BuyAway
Away Kit
Celebrates the squad's impact on future generations of female athletesFeatures bursts of bright colours accenting a fearless blackAvailable in S, M, L, XL and 2XL
From
£84.99
BuyGoalkeeper
Goalkeeper Kit
Comes in the traditional green colourwayLogos centralised for a retro look Available in S, M, L, XL and 2XL
From
£84.99
Buy
England bounced back from Saturday's historic loss to France with a statement win over the Netherlands on Wednesday, romping to a 4-0 result which keeps their European Championship title defence alive.
There was plenty of reason to criticise the Lionesses after their opener, with Les Bleues controlling the majority of the game and dominating in a manner that their 2-1 victory didn't reflect, but Sarina Wiegman's side hit back with a fantastic display under the highest pressure in their second outing, avoiding a defeat that would've sent them crashing out of the tournament after only two games.
Knowing that even a draw would take their destiny out of their own hands, England were on the front foot from the word go, with Lauren Hemp putting Manchester City team-mate Kerstin Casparij under the cosh down the left and delivering crosses that both Lauren James and Alessia Russo might've done better with. The opening goal, though, came from all the way back in the Lionesses' own box, as Hannah Hampton threaded a beautiful pass through for Russo in behind the Dutch defence, and she teed up James to find the back of the net with a powerful hit.
Despite taking the lead, England never took their foot off the pedal, and Georgia Stanway doubled their advantage on the stroke of half-time with a sweet strike from the edge of the box. James then made it three on the hour and Ella Toone added a fourth not long after, as the Lionesses consistently dissected the Dutch defence.
After the doubts created by the France defeat, this was a reminder that England are a serious contender for the Euro 2025 title, with their spot in the quarter-finals now able to be secured with victory over Wales on Sunday.
GOAL rates England's players from Stadion Letzigrund…
Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence
Hannah Hampton (8/10):
Her distribution was exceptional, as best evidenced by the pass to Russo in the build-up to the opener. Didn't have many saves to make, but was alert to anything in her area.
Lucy Bronze (7/10):
Got up and down the pitch well, rarely exposed down her side, and battled brilliantly.
Leah Williamson (7/10):
Settled into the game nicely after a couple of iffy moments early on. Rarely troubled by Miedema.
Jess Carter (7/10):
Looked so much more comfortable in the central role she plays consistently at club level.
Alex Greenwood (7/10):
Was a better fit at left-back than any other option, with the Netherlands not getting much joy at all down that side.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield
Keira Walsh (8/10):
Much more influential and very tidy on the ball.
Georgia Stanway (8/10):
Battled well, looked after the ball and scored a terrific goal to double the lead.
Ella Toone (8/10):
Brought more solidity to the midfield, winning possession back plenty, and got the goal her hard work deserved.
Getty Images SportAttack
Lauren James (9/10):
Was magical throughout, with her ability to get into goal-scoring areas and create for others.
Alessia Russo (8/10):
Didn't get a goal despite several chances, but that shouldn't overshadow her great hold-up play and movement off the ball, which helped her provide a hat-trick of assists.
Lauren Hemp (8/10):
Caused Casparij problems all evening and delivered great end product.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty ImagesSubs & Manager
Chloe Kelly (5/10):
Replaced James with 20 minutes to go but didn't see much of the ball as the game wound down.
Beth Mead (N/A):
Came on to see the game out in the latter stages.
Grace Clinton (N/A):
Introduced at the same time as Mead, to ensure the energy levels didn't drop in midfield.
Aggie Beever-Jones (N/A):
Gave Russo a well-deserved rest in the final few minutes.
Niamh Charles (N/A):
On for Bronze in the closing stages.
Sarina Wiegman (9/10):
Every change she made to the team from the France game was perfect: The defence looked so much better with Greenwood on the left and Carter central, the midfield was much more solid with Toone in there rather than James, and the latter was able to thrive in a wide role. This was a perfect example of why she is the best manager in international women's football right now.
Kagiso Rabada is still recovering from a heel niggle that had troubled him during the ODI World Cup semi-final
Firdose Moonda14-Dec-2023Test captain Temba Bavuma and pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada, who were rested from South Africa’s white-ball matches against India to prepare for the two-Test series, will not play in a domestic first-class fixture as previously planned.Bavuma and Rabada were due to turn out for the Lions against the Dolphins in Durban starting on Thursday, but the Lions confirmed that neither were available. “Bavuma has a personal matter to attend to and Rabada has a heel niggle,” the statement read, while adding that Lions coach Russell Domingo was “disappointed” not to have them in the XI.Rabada’s injury, if serious, could leave South Africa without their entire frontline pace attack for the Tests against India. Anrich Nortje was ruled out of the series as he continues recovery from a lower-back stress fracture while Lungi Ngidi had to withdraw from the T20I series with an ankle sprain and is also not playing in the round of first-class fixtures that starts on Thursday. Rabada’s heel problem dates back to the ODI World Cup, where he was unable to bowl in the latter stages of the semi-final against Australia.Two other quicks – Gerald Coetzee and Marco Jansen – have been released from South Africa’s T20I squad and will not play the ODIs against India as they take part in the first-class competition in preparation for the Tests. South Africa’s other bowling option, Nandre Burger, is part of the white-ball set-up and could debut in the third T20I at the Wanderers on Thursday. Wiaan Mulder, who is in the Test squad, is part of the ODI squad and also won’t play this round of first-class matches.Bavuma has not played any cricket since South Africa’s ODI World Cup campaign ended in the semi-final against Australia on November 16, where he was carrying a hamstring injury. He last played a Test match in March, when South Africa played West Indies, and scored a series-winning 172 at the Wanderers. He is expected to be available for the Test series against India, which starts on December 26.
“I had lost the habit of scoring hundreds. I now know how to [make] hundreds. A big one is around the corner this season.”
ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jan-2024When Nitish Rana soaked in his team-mates’ applause after going from 99 to 100 on Saturday, he was experiencing a feeling both familiar and unfamiliar. It was his seventh first-class hundred in 47 games, but his first in more than four years.So much had happened between his sixth and seventh hundreds, a time during which he had averaged 27.07 in first-class cricket and passed 50 only twice in 17 innings.One event in particular had contributed significantly to both Rana playing so few innings in that period and enduring that lean run. Covid-19 had swept through the world, disrupting among other things India’s cricket calendar. There was no first-class domestic cricket in all of 2021, a year when the pandemic’s second wave in India had forced the IPL to be played over two legs in two countries. As all this happened, Rana took his eye off the red ball.”During the Covid years, when the IPL was held in two phases, I had stopped focusing on red-ball cricket a little bit,” Rana told reporters at the Wankhede Stadium. “So that set me back somewhat. This year I have worked very hard with the red ball because I wanted to prove, not to anyone else but myself, that I can be a good red-ball player.”That Rana can play innings of immense impact in red-ball cricket is well-established. His last century, for instance, was an unbeaten 68-ball 105 in a successful fourth-innings chase of 347 against Vidarbha, who had won the Ranji Trophy back-to-back in the previous two seasons. Saturday’s knock was not too different in terms of the challenge Rana surmounted.Related
Ranji round four: Rana stars as UP stun Mumbai; Himmat the hero for Delhi
Jayant Yadav and the joy of bowling the 'perfect offbreak'
Virat Singh, Jharkhand's crisis man
Kumar Kushagra wants to 'knock on the door of the Indian team'
Nitish Rana, Dhruv Shorey seek NOCs to move from Delhi
When he walked in, Uttar Pradesh were 136 for 4 – which soon became 152 for 5 – in response to Mumbai’s total of 198. Mumbai had come into this game having won each of their first three games, two of them with bonus points.Rana’s response was entirely characteristic: he got off the mark with back-to-back sixes off Shams Mulani’s left-arm spin, the first grazing the fingertips of a leaping deep midwicket fielder.”Playing strokes is in my blood,” Rana said. “I try to play according to the situation. We were chasing [347] when I scored the 68-ball hundred. Today, the wicket was so good that I wanted to keep my shape and play my game.”I have played for three years on this wicket for Mumbai Indians. There is value for money on this wicket, and I always wish that I should get at least one match on this pitch every year. I was trying to back my shots.”Rana eventually hit 12 fours and five sixes in a 120-ball 106 that helped UP take a 126-run first-innings lead.It was a gratifying effort in more than one way. It reinforced Rana’s belief in himself as a red-ball player, and it proved the perfect outcome for UP, who made him their captain after he moved away from Delhi before the start of the 2023-24 season.”Hundred always gives you satisfaction,” Rana said. “It was my mistake that I wasn’t focusing on red-ball cricket. A lot of people had started talking that I wasn’t a red-ball player and I would not have had to listen to that talk [if I had given the format more attention]. From the time I switched from Delhi, my target has been to make my name in red-ball cricket again.”The UP dressing room, Rana says, hasn’t felt unfamiliar at all.”I know 14 of them in the 15-member squad,” he said. “I have played with Ankit [Rajpoot] from Under-16 days, with Rinku [Singh] for six years [at Kolkata Knight Riders], Akshdeep [Nath] for eight years. One of the reasons is, I know everyone here. I never felt like I came to a new team.”Rana played for Delhi for over a decade but feels no regrets about moving away.”It was in my mind that the dressing-room atmosphere was not good for my career,” he said. “I felt that a change was necessary for my career. The switch was necessary. I have always looked at UP as an elite team and I know people here. I have luckily got a team where I am getting respect here.”He’s also ended his century drought, but Rana is hungry for bigger things.”I won’t call it a big knock,” he said. “A big knock is 300. But I remember in 2020 or 21 I [made] my last hundred. I had lost the habit of scoring hundreds. I now know how to [make] hundreds. A big one is around the corner this season.”Rana’s exploits in domestic cricket and the IPL earned him a call-up to India’s squad for a white-ball tour of Sri Lanka in 2021, but he dropped out of the reckoning after that, after playing just one ODI and two T20Is. He wants to keep pushing for a recall but is aware of the pitfalls of placing too much emphasis on selection, a thing he has no control over.”It is always at the back of the mind of every player,” Rana said. “Even I want to play for India. But the hard work that is needed to make it is what I am willing to work for. Since 2018, my name has been doing the rounds. Sometimes, that frustration has only affected my game.”
Manchester United could hijack Arsenal's transfer deal for Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres as the Red Devils are closing on an agreement to meet the Portuguese club's €70 million (£60.6m/$81.4m) valuation. Gyokeres is determined to leave Sporting CP this summer as he wants a move to the Premier League and as a result, he did not even turn up for the club's pre-season preparations.
Man Utd could hijack Gyokeres dealArsenal and Sporting CP transfer talks stalledMan Utd ready to match Sporting CP's demandFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Arsenal had approached Sporting CP over a transfer for Gyokeres at the start of the summer transfer window but the two clubs are yet to reach an agreement on the player's valuation. When it comes to a reported €70m demand, Arsenal were offering to pay €63.5 million upfront and the remaining amount in add-ons.
AdvertisementGetty/GOALTHE BIGGER PICTURE
As the transfer talks stalled, now reports that Manchester United are ready to take advantage of the situation and hijack the Gunners' deal as they have reportedly agreed to match Sporting CP's asking price.
DID YOU KNOW?
Maisfutebol have reported that the delay in Gyokeres' transfer left his father in visible distress as he reportedly broke down in tears late Friday into Saturday, gripped by a belief that the transfer may not come to fruition.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR GYOKERES?
If Gyokeres eventually heads to United this summer, the move will come as a major blow for the north London outfit, as they are desperate to sign a new No.9 to bolster their attack. It now remains to be seen where the Swedish striker will head, with contrasting reports suggesting that the Red Devils have not tabled another bid and Emirates Stadium remains the 27-year-old's most likely destination.
Kavem Hodge fell for 99 as the tourists made good use of the final day of their warm-up match
AAP12-Jan-2024West Indies 251 for 8 (Greaves 65, Hodge 52, Brathwaite 52) and 315 for 5 dec (Da Silva 105, Hodge 99) drew with Cricket Australia XI 174 (Ward 50) and 149 for 5 (Sinclair 3-38)Joshua Da Silva wrapped up West Indies’ on-field preparations for the Frank Worrell Trophy by hitting a century against a Cricket Australia XI in Adelaide.Five days out from the first Test in the South Australian capital, Da Silva offered the tourists hope on Friday with a fine 105 against an inexperienced attack at Karen Rolton Oval.Related
Meet West Indies' new names: the seven uncapped players in Australia
Hodge, da Silva impress for West Indies after fast bowlers run through CA XI
Test hopeful Kavem Hodge did his chances of a debut no harm with 99, before being bowled by spinner Doug Warren agonisingly close to reaching three figures.Hodge was desperately unlucky when a ball spun out of the rough, hit the right-hander’s back leg and bounced onto the stumps.Justin Greaves hit an unbeaten 41 to go with his first-innings 65, helping the tourists to 315 for 5 declared in their second visit to the middle, and a sizeable lead of 392.There do, however, remain some concerns for the tourists. The men likely to bat No. 3 and No. 4 in Adelaide both failed again, with Kirk McKenzie and Alick Athanaze backing up their first-innings scores of 23 and 0 with 9 and 15 respectively.West Indies need more out of the pair in the two-Test series, given they are likely to field debutants in Hodge and Greaves at No. 5 and No. 6.The CA XI were able to hold on for 39 overs to draw the game. West Indies off-spinning allrounder Kevin Sinclair, famous for his somersault celebrations after wickets, claimed three scalps. That will help his case for a Test call-up as he battles with Greaves for a spot in the side.The tourists will have to play at least three debutants at Adelaide Oval, with seven uncapped players in their 15-man squad.That lack of top-level experience highlights the predicament Test cricket finds itself in, with Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers the latest West Indies players to prioritise T20 leagues over the five-day format.
Manchester United have confirmed the signing of Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford after a drawn-out transfer saga.
Mbeumo signs for Man UtdJoins on five-year dealFollows long transfer sagaFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
After weeks of negotiations and rejected bids, United have signed the Brentford winger for a reported deal worth up to £71 million ($95.5m). The Red Devils have confirmed the 25-year-old has penned a deal until 2030 with the option of another year.
AdvertisementGetty/GOALWHAT MBEUMO SAID
The Cameroon international admitted that he wanted to move to United as soon as "there was a chance" to join the Premier League giants, while also giving his backing to head coach Ruben Amorim
He told the club's website: "As soon as I knew there was a chance to join Manchester United, I had to take the opportunity to sign for the club of my dreams; the team whose shirt I wore growing up. My mentality is to always be better than I was yesterday. I know that I have the spirit and character to reach another level here learning from Ruben Amorim and playing alongside world-class players. Everybody told me about the environment that is being created here and how exciting the plans are for the future. This is a massive club, with an incredible stadium and amazing fans, we are all really determined to challenge for the biggest trophies."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
While Mbeumo will be thrilled to join United, the winger has a big job on his hands; namely, to help right a ship that has been sinking in recent years. The Red Devils struggled for goals last season as they finished 15th – five places behind Brentford – and now they will hope Mbeumo, who is one of their most expensive signings ever, can help solve that big issue.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
GOALWHAT NEXT?
Mbeumo, who scored 20 Premier League goals for Brentford last season, will soon link up with his new United team-mates as they head to the United States for a pre-season tour.
The club's director of football, Jason Wilcox, added: "Bryan’s goals and assists record in the Premier League is exceptional, his remarkable consistency has put him amongst the most productive players in England for the last three seasons. Bryan’s belief in our project and determination to join the club confirmed that he was the perfect fit for Manchester United and the culture that we are developing. We are delighted to have secured another one of our primary targets ahead of the pre-season tour. The experience in the US will be the perfect opportunity for Bryan to work with Ruben and his new team-mates as we prepare for an exciting season ahead."
Crystal Palace are preparing to launch a £28 million offer for Inter centre-back Yann-Aurel Bisseck amid the potential departure of Marc Guehi.
Palace eye Bisseck as Marc Guehi replacementInter set price tag of around €40m for 24-year-oldDefender wants to stay with Nerazzurri this seasonFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
According to , the FA Cup winners are stepping up efforts to strengthen Oliver Glasner’s squad amid fears of losing Marc Guehi to Liverpool. The Eagles’ interest comes at a time for Inter are looking to raise funds so they can pursue other targets, with Atalanta attacker Ademola Lookman their main priority. Bisseck has attracted serious interest from the Premier League, with West Ham and Manchester United also monitoring the 24-year-old.
AdvertisementAFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Inter are reportedly holding out for a fee closer to £35m ($40m) for the German defender, who made 46 appearances last season, scoring three goals and providing three assists. Earlier this week, Italian journalist Matteo Moretto claimed Bisseck wants to stay in Milan, but with Inter actively pursuing Lookman, he could be nudged out.
While Palace are desperately trying to hold on to their star players, with top clubs like Liverpool and Arsenal making big offers for Guehi and Eberechi Eze, the Eagles have stepped up their efforts to look for replacements.
Notably, Glasner, who guided Palace to an impressive eighth-place finish and European tournament qualification last season, recently voiced his frustration with the club’s transfer business.
DID YOU KNOW?
Palace qualified for the Europa League by beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final. However, they were demoted to the Europa Conference League after UEFA's Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) ruled that the club’s owners were too closely linked to Lyon, who also qualified for the tournament. The club then lodged an appeal against the decision with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and a verdict is expected on August 11.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
(C)Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR CRYSTAL PALACE?
Palace face a crucial few weeks as the summer nears its final stretch. They are yet to make any major signings despite repeated pleas from manager Glasner. With pre-season fixtures already underway, the Eagles can’t afford to sit back and wait. Soon, they have a highly anticipated clash with Liverpool in the Community Shield on August 10.
Lancashire say groundstaff safety taken into consideration over decision not to remove covers
ESPNcricinfo staff and ECB Reporters Network07-Apr-2024The Vitality County Championship match between Lancashire and Surrey looks certain to end in a draw after only 21 balls were bowled on the third day of the game at Emirates Old Trafford.Surrey had progressed to 15 without loss in their first innings when rain forced an early lunch to be taken at 1.10pm. During the interval, the entire square and bowlers’ run-ups were covered in anticipation of heavy showers, and safety concerns about strong winds prevented the covers’ removal, though no rain was falling when the game was due to restart.Surrey were understood to be confused by the lack of movement with the covers. Head coach Gareth Batty walked out to the middle during this period, clearly irked the defending champions were unable to build on Friday’s work after dismissing Lancashire for 202 inside 73 overs. The expected rain eventually arrived at 2.30pm. Play was eventually abandoned after a 4pm inspection.ECB match referee Mike Smith defended the stance from Old Trafford head grounds manager Matt Merchant that removing the covers would have been dangerous given the conditions, which was backed up by the home club’s safety officer.”After lunch, when it was dry, the head grounds manager, Matt Merchant, said that it was so windy that it would put the health and safety of his staff at risk to ask his staff to remove the covers,” Smith explained. “We didn’t want anyone to be hurt, either by being lifted in the air or slapped by the flat sheets in that wind.”Lancashire’s safety officer thought that was a reasonable position but we did say that the flat sheets should be removed if the wind dropped to an acceptable level. However, we didn’t get to that stage because the rain returned and curtailed the rest of the day’s play.”I haven’t come across such a situation before. But I understand that they were not going to be using the flat sheets at Edgbaston because Gary Barwell, the head groundsman, said he would not be asking his staff to put the flat sheets on in that wind. And it is dangerous to be manoeuvring very heavy flat sheets in wind like that.”Should weather allow any cricket to take place on the final day, the match is now likely to become a battle for first-innings bonus points as Surrey’s batters build a reply to Lancashire’s first innings. Dom Sibley is currently 6 not out and Surrey skipper Rory Burns is unbeaten on 5.