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Defending champions Trent Rockets kicked off their Men’s Hundred campaign with a six-run victory over 2021 winners Southern Brave in a low-scoring contest at Trent Bridge, Daniel Sams and Lewis Gregory taking three wickets each.Sam Hain’s 63 off 39 balls rescued the Rockets from 54 for 5 with support from Imad Wasim – a last-minute substitute after Rashid Khan’s 11th hour withdrawal – but with Chris Jordan’s 3 for 18 the stand-out performance in a solid bowling display, 133 from 100 looked below par.Yet, on a slow pitch that was offering the bowlers some help, it was too much for Brave, who were 41 without loss from 37 balls but lost five wickets for 32 in the next 28, a position from which they never recovered, despite some late heroics with the bat from Jordan, bowled out for 127 from 99 balls.Related

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Asked to bat first, Rockets lost their top three batters for 25 inside the powerplay. Alex Hales miscued Craig Overton to mid-wicket and Dawid Malan sent up a steepler off the same bowler that James Vince had plenty of time to get under. In between, George Garton produced a beauty to bowl Tom Kohler-Cadmore.Neither Colin Munro nor Gregory fared any better at imposing themselves, the former skying one from Tymal Mills that was comfortably caught at mid-off, with skipper Gregory hit squarely in front by Jordan to perish for two as Rockets reached the 50-ball mark at a miserable 54 for 5. Scoring chances were generally scarce as the Brave attack kept their discipline, backed up for the most part by some excellent fielding.Hain at last gave a subdued home crowd some excitement when Overton returned for his final set to be hit for three boundaries in a row, the middle one a falling-over scoop that carried over the rope and he and Imad were able to put together something of a recovery.They added 78 in 49 balls – 48 of them in the last 25 – before both fell in a dramatic finale to the innings that saw Jordan run out Hain then bowl Imad and Matt Carter with his next two deliveries before Luke Wood survived the hat-trick ball.The priority for Brave in the chase would have been to lose no early wickets and though they were merely level with Rockets for runs after their opening 25, the difference was that the wickets fallen space on the scoreboard still showed zero.Things looked much less comfortable at halfway. Devon Conway’s top edge off Gregory pinged off his helmet to point, then Imad entered the attack with two wickets in eight balls. His first delivery did for Vince, stumped going down the pitch to one that spun away, before Finn Allen, who had looked the man most likely to carry Brave home, holed out to long-on, leaving Brave 51 for 3 from 48 balls.As panic set in, Garton skewed Matt Carter to short fine leg and Tim David, looking to ease the pressure, picked out Hales at long-on, before another slightly freakish delivery saw James Fuller caught behind off glove and pad to leave Brave six down for 89, needing 45 from 22 balls.Leus du Plooy was caught behind in a scoop attempt, Jordan pulled Wood for six, was dropped at short third on 16 – a gallant one-handed effort by sub fielder John Turner – but was yorked by Sams for 22 off 11 with nine needed from three before Overton was run out and Mills leg before.

نعى ترينت ألكسندر أرنولد لاعب ريال مدريد الحالي، وليفربول السابق، زميله، ديوجو جوتا والذي توفي في نبأ هز الوسط الرياضي العالمي صباح اليوم.

وكان ريال مدريد قد أتم صفقة تعاقده مع ترينت ألكسندر أرنولد من ليفربول في صيغة انتقال حر ويشارك الآن مع فريقه في كأس العالم للأندية.

وتوفي ديوجو جوتا لاعب ليفربول، في ساعة مبكرة من صباح اليوم الخميس، إثر حادث سير أليم في إسبانيا، راح ضحيته رفقة شقيقه أندريه.

أقرأ أيضاً.. ميسى ينعى ديوجو جوتا: ارقد في سلام

ولعب ديوجو جوتا إلى جانب ترينت ألكسندر أرنولد خمس سنوات بعد انضمامه من صفوف وولفرهامبتون في 2020.

ووجه أرنولد رسالة نعي لجوتا في رحيله حيث نشر عبر حسابه الرسمي: “من الصعب جداً إيجاد الكلمات المناسبة عندما يكافح عقلك وقلبك لقبول رحيل شخص تحبه كثيراً”.

وأضاف: “ديوجو كانت عائلتك عالمك، كانوا كل شيء، من أجل زوجتك وأطفالك ووالديك، قلوبنا جميعاً محطمة ومن أجل أندريه أيضاً”.

وواصل: “عندما يكون الأمر أقل ألماً، أريد أن أتذكر ديوجو بابتسامة عريضة، الكثير من الضحكات واللحظات السعيدة، كان زميلاً رائعًا وصديقيًا حقيقيًا، الرقم 20 للأبد، ارقد بسلام يا ديوجو”.

Chelsea have spent a pretty penny in the transfer market since the arrival of Todd Boehly in May 2022, splashing over £1.3b on new additions to bolster the squad.

The American has invested in the first-team whilst also keeping one eye on the future, and spending huge fees on youngsters who can make an impact down the line.

Enzo Maresca has utilised numerous of the additions during his first year in charge, helping the Blues sit in the top four of the Premier League in their hunt for Champions League football.

The Italian has achieved a 58% win record in his first year at the helm at Stamford Bridge, a respectable figure given it’s his first time managing in England’s top flight.

However, the 45-year-old will undoubtedly want to catapult the side to a title challenge next season, already wasting no time in targeting players to aid his attempts.

Chelsea’s move to land Essugo & Quenda from Sporting CP

Dario Essugo is currently spending the season on loan at Spanish side Las Palmas from Sporting CP, but it hasn’t stopped Chelsea from making a move for the 20-year-old.

Fabrizio Romano confirmed that the Blues have agreed an £18.5m deal for the midfielder to join the first team this summer on a seven-year contract.

He’s not the only Sporting player set to move to West London, with wideman Geovany Quenda also set to move in 2026, after the two sides agreed a fee in the region of £40m for his signature.

The 17-year-old has endured a huge rise this campaign, featuring 44 times in Portugal, registering a total of eight combined goals and assists – a phenomenal return given his tender age.

However, despite the pending deals for the two youngsters, the club already have a player who’s worth more than the pair combined, showcasing their excellent dealings in the market.

The Chelsea star worth more than Essugo & Quenda

Over the years, numerous of the Chelsea signings made during the Boehly era have made a real impact in the first team, helping Maresca in his quest for a top-four finish.

Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernández and Moises Caicedo are arguably three of the best additions, with the latter two costing upwards of £100m – showcasing the ambition shown by the owner in recent years.

Striker Nicolas Jackson is another player who’s moved to the club in recent times, costing a fee in the region of £32m from Villarreal in the summer of 2023.

The Senegalese international, who’s currently out injured, has often been the go-to man at the top end of the pitch, cementing his place as the number-one striker for the Blues.

The 23-year-old has registered 26 goals in his 68 appearances for the club, often popping up at key moments with vital goals, leading to journalist Ben Jacobs dubbing him as “superb”.

Nine of his strikes have come during the ongoing season, currently sitting as the Blues’ second top scorer despite not featuring since the start of February.

Cole Palmer

14

Nicolas Jackson

9

Noni Madueke

7

Enzo Fernández

4

Marc Cucurella

4

Christopher Nkunku

3

Pedro Neto

3

As a result of his excellent goalscoring form at the Bridge, Jackson is now valued at £64.5m by Football Transfers, a figure higher than that of the combined fees of Essugo and Quenda which totals £58.5m.

Given his form and increased market value over the last couple of years, he’s showcased that he’s been worth every penny of his transfer fee, whilst having the potential to improve further given his tender age.

There will be huge hope in West London that the new signings could follow in the footsteps of Jackson in hitting the ground running at the club, potentially being worth every penny of their big-money fees.

Boehly must sell Chelsea's "waste of money" who earns more than Nkunku

Chelsea should ruthlessly move on from the central defender in the summer window.

3 ByDan Emery Mar 19, 2025

Liverpool are firing on all cylinders, and wrapping up the Premier League title is beginning to look like a formality after Arsenal’s depleted ranks have seen them drop away from the summit.

The Gunners will no doubt feel aggrieved over the incessant injury blows that have disrupted their campaign, but Liverpool have always looked like the best team in this league, right from the offing.

With just one loss all season, the top-flight table-toppers are thriving under Arne Slot, having kept more clean sheets (12) than any other team, taking control through their robust and dynamic midfield and indeed putting teams to the sword with a frightening frontline, headed by Mohamed Salah.

Salah is taking all the individual accolades and will have one eye on the Ballon d’Or ceremony later this year, but winning titles is the main thing for this incredible forward.

It’s unthinkable that he might be playing elsewhere after the summer.

Potential Salah replacements at Liverpool

Like Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, Salah is out of contract at the end of the season. The consensus is that the elder stars will pen new deals, as per David Ornstein, though Trent’s situation is more nebulous with Real Madrid desperate to reel him in.

Internally, Liverpool have some fitting Salah replacements from a positional standpoint. Federico Chiesa typically plays off the right, while Ben Doak has been making headway on loan with Middlesbrough in the Championship this season.

However, both are dwarfed when up against the 32-year-old’s giddy level.

Spanish sources have long claimed that Real Madrid’s Rodrygo is on the shortlist to replace the 32-year-old, while Brentford bagman Bryan Mbeumo has more recently been touted as a suitable like-for-like successor.

Liverpool were understood to have placed Jarrod Bowen at the top of the shopping list when Saudi Arabian suitors wanted to sign Salah for £150m in August 2023.

Indeed, the West Ham United skipper is valued in the £100m ballpark as West Ham view him in the same bracket as Declan Rice, who joined Arsenal for £105m in 2023.

Bowen’s a good player, but £100m is no small haul. In fact, FSG must kick themselves for selling their own version of the Three Lions star, who was cheap as chips and capable from a utility role before being sold by Jurgen Klopp.

Liverpool sold their own Jarrod Bowen Where Are They Now

Those of a Liverpool persuasion are waiting with bated breath as Salah’s future remains undetermined – in four months, he will be a free agent – but it does feel like the £350k-per-week sensation will extend and see out his final prime years on Merseyside.

Forking out £100m for the 28-year-old Bowen doesn’t feel very FSG, and plans will instead be mapped out for a success plan while Salah still plies his art at the club, in all likelihood.

Given that Liverpool had their own lite version in Takumi Minamino, such intrigue could have been parked long ago, with the Japan international joining Liverpool from RB Salzburg in January 2020 after Klopp was impressed by his display against the Reds in the Champions League.

With a £7m release clause, it was a no-brainer, an astute piece of business to shore up the frontline and provide cover for Salah. Chiesa’s arrival last summer echoed this former package, and you have to wonder whether there was ever any need for the £150k-per-week Italian at all, for Minamino’s versatile qualities could have seen him play a longer-standing role.

In fairness, the 30-year-old detailed frustrations over his bit-part role, but he could have been sated with further opportunities, having proved his worth through crucial Carabao Cup and FA Cup in 2021/22, notching eight goal contributions in total as the Merseysiders won both titles.

Make no mistake, Minamino is not good enough to succeed or even rival Salah, who has recently been described as the “best player in the world” by Sky Sports’ Melissa Reddy.

However, he does have the kind of profile that Liverpool have enjoyed over recent years, not least because FSG signed him and won titles with him.

Indeed, Minamino’s inclination toward cutting inside and striking on goal has seen FBref record West Ham’s Bowen as one of his most statistically similar players, for the Three Lions star is regarded as a constant danger for defenders with crisp dribbling and passing and an innate striker’s instinct.

At Monaco, the Japan winger has enjoyed a nice resurgence, scoring 16 goals and adding 15 assists across 85 appearances, starting 67 of those fixtures. His balanced output offers further similarities to Bowen’s clinical yet creative game.

24/25

23 (23)

7

4

23/24

34 (34)

16

6

22/23

38 (36)

6

6

21/22

36 (34)

12

10

20/21

38 (30)

8

5

19/20

13 (11)

1

4

He hasn’t always achieved the most emphatic clinical success, but Bowen has proved himself to be one of the Premier League’s most able forwards, so often a beacon of hope for a West Ham team who have lifted a European title and enjoyed several seasons up against the biggest hitters but have struggled in the bottom half of the division both this season and last.

Liverpool’s frontline, so replete with quality, doesn’t require Bowen’s services, but Minamino’s retained presence could have saved money for FSG while providing a flexible threat to supplement the likes of Salah.

After all, Minamino has scored six goals and five assists from 32 matches for Monaco this season. For context, Darwin Nunez has identical numbers from 36 appearances across all competitions at Liverpool. Might Minamino be a more capable asset in Slot’s squad?

Liverpool sold him to Monaco for £15m in 2022, turning a tidy profit, so there can’t be too heavy grievances, but the fact remains he would have been a worthy asset who fit that Bowen-like profile Liverpool admire and avoided needless signings such as that of Chiesa.

Minamino was “undervalued” at Liverpool, so says journalist Josh Bunting, and his likeness to Bowen shows he could have been more of an asset.

Slot is creating his own Gordon in Liverpool's "special" 17-year-old

Liverpool are gearing up for a long and successful chapter under Arne Slot’s leadership.

ByAngus Sinclair Feb 27, 2025

In recent times, Celtic have been renowned for their business model at Parkhead of buying young players and selling them on for profit, a strategy that chief executive Michael Nicholson described as “successful on and off the field”.

This leads to plenty of players passing through the club, often for a very short period, sometimes making a ginormous impact, and other times leaving having made very little impression at all.

The latter is certainly true of a highly-rated youngster, once labelled “the Scottish Gareth Bale”, whose stint at Parkhead was, at best, unmemorable, and has certainly not lived up to his potential.

Celtic's best and worst loanees

According to Transfermarkt, since 2017, Celtic have taken 16 senior players on loan, not including players such as Daizen Maeda, Jota, Paulo Bernardo, Adam Idah nor Cameron Carter-Vickers, who initially arrived on loan, before making the move permanent.

So, here they all are in all their glory. We bet there are some names on this list you’d completely forgotten about…

Jeffrey Schlupp

2025-present

7

0

0

Álex Valle

2024

10

0

1

Nat Phillips

2023

8

0

1

Moritz Jenz

2022

19

2

2

Shane Duffy

2020/21

27

3

1

Diego Laxalt

2020/21

28

1

1

Jonjoe Kenny

2021

16

0

0

Mohamed Elyounoussi

2019/21

67

25

3

Moritz Bauer

2019/20

13

0

1

Daniel Arzani

2018/20

2

0

2

Filip Benković

2018/19

27

2

3

Oliver Burke

2019

19

4

2

Tim Weah

2019

17

4

2

Jeremy Toljan

2019

14

0

2

Patrick Roberts

2016-2018

78

18

7

Charly Musonda

2018

8

0

2

Fair to say, looking at this list, it’s a real mixed bag, with Mohamed Elyounoussi and Patrick Roberts, almost unquestionably, the two best, both in terms of longevity and output.

On the flip side, the trio that arrived during the behind-closed-doors 2020/21 season, namely Shane Duffy, Jonjoe Kenny and Diego Laxalt, were not great were they, making it very little surprise that campaign was such a catastrophe.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

One player on that list, who made fewer than 20 appearances in hoops, managed by both Brendan Rodgers and Neil Lennon during his brief time at the club, had massive potential, but never fulfilled that hype.

Celtic once had the 'Scottish Gareth Bale'

Oliver Burke was once described, as noted by analyst Kai Watson, as the ‘Scottish Gareth Bale’, with sky-high expectations placed upon his shoulders, hence why RB Leipzig paid a reported £13m for his services, signing him from Nottingham Forest in 2016 when he was still a teenager.

However, as outlined by Mark Walker of the Herald, Burke has had a ‘peculiar career’ since then, viewed as an ‘unpolished diamond’ when he first broke into Forest’s first team, with Steve Madeley of the Athletic describing him as ‘rampaging’ and ‘speedy’.

However, his manager at Leipzig, Ralf Rangnick, essentially intimated that Burke was unable to take on tactical instructions, so his time in Saxony did not go as planned.

The Scotland international, still only 27-years-old, was sold to West Bromwich Albion for £15m in 2017, but made just 24 appearances for the Baggies, loaned out to Celtic, for whom he scored four goals, including this brace against St Mirren.

Since departing Parkhead, Burke has represented Depotivo Alavés, Sheffield United, Millwall twice and Birmingham City, with Joseph Chapman of Birmingham Live describing his loan spell at St Andrew’s as ‘miserable’.

So, where is he in 2025 and how is he doing? Well, the Scot is back in the Bundesliga with Werder Bremen, joining die Grün-Weißen in 2022, but making only 36 appearances for them so far, albeit he was on target during Tuesday’s DFB-Pokal defeat at the hands of 3.Liga side Arminia Bielefeld.

At this peak, Burke was bought for £15m, but is now valued at less than £1m by Transfermarkt, merely a footnote in Celtic’s treble success of 2018/19.

Celtic's best striker since Larsson is now playing in Australia's 3rd-tier

Celtic have had plenty of top-class strikers in the 20 years since Henrik Larsson’s departure, but one is now plying his trade in the wilderness.

ByBen Gray Feb 25, 2025

Technical work he has been putting in over the last year has come together

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff18-Nov-2022

Steven Smith looked in prime form in the first ODI•AFP

A buoyant Steven Smith has proudly announced his superb one-day innings against England was the best he has felt batting in six years.The bold claim from one of the country’s greatest batters will strike fear into West Indies and South Africa ahead of the Australian Test summer.Smith belted an unbeaten 80 from 78 balls at Adelaide Oval on Thursday to help Australia secure a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series against world champions England.”[It] was probably the best I’ve felt in about six years,” Smith told reporters. “I was just in really nice positions and I felt really good, I honestly haven’t felt that way in six years or so. It’s been nice to score some runs in that time and we’re always looking for perfection, and for me yesterday was as close to perfection as I will get.”Smith credits a year-long process to help rediscover his best stance and technique which now sees him not taking the pronounced jump across the crease and staying more side-on to the ball.He scored a century in his previous ODI innings, against New Zealand in September, but said that his latest effort felt a world away.”[It was] much better yesterday,” he said. “In Cairns on a slow wicket I still felt a little bit rushed and wasn’t quite happy with the positions I was getting in whereas yesterday I just felt, a couple of the cover drives I hit, I know I’m batting really well when I’ve got my weight going through the ball.”Smith was left out of all but one game during the recent T20 World Cup campaign but in ODI cricket has been able to retain a remarkable record. Since returning from his ban at the 2019 ODI World Cup, he has averaged 54.84 in ODIs, which goes up to an even more impressive 66.13 since the start of 2020.The six-year timeframe mentioned by Smith since he last felt so good at the crease includes his remarkable 2019 Ashes in England where he averaged 110.57. And over the last six years, since 2016, he has averaged 61.77. However, for his lofty standards, Smith has experienced a lean period in the Test arena with just two centuries since the 2019 Ashes.”I’ve been working on a few things, it’s almost been a six-month or 12-month process,” Smith said. “The start of last summer, I tried to get my hands back to where they were in 2015.”I feel like I’m staying a bit more side-on now and I’ve got my feet and hands in sync together. [Thursday] was probably the first time I’ve actually had extended time in the middle with that change.”It’s hard to base something on one innings but it felt as though things clicked for me like they did at the WACA in 2013. Hopefully it’s the start of a big summer.”Smith is averaging 60.00 from 87 Tests with 28 centuries ahead of a jam-packed 12 months for Australian cricket.After two Tests against West Indies and a three-match series with South Africa, Australia will head to India in February to battle for the Border-Gavaskar trophy. If they gain enough points in those series there will be a World Test Championship final in early June before the Ashes series in England.

GOAL Convo: Carlton Cole talks West Ham, the Premier League and his unique perspective on the American game

It never really hit Carlton Cole just how much time he's spent around American soccer. But as he sits deep in the bowels of Atlanta United's Mercedes-Benz Stadium, it starts to all come together.

There was the MLS All-Star Game back in 2008, when he led the line for West Ham against a team that included David Beckham, Landon Donovan, Cuauhtemoc Blanco and Juan Pablo Angel. There was that brief stay in the USL with the Sacramento Republic at the tail end of his playing career. There was that life-changing week in Raleigh for the initial TST, too.

All unique and, in some ways, weird experiences that have helped him find his own place in the wild world of the American game.

And while he is still eager to pick a fight with anyone that calls the game soccer instead of football, Cole has found his own appreciation for the sport in the U.S., and it's that appreciation that recently brought him to Atlanta. He arrived to represent West Ham, the club near and dear to his heart, as they prepare to embark on their own American adventure this summer.

The Hammers will take part in the Premier League Summer Series alongside Manchester United, Bournemouth and Everton, playing in Atlanta, Chicago and New Jersey in the English league's latest push to market itself to the ever-growing American market. Cole is at the forefront, visiting training facilities, bars and MLS stadiums to, as he so eloquently puts it, "spread the good name of West Ham United".

Now seven years since he's retired, Cole remains totally connected to West Ham, the club he represented for a decade of his life. He scored 68 goals across 293 appearances for the club, living some of his best and worst moments in the claret and blue.

The days of him wearing that shirt are long over, but he's now the London club's renaissance man: part-time ambassador, part-time youth mentor, part-time loans manager and, at least for one summer, part-time player. In some ways, he's Mr. West Ham, which is why he'll be right at the forefront of the club's American push this summer.

"Listen, because of football, I've gotten to travel the world," Cole tells GOAL. "I've met so many different people that all have different perspectives of the game, and it's all been beautiful, man. When you summarize it and add it up, football takes me across the whole world and I still get to enjoy it from a different point of view. It's been a great journey so far, and it's still ongoing for me. That's why I like to say that football has been a joy to my life in all aspects."

Ahead of the West Ham's big summer, Cole discussed the club's aims, the growth of American soccer and the joy of representing his team in the latest GOAL Convo, a recurring Q&A with central figures in soccer.

West Ham UnitedON THE JOY OF BEING A WEST HAM AMBASSADOR

GOAL: You've gotten to experience so many different things with West Ham, particularly in the United States. You've played in an MLS All-Star game and TST. You've gone to bars and events all over the country where you have this connection to fans an ocean away. That's the dream, in many ways, to continue that connection even after you're done playing. What's that like for you?

COLE: I've got to put some respect on West Ham United's name. They didn't have to give me the opportunity to be a coach. They didn't have to give me an opportunity to be the loans manager or a mentor for the club, let alone be an ambassador for the club. That carries a big weight to carry around the world. Basically I'm like a walking badge, a human emblem of West Ham United. I walk around the whole world with that badge on my head, and it does carry its weight. It's a testament to how the fans view me and recognizing I always gave my 100 percent to the club. I never shied away from any type of challenge. I stayed with the club when it was going through bad days and I'll always stay with the club the good days. I'll always be there as long as I live.

I've got to always thank the fans first, because they put me in this position, and yes, with a little bit of help by the uppers at the club, but they recognize how much my connection with the fans would help the club and go to the next level with the club after my career. They saw the potential in me, and then I've run with it. It's just been one of those ones where I really appreciate the love I do get and and the respect I do get being one of the one of the ambassadors of the club to spread the good name of West Ham United.

GOAL: You've been in America plenty of times, but this recent trip is to get ready for the Premier League Summer Series. What are your interactions like with American fans and, particularly, West Ham fans in America?

COLE: You get into these conversations of like "I've got a friend that supports West Ham, can you do a video?" or "I had a friend that had West Ham close to their heart and they died not so long ago." There's something where there's this feeling, like a spiritual connection. It's just about having something in common with somebody. When I go around with my experience, not everyone supports West Ham United, but they respect the sport and that's the main thing. They call it soccer, I call it football and we'll have that argument as well! There's always people to connect with with Americans and this sport.

For me, West Ham United are well respected all over the world. Everyone knows Manchester United. They know Chelsea, Real Madrid. Everyone knows these clubs. I tell people you need to dive in. If you really want to know the sport, you need to delve deeper and understand and connect with some of these clubs, for one reason or another. There's some magnet that draws you to this sport and then you can always get that connection with someone else that loves the sport. There's always something.

AdvertisementWest Ham UnitedON THE GROWING U.S. INTEREST IN WEST HAM

GOAL: Something like the Premier League Summer Series is a real testament to the growth of the league abroad. It's no secret the world's biggest clubs can sell tickets in America, but we're at a point, too, where West Ham can come to America and play in front of thousands of supporters. What has it been like experiencing that growth?

COLE: That was one of our targets a few years back and, actually, we didn't think we could be that big. Football's a growing sport, and to grow it, you have to be a part of the bigger picture. Now, West Ham, we always looked at it and we didn't connect with our fan base over there. We didn't do this. We didn't do that. I think as we started getting into Europe and seeing that, we started to take it a little bit more seriously, because people are starting to recognize it all and now we need to start growing it and building upon it. Sometimes it takes somebody from the club to try and convince the people in the higher ups that this is something worth pursuing, and that's what we are doing now. That's why we're over here.

That's why we're promoting and making sure that we're at the front of the pack when it comes to promoting our club across the world. That's what we're really taking pride in and joy in doing right now. We've got a whole new team dedicated to spreading the club's good name, and that's what we needed, and that's what we're going for. We're growing. We're getting better. I'm not sure we're going to get to Man Utd status just yet, until we win the Premier League, but we're on the way. Hopefully, we can get some good support whilst we're doing that. We're a growing club still. Although we've got so much history, we're still a growing club, and we understand the value of coming to America and making a good go of it to get to the next level with our support and fan base.

GOAL: What are your most looking forward to when West Ham head to the U.S. this summer?

COLE: Listen, the summer is going to bring so much joy. I think Graham Potter next season is going to probably, hopefully, bring in his own players. Some of the players I put out on loan will be returning to the club. Hopefully they get a chance, and you get you guys get to see them live playing here in Atlanta at the Mercedes Benz Stadium. Hopefully, we can see a lot of prospects, plus what the future is going to look like for West Ham.

Plus I'm looking forward to all this stuff that MLS has got to offer for for the season coming up. Also o the World Cup is going to be here soon and you can't forget the Club World Cup. There are going to be so many eyes on the U.S. There's a lot going on for U.S. football at the moment, and I'm looking forward to everything that comes with it.

TSTON HIS EXPERIENCE AT TST

GOAL: You've participated in all sorts of events over here. Is there one that stands out?

COLE: Loads of them. TST was really good. I actually enjoyed it, although we didn't attack it the way we should have attacked it because we thought it was just a vets game! We weren't prepared so we got spanked, really. We were not happy as older pros seeing these younger kids running around us. We didn't look at TST as a success, per se, but what we did get out of it was some good moments.

We had some good times. It was memorable and it was nice to see all of the old veterans get together and try and make something happen. We became tighter as veterans because, after your career, everyone goes about their business and doesn't regroup. We've known each other for so long, and we used that as the catalyst to get our group back together. After that, we've been more united than ever.

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GettyON JARROD BOWEN

GOAL: West Ham have a star right now in Jarrod Bowen, who really has become the face of the club. He's representing the club on the international level, too. How good is he and how important is he for the club both right now and in the future?

COLE: Jarrod Bowen's a player that I admire. He's one of those guys that you can rely on. For me, he's one of those players that you need in your team, because he'll do the running. No matter what, he'll give you at least a 10 out of 10 effort. That all you need and that's all you can ask from any player. If you don't have those type of players in your team, you will struggle. That's why he's been our captain, because he shows the way to put 100 percent in. He's so important for our club at this moment in time. He scored the winning goal, obviously, in the Europa Conference League, which won us our first trophy in so many from so many years, 40 years.

Now we're looking at him and thinking, "OK, go on, what else can you do?" He's playing for England. He's really gravitating towards the captaincy role now. He's really taking that on and embracing it. I'm really excited for his future at the club. He's even marrying into a West Ham United family! Danny Dyer's his father in law now, so it just shows you where his head's at. He's going to be remaining with the club until the day he dies. You can't move because he's West Ham United through and through.

أعلن الاتحاد المصري لكرة السلة برئاسة الأستاذ عمرو مصيلحي، عن السماح بحضور جماهيري يصل إلى 2000 مشجع في مباريات الدور نصف النهائي من بطولة دوري السوبر لكرة السلة، وذلك بعد موافقة الجهات الأمنية المعنية على تأمين الحدث الرياضي المنتظر.

ووفقًا لما أعلنه الاتحاد، سيكون الحضور الجماهيري مقسمًا بين طرفي كل مباراة، حيث يُسمح لكل نادٍ بإدخال 1000 مشجع، لتوفير أجواء جماهيرية متوازنة وداعمة لجميع الفرق المتأهلة إلى هذا الدور المتقدم من المسابقة المحلية.

ويتضمن نصف النهائي مواجهتين من العيار الثقيل، حيث يلتقي الأهلي مع الزمالك في كلاسيكو جماهيري مرتقب، بينما يصطدم الاتحاد السكندري بنظيره سبورتنج في ديربي سكندري خالص، وسط توقعات بصراع قوي على حجز بطاقتي التأهل للمباراة النهائية.

وسيُقام هذا الدور الحاسم بنظام Best of 5، أي أن الفريق الذي يحقق ثلاث انتصارات أولًا يتأهل إلى النهائي، وتُجرى جميع المباريات على صالة برج العرب الرئيسية بالإسكندرية، بما يضمن تجهيزات لوجستية وتنظيمية على أعلى مستوى.

طاقم تحكيم أجنبي لمباراة الزمالك والاتحاد في نصف نهائي كأس مصر لكرة السلة

وكشف الاتحاد عن جدول مباريات الدور نصف النهائي بالكامل، حيث تنطلق المنافسات يوم الثلاثاء 13 مايو، بلقاء يجمع الاتحاد وسبورتنج في تمام السادسة مساءً، تليها مواجهة الأهلي والزمالك في تمام التاسعة مساءً.

وتُستكمل السلسلة يومي 15 و17 مايو، مع احتمالية لعب مباريات رابعة وخامسة في 19 و20 من الشهر ذاته، في حال عدم حسم التأهل مبكرًا.

ومن المنتظر أن تشهد صالة برج العرب حضورًا جماهيريًا كثيفًا من عشاق اللعبة، خاصة في ظل قوة الفرق المتأهلة وتاريخها الكبير، إذ يملك كل من الأهلي والزمالك والاتحاد وسبورتنج سجلًا حافلًا في بطولات السلة المحلية والقارية، ما يرفع من مستوى الترقب لهذه السلسلة النارية من المباريات.

ويأتي هذا القرار في ظل حرص الاتحاد المصري لكرة السلة على إضفاء أجواء حماسية للمباريات المهمة، وتعزيز الحضور الجماهيري في البطولات المحلية، تماشيًا مع توجهات الدولة في دعم النشاط الرياضي وتطوير البنية التحتية للمسابقات المختلفة.

Ipswich Town were on the receiving end of another humbling defeat in the Premier League when travelling to Liverpool on Saturday as Arne Slot’s hosts ran out convincing 4-1 victors.

It was always going to be a tall order for the Tractor Boys to go to Anfield and topple the might of the Reds, with the Suffolk underdogs remaining in the top-flight drop-zone on goal difference off the back of another heavy loss.

With Ali Al-Hamadi now loaned out to the Championship to gift him more game-time, Kieran McKenna could now be looking at improving his numbers up top.

After all, as much as Liam Delap has shown regularly this season he can be an explosive and clinical striker, he is also prone to an off-day in front of goal.

Liam Delap's recent struggles for Ipswich

Indeed, the former Manchester City attacker has drawn blanks across his last three Ipswich outings, with the standard of opposition arguably not helping his case.

Across the three defeats to Brighton and Hove Albion, Liverpool and Manchester City, Delap has only managed to muster up a weak combined total of 53 touches, with just three efforts registered too as the rest of his teammates also struggled to find the back of the net.

Of course, you would imagine that the 21-year-old will flicker back into life in front of goal sooner rather than later, considering he can boast eight goals from 21 Premier League games away from his current barren patch of form.

But, McKenna will know he cannot rely on just Delap to deliver the goods, and with George Hirst only managing one strike from 11 league games himself as an option in reserve, a new striker prospect could soon arrive through the door to shake up the striker positions.

Ipswich enquire about "explosive" teenager

As per a report from football journalist Graeme Bailey, interest is beginning to heat up regarding the services of Sheffield United youngster Ryan One, with Ipswich just one suitor looking at the promising Scotsman.

The Tractor Boys have allegedly made an enquiry to sign the teenager, with other notable Premier League sides looking at the exciting 18-year-old in the form of Liverpool, Brighton and Tottenham Hotspur. That said, One could well be intrigued by the potential of moving to Suffolk with more game-time perhaps on the table for him at Portman Road.

After all, the teenage hotshot has already begun to make waves at his current side Sheffield United, with this composed finish in the U21 ranks against arch-rivals Sheffield Wednesday one reason why he has been bumped up to the first team ranks.

The “explosive” youngster – as he has been labelled by Scottish football X account Scotball in the past – has since scored just once in the senior fold under Chris Wilder from 13 appearances, with a hope attached here that Ipswich can strike gold again by signing a raw talent that used to call South Yorkshire home like they managed with the aforementioned Hirst.

Ipswich

64

15

Portsmouth

46

15

Rotherham

32

0

OH Leuven

23

3

Blackburn Rovers

11

0

Leicester City

2

0

Sheffield Wednesday

2

0

As can be seen by looking at the table above, Hirst hasn’t always been known as a goalscoring hero like he is now at Portman Road during his team’s unbelievable back-to-back promotions, as the 25-year-old visibly struggled with his confidence at various different clubs before his big Ipswich switch.

Therefore, whilst One only boasts five senior career goals playing in Scotland and in Sheffield, McKenna might well be the best possible manager to get the most of him moving forward like he managed with Hirst.

Nobody will be expecting the 18-year-old to usurp Delap in the starting XI, but One’s purchase would keep the 21-year-old on his toes and gift the Tractor Boys another youthful spark in attack.

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Liverpool continue to fly high top of the Premier League table, despite Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Fulham at Anfield, which was, remarkably, just the fourth time in 23 matches since Arne Slot’s arrival that the Reds have failed to win in any competition.

This is truly remarkable given the aforementioned change of manager as well as Liverpool’s lack of outlay during the summer transfer market.

Federico Chiesa, who joined from Juventus for a fee of £12.5m, was the only senior addition to Slot’s squad.

The Italian has, to date, had a minimal impact since arriving on Merseyside however, making just three appearances totalling a miserly 78 minutes due to a persistent muscle injury, which was flagged as a potential issue when he arrived, with the winger himself admitting that injuries have “slowed down my career”.

Meantime, a reported £30m was spent to secure the services of goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, but he was immediately loaned back to Valencia, set to arrive next summer, which sets up an interesting dynamic as the Georgian, as well as Alisson and Caoimhín Kelleher, all battle for the number one shirt.

Thus, in summary, Liverpool’s success so far has been built upon a bed-rock of Jürgen Klopp’s core players, and it may have been the sale of one of Klopp’s most trusted lieutenants that has proved to be the best piece of business the Reds have done in recent times.

Jürgen Klopp's key players

Back in May, Klopp departed Liverpool as a true club legend, on par with Bob Paisley, Bill Shankly and Kenny Dalglish.

During nigh-on a decade on Merseyside, the German hoisted aloft a Community Shield, two EFL Cups, the UEFA Super Cup, a FIFA Club World Cup, an FA Cup, reached the Champions League Finals, winning one of them, and, most notably ended the Reds’ 30-year wait for a Premier League title, a draught that had defined the whole club’s identity for generations.

During this incredibly successful stint, Klopp certainly relied upon many tried and trusted figures, who will also go down as club icons.

Liverpool players who made 200+ appearances under Jürgen Klopp
Player	Appearances	% of matches featured in
Roberto Firmino	355	83%
Mohamed Salah	349	89%
James Milner	323	75%
Trent Alexander-Arnold	310	71%
Jordan Henderson	304	71%
Andy Robertson	297	76%
Virgil van Dijk	270	75%
Sadio Mané	269	82%
Alisson	263	79%
Georginio Wijnaldum	237	90%
Fabinho	219	79%
Joe Gomez	207	44%
Joël Matip	201	50%
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt

Of course, Salah, Alexander-Arnold, Robertson, Van Dijk, Alisson and Gomez all remain, with the other seven players in the table above all having departed, one of which brought in an extremely high fee.

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Fabinho's post-Liverpool career

Back in July 2023, Fabinho was sold to Al-Ittihad for £40m, which more or less saw the Reds break even, despite the fact the Brazilian was now 30 years old, having spent five seasons at Anfield.

While on Merseyside, Klopp called him “one of the best in the world at number six”, hence why he was reluctant to sell.

During the summer of 2023 though, Saudi Pro League clubs spent over £750m, making the money difficult to turn down, although spending, attendances and general interest in the league have all plateaued in recent months, with the high-profile players who’d moved to the Middle East disappearing into obscurity.

For Fabinho specifically, when he arrived at Al-Ittihad, they were reigning champions, but finished fifth last season, with manager Nuno Espírito Santo replaced by Marcelo Gallardo, but he only lasted 33 matches before returning to River Plate.

Now led by Laurent Blanc, the Jeddah-based outfit are top of the table, following Friday’s 2-1 victory over Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr.

The Brazilian’s time in Saudi Arabia has been blighted by injury, making 45 appearances but missing 19 games since his debut, underlining that Liverpool really struck gold by cashing in on Fabinho when they did, replacing him with Ryan Gravenberch for a similar fee, who is nine years his junior.

The Dutchman has been widely praised for his performances this season, Dinesh Kumar describing him as “absolutely sensational” against Fulham on Sunday, also ranked as Liverpool’s joint-third best player by Sofascore, and Gravenberch may not be at Anfield had it not been for the well-timed sale of Fabinho.

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