As teams start to come home from EURO 2024 with the knockouts in full swing, transfer news continues to increase by the day, with Chelsea set for a busy few weeks ahead of their pre-season tour.

After the loss of Thiago Silva, Chelsea are looking at defensive incomings ahead of the 2024/25 Premier League campaign, with Bologna's Riccardo Calafiori as one of the main names popping up.

Both Chelsea and Arsenal are said to be interested in the Italian's signature, and in the case either side misses out, there are already some names being touted as alternative options for defensive reinforcement.

Chelsea transfer news

According to reports from Spain, Chelsea have made an attempt to sign Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo, with Bayern Munich and Manchester United also interested.

However, the reports suggest Araujo would cost the Blues a similar figure to those they paid for star signings Enzo Fernández and Moises Caicedo (over the £100m mark).

On the players' side, it is reported that Araujo wants to focus on his international duty, competing in the Copa America with Uruguay, and take it "day by day" whilst competing in that competition.

Why Araujo could be a better signing than Calafiori

Araujo made 37 appearances in all competitions last season for Barcelona, scoring one goal, providing two assists, and contributing to 11 clean sheets. Barcelona finished second in La Liga, ten points off first-placed Real Madrid.

Calafiori – who starred for Italy at Euro 2024 – made 33 appearances in all competitions for Bologna last season, scoring two goals, providing five assists, and contributing to 16 clean sheets. Bologna finished fifth in Serie A, securing Champions League football for the first time since 1964.

Both players offer different assets to their teams. Despite being defenders, their playing styles and profiles are very different. Araujo is a very physically dominant defender, standing at 6 foot 2, whilst Calafiori is a slightly smaller, but aggressive defender, who is extremely versatile on the ball.

As you can tell from Calafiori's goal contributions as a defender, his ability on the ball shines through for a centre-back. Averaging 3.68 progressive passes per 90, 1.07 progressive carries per 90, and producing 1.76 shot-creating actions per 90, which ranks in the top 3% for centre-backs in Europe for this metric.

Araujo isn't quite as versatile on the ball, despite sometimes playing right-back, he is more commonly used as a natural centre-back, using that physicality to win duels. The Uruguayan averages 4.34 progressive passes per 90 (actually bettering Calafiori), but averages slightly fewer progressive carries with 0.88 per 90, and fewer shot-creating actions with 1.08 per 90.

But the defensive metrics are interesting to analyse, due to their differing approaches to defending and the teams they play in. Araujo with Barcelona plays in a side that averages 64.7% possession, whilst Calafiori plays in a Bologna side who averages slightly less at 58.2%.

Calafiori actually averages more tackles, interceptions and blocks than Araujo, whilst the Barcelona man averages more clearances and aerials won. But the aggressive nature of Calafiori sees him entering more duels. This is backed up by Calafiori having a worse challenges lost metric at 0.38 per 90, compared to Araujo's 0.2 per 90 (which ranks in the top 6% for centre-backs).

Araujo is very good on the ball, and despite not being as fluid and versatile as Calafiori, his "monster" profile as described by analyst Raj Chohan, would be perfect for the Premier League, making him instantly one of the league's best defenders.

Chelsea hit gold on academy star who's already worth more than Calafiori

Chelsea already have £100m academy star defender

ByConnor Holden Jul 4, 2024

Cristiano Ronaldo stole the show with a late penalty as the Portuguese sealed a 2-1 win for Al-Nassr against Al-Shabab in the Saudi Pro League.

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• Al-Nassr beat Al-Shabab 2-1
• Ronaldo converted a penalty deep in injury time
• Hamdallah turned villain as he missed from the spot

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  TELL ME MORE

  The ill effects of the recently concluded international break reared its ugly head as Stefano Pioli's men looked disjointed and fatigued for most of the match against a more inspirational Al-Shabab side. Chances came at a premium and if it was not for a stunning reaction save from Bento to deny Mohammed Al-Thani from a corner, Ronaldo & Co would have found themselves chasing the game from early on.

  It was a drab first half and the match did not spring to life until Aymeric Laporte opened the scoring in the 69th minute. After the first goal went in, both teams looked more competitive and in the final quarter, Al-Shabab started enjoying more of the possession. Pioli was quick to react and replaced Otavio with Ali Alhassan. However, the defender messed up a clearance in the final minute of regulation time and ended up putting the ball into his net, much to the fury of his manager on the sidelines.

  When both teams were looking to settle for a point each, hardly did they know the drama had just begun. Robert Renan lunged into a needless challenge on Abdulrahman Ghareeb just inside the box and the referee had no qualms pointing to the spot. Ronaldo stepped up to take the penalty and the 39-year-old sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to score his sixth goal of the league campaign in the seventh minute of stoppage time. However, it was not yet over as Mohamed Simakan handed Al-Shabab a lifeline as he got himself sent off after stamping on Nader Al-Sharari inside the box. But Abderrazak Hamdallah succumbed to the pressure and hit the woodwork from 12 yards to hand vital three points to the visitors who are chasing Al-Hilal in the standings.

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  THE MVP

  Cometh the hour, cometh the man! Ronaldo kept his calm when it mattered the most and delivered the goods, as he mostly does, for Al-Nassr. A stuttered run-up, a good look in the eyes of the keeper, and a well-placed penalty turned out to be the difference-maker between the two sides.

• THE BIG LOSER

  Hamdallah had a decent game to be fair to the Moroccan. But when his side needed a hero, the striker failed them. He looked under pressure before he took his shot and despite sending Bento the other way, he hit the woodwork which condemned his team to a heart-breaking defeat.

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• WHAT COMES NEXT FOR AL-NASSR?

  After a thrilling victory in the domestic league, Ronaldo & Co will now shift his focus to the AFC Champions League as they are set to face Esteghlal in Dubai on Tuesday.

Wellington batsman given out obstructing the field under the new laws

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Nov-2020

New Zealand and Wellington batsman Tom Blundell added his name to the list of unusual dismissals when he was given out obstructing the field on the final day of the Plunket Shield match against Otago at the Basin Reserve.In the second over of the day, which had been delayed until very late by bad weather, Blundell, who was on 101, played a ball from Jacob Duffy down by his feet in the crease and it bounced up. Sensing the stumps could be in danger, Blundell first attempted to kick the ball away – which is legal to defend the wickets – but having not deflected the ball he then tapped it with his glove.The bowler and all the nearby Otago fielders – many of who were sporting beanies against the cold – immediately appealed and Blundell was given out. Until 2017, Blundell would have been out handled the ball but a change in the Laws brought that mode of dismissal under obstructing the field.Blundell will open the batting in the Test series against West Indies next month following his success since taking the role on the tour of Australia last year. After replacing Jeet Raval for the Boxing Day Test, he scored 121 in the second innings – his second Test century follow his debut ton against West Indies in 2017 when he played as the wicketkeeper.Blundell began the domestic season as wicketkeeper and opening batsman for Wellington but having made four low scores the change was made to play as a specialist batsman.

يلتقي الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك مع نظيره الاتحاد السكندري، اليوم الأحد، ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري.

ويلتقي الزمالك مع الاتحاد السكندري، على أرضية استاد القاهرة الدولي، في الجولة السابعة من مسابقة الدوري المصري موسم 2024- 2025.

طالع..وكيل محمد حمدي يوضح تطورات إصابته الخطيرة مع الزمالك

يدخل الزمالك اللقاء متصدرًا جدول الترتيب برصيد 11 نقطة، جمعها من 6 مباريات، بعد تحقيقه الفوز في 3 مباريات، والتعادل في مباراتين، مقابل هزيمة واحدة.

ويسعى الزمالك، تحت قيادة مدربه السويسري كريستيان جروس، إلى العودة إلى طريق الانتصارات بعد تعثره في آخر جولتين بالتعادل أمام سيراميكا كليوباترا وطلائع الجيش.

من جانبه، يأمل الاتحاد السكندري في تحسين ترتيبه عبر تحقيق نتيجة إيجابية أمام الزمالك، حيث يحتل المركز السابع في جدول الترتيب برصيد 9 نقاط من 6 مباريات، حقق الفوز في مباراتين، وتعادل في 3، وتلقى هزيمة وحيدة. موعد مباراة الزمالك والاتحاد السكندري في الدوري المصري

تنطلق المباراة بين الزمالك والاتحاد السكندري، في تمام الساعة الثامنة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، التاسعة بتوقيت السعودية.

فيديو | الزمالك يتخطى الاتحاد السكندري بثنائية نظيفة ويتصدر الدوري المصري القناة الناقلة لمباراة الزمالك والاتحاد السكندري في الدوري المصري

من المقرر أن تنقل المباراة على قناة أون تايم سبورتس 1.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنــــا.

MatériaMais Notícias

Foi suado, mas o Internacional derrotou o Fortaleza no Beira-Rio por 1 a 0 e agora está momentaneamente na 6ª colocação do Campeonato Brasileiro.

+ Veja no aplicativo do LANCE! o resultado dos jogos da rodada

O gol da vitória saiu nos acréscimos da etapa final com Edenílson, que se consolida cada vez mais como o grande nome da equipe.

Nos minutos finais do confronto, o camisa 8 recebeu passe de Yuri Alberto, deixou o zagueiro na saudade e bateu cruzado diante de Felipe Alves. A bola pegou no poste e morreu no fundo da rede.

Além de marcar o gol da vitória, Edenílson ocupa agora o topo da artilharia do Campeonato Brasileiro, com 9 gols marcados.

RelacionadasBrasileirãoEdenílson marca no fim, Inter vence o Fortaleza no Beira-Rio e entra no G6Brasileirão19/09/2021Futebol InternacionalCom gol do brasileiro Andrei Girotto, ex-Palmeiras, Nantes goleia o Angers fora de casa pelo FrancêsFutebol Internacional19/09/2021Fora de CampoPara RMP, ‘Palmeiras entrará como zebra contra o Atlético Mineiro na Copa Libertadores’Fora de Campo19/09/2021

Sky Sports have shared a key update regarding the future of Liverpool defender Nat Phillips, following a rejected bid on Monday.

Phillips has no future at Liverpool

It is easy to forget that the 27-year-old is still on the books at Anfield, considering how little he has featured for the Merseysiders of late. In fact, his last appearance came against Wolves in the FA Cup in January 2023, with Jurgen Klopp not considering him an important player.

Last season, Phillips had stints on loan at both Celtic and Cardiff City – Leeds also wanted him at one point – and with only one year remaining on his current Liverpool deal, the club have a big decision to make this summer. If they don't sell him now, they will essentially lose him on a free transfer next year, so cashing in at this point makes total sense.

The Reds will want to ensure that the Englishman goes for the right amount of money, however, with losing him on the cheap a clear negative, especially as Klopp once described him as "absolutely insane" after some sterling performances towards the end of the 2020/21 season.

Phillips performed admirably in the absence of the likes of injured trio Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez, helping Liverpool secure a third-place finish in the Premier League, which earned the 'Bolton Baresi' an almost cult hero status in the process.

Liverpool reject bid for Nat Phillips

Now, Sky Sports have claimed that Liverpool have turned down a £4m offer for Phillips from Turkish side Trabzonspor, as numerous Championship sides also circle for his signature. The Reds want double that amount, as Michael Edwards demands an increase to £8m.

"Liverpool have been busy, rejecting a £4m offer from Trabzonspor for the services of Nat Phillips. They value him at around £8m and appear to be sticking to that. There's also a lot of interest from a number of Championship clubs."

This summer really does feel like the right time for Phillips to leave Liverpool, considering Arne Slot surely doesn't consider him a key part of his plans at Anfield. In Van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Jarell Quansah, the Dutchman already has three strong centre-back options, and it would be a huge surprise if at least one new player in that area didn't arrive to bolster the squad depth this summer, too.

At 27, it is time for the £65,000-a-week Liverpool man to settle at another club, rather than have a nomadic career jumping between clubs on loan, and there is no reason why he can't be a solid signing for a lower-ranked Premier League side, or perhaps a team pushing for promotion from the Championship.

Related Liverpool now interested in "great" ace dumped out of Copa America by Nunez

The Reds have reportedly joined the race.

Posts ByTom Cunningham Jul 7, 2024

Phillips will depart as a popular figure when he does leave, with superior players loved far less than him in the past, and some memorable moments have come his way, not least the brilliant Cruyff turn that bamboozled Zlatan Ibrahimovic in a Champions League clash back in 2021.

Kylian Mbappe was denied his first Clasico goal by an offside flag as Barcelona's high line persistently troubled Real Madrid stars.

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• Mbappe thought he had first Clasico goal
• VAR intervened to chalk it off
• Flick's high-line paid off magnificently

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Mbappe put his feet on the gas pedal and darted inside the box through the right flank to find himself in a one-on-one situation with Inaki Pena. The French star kept his calm and dinked the ball over his head into the bottom left corner before running towards the corner flag in jubilation.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  However, Mbappe's celebrations were short-lived as VAR chalked off the goal after a lengthy check. He was just found offside between Inigo Martinez and Pau Cubarsi and the forward was left crestfallen.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Madrid were caught offside eight times in the first half with Mbappe alone fluffing his lines on six occasions. In fact, in the first 25 minutes of the match, Mbappe had five touches and all of them were followed by the assistant's flag.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MBAPPE?

  The French attacker will hope to have more luck beating the offside trap in the second half of the clash at the Santiago Bernabeu as Madrid look to catch up to their rivals in La Liga.

Since the 1990s, Glasgow Rangers have prided themselves on having midfielders who are capable of changing games in an instant, whether it be through a goal or a pass, or simply controlling matches from the middle of the pitch.

Ian Durrant, Paul Gascoigne, Iain Ferguson and Steven Davis embody the type of player that thrived at Rangers under the astute management of the late great Walter Smith. It is clear that the Light Blues have missed a presence like this in the midfield over the previous couple of years.

There is one name missing from the list in the previous paragraph. A player who, at his peak, helped Rangers dominate Scottish football in an era which saw Alex McLeish’s men face arguably the strongest Celtic squad in recent memory.

Who can forget Barry Ferguson? The midfield maestro who could score, operate box to box and offer wonderful leadership skills, which enabled the club to win a plethora of honours during his two spells at the club.

Barry Ferguson’s Rangers statistics

The Scot made a total of 428 appearances for the Gers between 1997 and 2009, scoring 61 goals in the process.

He played under a host of managers, including Smith and McLeish, winning 15 major trophies at Rangers, while captaining the team to the UEFA Cup final in 2008.

Advocaat made him the youngest ever Rangers captain at the turn of the century and this inspired him to new heights. He played a key role in the Light Blues winning the 2002 Scottish Cup final, scoring a stunning free-kick to level the scores, before scoring 18 goals during the 2002/03 season as McLeish led his team to the treble.

Has Scotland produced a greater midfield talent in the previous 25 years than Ferguson? That argument is for a different day, but there is no doubting his influence in the heart of the Rangers' midfield across his two spells.

While there have been a few talents emerging through the academy recently, no one has emerged as the ‘next Barry Ferguson’ as yet.

Maybe Philippe Clement will have to shop in the transfer market for a midfielder who is capable of doing the things Ferguson did 20 years ago.

Might this lead to a move for a sublime Scottish talent who is attracting plenty of interest after his performances throughout the 2023/24 campaign…

Rangers have scouted Scottish midfield sensation

According to Football Scotland, Rangers are showing plenty of interest in Motherwell starlet Lennon Miller this summer.

The report from earlier this week states that the club sent scouts to watch the youngster in action for the Steelmen during a pre-season match against Livingston earlier this month.

The midfielder has a contract with Motherwell until 2026, which means the club won't be in any rush to cash in on their prized asset this summer, despite the growing interest from the Light Blues.

He may only be 17, but Miller has prodigious talent which could see him go far in the professional game and, with Clement clearing aiming to bring as much Scottish talent to the club as possible, Miller would be an ideal signing.

Lennon Miller’s season in numbers for Motherwell

Miller may have made his first team debut during the 2022/23 season, but it was last term when he enjoyed a breakthrough year for his club.

Indeed, the midfielder made an impressive 32 appearances in all competitions for Motherwell, scoring once while registering three assists in the process.

His displays from the heart of the midfield were a joy to watch, and he even shone against Rangers during Motherwell’s 2-1 victory over the club back in March.

In that tie, Miller won ten of his 12 total duels, played one key pass, made three tackles and interceptions per match to give Clement a glimpse of the future and allowing the youngster to demonstrate exactly what he could bring to the team.

Stuart Kettlewell – the Motherwell manager – praised Miller in October last year, dubbing him a “special talent” after his impressive start to the season.

Further praise came from talent scout Jacek Kulig, who said: "17 years of age. A real midfield machine. Such an interesting box-to-box midfielder. The future of Scottish football.”

Goals

0

Assists

2

Key passes per game

0.5

Total duels won per game

5.8

Tackles per game

1.8

Successful dribbles per game

0.3

Possession lost per game

11.2

The future indeed. Could he emerge as the rightful heir to Ferguson should he move to Ibrox this summer?

What Lennon Miller could offer Rangers

While Miller may not be as forward-thinking as Ferguson was, especially in his prime, there is no doubting his strengths in the centre of the pitch with regard to winning duels and circulating the ball.

Last season, the 17-year-old won 5.8 total duels per game – a success rate of 68% – along with averaging six ball recoveries per game, averaging 1.8 tackles per game and winning 1.6 fouls each match, showing how effective he is in the midfield.

Although his 70% pass success rate wasn’t the best figure, this increased to 82% within his own half, suggesting that the midfielder took more risks in the opposition half, attempting to make more forward passes.

This is a wonderful quality to have, and it shows that Miller is not scared of losing the ball, as he knows there will be plenty of other chances for him to contribute.

Ferguson was also a risk-taker, someone who always tried to move the ball forward as often as possible. The hype surrounding the Motherwell gem has certainly been justified by his superb displays last year.

Imagine him & Barron: Rangers send scouts to watch "midfield machine"

The Light Blues are interested in a deal to sign the Premiership central midfielder.

ByDan Emery Jul 11, 2024

The chance to move to a club like Rangers this summer could be ideal for both parties. Miller will want to showcase his abilities on a much higher stage and, given that the Light Blues could qualify for the Champions League, it is an offer too good to turn down surely.

For Clement, bringing another Scottish talent to the club will allow him to have an option in his team who could emerge as a key player for Rangers over the next five–ten years.

A summer move is certainly a no-brainer for all involved.

Uncertainty reigns after Paarl cancellation with possibility England party could face 10 days in quarantine

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Dec-2020

What is the current state of the tour?
Having completed the three-match T20I series with relatively little drama, issues surfaced ahead of the first ODI, scheduled for Friday in Cape Town. The game was initially postponed, after a positive Covid-19 test in the South Africa squad, and the Newlands fixture pushed back. However, two more positive tests among staff at the Vineyard Hotel, where both teams are staying, led to Sunday’s ODI in Paarl being delayed and then cancelled.Have there been any further positive tests?
The England camp subsequently revealed that they had returned two “unconfirmed” positives after a round of retesting on Saturday evening. These are awaiting independent ratification, after which the ECB will consult with CSA about the fate of the tour – although no decisions are expected until Monday.Could the remaining ODIs still be played?
In theory, yes. The rearranged fixture at Newlands has already been moved again, and won’t now be played on Monday. But should England’s two unconfirmed positives come back negative, then it is possible the ODIs could be played as back-to-back games on Tuesday and Wednesday.What happens if England’s two positive cases are confirmed?
The England players and staff are currently self-isolating in accordance with South African guidelines. Should the presence of Covid-19 be confirmed, those who tested positive would be required to remain quarantined at the hotel for a 10-day period, along with anyone deemed to have come into close contact with them. That would in turn mean missing the chartered flight that is due to take England home on Thursday.Would that have any knock-on effects?
Aside from unwanted stress and missing out on family time in the run-up to Christmas, some players might find deals to play in the Big Bash League at risk. Sam Billings, Tom Curran, Lewis Gregory, Liam Livingstone and Jason Roy are due to fly to Australia at the end of the series, but already face serving a 14-day quarantine period on arrival. With the BBL starting on Thursday and running through until early February, delays to their departure from South Africa could curtail availability for the tournament.For those players who are also likely to be in the England Test squad, there is also the looming prospect of a tour to Sri Lanka at the start of next year, scheduled to depart on January 2. If their return to the UK was put back until December 17, they would have little more than two weeks at home before being asked to travel to another bio-bubble for the two-Test series.How did individuals contract Covid-19 in a bio-secure environment?
This remains unclear. Although South Africa produced two positive tests ahead of the T20I series, those infections likely occurred before the squad came together. Thursday’s positive was “a more recent case that occurred within the bio-secure environment,” according to CSA medical officer, Dr Shuaib Manjra. CSA said subsequently it had investigated and discounted the possibility of a breach of protocol by the players. However, it is understood that not all of the hotel staff have been staying on site.What might be the implications for South Africa’s summer?
The whole tour was worth around US$4.2m in broadcasting money to CSA, and the loss of half of the fixtures would mean a significant financial hit. Equally damaging, confirmation of a bio-security breach could cast doubt on whether upcoming tours by Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Australia will go ahead as planned.Will there be any impact on the World Cup Super League?
If the series is cancelled due to the coronavirus, there is the potential for the three fixtures – worth 10 points each – to be rearranged (although few windows in which to squeeze another tour). In the case that the games go down as abandonments, then points would be shared, with South Africa and England taking 15 each.

أعلن إنزو ماريسكا، المدير الفني لفريق تشيلسي، ضربة قاسية لجماهير النادي اللندني في ظل تألقهم المميز هذا الموسم، وإمكانية منافستهم ليفربول على لقب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ويقدم تشيلسي نتائج مميزة تحت قيادة المدرب إنزو ماريسكا، حيث يحتل حاليًا المركز الرابع برصيد 35 نقطة.

ويرى البعض أن تشيلسي يُعد منافسًا لكل من ليفربول وآرسنال على لقب الدوري الإنجليزي، رغم إصرار ماريسكا على نفي ذلك أكثر من مرة.

وفي مؤتمر صحفي اليوم، أعلن ماريسكا خبرًا سيئًا للغاية لجماهير تشيلسي، حيث أوضح إمكانية غياب قلب دفاع الفريق ويسلي فوفانا حتى نهاية الموسم الجاري.

كان صاحب الـ24 عامًا قد غاب عن الملاعب منذ بداية ديسمبر بعدما تعرض لإصابة عقب تدخل مع أولي واتكينز في مباراة ضد أستون فيلا.

اقرأ أيضًا | بعد السقوط أمام إيبسويتش تاون.. ماريسكا يوضح موقف تشيلسي من السباق على لقب الدوري الإنجليزي

وغاب فوفانا إثر ذلك عن آخر 9 مباريات لـ تشيلسي، وعانى الفريق حيث لم يفز في أي من مبارياته الثلاث الأخيرة.

وكشف ماريسكا إمكانية غياب فوفانا حتى نهاية هذا الموسم، في ضربة بالنسبة لـ تشيلسي.

وقال ماريسكا، في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “ميرور” الإنجليزية: “لسوء الحظ قد يغيب فوفانا عن الملاعب حتى نهاية الموسم”.

وأضاف: “لا نعرف على وجه التحديد، لكنه قد يغيب عن جزء من الموسم، أقول دائمًا أنني أحب فوفانا”.

واختتم: “كانت لدينا معلومات في البداية، ولكن بعد إجراء المزيد من الفحوص، أدركنا أن الإصابة أسوأ مما كان نعتقد في البداية، إنها في عضلة الفخذ الخلفية، لسوء الحظ سنخسره لفترة من الوقت”.