Manchester City are seeking to retain their FIFA Club World Cup crown this summer as the tournament takes on a new and exciting format, with 32 teams competing to be named football’s best club side.

After much excitement and intrigue, the revamped FIFA Club World Cup has begun, with stars like Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Michael Olise already taking centre stage in the United States.

Pep Guardiola’s side can become the first English team to be crowned the kings of world football on two occassions with a triumph this summer, and only the second side in history to retain the title, after Real Madrid’s three-peat between 2017 and 2019.

How to Watch the FIFA Club World Cup for Free

Everything you need to know about the Club World Cup.

ByCharlie Smith Jun 13, 2025

The eight-time Premier League champions’ quest to reach the final, which takes place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 13, starts this week on Wednesday June 18 when they take on Wydad AC, who compete in Botola Pro, the top flight of Moroccan football.

City earned their place in this competition via their UEFA Champions League triumph against Inter back in 2023, while Wydad were crowned CAF Champions League winners in 2022 after a heroic 2-0 win against Egyptian side Al-Ahly.

Watch the FIFA Club World Cup live and on-demand here

Ahead of what should be an action-packed opening fixture for two of the four sides in Group G, here’s everything you need to know on how to watch – and who to be looking out for – when Wednesday rolls around…

Where to watch Man City vs Wydad at the Club World Cup

63 games featuring the world’s best players all in the space of a month and all in one place, for free! Sound too good to be true? It isn’t.

Indeed, FIFA revealed back in December 2024 that the extended Club World Cup will be available for free globally, with the world’s largest sports streaming platform, DAZN, showcasing every game with unique coverage which will finally settle the debate – who is the best club side in the world?

Available globally in 14 languages, DAZN is the only place to truly celebrate the groundbreaking new tournament, with easy access provided to watch the likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham competing on the biggest stage.

If you are already a DAZN subscriber, then the Club World Cup action is already included in your membership. For those who haven’t yet signed up, all you need is an email address to register a free account on the DAZN website, with no hidden costs or added fees. You will then be able to watch every game on the DAZN app via your TV, computer, phone or even on your games console.

Man City vs Wydad AC (Wednesday 18 June – Philadelphia – 5pm UK time, midday local time)

FIFA Club World Cup Current Champions Manchester CityFounded 2000Most Championships Real Madrid (5)

DAZN

Watch all FIFA Club World Cup games free on DAZN. The biggest clubs and the best players in the world compete in the FIFA Club World Cup.

Watch Every Game Live on DAZN Man City vs Wydad – Who to look out for

Bouncing back from a challenging campaign, City have strengthened their ranks significantly in 2025, with several new signings included in their Club World Cup squad, like Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Ait-Nouri and perhaps most excitingly of all Rayan Cherki.

All three new arrivals could make their Man City debuts this week, while we are also likely to be treated to more spectacular showings from Omar Marmoush, who has scored eight goals in 22 games since moving to the Etihad Stadium in January.

Marmoush and Cherki could form an unstoppable attack which of course already includes Norwegian superstar Erling Haaland. The 24 year-old will be looking to continue his incredible scoring rate since moving to England, becoming the fastest player to reach 100 Premier League goal involvements earlier this year, reaching the landmark with 84 goals and 16 assists in just 94 matches.

As for the underdogs, Wydad are the most successful team in Moroccan football history, winning 22 top flight titles, most recently in the 2021-22 campaign, when they also won their version of the Champions League and Cup Winners’ Cup to complete a historic treble.

Based in Casablanca, they had a poor season by their own lofty standards in 2024-25, finishing third in Botola Pro, but that is not to say they cannot pose a problem to their opponents in Group G this summer.

Undoubtedly their biggest threat is Dutch winger Mohamed Rayhi, who came through PSV’s academy and has been capped at youth level by the Netherlands. Rayhi scored 13 times this season and can play on either flank, but is best cutting in from the left onto his dangerous right foot.

A familiar face to MLS fans will be attacking midfielder Cassius Mailula. The South Africa international spent a year with Toronto FC before joining Wydad last summer, scoring five times and providing seven assists in his first campaign in Morocco. He will hope to be the creative force to unlock Man City’s defence on Wednesday.

Who else is in Group G?

Manchester City will fancy themselves as favourites to top Group G, but there is certainly some stern competition from Juventus, the 36-time champions of Italy, who qualified for this competition courtesy of their four-year UEFA ranking.

With two UEFA Champions League titles to their name, Juve have suffered a slight fall from grace in recent years, failing to win a league title since 2020 and finishing fourth in Serie A this season. Led by Serbia striker Dusan Vlahovic and Turkey wonderkid Kenan Yıldız, they can restore themselves as a global footballing superpower with success at the Club World Cup.

June 18

Man City vs Wydad AC

Philadelphia – (midday/5pm)

June 18

Al Ain vs Juventus

Washington – (9pm/2am June 19)

June 22

Juventus vs Wydad AC

Philadelphia – (midday/5pm)

June 22

Man City vs Al Ain

Atlanta – (9pm/2am June 23)

June 26

Wydad AC vs Al Ain

Washington – (3pm/8pm)

June 26

Juventus vs Man City

Orlando – (3pm/8pm)

The final place in Group G has been taken by Al Ain FC, who are based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and compete in the UAE Pro League. They finished 5th this season but gained access to this summer’s action after winning the 2023–24 AFC Champions League.

Could Wydad kick off the Group G action with one of the biggest upsets of all time? Find out on DAZN!

Celtic look set to lose one of their top talents within the next week or so as Nicolas Kuhn is closing in on a permanent exit from the Scottish Premiership champions.

Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph claims that the club have agreed a fee of around £16.5m with Italian side Como for the left-footed sensation.

The journalist adds that the former RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich youth prospect has already agreed to sign a long-term contract with the Serie A outfit this summer.

Kuhn has reportedly turned down a potential return to Leipzig, who were interested in signing him, and has a medical scheduled with Como for next week, which suggests that an official confirmation is not imminently expected.

It does appear, though, that it is only a matter of time before Celtic confirm that the German winger will not be playing for the club next season, which will come as a blow to Brendan Rodgers.

Why selling Nicolas Kuhn is a blow for Celtic

Whilst the Hoops are set to rake in a significant sum of money for the 25-year-old talent, it is always a blow when a high-quality player moves on, and that is what he is.

The 2024/25 campaign was his first full season in Glasgow, having joined from Rapid Vienna in the January transfer window last year, and he really hit his stride on the right flank.

Kuhn ended the season with a return of 21 goals and 15 assists in 51 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants, which shows that he provided quality in the final third on a regular basis for Rodgers.

The left-footed magician’s form in the Premiership, as Celtic won the league title, was particularly impressive, as the forward showcased his ability to both score and create goals.

xG

0.46

Top 10%

Goals

0.62

Top 8%

Shots on target

1.30

Top 14%

xA

0.34

Top 10%

Assists

0.43

Top 10%

Chances created

2.49

Top 12%

As you can see in the table above, Kuhn ranked very highly among his positional peers in a host of key attacking metrics, which shows that he scored and created goals at an exceptional rate.

These statistics illustrate why it will be a big blow for Rodgers when this sale goes through, because he is losing a player who has proven that he can make a huge impact at the top end of the pitch for Celtic.

The Hoops have, of course, already signed Benjamin Nygren on a permanent deal to bolster their options on the flanks, but he does not have the creative quality to fully replace what Kuhn offered.

In the 2024/25 campaign, the Sweden international only managed a return of two assists in 30 Superliga appearances, to go with his impressive haul of 15 goals.

Therefore, Celtic may need to dip into the market to sign another wide option who can provide creativity as well as a goal threat, now that Kuhn appears to be on his way out of the club.

Earlier this summer, it was reported that the Scottish giants are interested in Stoke City forward Million Manhoef, who is valued at £10m by the Championship side, and they should now reignite that interest.

Why Celtic should sign Million Manhoef

The Premiership champions could brilliantly replace Kuhn ahead of the 2025/26 campaign by pushing ahead with a swoop for the Netherlands U21 international, as he would arrive with a similar profile.

Like the German star, the Stoke attacker is a diminutive left-footed right winger who has the quality to both score and create goals in equal measure, as evidenced by his form for the English side last season.

He has not delivered the kind of numbers that Kuhn managed for Celtic yet, as he has not had the chance to play in a team that is as dominant domestically as the Hoops are, which means that there would be a degree of risk.

However, Rodgers can afford to take more of a risk with a player like Manhoef because the club have already brought in Nygren to potentially play on the right wing and, as aforementioned, his haul of 15 goals last season suggests that he could be a good option.

The Stoke star ended the 2024/25 campaign with a return of five goals and five assists in 28 Championship starts, but it is his underlying numbers behind those headline statistics that are even more promising for Celtic.

xG

7.74

Top 9%

Goals

5

Top 21%

Shots on target

26

Top 9%

xA

4.83

Top 14%

Chances created

52

Top 9%

Assists

5

Top 20%

As you can see in the table above, Manhoef excelled at getting into goalscoring positions and at creating chances for his teammates, ranking highly among his positional peers, but was not clinical enough with his finishing.

Pundit David Prutton claimed it would be a “tremendous” move for Manhoef to sign for Celtic, and these statistics suggest that the potential is there for it to be a tremendous move for all parties.

The Dutch wizard, who only recorded five assists from 12 ‘big chances’ created in the Championship, could thrive in a team that dominates games week-in-week-out, as Celtic do.

He has been playing for a midtable team, in Stoke, who do not challenge at the top end of the division in the second tier in England, which suggests that he has not had the opportunity to play in a side that is consistently on the front foot.

It'd be Ryan Christie 2.0: Euro club open talks to sign £2m Celtic ace

A European team are interested in a deal to sign a star from Celtic this summer.

ByDan Emery Jul 3, 2025

Therefore, Celtic could brilliantly replace Kuhn by gambling on a swoop for Manhoef, who appears to have the potential to explode as a scorer and a creator of goals in a better team than the one he is currently playing in.

يخوض منتخب ليبيا مباراة هامة ومرتقبة أمام إيسواتيني، مساء اليوم الإثنين، في إطار منافسات التصفيات الإفريقية المؤهلة إلى نهائيات كأس العالم 2026.

ويستضيف منتخب ليبيا نظيره إيسواتيني، على ملعبه في بنغازي، ضمن الجولة الثامنة من مباريات المجموعة الرابعة في تصفيات كأس العالم.

منتخب ليبيا يتواجد في المجموعة الرابعة من تصفيات كأس العالم، بجانب منتخبات الرأس الأخضر والكاميرون وأنجولا وموريشيوس وإيسواتيني.

وكان منتخب ليبيا، حقق فوزًا مهمًا في الجولة السابعة ضد أنجولا، بهدف دون رد، ليحتل المركز الثالث في ترتيب المجموعة برصيد 11 نقطة.

ويتصدر ترتيب المجموعة، الرأس الأخضر برصيد 16 نقطة، يأتي منتخب الكاميرون ثانيًا برصيد 15 نقطة، وأنجولا في المركز الرابع بـ 7 نقاط، ويتواجد على الترتيب في المركزين الخامس والسادس موريشيوس وإيسواتيني.

طالع | ترتيب مجموعة ليبيا في تصفيات كأس العالم بعد الفوز على أنجولا موعد مباراة ليبيا وإيسواتيني اليوم في تصفيات كأس العالم

تقام مباراة ليبيا وإيسواتيني في تصفيات كأس العالم، اليوم الإثنين 8 سبتمبر، إذا تنطلق المواجهة في تمام الساعة 10 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، 9 مساءً بتوقيت ليبيا. القناة الناقلة لمباراة ليبيا وإيسواتيني اليوم في تصفيات كأس العالم

تنقل مباراة ليبيا وإيسواتيني، على قناة SSC EXTRA.

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا

The supporters of Tottenham Hotspur will undoubtedly have a sense of excitement building among the fanbase, as they start a new era in the 2025/26 campaign.

Thomas Frank is set to lead the side in North London, hoping to build on the Europa League triumph they achieved at the end of the previous season.

Many may have seen the dismissal of Ange Postecoglou as harsh given the European success, but his side’s lack of quality in the Premier League led to his departure.

The Dane will be looking to avoid suffering a similar fate, needing to strike a balance between success in the league whilst also being competitive in the Champions League.

However, if the new boss is to be a success during his maiden campaign in the role, he will undoubtedly need backing from the hierarchy within the transfer window.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new additions this summer

In the last couple of days, Spurs have made their opening offer to West Ham United for the potential signing of talented forward Mohammed Kudus – but their bid was immediately rejected.

However, they’re set to make another offer in the coming days, with the new boss wanting to accelerate a deal for the Ghanaian attacker this window.

Despite the move for the 24-year-old, another Premier League forward has emerged on their shortlist in recent days in Rodrigo Muniz, according to Brazilian outlet BolaVIP.

They claim that a £32m bid has been made for the Fulham striker after he scored eight times in England’s top flight throughout the 2024/25 campaign.

It also states that the Lilywhites will face stiff competition from Leeds United, after the newly promoted side made an offer for his services earlier this window.

Why Spurs’ latest target would be Frank’s answer to Haaland

Erling Haaland is a player who’s constantly tormented countless backlines within the Premier League, scoring endless goals for Manchester City over the last few years.

The Norwegian moved to the Etihad back in the summer of 2022 and has since scored 124 times in his 146 appearances – a simply staggering record in the modern day.

He’s registered four goals in his six appearances against the Lilywhites, often causing the club countless issues, with the fanbase undoubtedly wishing they had their own version of the forward.

However, talents like Haaland don’t come around very often, and if they do, they will likely cost a small fortune – especially given the money in the current climate.

They could be about to land their own version of the talisman with Muniz this summer, with the Brazilian labelled as a similar player to the City star by FBref.

Whilst he’s undoubtedly been massively outscored throughout 2024/25, he’s managed to outperform Haaland in numerous key areas, showcasing what an excellent addition he’d be to Frank’s side this summer.

Muniz, who’s been labelled as “one of the best strikers in the Premier League” by teammate Willian, has registered a better goal per shot on target rate – demonstrating his clinical edge in front of goal.

How Muniz compared to Haaland in the PL (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Muniz

Haaland

Games played

31

31

Goals & assists

9

25

Goals per shot on target

0.4

0.3

Passes into final third

1.2

0.3

Progressive passes

2.5

0.6

Take-ons completed

0.9

0.4

Fouls won

2.9

0.4

Aerials won

6.3

1.8

Stats via FBref

He’s also registered more progressive passes per 90, with more passes completed into the final third, having the ability to provide others around him with chances in attacking areas.

The Fulham star has also completed more take-ons per 90, whilst also winning more aerial duels, offering Frank an all-round option at the top end of the pitch that he will likely desire.

It’s unclear if Marco Silva’s side will accept the latest offer for Muniz’s signature, but it’s evident that, from the stats produced, he would be an excellent option for Spurs.

If he can replicate the levels produced by Haaland over the last couple of seasons, it would be a superb signing and one that could catapult the club up the table next campaign.

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Australia batter looks forward to Hundred return, but believes more boundaries need to be pushed

Andrew Miller24-Jul-2024Beth Mooney, Australia’s opening batter, says that women’s cricket must “keep pushing the boundaries” when it comes to demanding equal pay for global competitions, as she prepares to return to the Hundred after a year’s absence, this time as Manchester Originals’ star overseas signing.Mooney, 30, was Originals’ first pick in this year’s draft, landing herself a top-tier £50,000 deal, two years after her only previous stint in the competition, for London Spirit in 2022.Although that sum was a significant increase on the £31,250 that the ECB had established as the top salary bracket for the 2023 draft, it pales in comparison to the men’s top-tier salary of £125,000 – let alone the £200,000 that Mooney picked up from Gujarat Giants in the inaugural WPL auction in February 2023.And so, while the overall direction of travel is positive, Mooney is not about to buy into any premature self-congratulations about the state of women’s cricket in England, even though she acknowledges that the Hundred, with its shared facilities and double-header match-days, is one of the trendsetters in terms of offering equal opportunities for the men’s and women’s tournaments.”I’m not sure it’s quite equal billing, because the men still get paid more,” Mooney told ESPNcricinfo during a KP Snacks event at Cheetham Hill. “But yeah, in terms of the exposure, and the fan base, and the quality of the tournament, it’s certainly up there with one of the best going around. It’s doing a great job with getting more opportunities for women in this country to play cricket but, as with any women’s sport, we’re not quite there with equal billing.”Last summer, a wide-ranging report by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) recommended that English cricket needs to be in a position to offer equal salaries for the Hundred by 2025. The ECB pushed back on that commitment, however, arguing that the commercial and media value of the women’s game still falls significantly short of that of the men’s.Beth Mooney (left) at a KP Snacks event at Cheetham Hill, the site of one of 100 all-weather community cricket pitches they will install across England and Wales by 2025•WassermanMooney agreed that that was still the case. “I don’t know if it’s quite an achievable goal,” she said. “The men obviously bring in a lot of revenue across the world, in terms of the viewership and the broadcast and things like that, so the remuneration piece is always a bit of a tough one.”But we’ve got to keep pushing the boundaries a bit,” she added. “I think we’ve got to keep asking the right questions of the ICC, and of each of the different boards of the countries, and make sure that we’re still striving to get, first and foremost, more girls in the game, but making sure there’s equal opportunities across the board for each country and the females as well.”This time last year, a glut of Australia’s top female talent pulled out of the Hundred, partly as a consequence of their windfalls at the WPL – the average spend on the 14 Australians picked up at the auction was more than £100,000 each – but also because their major focus for their off-season had been the Women’s Ashes in June and July. This turned into a tussle for the ages, as England squared the multi-format series at 8-8 after four wins out of six in the white-ball legs.After years of dominance across formats, this was the closest Australia had come to relinquishing the Ashes since 2013-14. However, with the T20 World Cup looming in Bangladesh in October, Mooney was phlegmatic about the challenge to her team’s pre-eminence, arguing that it was the natural upshot of the huge growth in popularity of women’s cricket globally.”I don’t know if there’s really such thing as a gap, to be honest,” she said. “I think every team in the world has been getting better, just like we have. We play a lot more cricket now, so there’s always going to be times where different teams beat each other. We’re just fortunate to have those opportunities to put the game out there, and play competitive cricket.”Either way, she doesn’t envisage the sort of situation that has begun to crop up in the men’s game, whereby team-mates in franchise tournaments – such as Kuldeep Yadav and Tristan Stubbs at Delhi Capitals – are reluctant to face one another in the nets and give away secrets ahead of international tournaments.Two of England’s key bowlers, Sophie Ecclestone and Lauren Filer, will be lining up alongside Mooney at Manchester, but she’s fairly confident that that won’t be an issue at practice.”You’d have to ask them, to be honest, but I don’t know if there’s really any chat about that in the women’s game,” she said. “We play so much franchise cricket now, and a lot of us are really good mates. And there really aren’t any secrets in the global cricket game anymore, because there’s so much vision on everyone. There’s nothing that I’m going to do that they’re going to be overly surprised about, whether it’s in the nets or in a game.”She knows, however, that there will be high expectations surrounding her Hundred return, partly as a consequence of her price tag, but also due to lingering memories of her maiden Hundred appearance in 2022 – 97 not out from 55 balls for London Spirit against Southern Brave, at the time the highest score in the competition’s history.”I mean, I’m here to score runs and help the team win games of cricket, and hopefully give bits of advice to different players along the way,” she said. “I certainly don’t look at it as anything more or less than that. Like any tournament I play in, whether it’s for Australia or back home in the Big Bash, I’ve got a job to do, and that’s that doesn’t change, no matter what colour shirt I put on.”There are certainly high expectations from my point of view. But I also know that cricket is a fickle game, and sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn’t. So, at the end of the day, you can’t hang your hat on the number next to your name, because that isn’t always a measure of success in my eyes.”KP Snacks, the Official Team Partner of The Hundred, is continuing its initiative to build 100 new community cricket pitches across England and Wales, with 35 brand new pitches going down in 2024. To find out more and search for your nearest pitch, visit www.everyonein.co.uk/pitchfinder

Hosts suffer second group stage defeat despite efforts of Daniel Hughes, Tymal Mills

ECB Reporters Network05-Jul-2024

Kiran Carlson made a T20 career best•Getty Images

Glamorgan eased to only their third victory in this season’s Vitality Blast as they beat Sussex Sharks by 24 runs under the DLS method at Hove.The visitors laid the foundations for a huge total of 235 for 6 – the third-highest in their Blast history – when they plundered 81 in the powerplay as Sussex badly missed the control with the new ball normally offered by Ollie Robinson, who was absent with a back niggle.It’s debatable if even Robinson would have been able to tame Glamorgan captain Kiran Carlson, who hit a career-best 87 off 47 balls before he was caught at extra cover in the 19th over, one of four wickets for Sussex skipper Tymal Mills who is now the competition’s leading wicket-taker with 19.Daniel Hughes led Sussex’s response with 74 off 38 balls, his fourth half-century in this season’s competition, but having been set an unlikely 79 from 28 deliveries following a 50-minute rain delay they finished on 190 for 8 and slipped to their third defeat of the season, although they remain second in the South Group.Carlson and co. set the tone by thrashing 75 in the first five overs after Glamorgan were put in, including 60 in boundaries. It needed a great slower ball by Mills to stymie their progress which Will Smale pulled to midwicket after hitting eight fours and a six in a stand of 79 from just 33 balls. Carlson then put on 72 off 37 with Tom Bevan and 47 off 24 with Colin Ingram to maintain their momentum.Mills was the only Sussex bowler in the first half of the innings to concede less than ten runs in an over and his mood didn’t improve when Tom Clark dropped the ball over the rope while failing to take a catch on the midwicket boundary offered by Bevan.Glamorgan might have fancied posting a score of 250-plus when they had 194 on the board after 15 overs but, spearheaded by Mills, Sussex dragged it back slightly by taking four wickets and only conceding 39 in the final five.Mills led the way with 4 for 29 as Ingram missed a straight one and Marnus Labuschagne drove to mid-on before he snared Carlson, who struck three sixes and nine fours, only to be foxed by Mills’ speciality slower ball with a century in his sights.Sussex were left needing to score at nearly 12 an over but after losing Harrison Ward in the second over Australian Hughes and another left-hander, Clark, added 55 in 27 balls to keep their challenge alive.But legspinner Mason Crane made an immediate impact when he came on in the seventh over with two wickets in his first three balls. Clark was stumped when he missed a googly and James Coles lost his middle stump heaving across the line.Hughes and John Simpson shared 49 off 31 balls but the required rate had climbed to 14.75 when Simpson failed to clear long-on in the 12th over. Hughes hit two sixes off Chris Sole when play resumed at 10.10pm but then he holed out to deep backward-square to effectively end Sussex’s hopes.

England have added fast bowler Mark Wood to their squad for the second Test against West Indies, starting on Thursday in Nottingham.Wood replaces James Anderson in the 14-man group, with Anderson retiring from international cricket following England’s innings victory at Lord’s.Wood’s last Test appearance came in India in March and he was not considered for Lord’s having only recently returned from playing at the T20 World Cup.Related

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“Once you come out of T20 cricket, then you’re going into Test cricket very quickly… there’s a period there where you can’t just throw someone into a Test match,” England men’s managing director, Rob Key, said when the squad was announced.”Rest is probably not the right term but we’ll look to make him available for selection for the second and third Tests, hopefully.”England gave a first Test cap to Gus Atkinson at Lord’s, the Surrey quick claiming 12 for 106 – the fourth-best match figures by a Test debutant in history. Matthew Potts and the uncapped Dillon Pennington are the other seam-bowling options in the squad.England squad for second Test: Ben Stokes (capt), Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Dillon Pennington, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

Chelsea secured their place in the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup following an extra-time victory over Benfica at the weekend.

Reece James looked like he had powered the Blues into the next round, but a penalty from Ángel Di María sent the clash into an extra 30 minutes.

The game was suspended for a couple of hours, just minutes from the final whistle, due to a storm threat, but Chelsea finally won the clash 4-1.

It may have taken 4 hours and 39 minutes, but Enzo Maresca’s side now face off against PSG for a spot in the semi-final.

Despite the focus being on the tournament and progressing as far as possible, the manager is still keen on bolstering his squad via the transfer market.

How to Watch the FIFA Club World Cup for Free

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ByCharlie Smith Jun 13, 2025

Reports coming from the Athletic claim that the Blues have reached an agreement with Brighton and Hove Albion regarding a move for Joao Pedro.

The proposed deal looks set to be in excess of £50m and the Brazilian has agreed personal terms with the club.

With a medical booked in early for next week, it appears as though Maresca is closing in on signing another key target. Just what will Pedro offer the Blues?

Why Chelsea want to sign Joao Pedro

Maresca is looking to sell both Christopher Nkunku and João Félix this summer, with both players struggling for regular gametime last season.

Nkunku may have scored against Benfica, but with clubs such as Manchester United showing some interest in the Frenchman, it looks as though he might be sold.

Felix played just 20 times for Maresca last season, scoring seven times, but the Portuguese star spent the second half of the campaign out on loan at AC Milan.

Pedro’s arrival suggests one, or perhaps both, will soon be departing Stamford Bridge in the coming weeks.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The Brighton star is versatile, being able to operate as a centre-forward, second striker or even out wide on the left flank.

Last term, he typically operated in an advanced role centrally, scoring ten goals for the Seagulls and registering seven assists, proving he is adept in front of goal and at creating opportunities for his teammates.

Such were his performances, the 23-year-old ranks highly among his positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues.

Indeed, not only does the forward rank in the top 12% for assists (0.28) per 90, but he also ranks in the top 10% for shot-creating actions (3.33) and successful take-ons (1.34) per 90.

Furthermore, Pedro’s ability to get the ball into dangerous areas is evidenced by the fact he ranks in the top 4% for progressive passes (3.6) and in the top 3% for progressive carries (3.05) per 90, indicating that he will offer a lot of attacking qualities for the Blues next term.

It won’t be the only area of the squad that the Italian will be keen on strengthening, however, especially with the added demands of Champions League football next term.

As such, it’s certainly worth Chelsea bringing in a defender or two this summer.

Chelsea's search for a defender

Last season, the club conceded a total of 59 goals across all competitions from 57 matches, and this record will be something Maresca aims to improve next term.

Over the same period, Chelsea scored 120 goals. This suggests that bolstering the defence is surely a bigger priority than adding to the forward line, notably Joao Pedro.

It looks as though the Blues are keen on a defender who played against them just last weekend – Antonio Silva.

Journalist Simon Phillips stated via his Substack that the Blues have been impressed with the youngster, saying:

“Chelsea have tried and made approaches and checks on a number of potential new centre back names this summer so far and still have more to look at and in to. Chelsea have been scouting Antonio Silva of Benfica all season and already have him added to our transfer shortlist alongside his team mate, Tomas Araujo.

“But Chelsea are looking for an out and out centre back and attentions have again turned to the 21-year-old Portuguese international who has just two-years remaining on his contract.”

The centre-back is valued at €32m (£27m) according to Transfermarkt, but Benfica will be looking for a much higher fee than that to sanction a sale considering his release clause stands at around £87m.

Given their defensive issues last term, Silva would be a better signing than Pedro, that’s for sure.

Why Chelsea must sign Antonio Silva

The 21-year-old played over 40 times last season, including all four games at the Club World Cup for Benfica.

At the tournament, Silva averaged a 92% pass success rate, while winning a staggering 80% of his total duels contested, made 2.3 tackles per game and lost possession just 4.3 times per match in the States.

These performances have attracted plenty of attention, and there is no doubt that Silva is only going to get better and better.

Accurate passes

52.3

Tackles

1.5

Total duels won

4.5

Possession lost

7.7

Clearances

4.3

Balls recovered

4

After he burst onto the scene as an 18-year-old with a goal against Juventus in the Champions League back in 2022, Jamie Carragher claimed the defender was “going to be a superstar” and his upwards trajectory certainly suggests so.

When compared to his peers in the Champions League last season, Silva ranked in the top 1% for clearances (7.7) per 90, while also ranking in the top 16% for aerials won (2.36) and in the top 9% for touches in the defensive penalty area (12.91) per 90.

An impressive array of statistics indeed, and considering his ceiling is extraordinarily high, Maresca must make signing Silva a key priority this summer.

Pedro will certainly add plenty of dynamism to the club’s attacking department, but it is at the heart of the defence where the real improvements are required given the problems Maresca’s men suffered last term.

As such, spending whatever it takes to bring Silva from Benfica to the Premier League must be the next move BlueCo are planning.

If he lands his signature, Silva will almost certainly be a better signing than Pedro.

Chelsea considering "incredible" Club World Cup star after scouting mission

The Blues have added him to their list of targets…

BySean Markus Clifford Jun 30, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur have taken a risk this summer in sacking Ange Postecoglou, especially after the Aussie ended their 17-year wait for any form of silverware.

The responsibility has subsequently fallen into the hands of Thomas Frank, who was appointed as the new boss on a three-year contract, with the hierarchy forking out £10m for his signature from Brentford.

The Dane will likely be under huge pressure to make a fast start to his tenure, needing to get results on the board and help the club rise up the Premier League table.

Their lowly league standing was what subsequently cost Ange his job in North London, with Frank wanting to avoid such a repeat, which could see his job on the line in the near future.

However, if he is to have the best possible chance of replicating the Aussie, he will need additions, with owner Daniel Levy needing to provide him with the options he craves.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new signings this summer

Xavi Simons is a star who has set Europe alight this season, registering 11 goals for RB Leipzig this season, with Spurs open to making a move for his signature this window.

He’s not the only player in their sights, with Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo also under consideration ahead of a potential deal over the coming weeks.

However, another name has emerged on their shortlist in recent times, with Brighton and Hove Albion talisman Joao Pedro a firm target for Frank, according to Spurs Web.

They claim that internal talks have been held in North London over a deal for the Brazilian forward, who’s set to leave the AMEX after scoring 10 Premier League goals this season.

It also states that the 23-year-old could be available for around £70m this summer, but face tough competition from Newcastle United and Chelsea for his signature.

Why Spurs’ £70m target could become Frank’s next Mbeumo

During Frank’s reign as Brentford boss, he took the club from the Championship and made them an established top-flight outfit, developing many talents in the process.

Forward Bryan Mbeumo is just one example, joining from French side Troyes back in 2019, before developing into a leading Premier League star in recent months.

The Cameroonian international managed to score 20 times for the Bees in 2024/25, the most he’s registered in a single season, leading to interest from the Lilywhites and Manchester United.

It appears as though he will move to Old Trafford this window after informing Frank’s side that he’s only interested in a switch to join the Red Devils this window.

Such a decision could see Pedro become a key option for the club in the transfer window, potentially being the Dane’s new version of Mbeumo in North London.

The Brazilian has been labelled a similar player to the 25-year-old by FBref, managing to outperform him in numerous key areas throughout the 2024/25 campaign.

Pedro, who’s been labelled “world-class” by journalist Ryan Adsett, has posted a better goal and assist per 90 record, handing Frank the added attacking threat he will need in North London.

Games played

27

38

Goals & assists

16

27

Goals & assists (per 90)

0.74

0.71

Pass accuracy

73%

66%

Passes into final third

1.9

1.6

Take-ons completed

1.4

1.3

Fouls won

2.1

1.1

Aerials won

49%

31%

Alongside his goalscoring record, the Brighton star has also completed more passes into the final third and registered a better pass accuracy rate – able to hand out chances to those around him in the final third.

He’s also won more aerial battles and completed a higher tally of take-ons, handing an all-round and versatile option to the manager in his quest for success with the Lilywhites.

£70m may appear to be a hefty price tag for the Brazilian, but it’s a competitive fee for a player who’s been just as impressive as Mbeumo this campaign.

If he can replicate such talents for the Lilywhites next season, he has all the tools to become a fan favourite and play a huge part in the new era at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

A better signing than Mbeumo: Spurs plot move for "world-class" £76m star

Tottenham Hotspur are making moves to land a star who would be a better addition than Bryan Mbeumo.

ByEthan Lamb Jun 28, 2025

ICC chief executive Allardice has confirmed that the Bangladesh Cricket Board will “retain hosting rights” for the World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Aug-2024

The Women’s T20 World Cup will be held from October 3-20•ACC

The Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 has been moved out of Bangladesh and will now be held in the UAE.”It is a shame not to be hosting the Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh as we know the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) would have staged a memorable event,” ICC chief executive Geoff Allardice said in a statement. “I would like to thank the team at the BCB for exploring all avenues to try and enable the event to be hosted in Bangladesh, but travel advisories from the governments of a number of the participating teams meant that wasn’t feasible.”However, they will retain hosting rights. We look forward to taking an ICC global event to Bangladesh in the near future.”The venue had to be changed by the ICC in the aftermath of the countrywide anti-government agitations in Bangladesh through July and early August, which ended when Sheikh Hasina, the prime minister, resigned and fled to India. An interim government has been put in place since, but incidents of vandalism and looting, as well as acts of violence, have been reported from Bangladesh.Related

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The Bangladesh government had made last-ditch efforts through the United Nations (UN) to hold on to the World Cup hosting rights, but some countries, including Australia, India, New Zealand and the United Kingdom (England and Scotland) had issued travel advisories to their citizens against travelling to Bangladesh.”I’d also like to thank the Emirates Cricket Board for stepping in to host on behalf of the BCB and Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe for their generous offers of support, and we look forward to seeing ICC global events in both of those countries in 2026,” Allardice said.The UAE, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe emerged as options to stage the World Cup after the BCCI had rejected the ICC’s offer to host it. The UAE had earlier hosted the 2021 men’s T20 World Cup, along with Oman, when Covid-19 forced it out of India, in addition to staging a number of qualifier tournaments. Matches will be held in Dubai and Sharjah.The ten-team tournament will run from October 3 to October 20.ICC chair Barclay to step down in NovemberGreg Barclay has confirmed to the ICC Board that he will step down as the ICC chairperson after his tenure ends in November.Barclay was appointed as the Independent ICC chair in November 2020, before being re-elected unopposed in 2022.Current directors are required to submit nominations for the next chair by August 27. If there are more than two candidates, an election will take place, with the new chair’s term beginning on December 1.