Tag Futebol

Leeds United needed to dip into the market to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch during the recently closed summer transfer window.

Daniel Farke led the team to the final of the play-offs, after a third-placed finish in the Championship, and lost to Southampton at Wembley last season.

This meant that the Whites were vulnerable to clubs coming in to poach their best players, ahead of a second season in the second tier, and they lost a number of key players.

Archie Gray, Glen Kamara, Crysencio Summerville, and Georginio Rutter were snapped up by Tottenham Hotspur, Rennes, West Ham United, and Brighton & Hove Albion respectively.

The departures of Summerville and Rutter meant that the club had to go out and bring in attacking reinforcements to bolster Farke's options in the final third.

Leeds went and signed Manor Solomon on a season-long loan move from Tottenham and secured the permanent signing of Largie Ramazani, who came through the academy set-up at Manchester United, from Spanish side Almeria.

They were, however, reportedly interested in bringing one of their former players back to Elland Road for a second stint in West Yorkshire – Jack Clarke.

Leeds failed to land Jack Clarke

It was claimed that the Whites were eyeing up a late swoop to sign the English forward from Sunderland towards the end of the summer transfer window.

Leeds sold Clarke to Tottenham Hotspur for a reported fee of £8.5m in the summer of 2019, after he had emerged through the academy set-up at Thorp Arch, and attempted to bring him back five years later.

Unfortunately, though, they failed in their pursuit of a deal for the left winger as they faced Premier League competition from Ipswich Town, who swooped in to sign him for a fee of £15m, with £5m in add-ons.

As you can see in the table below, Clarke proved himself to be a huge threat at the top end of the pitch in his two full seasons at Championship level with the Black Cats.

Appearances

45

40

Goals

9

15

Assists

11

4

Big chances created

7

12

Dribbles completed per game

2.0

3.7

He is a winger who can offer regular quality as a scorer of goals down the left flank, cutting in onto his favoured right foot to cause damage in the final third.

Clarke had also started the current campaign in fine form, with one goal and one assist in two Championship games, before his big-money switch to Leeds.

The 23-year-old came up through the academy system with Leeds and Farke has already shown, with Mateo Joseph and Archie Gray, that he is willing to give young players a chance to impress in the first-team.

With this in mind, the Whites may have a player at Thorp Arch with the potential to develop into the German's own version of Clarke in the future, with U18s starlet Marley Wilson.

Marley Wilson's impressive academy form

The 18-year-old put pen to paper on his first professional contract with the club this summer, signing a one-year extension, and this could be a huge season for him in his development.

Wilson featured on the bench for the U21 team last season and his aim for the current campaign should be to break into the side on a regular basis.

If he can do that, whilst carrying over his form from U18 level, then it will give Farke a decision to make over his involvement in the first-team moving forward.

The left winger, who has been at the club since the age of 10, has made three appearances for the U21s so far in his career, having made the step up because of his terrific performances at U18 level.

Wilson racked up an eye-catching return of 18 goals and five assists in 39 appearances for the U18s, with the bulk of those strikes coming last season.

The talented young whiz, who is currently out with a back injury, produced 12 goals in 14 matches in all competitions during the 2023/24 campaign, to end the term as the top scorer for the U18s.

That haul included three goals in four FA Youth Cup outings and seven goals in eight U18 Premier League appearances, as the electric winger showcased his ability to find the back of the net on a regular basis.

Wilson's goalscoring return was particularly impressive when you consider that he scored more goals for the U18s than Farke's current winger, Wilfried Gnonto, managed for the first-team.

Wilfried Gnonto's goalscoring record last season

The Italy U21 international featured heavily for Leeds in all competitions during the 2023/24 campaign, predominantly playing on the right side.

He ended the season with a return of nine goals and three assists in 44 matches for the Whites, which included a return of eight goals and two assists in 36 regular season outings in the Championship.

Gnonto failed to hit double figures for goals in the division, or in all competitions combined, and this suggests that he did not offer a regular goal threat for Farke in the final third.

Appearances

36

xG

5.36

Goals

8

xA

3.81

Big chances created

5

Assists

2

The 20-year-old flanker, who has produced one goal in four league appearances this term, will need to improve his output to be relied upon as a star at the top end of the pitch for Leeds.

Wilson, if he can continue to develop and translate his form to U21 and then first-team level, could eventually emerge as a more prolific option on the flank.

The 18-year-old star has proven his goalscoring quality at U18 level, as a player with the potential to be Farke's own Clarke on the left flank, and it is now down to him to take the next step and shine with the U21s this season, to earn a long-term contract.

Leeds fans should be excited about 19 y/o academy gem who's the next Joseph

Leeds United have a top young star on their hands who could soon be ready for first team action.

1 ByKelan Sarson Sep 6, 2024

If he can do that then the German boss may take a look at him in pre-season next summer, with a view to him emerging as the next star from the academy.

Last-place Venezia earned a stunning point against Juventus as all three U.S. internationals started the eventual 2-2 draw

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Juventus draw Venezia 2-2Weah, McKennie and Busio all start have drawn four-straight in Serie AFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱AFPWHAT HAPPENED?

USMNT duo Tim Weah, Weston McKennie and Juventus were stunned by 20th-placed Venezia on Saturday, with the drawing the bottom dwellers 2-2. Fellow U.S. international Gianluca Busio earned the start for the Venice-based club as they earned a hard-fought point in Turin.

Victory appeared to be on the cards for the away side for the first time since October, but a 94th-minute penalty from Dusan Vlahovic drew the hosts level to earn a point.

McKennie and Weah earned a start on Saturday after the American duo combined for the winning goal against Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.

The opened the scoring through Federico Gatti 19 minutes into the match, while Iceland international Mikael Egill Ellertsson drew level in the 61st for Venezia. An 83rd minute go-ahead goal from Jay Idzes appeared to earn them all three points, but Vlahovic's late penalty offset any early celebrations.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Neither of the three Americans truly made a large impact on the match, but both McKennie and Busio ran their respective midfields Saturday. Weah, meanwhile, was removed midway through the second half after an underwhelming performance in the attack.

McKennie completed 80 percent of his passes, while earning 56 touches on the ball and creating one attacking chance. Busio struggled to keep up with the Turin club's press, but still completed 20 of 24 passes while completing three of four long ball attempts and registering 34 touches on the ball.

Saturday marked Juventus' fourth-straight draw in Serie A competition.

DID YOU KNOW?

This was the second Serie A match in 2024 where at least three Americans featured on the pitch, with the first being Juventus' 0-0 draw with Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah's AC Milan in November, where all four U.S. internationals appeared.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR BUSIO, WEAH AND MCKENNIE?

The and their American duo are back in action on Tuesday, Dec. 17 in the Coppa Italia before rounding out the calendar year with matches against Monza and Fiorentina in Serie A to close out 2024.

Busio and Venezia, meanwhile, take on Cagliari Sunday before meeting Napoli on Dec. 29 to end the month.

The five members of the South Africa Emerging Women’s side, who had tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday while on tour in Bangladesh, returned negative tests on Tuesday afternoon, with CSA saying the initial results were “false positive”. They will now board a 6.30pm flight back home.The positive reports had come in from Sylhet, where the team had played four one-day matches against the Bangladesh Emerging Women’s side between April 4 and April 11. Following the positive tests, the entire touring party was brought to Dhaka with the five players in question being kept in isolation in a Dhaka hotel even as the other 17 members of the contingent left for home early on Tuesday.”It is a great relief for all of us, not least of all the players, their colleagues and their families, that all our players and officials are now clear to return home,” CSA acting chief executive Pholetsi Moseki said in a statement. “The health of our players and officials is always our primary concern and we are well aware of the sacrifices that everybody is making to continue playing cricket in these difficult times.”Related

• Five South African players test positive for Covid-19

• South African team to fly back early from Bangladesh

Ensuring that the five affected players were retested quickly – and their flight back arranged immediately – was vitally important, because Bangladesh is scheduled to go into a lockdown because of the virus tomorrow, with the country’s civil aviation authority having announced that international flights would be suspended for a week from April 14.The fifth and final match of the series, slotted for Tuesday (April 13), had been cancelled as a result, to ensure the squad was in Dhaka in time for the journey back.Graeme Smith, CSA’s director of cricket, thanked the BCB for their attention to detail, including sending a medical officer to the hotel where the players had been isolated after testing positive. “I would like to thank the Bangladesh Cricket Board for everything they have done to keep our players and officials safe,” Smith said in a statement. “When the possibility of positive test results emerged, they went out of their way to make sure everybody had the best assistance possible including having medical personnel resident at their hotel.”The series, which began on April 4 after the South Africans had reached on March 29, was held behind closed doors in a biosecure environment because of an upsurge in Covid-19 cases in Bangladesh. The home side won all the four 50-over games that were played.

New Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris will no doubt want to see his Black Cats side be more of a threat in attack this coming season, as opposed to the goal-shy offerings that became far too commonplace last campaign from the Wearside outfit.

The Championship side only had Jack Clarke in their top scorer charts reach double figures at 15, with the likes of Nazariy Rusyn leading the line for Sunderland on a regular basis only getting to a meagre two in contrast.

Sunderland could eventually be weakened by Clarke moving onto a higher-up suitor too, but they do look to be close to signing Alexandre Mendy from SM Caen, in a bid to significantly bolster the striker spots at the Stadium of Light.

Yet, just because Mendy looks to be nearing a switch to England, it doesn't mean a move for an equally potent striker should fall completely to the wayside.

Sunderland could reignite interest in wanted forward

As per football journalist Darren Witcoop on social media, many EFL sides are contemplating a move for Fulham hotshot Jay Stansfield this transfer window, after he excelled with Birmingham City last campaign.

It does look as if the money rich Blues could have an upper-hand in any impending tussle for Stansfield's services however, with Witcoop further updating that talks have taken place for the striker to return to St. Andrew's, who is noted as having a £5m+ price-tag above his head.

Sunderland have previously been interested in the 21-year-old, but this extortionate asking price from the Cottagers could put off the Black Cats, as Birmingham look to clinch another coup for League One.

Yet, if Sunderland want to show they mean business next season after a dismal 2023/24 campaign, they could go all in for Stansfield, who is arguably an upgrade on the Ligue 2 Golden Boot winner they're currently in hot pursuit of.

How Stansfield could be viewed as an upgrade on Mendy

Mendy, aged 30, did set the French second division alight last season, with the Caen number 19 bagging 22 strikes in the league, but the cut and thrust of the Championship is a different kettle of fish altogether.

Stansfield took to the pressures of the demanding division well last season, even when lining up for a side that fell victim to relegation, with 12 league goals managed for the Blues from 43 clashes.

Stansfield vs Mendy – FBRef numbers over the last year
Stat (per 90 mins)	Stansfield	Mendy
Non-penalty goals	0.32	0.47
Total shots	2.62	2.62
Shot-creating actions	2.32	1.90
Progressive passes	1.46	1.39
Progressive carries	2.48	0.47
Successful take-ons	1.03	0.33
Touches in attacking penalty area	4.83	5.07
Progressive passes received	5.37	6.61
Stats by FBRef

Operating as more of a mobile threat when compared to Mendy, as can be seen glancing at the table above looking at their respective numbers involving progressive carries and successful take-ons, Stansfield might also suit the youthful side Le Bris will have at his disposal soon more so over the more fox-in-the-box presence of the current Caen man.

Stansfield will also have lots more room to grow and develop into an even more exceptional forward option, whilst Mendy could have well peaked already in Ligue 2, before becoming an expensive flop down the line.

Described as being a forward player that has "got it all" by his former Exeter City teammate in Kevin McDonald, Sunderland would send a statement out to the Championship if they did win Stansfield's services.

Both strikers entering the building would be an unlikely dream scenario, as Le Bris aims to stamp his authority onto the Sunderland starting lineup, ahead of the new Championship season kicking off next month.

Outscored Clarke: Sunderland lodge bid to sign Dijbril Cisse 2.0

Sunderland could finally have the potent striker they’ve been searching high and low for with this signing.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jul 17, 2024

High on Manchester United's priority list before the start of the next Premier League campaign, is finding the perfect partner for their jewel in the crown, Kobbie Mainoo.

Mainoo who made 35 appearances in his debut senior season at the club, scored five goals, and provided three assists. His stellar season earned him his first England call up, making the squad for Euro 2024, and even starting four games at the tournament.

This is the level of talent INEOS are working around the clock to find a partner for, so they can fully unlock his potential, and create a midfield for the present and future success of the club.

Man Utd's search for a midfielder

According to a report from TEAMtalk, United are interested in free agent, Adrien Rabiot, who has set his sights on joining Erik ten Hag's side, despite interest from Liverpool and Chelsea in the midfielder.

The reports suggest Rabiot hasn't yet decided his future, as he is looking for a 'lucrative' contract, as it will likely be his last significant contract as a player. The 29-year-old is reportedly after wages similar to Casemiro's £10.5m a year.

Rabiot made 35 appearances last season for Juventus in all competitions, scoring five goals, providing three assists, and totalling 3,012 minutes of football.

A potential Rabiot and Mainoo partnership

Rabiot was said to have the "strength of [Paul] Pogba" by legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, whilst also stating he has the "dynamism of Marchisio". Comparisons to such legendary Juventus players, one of whom is also ex-United, is very heavy praise indeed.

And now it could be time for Rabiot to make the same move as his compatriot, leaving Juventus (as a free agent) and making the move over to Manchester. But how could the Frenchman – who is also a towering presence like the 6 foot 3 Pogba – provide balance alongside academy star Mainoo?

Stats (per 90 mins)

Rabiot

Mainoo

Non-Penalty Goals

0.17

0.14

Assists

0.10

0.05

Progressive Passes

4.07

3.02

Progressive Carries

2.44

1.19

Tackles

1.97

2.24

Aerials Won

1.83

0.87

The first standout factor for this duo would be their height difference, Mainoo measuring at 5 foot 9, compared to the lofty 6 foot 4 frame of Rabiot. The little and large duo would provide a good balance for mobility and aerial prowess in the middle of the park, Rabiot averaging 1.83 aerials won per 90.

Both players do like to get forward, ranking in the top 20% for Non-Penalty Goals among midfielders in the top five leagues. Therefore, this could leave gaps in behind, and they would have to form a dynamic of which one sits, and which one attacks the box alongside skipper, Bruno Fernandes.

Mainoo's ability to beat his man, even in tight zones, makes him a powerful weapon further forward, completing 1.46 successful take-ons per 90, and ranking in the top 8% for this metric among midfielders in the top five leagues.

The France international could prove to be a good fit for the Red Devils, adding height, power and dynamism alongside Mainoo – as well as Fernandes – in midfield. However, it would be interesting to see which one takes the more defensive role, or if perhaps a number six was to accompany them in a midfield three.

He's perfect for Rashford: Man Utd could land a "natural born goalscorer"

He’s been strongly linked with a move to Old Trafford this summer.

ByEthan Lamb Jul 31, 2024

Chelsea’s hunt for a striker feels as though it’s never-ending with new boss Enzo Maresca still yet to secure the services of a new centre-forward.

Alexander Isak, Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres are just three players who have been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge, but no moves are yet to materialise for any of the Blues’ transfer targets.

The club do currently have Romelu Lukaku at their disposal, but given his huge £325k-per-week earnings, they would be wise to offload the Belgian this summer with various sides interested in his signature this window.

It’s undoubtedly a frustrating situation to be in for the Italian boss, with the season just around the corner and owner Todd Boehly unable to fulfil his request of signing a striker who can catapult his side back to the top end of the Premier League in 2024/25.

As a result, the Blues could turn to one player who they have previously been linked with, but also previously employed during the early stages of his professional career.

Chelsea could re-sign former talent with £65m clause

In recent months, Chelsea’s striker hunt has seen them linked with former academy talent Dominic Solanke after his 19-goal campaign with Bournemouth during 2023/24.

After joining Chelsea at the age of eight, striker Solanke enjoyed a rapid rise through the club's academy setup, starring for various age categories before signing a scholarship with the club in 2012.

However, it wasn't enough to catapult him into the Blues' first team, with the forward failing to make a single appearance for Chelsea during the 2016/17 season, before departing Stamford Bridge for Liverpool at the end of his deal – with the Blues receiving just £3m for the forward.

Seven years on from his departure from west London, the club’s desperation in their attempts to sign a new striker could see them replicate a deal for Lukaku and pay over the odds for a player they let go at a bargain price.

It’s previously been reported that the 26-year-old has a £65m release clause in his current deal at the Vitality, with Solanke an upgrade on Maresca’s current centre-forward options.

Why Solanke would be an upgrade on Nicolas Jackson

Senegalese striker Nicolas Jackson joined the Blues in a deal worth up to £30m last summer, scoring 14 goals in his debut Premier League campaign at Stamford Bridge.

However, despite his respectable tally of goals, it may not be enough to secure a regular first-team spot in 2024/25, with Maresca wanting a more senior option for Jackson to learn from.

Solanke could prove to be that type of player for the Blues, whilst also being a cheaper alternative to Victor Osimhen.

The Nigerian striker has also been linked with a move over £100m to west London this summer, with FBref claiming Solanke is a similar player to the Napoli forward – understandable given their all-round abilities and similar goal tallies of 19 and 15 last campaign, respectively.

The 26-year-old Cherries attacker has blown Jackson out of the water in recent times, providing that out-and-out centre forward option the club have been craving.

How Solanke & Jackson compare per 90 in 2023/24

Statistics

Solanke

Jackson

Games

38

35

Goals + assists

22

19

Shots taken

2.9

2.6

Aerials won

2.6

1.1

Aerial success rate

42%

36%

Goals per shot on target

0.5

0.4

Stats via FBref

Solanke managed more combined goals and assists whilst also managing a better goal per shot on target ratio than the former Villarreal talisman – undeniably living up to the “deadly” name tag given to him by former boss Scott Parker.

He’s also won more aerials per 90, whilst having a better aerial success rate – providing the option to play more crosses into the box by wingers such as Raheem Sterling and Cole Palmer.

Given the length of the club’s pursuit to sign a new striker, they can easily bring the hunt to an end with the potential addition of Bournemouth's main goalscorer.

He's consistently demonstrated his goalscoring abilities in the Premier League, handing Chelsea a cheaper alternative to their current transfer targets whilst also improving on the current options at Maresca’s disposal.

Related Chelsea offered chance to sign incredible £75m Isak & Osimhen alternative

The Blues are still looking to sign a new centre-forward this summer.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Jul 18, 2024

Fast bowler Mohammed Shami has been ruled out of the rest of India’s tour of Australia. It is understood Shami has suffered a fracture on his right forearm, which was revealed after he underwent scans immediately after the Adelaide Test ended. The news will come as a crushing blow for India, who lost that Test inside three days after being bowled out for their lowest Test total ever.The BCCI is yet to make an announcement on the development. Shami’s absence means the Indian fast bowling attack is now left with only Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav, Navdeep Saini and Mohammed Siraj. Both Saini and Siraj are uncapped in Test cricket.As for Shami’s replacement in the squad, the team management has to pick one from the trio of players: Kartik Tyagi, T Natarajan and Shardul Thakur. Incidentally neither of these three fast men were part of the original Test squad. Both Natarajan and Thakur stayed back after the white-ball leg of the Australia tour to join Tyagi as net bowlers.Related

• Umesh Yadav ruled out of Test series with calf injury

• Overseas debuts: Saini, Siraj better placed than their predecessors

• Kohli says lack of intent, dropped catches led to Adelaide defeat

• India await Shami's scan results after blow to forearm

• 'Stunned' Hazlewood lauds Cummins

Shami, who batted at No.11, sustained the injury while fending awkwardly at a short delivery from Pat Cummins on Saturday. After being taped on his right forearam Shami decided to bat on, but then signalled he could not continue and walked back to the dressing room. He didn’t return to bowl either in the fourth innings.At the post-match presentation, India captain Virat Kohli said Shami was in “pain” and could not even raise his bowling hand. In addition to Shami’s absence, India will be without Kohli, who will miss the rest of the series as he returns home on paternity leave.Mohammed Shami was struck on the hand while batting and had to retire hurt•Getty Images

Who should replace Shami in the Test squad?
The Indian team management has a difficult choice to make on who should replace Shami in the Test squad. Thakur, who plays for Mumbai, is the most experienced seamer among the reserves, with 206 wickets at an average of 28.55 in first-class cricket. Natarajan, a left-arm seamer, forced his way into India’s limited-overs squads for the Australian tour on the back of his impressive performances in the IPL for the Sunrirsers Hyderabad. In first-class cricket, Natarajan, who represents Tamil Nadu, has limited experience having picked up 64 wickets in 20 matches at 27.03.Twenty-year-old Tyagi was part of the India Under-19 side that made the World Cup final in South Africa earlier this year. A right-arm fast bowler, Tyagi played for the Indians in the first warm-up match against Australia A recently, going wicketless. He has played two matches for Uttar Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy, picking up three wickets.The Ishant Sharma question
Shami’s injury might also force the selectors and the team management to reflect on their decision to not to include Ishant Sharma in the Test squad despite him being declared fit by the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in November.Sharma, who picked up an injury during the IPL while playing for the Delhi Capitals, went to the NCA in Bengaluru in September and was ruled fit around November 19. However, in its assessment report to the BCCI and team management, the NCA noted that Sharma would need to build on his bowling workload in order to be completely fit to be selected for the Test series.In his first media briefing on the eve of the Australia tour, in November, even Kohli wondered why Sharma was not completing his rehab with the rest of the squad which would have kept him in contention for the Test series.It is understood the BCCI wanted to ensure Sharma was completely fit and ready in the long-term as India are scheduled to play a four-match Test series against England at home soon after the Australia tour. India will then tour England for another five-Test series in mid-2021.On November 26, the BCCI said although Sharma had “completely recovered” from the side strain he sustained during the IPL, he “is building up his workload in order to achieve Test-match fitness” and he was “ruled out” of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Meanwhile, Southern Punjab fell to their third successive defeat

Umar Farooq03-Oct-2020

Shadab Khan played a good all-round hand in Northern’s win•PCB

Northern beat Central Punjab by 35 runs
Defending champions Northern continued their ominous start to the National T20 Cup with a third straight win, besting Central Punjab by 35 runs. CP lost seven wickets for 30 runs in the space of 41 balls while chasing a moderate total of 155, ending up being bowled out for 120 with nearly two overs to spare.No batsman other than Abid Ali (36 off 33 balls) was able to establish control during the chase. The innings broadly centred around the opener, who hung around until the 13th over, but when he edged behind to fast bowler Mohammad Musa, CP began to run into trouble. Abdullah Shafique (20 of 12 balls) and 14 apiece by Rizwan Hussain and skipper Saad Nasim kept them afloat, but when the side failed to keep up with the asking rate while wickets continued to fall, the equation quickly became insurmountable. Three wickets each for Haris Rauf and Mohammad Musa were centrally responsible for Northern’s successful defence.Asked to bat first, Northern didn’t enjoy the best of starts, scoring at just over four for the first half of the innings. But once captain Shadab Khan arrived at the crease, all that changed, his brisk 17-ball 30 turning the tide in Northern’s favour. Umar Amin and Asif Ali combined for 45 off 25, but Abdul Qadir’s three wickets looked to have kept the defending champions in check. Northern’s bowlers, however, ensured the total was more than enough in the end.After the game, Northern batsman Haider Ali was fined for a breach of the PCB Code of Conduct for Player and Player Support Personnel. Haider was fined 30% of his applicable match fee for a Level 1 offence relating to showing dissent at an umpire’s decision during a match.The incident occurred in the ninth over of Northern’s innings when Haider showed his bat to the umpire, which was deemed as a disagreement over the decision, after being adjudged LBW on an Usman Qadir’s delivery. Haider was charged for the violation of Article 2.8 by on-field umpires Aftab Gillani and Faisal Khan Afridi. Haider pleaded guilty and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Iftikhar Ahmed.Khyber Pakhtunkhwa beat Southern Punjab by 6 runs
In the evening game, half centuries by Mohammad Rizwan and Mohammad Hafeez set up a six-run win for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over Southern Punjab. Southern Punjab needed 22 off the final over and six off the last ball to tie the game, but when Saif Badar failed to deliver, it condemned South Punjab to their third straight defeat.Chasing 201, Southern Punjab began crisply with 14 off the first over, but regular wickets hampered their cause. None of the top three managed 20, with Shan Masood, Zeeshan Ashraf and Umer Siddiq falling early. But Hussain Talat’s 22-ball 38 and Sohaib Maqsood combined for a 78-run partnership to keep the chase on track. Maqsood – hitting his second fifty in his third game – smashed 77 off 40 balls, but once Wahab Riaz cleaned him up, the wickets continued to fall and the game began to slip away from the home side.Put in to bat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s innings was set up thanks to a 100-run partnership between Mohammad Rizwan and Mohammad Hafeez, which came off just 55 balls. It was followed up by a blistering cameo from Iftikhar Ahmed at the death, his 20-ball 45 ensuring KP managed to get to 200. Southern Punjab’s bowlers found it hard work, with the exception of Mohammad Irfan, who gave away 29 in his four, but for the third game in a row, the home side ended up on the wrong side of a high-scoring fixture.

Barcelona have reportedly set a new target for their Camp Nou return after their ambitious stadium redevelopment suffered a setback.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Camp Nou undergoing a major renovationLikely to miss previous 2024 deadlineReturn maybe possible in February 2025Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Work to modernise the legendary Camp Nou began in June 2022. The project was aimed at transforming the stadium into the largest in European football with a capacity of 105,000, and the goal was to partially re-open the ground in time for the club’s 125th anniversary on November 29, 2024. However, that plan has now been adjusted, with the latest club statement indicating that a return will only be possible during the “second half” of the 2024/25 season.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT BARCELONA'S VICE-PRESIDENT SAID

At a press conference on Monday, vice-president Elena Fort provided an update on the situation, emphasising that the club is making progress, though there are no confirmed dates.

"There are no exact dates to return to the stadium. We can’t say right now, but we are on the correct path," she said.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

reportthat the new target for the club’s return to Camp Nou is in late January or early February 2025. One critical factor influencing the timeline is the requirement set by UEFA, which prefers teams competing in the Champions League to hold all their group stage home games at the same venue. Barcelona's last home match in the league stage is scheduled for January 29, 2025, against Atalanta. Any request to switch venues before the league phase concludes would require UEFA’s approval, which may further complicate the return timeline.

Barcelona’s next domestic home game after that will take place during the first weekend of February when they are set to host Deportivo Alaves in La Liga. This match could potentially mark the club’s long-awaited return to their refurbished stadium.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportDID YOU KNOW?

Barcelona have already extended their rental contract for the Montjuic until March 31, 2025, which further indicates that they intend to use the facilities beyond 2024. However, the shift to the smaller stadium has had financial implications for the club. Last week, Barcelona released a statement confirming that the move has resulted in a revenue loss of over €100 million (£84m/$110m) from matchdays and their popular club museum.

A £150,000-per-week ace could now reportedly leave Arsenal this summer after being left unhappy behind the scenes at Hale End, with the Gunners open to doing business over him.

Arsenal players who could leave before next season

There are many current squad members who are potentially facing their last few months as Arsenal players.

Arsenal hold talks with PSG and Simeone target who's also spoke with Arteta

The Gunners have reached out to him.

ByEmilio Galantini May 31, 2024

Nuno Tavares, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Kieran Tierney are all likely to depart the Emirates Stadium after spending last season on loan deals away from the club. Lokonga has even admitted he's likely to quit Arsenal, while there isn't much room for the likes of Tierney and Tavares in Mikel Arteta's star-studded eleven.

Bukayo Saka

7.67

Declan Rice

7.38

Martin Odegaard

7.37

Kai Havertz

7.16

Gabriel Magalhaes

6.99

Aaron Ramsdale, Thomas Partey, Gabriel Jesus, Fabio Vieira, Reiss Nelson, Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah have also been named by various reports as players who could leave Arsenal this summer, as sporting director Edu Gaspar plots a mini-overhaul of the squad.

Now, according to Football Insider, another player who Arsenal could look to offload is defender Oleksandr Zinchenko. The Ukraine international came under criticism last term, and has fallen down the pecking order behind both Jakub Kiwior and Takehiro Tomiyasu.

Zinchenko unhappy with Arsenal now open to selling

The outlet also claims that Zinchenko is "unhappy" at Arsenal and the club are open to selling him. The former Man City ace, on a reported £150,000-per-week, wants regular first-team football moving forward.

While the 27-year-old becomes linked with the exit door, some members of the media have rushed to his defence, and believe he could still fight his way back into Arteta's plans.

“Some of the criticism (of Zinchenko) is justified, but some is a bit harsh in my opinion," said journalist Charles Watts after one of Zinchenko's performances last season.

"When you look at what went wrong for Arsenal on Sunday for example, I’m not really sure Zinchenko was at the heart of it. But, judging by the amount of criticism that has come his way over the past few days, you would think he was. Yes, there were a few errors of judgement in the second half, one of which could easily have been very costly. But there were also good points in the first half which could easily have led to Arsenal opening the scoring.

"There are undeniable positives, but there are also obvious negatives. The thing is that right now, probably for the first time since he joined, the negatives are starting to outweigh the positives. Arsenal’s side has evolved at pace under Arteta. Last season Zinchenko was an essential part of it, but now his place in the starting XI is up for debate.

“I wouldn’t say we are definitely approaching the end of Zinchenko’s time at Arsenal. I still think he could have a key role to play in this squad, potentially even higher up the pitch where his defensive deficiencies could leave the team less exposed. He’s a quality footballer who is having a difficult period, but Arteta believes in him and it’s far too early to write him off as an Arsenal player.”