All posts by h79snht.top

Leeds United have now made an approach to sign a defender who’s “pure class”, and he could be available for a fee of just £5m, according to reporter Ben Jacobs.

Leeds eyeing new defender amid Firpo uncertainty

Junior Firpo played a key role in the Whites’ promotion, collecting four goals and ten assists in 32 Championship games, but the left-back could now be heading for the exit door, amid widespread links with La Liga side Real Betis.

While Firpo is capable of making a real impact from an attacking point of view, former Leeds man Paul Robinson believes it may be the right decision to let the defender leave this summer, given his previous struggles in the top flight.

Robinson said: “Firpo, I’ve got my concerns about. I think he’s been excellent in the Championship. But some players, the Championship is their level, and in the Premiership, before he was exposed defensively, he was well out of position many times, susceptible to goals, and teams targeted him, and I think the step-up was maybe too much for him.”

In the Premier League, Daniel Farke’s side may have to be a bit more pragmatic than they were last season, which means the manager is looking to bring in a new left-back, who is defensively solid, rather than a threat going forward.

According to Jacobs, in an update on X, Leeds have now made an approach to sign Aston Villa’s Alex Moreno, submitting an enquiry about a deal for the left-back, who is also attracting interest from Burnley and a number of unnamed La Liga clubs.

With Moreno’s Villa contract set to expire in 2026, he is set to be available for around £5m this summer, making him an affordable option for the Championship title-winners.

Related Leeds United in talks over personal terms to sign £17m "absolute hero"

The Whites have stepped up their pursuit of a midfielder, with discussions ongoing.

Posts 2 ByDominic Lund Jun 11, 2025 "Pure class" Moreno impressed during Nottingham Forest loan

Having been deemed surplus to requirements by Unai Emery, the defender was shipped out on loan to Nottingham Forest last season, and the Spaniard managed to impress at times, with writer Lee Clarke describing his performances as “pure class”.

Clarke also added: “I confess I was uncertain about his hamstring history when he signed but there have been no ill effects in that sense so far. Moreno is established on the left in the team now and he’s a 7/10 at the very least in every single game.”

That said, the 32-year-old, who has the same agent as Illan Meslier, went on to play less of a prominent role as the season went on, often being left on the bench by Nuno, which suggests he was unable to maintain his initial levels of performance.

As such, there are doubts over whether Moreno would be a worthwhile signing for Leeds, but he could be an upgrade on Firpo from a defensive standpoint, having outperformed the left-back across some key metrics over the past year.

Average per 90

Alex Moreno

Junior Firpo

Tackles

2.36

2.27

Interceptions

1.41

1.27

Blocks

1.04

0.86

Clearances

4.05

3.51

Newcastle United are now keen on signing a Manchester United star on loan, but the Red Devils are looking for a permanent transfer instead, according to a recent report.

Newcastle hold talks for Premier League stars

The Magpies are back in the Champions League next season, and given they will want to be competitive in both that and the Premier League, it can be expected that they will have their eye on making a few signings this summer to bolster their depth.

Related Newcastle talks held over "brilliant" £75m forward, PIF have the cash ready

The Magpies are looking to conduct a deal.

Posts BySean Markus Clifford Jun 18, 2025

Signing a new centre-back could be high on the agenda, given the ages of the likes of Fabian Schar and Dan Burn and the fact that Jamaal Lascelles looks set to be leaving St James’ Park at the end of the month.

It’s been reported this week that Newcastle are in fact in talks with Brighton & Hove Albion’s Jan Paul van Hecke over a transfer to the North East this summer. Talks have begun with the player’s representatives ahead of the club making contact with the Seagulls, who are looking to get around £60 million for the defender.

As well as holding talks over signing a new defender, The Athletic have reported that Newcastle have held internal talks over signing Mohammed Kudus from West Ham United.

The forward has a release clause worth £75 million, and it is believed the Hammers are open to selling Kudus, given he has fallen out of favour under manager Graham Potter. The pursuit of Kudus could be seen as an alternative to Bryan Mbeumo, and they are not the only forwards on their list, as the Magpies are also weighing up a move for another Premier League attacker.

Newcastle want to winger Man Utd ace on loan

According to The Sun, Newcastle are interested in signing Marcus Rashford from Manchester United on a season-long loan deal.

The Englishman looks set to leave Old Trafford this summer, and the Magpies are now ready to make their move, as they believe they can offer him the right stage to get his career back on track. Rashford isn’t seen as a player to replace Alexander Isak, who has been linked with a move away.

However, there is a stumbling block, as the Red Devils would prefer a permanent exit, following his loan spell at Aston Villa.

Rashford himself meanwhile, who has been dubbed “world-class” by his United teammate Luke Shaw in the past, is believed to see Barcelona as his preferred destination, but the Spanish side have their eyes on other targets. Villa decided against the option they had to buy, and that means he is now set to return to United pre-season training next month as things stand.

Marcus Rashford’s Premier League stats

Apps

297

Goals

89

Assists

52

It’s been claimed that United would like to sell Rashford this summer if they receive a fee of £40 million, but as of yet no club has come forward. Rashford’s potential arrival at Newcastle would not only see him fight for a spot alongside Isak, but he would also have the likes of Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes to deal with, both players who have been key under Eddie Howe.

Bangladesh could qualify even if they lose, but one more point will assure them of the Super Eight spot

Mohammad Isam16-Jun-2024

Bangladesh are close to the Super Eight, and one more point will seal the deal•ICC/Getty Images

Match detailsBangladesh vs Nepal
June 16, Kingstown, 7.30pm localBig picture: Bangladesh on the cusp of Super EightBangladesh’s Super Eight fate in the T20 World Cup 2024 is in their own hands as one more win is all they need to go through.The only way Bangladesh can miss out is if they lose big against Nepal, and Netherlands beat Sri Lanka by a big enough margin with that game scheduled an hour after Bangladesh vs Nepal. Bangladesh will fancy sailing through as they have looked like the second-best team in Group D so far. They know they can’t take Nepal lightly, more so after their close game against South Africa.But Bangladesh are high on confidence, a side on the mend that, only recently, went down in a T20I series against USA. Their top-order batting remains a concern but their middle-order batters and bowlers have carried them to this promising position.Legspinner Rishad Hossain is the surprise package, with his seven wickets. He has often picked the crucial scalps and his skilful bowling has lifted Bangladesh’s morale. The pace trio of Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman and Tanzim Hasan have provided a strong backbone, and their relentless accuracy this tournament has often brought about well-timed breakthroughs.Nepal are still smarting from their one-run loss against South Africa. They were left wondering how they messed up a chase where they were ahead at one point. Gulsan Jha’s run out on the last ball left their legion of fans heartbroken, but their overall performance against one of the tournament’s top teams gives them confidence for the next challenge. Kushal Bhurtel and Dipendra Singh Airee shared seven wickets against South Africa at the same ground, while Aasif Sheikh comes in fresh off a stylish 42. Their big hitters are an X-Factor too.Nepal have enough firepower to win, but Bangladesh, at this tournament, have shown an appetite for staying in the fight for longer periods. Key battles will be fought between their middle-order and Nepal’s spinners, particularly how they play Sandeep Lamichhane. Bangladesh’s fast bowlers, meanwhile, will look to exploit any lack of experience among the Nepal batters.With Nepal wanting to finish the tournament with one win and Bangladesh equally motivated to take two points, expect another tight game in a T20 World Cup full of thrillers.Form guideBangladesh WLWWL (last five completed T20Is, most recent first)
Nepal LLLLWIn the spotlight: Tanzid Hasan and Aasif SheikhTanzid Hasan hasn’t done anything special yet in the T20 World Cup but the left-hand opener played an attractive innings against Netherlands. His glut of powerplay boundaries gave Bangladesh their best start in the first six, since arriving in North America four weeks ago. Tanzid is strong on both sides of the pitch and shows presence of mind whenever the bowlers ask him tough questions. It is now a matter of staying long enough for a big score.Aasif Sheikh was better known as the Nepal wicketkeeper who won the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award in 2022 for not running out the stumbling Andy McBrine. Those watching him bat for the first time against South Africa saw the other side of Sheikh: an attractive opener who can wow with his flicks. Sheikh’s off side strokeplay also looked promising. After making 42 against South Africa’s attack, he will aim to get even better.Nepal will have to lift themselves after suffering a heart-breaking defeat against SA•ICC/Getty Images

Team news: More spinners in the offingBangladesh shouldn’t tinker ideally, but they could consider either left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam or offspin-bowling allrounder Mahedi Hasan on a spin-friendly pitch.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tanzid Hasan, 2 Najmul Hosain Shanto (capt), 3 Litton Das (wk), 4 Shakib Al Hasan, 5 Towhid Hridoy, 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Jaker Ali, 8 Rishad Hossain, 9 Tanzim Hasan, 10 Taskin Ahmed 11 Mustafizur Rahman.Nepal have left-arm spinners Lalit Rajbanshi and Sagar Dhakal if they want more bowing options.Nepal (probable): 1 Kushal Bhurtel, 2 Aasif Sheikh (wk), 3 Rohit Paudel (capt), 4 Anil Sah, 5 Dipendra Singh Airee, 6 Kushal Malla, 7 Gulsan Jha, 8 Sompal Kami, 9 Karan KC, 10 Sandeep Lamichhane, 11 Abinash Bohara.Pitch and conditionsArnos Vale became a spin haven in the Nepal-South Africa match, producing 12 wickets for the spinners. There’s light rain forecast for Sunday evening in the area and in case there is a washout, Bangladesh will be through to the Super Eight.Stats that matter Mustafizur Rahman boasts the lowest economy rate (minimum three overs), of 2.25 per over, among bowlers in the last four overs at this T20 World Cup Aasif Sheikh’s 42 against South Africa in their previous match is Nepal’s highest score against a Full Member side. Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah and Sompal Kami are the only survivors from the Bangladesh vs Nepal match in 2014 – their only previous encounter – when they faced off at that year’s T20 World Cup.Quotes”If we were going to play on the same wicket, we could say it’s going to be a battle of spin. But we are playing on a completely different wicket, a fresh wicket. So we will expect normal behaviour. We are not thinking anything differently until we bowl the first ball. After bowling the first ball, we might be able to read the pitch.”
“If I had to only speak like a fan from outside, I know that they are capable more than that. But just as a fan who loves the game, I would say Nepal definitely have left their footprints with that game and to let the Test nations know, the world cricket know that they belong. I have a strong belief in this class of 2023, the players who have come together.”

The start of Glasgow Rangers’ season is now fast approaching with the Gers’ first pre-season fixture taking place a week on Saturday, with the start of European qualifying coming up as soon as 22 July.

That’s all before the new Rangers manager, Russell Martin, will commence his Scottish Premiership campaign on Saturday 2 August.

Ahead of that busy fixture list, the Light Blues have been busy off the field overhauling their squad, so could they secure a “phenomenal” new signing in the process?

Rangers' busy transfer activity

On Wednesday, Max Aarons put pen to paper, joining Rangers on a season-long loan from Bournemouth.

He is the club’s second signing of the summer, after Lyall Cameron, but many more are forecast in the coming days and weeks.

Indeed, according to a report by EFL analysis, new manager Martin is targeting a move to bring in goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, who he signed for Southampton just 12 months ago, for a reported fee of £25m.

Bailey adds that, due to the fact he is earning £120,000-per-week, the Saints are willing to sanction a loan ‘with an option to buy’ for Ramsdale this summer; Wolves and Leeds United also ‘interested’,

A fee could prove prohibitive for Rangers, given that their record-signing of the post-liquidation era is the £7.5m spent on Ryan Kent in 2019.

Nevertheless, with Southampton looking to offload, thereby open to a loan move, could the England international end up in Glasgow?

Why Aaron Ramsdale would be a game-changing signing for Rangers

Max Aarons has arrived at Rangers to much excitement, and rightly so.

The 24-year-old did just endure a pretty miserable campaign, barely featuring for Bournemouth, thereby spending the second half of the season on loan at Valencia, albeit he then made only five appearances for los Murciélagos, totalling a miserly 208 minutes.

Nevertheless, the youngster is still a player of great potential, almost joining Tottenham for £15m as a teenager, with Tom Quartly of Breaking the Lines asserting that he offers ‘fluidity in both attacking and defensive phases’ from full-back.

Aarons’ arrival does bring into question the future of Rangers’ two existing right-backs, namely captain and long-serving stalwart James Tavernier, as well as the promising Dujon Sterling, as this was not an area of obvious need.

The same, however, cannot be said about goalkeeper, with the potential arrival of Ramsdale addressing a pressing issue.

After arriving two years ago, for so long, Jack Butland was Rangers’ undisputed number one, starting 102 of his first 111 matches at the club, before being dropped by interim manager Barry Ferguson, following a sequence of high-profile errors, hence why deputy Liam Kelly got the nod for the Europa League quarter-final tie against Athletic Club.

Even though the Scotland international shot-stopper dramatically saved Álex Berenguer’s late penalty in the first leg at Ibrox, the table below emphasises that neither Kelly nor Butland are perhaps what Martin is looking for.

Rangers’ GK statistics Premiership 2024/25

Statistics

Butland

SPFL rank

Kelly

SPFL rank

Goals against per 90

1.11

3rd

1

2nd

Save %

65.5%

17th

67.9%

11th

Clean sheet %

37.5%

5th

40%

4th

All statistics courtesy of FBref.com

So, would Ramsdale be a major upgrade?

Well, former Arsenal goalkeeper asserted that Ramsdale’s performances for the Gunners as “phenomenal”, while manager Mikel Arteta described him as “exceptional”, following a man of the match performance during a 2-2 draw at Anfield two seasons ago.

So, let’s take a deeper look at his statistics in the Premier League.

Ramsdale’s Premier League statistics

Stats

Ramsdale in 24/25 (Rank in PL)

Ramsdale in 22/23 (Rank in PL)

Saves

120 (2nd)

94 (10th)

Save %

67.6% (15th)

70.6% (11th)

Post-shot xG – goals conceded

-0.08 (17th)

-0.05 (12th)

% of crosses stopped

5.5% (16th)

5.8% (16th)

Short passes attempted

1,026 (9th)

956 (8th)

All statistics courtesy of FBref.com

The table includes last season, when Ramsdale was plying his trade for a historically terrible Southampton team, hence why only Mark Flekken made more saves than he did, as well as his final campaign as Arsenal’s number one, this 2022/23.

While the England international’s statistics don’t all leap off the page, it is clear that he is certainly a Premier League-level goalkeeper and a very good one at that, one that should not be playing for the team at the bottom of the division, that’s for sure.

His passing numbers are also impressive, which would very much fit into Martin’s style that prioritises control through possession.

Thus, if Rangers are able to lure him north of the border, this would be a massive coup, especially considering the trials and tribulations endured by Butland and Kelly last season.

Related Big Propper upgrade: Rangers open talks to sign 2nd defender after Coady

Rangers are looking to bring a couple of defenders to Ibrox amid the news that Robin Propper could depart.

Posts ByBen Gray Jun 26, 2025

Batter answers coach’s challenge to rediscover her form on domestic circuit

Valkerie Baynes14-Jun-20242:21

Lewis explains how Dunkley can win back her England starting spot

Sophia Dunkley has met her England brief to secure a return to the ODI squad for the upcoming home series with New Zealand after losing her place in the top order over the winter against the same opposition.Naming a 14-strong squad on Friday for three ODIs against the White Ferns starting on June 26, Jon Lewis, England Women’s head coach, said Dunkley had done exactly as he’d asked in rediscovering her form and batting rhythm on the domestic circuit upon losing her spot after four T20I and one ODI innings in New Zealand in March and April, where she only reached double-figures once.Dunkley was added to the 50-over squad for the last two games of England’s three-match series with Pakistan last month, but didn’t play in either – she was named 12th for the second fixture in Taunton, which was washed out after 6.5 overs.That followed a run of strong performances for South East Stars in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, where she is the competition’s leading run-scorer with 293 runs at 97.66 and a strike rate of 83.00, with a century and a fifty to her name. That competition will resume at the end of June, meanwhile, Dunkley scored two half-centuries last week for Stars in the Charlotte Edwards Cup T20 competition.”She’s worked incredibly hard over the last probably 12 months, nine months maybe, on her batting, on her technique and on how she plays the game and her approach to the game, her mindset, and actually how she’s able to be more consistent as a batter whilst maintaining the super strength that she has, that’s being able to attack at any point in the game,” Lewis said.”Her strike rate might have dipped a little, but she’s actually, from my point of view, earned the right to be back in the squad through weight of runs and really good, solid, consistent performances. Her job now is just to put pressure on all the people that are in possession of their spot and try and force them out. She’s doing that, which is great.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

That Dunkley has turned her form around at domestic level, away from the glare of international cricket, is an important detail. Last December, ahead of England’s multi-format tour to India, Dunkley told ESPNcricinfo of the challenges of playing under the intense spotlight of a home Ashes series. She subsequently missed England’s two home white-ball series against Sri Lanka before returning to play the Test and three T20Is in India, where her highest score in five innings was 15.In five ODI innings since scoring 57 on England’s tour of West Indies in December 2022, Dunkley has not passed 13 and, in nine T20I innings since scoring a half-century against Australia last July, she has not passed 32.”Without being disrespectful to the regional game, she’s got more of a chance to think and play under less pressure and less scrutiny than she does when she plays international cricket because every single decision or shot that she makes is scrutinised and by everyone,” Lewis said.”Everyone watches what you do and judges and when you take yourself out of that, the pressure does drop off a little bit and it’ll be interesting to see when and if she plays across this series whether or not she can keep the same calmness as she’s shown in regional cricket.”Sophia Dunkley is back in the reckoning for England•ECB/Getty Images

Dunkley faces stern competition to regain a regular berth from the likes of Tammy Beaumont, Maia Bouchier, Danni Wyatt and Alice Capsey, although England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt was the only stand-out performer in the ODIs against Pakistan, which England won 2-0. Sciver-Brunt scored an unbeaten 124 in the third game but no other player reached fifty during the series, and Lewis said he was seeking more consistent form from his top six against New Zealand.Similarly in three T20Is against Pakistan, only Wyatt’s 48-ball 87 was truly eye-catching amid some handy contributions from captain Heather Knight and, further down the order, Dani Gibson and Amy Jones.England defeated New Zealand in their ODIs earlier this year 2-1 and won the T20I series 4-1. England plan to name their T20I squad at the end of next week for a five-match series with New Zealand to follow the ODIs as they monitor “a couple of niggles”.In question is Sciver-Brunt’s ability to bowl after suffering a flare-up of a knee problem which first struck during the Women’s Ashes a year ago, having bowled during the latter stages of Pakistan’s visit.”As far as I’m aware, she’s progressing back to bowling really well and we’re just working with her to make sure that she’s really confident in her body in terms of how much she can bowl,” Lewis said. “But we’ll make those decisions as we go along because obviously Nat’s an incredibly precious player for us. We’ll make sure that the bowling doesn’t get in the way of her scoring the amount of runs that she does for England.Related

Dunkley finds 'new lease of life' in India after tough summer

England's in-game tinkering means wait for perfect performance goes on

Lewis challenges England Women to keep up with their world-class stars

Powerplay: Lewis on spinners, stress management and AI

Very little Down time – NZ batter keen to seal top-order spot after baby break

“I’ll be very, very careful to make sure that Nat is fit and available for the [T20] World Cup. So that might mean we manage a little bit of her work through this series and also through the Hundred. But Nat will keep pushing on that. I know she’s incredibly keen to make sure that she’s still a fully fledged allrounder and we’re just working with her to make sure that she’s able to do both roles at the priority moments that we need her to.”Another player England are looking to manage carefully is Capsey, mindful of the volume of cricket she has been playing since bursting onto the scene as a 16-year-old. Since July 2022, Capsey has played 90 top-level T20 games behind only New Zealanders Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates – all of whom will be touring England – and West Indies’ Hayley Matthews. As a result she has just returned to training after taking a break instead of playing domestic cricket since the Pakistan series.”I’d like her to be one of our best top-five batters in this format,” Lewis said of Capsey’s ODI role. “At the moment, Alice’s schedule and program is primarily T20 cricket… to balance that and learn how to play 50-over cricket, which is a slightly different tempo, is a really tricky thing for her to do without just continually playing all the time. So Alice has had a really well-earned rest and hopefully she’ll come back really refreshed for this ODI series.”England ODI squad: Heather Knight (capt), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danielle Wyatt

Ireland allrounder can provide knockout cover for Chris Green if he plays this week

Matt Roller16-Jul-2024

George Dockrell swings into the leg side•Getty Images

Lancashire have signed Ireland’s George Dockrell for the T20 Blast, with Chris Green set to be unavailable for the knockout stages due to his Caribbean Premier League commitments.ECB regulations dictate that overseas players must have featured in at least one group-stage match in the Blast in order to be eligible for the knockout stages. The rule was initially introduced after Essex signed Dwayne Bravo specifically for Finals Day in 2010.The Blast’s schedule has been compromised by the combination of June’s T20 World Cup and the Hundred’s summer-holiday window this season, and there is a six-week gap between the end of the group stages and the quarter-finals this season. It has left several counties scrambling to find overseas players who will be available in mid-September.Lancashire will circumvent that rule by adding Dockrell to their squad for their final two group games at Emirates Old Trafford, against Nottinghamshire on Wednesday night and Northamptonshire on Friday. They have not yet mathematically qualified for the quarter-finals but another point would secure their progress.Related

CPL 2024 draft: Kings sign USA's Aaron Jones

Dockrell prepares for second coming as a batting allrounder

Franchise free-for-all compromises players' incentives

Crane makes Glamorgan loan move permanent

Wood, Bruce seal two-wicket win for Lancashire

“We are really pleased to add George into our squad for the rest of the Vitality Blast this year,” Dale Benkenstein, Lancashire’s coach, said. “With the potential for knock-out round matches in September and uncertainty around player availability, George provides us with another overseas option for the latter stages.”He will go straight into the squad for the final two matches of the group stage this week [and] will offer us an experienced left-arm spin option, while he can also be a match-winner with the bat in the finisher role as he has proven on the international stage with Ireland.”Green, the Australian offspinner, is Lancashire’s leading wicket-taker in the Blast this season with 13 but his contract initially only covered the group stages, and he is due to play for Antigua and Barbuda Falcons in the CPL from August 29 until October 6. He could feasibly be available for Finals Day on September 14 if he flies back to the UK between games.Tom Bruce, the New Zealand batter, has been Lancashire’s other overseas player in the Blast this season. He struggled for form and was dropped for their defeat at Headingley but hit an unbeaten 50 in their recent win over Worcestershire after regaining some confidence in the second XI and in a game of club cricket.Dockrell, who has reinvented himself as a batting allrounder after spending most of his career as a specialist left-arm spinner, said he was “delighted” to join Lancashire. “We are in a really strong position in the North Group, with two important home games remaining as we look to secure that all important home quarter-final at Emirates Old Trafford in September,” he said. He will be reunited with Lancashire’s assistant coach William Porterfield, his former international captain.Liam Livingstone is also in Lancashire’s squad for the first time this season, though Jos Buttler is resting after the T20 World Cup. England’s white-ball players are likely to be available for the Blast’s quarter-finals but not for Finals Day, which falls on the day between two T20Is against Australia.

يواصل المنتخب الإسباني حصد الأخبار السارة في طريقه نحو منافسات كأس العالم 2026، بعد انتهاء فترة التوقف الدولي خلال شهر سبتمبر.

ونشرت صحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية أن فريق المدرب لويس دي لا فوينتي أبهر الجميع بمستواه ونتائجه بعد أسابيع قليلة من انطلاق الموسم الجديد 2025-2026.

وحقق منتخب إسبانيا فوزين متتاليين ليؤكد مكانته كواحد من أبرز المرشحين للفوز بكأس العالم وهو ما انعكس في تصنيف الاتحاد الدولي “الفيفا” الجديد.

ولن يتم إصدار التصنيف الجديد حتى يوم 18 سبتمبر لكن التغييرات التي ستحدث أصبحت معروفة بالفعل، حيث يأتي التغيير الأبرز من قبل بطل كأس أمم أوروبا.

وبالنتائج الأخيرة في المباريات القليلة الماضية فقد تجاوزت إسبانيا بطل العالم منتخب الأرجنتين لتصعد للمركز الأول في تصنيف فيفا.

أقرأ أيضاً.. منتخب الأرجنتين يفقد خدمات لاعبه في المباراة الافتتاحية لـ كأس العالم 2026

ولم يحقق المنتخب الإسباني هذا الإنجاز منذ 11 عامًا، وتحديدًا منذ يونيو 2014 قبل منافسات كأس العالم في الرازيل.

وكان المنتخب الإسباني يحتل المركز العاشر في تصنيف الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم وقت تعيين لويس دي لا فوينتي مدرباً، ومنذ ذلك الوقت نجح اللاروخا في الصعود بثبات، بفضل انتصاراته في دوري الأمم الأوروبية وبطولة كأس أمم أوروبا.

وكان المنتخب الإسباني يحتل المركز الثاني برصيد 1.867.09 نقطة خلف منتخب الأرجنتين بقيادة سكالوني، الذي جمع 1.885.36 نقطة قبل أن تنقلب الأمور في فترة التوقف الدولي.

وحقق منتخب إسبانيا الفوز ضد بلغاريا بثلاثية نظيفة ليجمع 2.41 نقطة قبل أن يجمع 5.87 نقطة آخرين من الفوز الساحق ضد تركيا بسداسية نظيفة وسيتراجع منتخب الأرجنتين للمركز الثالث بعد الهزيمة ضد الإكوادور لتخسر 19.35 نقطة.

وبذلك، فإن منتخب إسبانيا سيحتل المركز الأول بـ1875.37 نقطة ويأتي منتخب فرنسا في المركز الثاني بـ1870.92 نقطة والأرجنتين في المركز الثالث بـ1870.32 نقطة.

وجاءت المنتخبات في الترتيب من المركز الرابع للعاشر، حيث سيأتي منتخب إنجلترا في المركز الرابع وخلفه البرتغال في المركز الخامس والبرازيل في المركز السادس وهولندا في المركز السابع وبلجيكا في المركز الثامن وكرواتيا في المركز التاسع وإيطاليا في المركز العاشر.

وقد تتسع هذه الفجوة أكثر خلال المباريات المقبلة في أكتوبر ونوفمبر، حيث ستخوض إسبانيا مباريات رسمية في تصفيات أوروبا، بينما يخوض فريق سكالوني مباريات ودية، حيث سيحصل على نقاط أقل بكثير، وينتظر لقاء المنتخبين في الفايناليسما في مارس 2026 رغم عدم تأكيد أي شئ حتى الآن.

Kicking on with their summer business, West Bromwich Albion have now reportedly reached an agreement to sign an attacking reinforcement worth around £5m.

Since appointing Ryan Mason and signing Nat Phillips from Liverpool, West Brom’s summer business has slowed down somewhat. And with just one month until the Championship gets back underway, the Baggies must rediscover their momentum to welcome some key additions for their new manager.

That’s not to say the rumours haven’t been coming thick and fast, though. Whilst West Brom haven’t acted since signing Phillips, there are still several names on their reported radar.

Among them includes the experienced Barry Bannan. The veteran midfielder is currently at Sheffield Wednesday, who remain in a precarious spot financially and struggling to pay staff on time. Failure to solve that problem will likely to result in an exodus of players, allowing West Brom to take full advantage.

Any signing would be following Phillips through the door, who expressed his delight after putting pen to paper at The Hawthorns last month, saying: “A big factor was that this is obviously a big club with high aspirations – and I’d say those aspirations align with mine. I think everyone at the club and involved would like to see it competing for promotion and pushing for Premier League football – and that’s the same as me.

“I’m really looking forward to it and as soon as I found out about the interest I just wanted to get here and get going. Throughout my career I’ve always wanted to develop a rhythm and continue to play week in, week out. I feel like I did that in the second half of last season, and I want to continue that rhythm and try to take that into the season coming up.

Related West Brom can forget Brooks by signing "fearless" star who's "like Neymar"

West Bromwich Albion could now sign this fearless attacker after failing to land David Brooks.

Posts ByKelan Sarson Jul 4, 2025

“I’ve had a number of loans over the past few years and it’ll be really nice for me and my family to go somewhere and know we’re staying there to develop a relationship with the club and the fans.”

As impressive as the defender is, the Baggies require more reinforcements and have now reportedly turned towards a fresh name in pursuit of exactly that.

West Brom agree deal to sign Heggebo

According to Fabrizio Romano, West Brom have now reached an agreement to sign Aune Heggebo from Norwegian side Brann. In a deal worth around €5.5m (£5m), the 23-year-old striker will hand Mason an instant attacking boost to kickstart the Baggies’ summer business.

The young forward will be a new name to most, but those in Norway will know him as the player who scored seven goals in just 13 league appearances last season and eight goals in all competitions.

Whether those numbers translate to the Championship will be the big question next season, especially as Heggebo enters the peak of his powers in the coming years.

Glasgow Rangers completed their latest signing of the summer transfer window on Tuesday when they confirmed the arrival of Djedi Gassama at Ibrox.

The 21-year-old winger has arrived at Rangers on a four-year deal to bolster Russell Martin’s options on the flanks, after he scored seven goals in 43 games last season.

Gassama will be hoping to provide a threat in the final third on a regular basis for the Scottish Premiership giants next term, and could be in line to make his debut against Panathinaikos in the Champions League qualifier later this month.

The French forward may not be the only player to arrive at Ibrox this week, though, as there is another player who wants to make the switch to Glasgow in the coming days.

English star pushing to sign for Rangers

One of Martin’s transfer targets is said to be pushing for a move to Ibrox this week, and it could be an even better signing than Gassama if they can get it over the line.

Transfer Focus

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

Expand Collapse

According to the Daily Record, Leicester City central defender wants to complete a transfer to Rangers from the Championship side by the end of this week.

The report claims that the former England international is ready to plead with the Foxes to give him the green light to make the move to Ibrox, in order to be in the squad to face Panathinaikos later this month.

It adds that Martin is a big fan of Coady and that the player wants to join the club to be the ‘linchpin’ of the new defensive set-up at Ibrox next season.

Why Coady would be a better signing than Gassama

At least for next season, the veteran central defender could be an even better signing than Gassama because of the quality and experience that he could use to hit the ground running.

Gassama, at the age of 21, is a young and promising forward who may need time to adapt to Scottish football and to grow as a player, having only managed eight goal contributions in 43 games in the second tier in England last term.

Meanwhile, Coady is 32 and has made 198 appearances in the Premier League. He has proven himself at the very top level in domestic European football, and showcased his in-possession qualities when Leicester were in the Championship in the 2023/24 campaign.

23/24 Championship

Conor Coady per 90

Percentile rank vs CBs

Passes completed

84.99

Top 5%

Pass accuracy

93%

Top 1%

Progressive passes

7.20

Top 1%

Passes into the final third

7.20

Top 2%

xAG

0.05

Top 16%

Progressive passing distance

556 yards

Top 3%

Through balls

0.26

Top 2%

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, the English star is a centre-back who has the quality and mentality to be incredibly progressive with his use of the ball, helping his team to play through the thirds quickly and effectively in a ball-dominant team.

Off the ball, Coady won 64% of his duels that season for the Foxes in their title-winning campaign, which shows that he can also dominate opposition attackers in physical tussles.

The former Wolves captain, who was described as an “infectious” character by Gareth Southgate, is a proven quantity who would be able to arrive at Rangers to provide instant, almost guaranteed, quality on the pitch with his abilities in and out of possession as a centre-back.

There is far less risk attached to signing a proven player like Coady, who was playing in the Premier League last season, than bringing in a 21-year-old from the second division in England.

Related Raskin repeat: Rangers racing to sign £9m "set-piece specialist" at Ibrox

Rangers are reportedly interested in a deal for a star who could be their next Nicolas Raskin.

Posts ByDan Emery Jul 14, 2025

That is not to say that Gassama will be a bad signing, or that he is not an exciting addition, but Martin also needs instant quality and that is why Coady may be an even better piece of business if they can get it over the line this week.

Raghvi Bist and Uma Chetry had given India A hope in their chase but the target proved out of reach

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Aug-2024

Charli Knott captained Australia A to a hard-fought victory•Getty Images

Two wickets in four balls from Tess Flintoff made the difference on the final day between Australia A and India A after the visitors had threatened to close down their target.Raghvi Bist and Uma Chetry built a seventh-wicket stand of 79, the latter playing positively on the final morning, but just as the target of 289 was starting to loom into view, Flintoff changed the game. First she had Chetry splicing a pull into the leg side and then got one through Bist to remove India A’s last two main batting options.Related

Mani and Peterson star as ball dominates before Darke extends lead

Australia A close in on victory as Darke and Parsons stand out

Three overs later Australia A had their ninth when Mannat Kashyap pulled Maitlan Brown to mid-on which all but assured the home side of victory. However, a last-wicket stand of 24 made them work to wrap things up and it was captain Charlie Knott who claimed the final wicket when Sayali Satghare chipped a return catch.”It was a bit nerve-racking at the start. They put on 60 runs or so without a wicket lost,” Knott said. “But we knew once we got one wicket we would get the rest, so we just had to stick in there. They were going pretty aggressive, so we knew something would come.”Day one we felt a little bit nervous, not putting in a great performance with the bat, but the bowling group has managed to do an awesome job and also the second innings with the bat, our lower order really fought to get us to a defendable total.”Key performances for Australia A came from Georgia Voll’s opening-day 71 then Kate Peterson’s five-wicket haul earned a narrow lead. Maddy Darke scored an outstanding second-innings century while legspinner Grace Parsons put in a crucial all-round display with 70 runs across two innings at No. 10 and two wickets in India’s chase.”We only won by 40-something runs in the end, so without those [runs] we wouldn’t have got over the line,” Knott said.The highly competitive four-day game concluded India A’s tour, which included three formats and they played better the longer the trip went on. Australia A won the T20s 3-0 and the one-dayers 2-1.