List of All Articles with Tag 'al'

With a view to breaking into Germany's Euro 2024 squad, Youssoufa Moukoko considers making a loan move away from Borussia Dortmund.

Call it a belated birthday present, perhaps. Sir Jim Ratcliffe turned 71 on Wednesday. For those who have amassed such riches, it is less a question of what others buy them and more what they buy for themselves. And in Ratcliffe’s case, at a cost of £1.3bn, the answer may be a quarter of the club he has supported since he was a child in Failsworth. There are details to iron out and no deal will be finalised just yet but the Manchester United board will vote – though probably not on Thursday – whether to accept Ratcliffe’s offer. The petrochemicals billionaire has already seen off his main competitor: if there was a widespread assumption – one that may have been shared by the Glazer family – that Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al Thani would dramatically raise a bid that many believed was financed by the Qatari state, it never happened. Ratcliffe has been a triumph of persistence and flexibility, amending his own offer from a majority to a minority stake, negotiating with the Glazers. It comes to something when a man of his wealth feels like the underdog but the outsider has prevailed. While Sheikh Jassim also presented himself as a United supporter and while Ratcliffe had attempted to buy Chelsea, the Ineos co-founder has the feel of the local boy made good. And, at points in the past, a place on a football club board would have felt a reward for many who matched that description. Now the sums are so massive that the motivations become most instructive. Thus far, the questions outnumber the definitive answers. Will United be a trophy asset for Ratcliffe? Perhaps not immediately, given that the Glazers will remain the biggest shareholders, at least in the short term. Is it simply an astute business deal? Not on the face of it, given that Ratcliffe has valued United at around double its market price and Sheikh Jassim felt the Glazers’ demands were outlandish. Yet Ratcliffe has proved he can make money: that 25 per cent could yet yield a profit and the Glazers’ reluctance to walk away seemed to stem in part from a belief the club will be worth more again in the future. The most pertinent issue for many supporters, who have long called for the Glazers to go, is whether it leads to a full takeover; and if so, whether the terms of Ratcliffe’s buy-in ensure it, or merely make it optional. Moreover, the new structure, assuming it is improved, does not necessarily promise the investment United require: with other parties holding 75 per cent of the club, Ratcliffe would have less incentive to put his own money in. The presumption at the moment is that the £1.3bn will largely go to the Glazers, not United. The general sense is the club need the money more than their owners. Sheikh Jassim’s promises will now never be tested but he had pledged to invest more than £1bn; with the need to either revamp or rebuild Old Trafford, any plans to improve the infrastructure the Glazers have neglected will not be cheap. So if Ratcliffe pursues such plans, will the debt – currently at £725m – rise over £1bn? United’s current scope for signings is limited more by Financial Fair Play than anything else, but could he bring an improvement in recruitment? The feeling is that Ratcliffe wants control of the football side of the club, where United’s underachievement has been particularly grievous in the last decade. Would that be beneficial? Given United’s record, it may be welcomed. Ratcliffe’s own record in sport is mixed: Nice are currently second in Ligue Un but their fortunes have fluctuated during his ownership and have been pockmarked by transfer-market missteps. Lausanne have been both relegated and promoted under Ratcliffe’s regime. He bought the most successful outfit in world cycling, then known as Team Sky; since rebranded as Ineos, but they have lost their pre-eminence and appear in an identity crisis. But if his initial emphasis is on the pitch – rather than the commercial side of the business the chief executive, Richard Arnold, oversees – there is an obvious focus on the director of football, John Murtough. Inside Old Trafford, there is already a recognition the team has achieved too little and their record in recruitment has been underwhelming since Sir Alex Ferguson retired. Some nevertheless feel that there is more structure and strategy since Ed Woodward handed over the reins: they can point to a new training centre for the women’s and academy teams, the appointment of Erik ten Hag, and a fine season last year. Yet a stumbling, stuttering start to this season, the struggles of several recent signings and the reality that around £400m has been spent in the last two summers feels ill-timed. Accusations United have overpaid are scarcely new but will it prompt Ratcliffe to seek change behind the scenes? The initial noises are that, despite the team’s slump, Ten Hag is seen as far more of a solution than a problem, though it would be instructive to know if that stance were maintained should the next 10 games bring another six defeats. Shifts in ownership do not always bode well for incumbent managers, whereas the Dutchman has enjoyed the backing of Murtough and the Glazers. Ten Hag always projects an air of confidence and decisiveness but many at Old Trafford could be forgiven for wondering what Ratcliffe’s investment means and what comes next. If it has scarcely helped United that they have lingered in limbo for 11 months, since the Glazers put the club up for sale, a boardroom vote could instead bring about a time of uncertainty. Read More The best in the world? Jude Bellingham sparks debate after latest England masterclass Man Utd set timeline to decide on Sir Jim Ratcliffe offer Manchester United Supporters’ Trust calls for ‘clarity’ in takeover process Man Utd manager fumes at Women’s Champions League format after exit Who will make Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2024? Michael O’Neill wants Shea Charles to learn from dismissal on frustrating night

When the Texas Rangers needed a way to keep the Houston Astros from grabbing back momentum on Wednesday, Leody Taveras delivered.

While the Texas Rangers may have adopted the band Creed and their music during a playoff run, it isn't the first time the Metroplex has welcomed them.

The Houston Astros could lose several players if they lose the ALCS to the Texas Rangers.

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Profit at Walt Disney Co.’s sports TV networks fell 20% through the first nine months of fiscal 2023,

Manchester United boss Marc Skinner called for changes to the qualification rules and criticised the referee after his side failed to reach the Champions League group stage. The Women’s Super League side were beaten 3-1 in the second leg of their second-round qualifier against Paris St Germain at the Parc des Princes to go out 4-2 on aggregate. Skinner felt it was a tough draw for United while other clubs may have been given an easier passage. “It’s crazy that we have to play PSG in this qualifying round, crazy,” he told reporters at a press conference. “It needs to be something that is addressed. Having said that, we will learn from it. We’ll come back stronger. We got a taste of it. I’m going to make sure we’re driven to make sure we are a constant fixture in the Champions League.” United gave themselves hope when Lisa Naalsund cancelled out Lieke Martens’ opener to level at 1-1 early in the second half. Yet Martens responded quickly with her second of the game and a third from Sandy Baltimore secured PSG’s win. United fought on and Skinner was enraged when Leah Galton controversially had a header ruled out for a foul on goalkeeper Katarzyna Kiedrzynek. Skinner said on MUTV: “We’ve scored a goal that should stand. It’s ridiculous. If that’s the level of officiating at this standard, it’s not good enough. It's crazy that we have to play PSG in this qualifying round, crazy Marc Skinner “That’s a goal and we’re in the ascendancy then to get more. We’ve come into an intimidating situation and we’ve been the better team. “That’s all credit to our players and shows everybody else in Europe what they’re going to get used to over the next few years, because we as a team are absolutely growing and going to where we want to be. We’re not going to let anybody stand in our way.” Skinner is confident his team will bounce back. He said: “We’ve got to learn from tonight and we’ve got to be accountable for our mistakes. “If we do that, we’ll grow again and again and then there’ll be no team that can touch us. We can go into Europe and dominate.” Read More Declan Rice taking lessons from Rugby World Cup as England eye Euro 2024 glory Ollie Chessum says England ‘improving week-by-week’ ahead of South Africa clash Mohamed Salah calls for Gaza to be given humanitarian aid immediately Man Utd miss chance to secure Champions League football after losing in Paris Ian Foster warns New Zealand not to be ‘softened’ by plaudits after Ireland win Sandro Tonali under investigation for alleged betting activity

Everything you need to know about Newcastle United vs Crystal Palace in the Premier League - including how to watch & team news.

Will the Colorado Buffaloes football team play in Week 8 to redeem their brutal loss to the Stanford Cardinal the week prior?

College football used to be defined by the BCS formula. Thankfully, that is no longer the case. But if it were, there would be a bunch of people battery-throwing made down in Atlanta. Here is what the top 25 would look like to day, based off the formula.

Here is the full schedule for the College Football Playoff rankings for the 2023 season.