List of All Articles with Tag 'al'

Sergio Ramos has agreed personal terms with his next club after being offered to a handful of European giants.

Tottenham are in talks with Galatasaray over deals for Tanguy Ndombele and Davinson Sanchez.

VIDEO: Kimberly Guilfoyle defends her prolonged engagement on Newsman.

Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis says his club are on a path to becoming a “dominant force in English football”. After securing survival in their first Premier League season in 23 years last term, Forest are looking to kick on and have made a decent start, winning two of their four opening games, including a 1-0 win at Chelsea on Saturday. Marinakis has again invested heavily, with a splurge of signings on transfer deadline day as seven players arrived at the City Ground. Divock Origi, Ibrahim Sangare, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Nicolas Dominguez were among those and Forest now look to have a much stronger squad than last year. And Marinakis, who has also made a significant investment in the club’s infrastructure, wants to see his club back at the top table of English football. “Our vision for the club is clear and unwavering: we are on a path to re-establish Nottingham Forest as a dominant force in English football,” he said in a letter to fans. “This journey is not just about the short-term, it’s about building a sustainable future. We are investing in youth development, nurturing young talent, and building a squad that can compete at the highest level for years to come. “The players we have brought in are fighters and winners who understand and believe in our vision for the future of this great club. “When players of the talents of those we have brought in this summer choose Nottingham Forest over the other dominant European clubs chasing their signatures, you should know that they choose us because we have shared with them our vision and they have fully invested in what it is we want to achieve.” Forest were able to recoup over £45million on Brennan Johnson, who was sold to Tottenham, and Marinakis paid tribute to a player who came through the City Ground ranks. “He is the ultimate young professional and his contributions to the club he loves have been enormous – helping us achieve promotion back to the Premier League and instrumental in helping us retain that status on the final home game of last season,” the owner added. “In moving to Tottenham Hotspur he has also provided his boyhood club with the financial means to reinvest and continue to grow. “We thank him for being part of our family and giving so much of himself to us. Go well, Brennan, be strong and healthy and we wish you every success.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Tottenham duo Davinson Sanchez and Tanguy Ndombele set for moves to Galatasaray Man arrested after Roy Keane allegedly headbutted at Emirates Stadium Premier League playing time for England-qualified players drops again

A 42-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of assault after football pundit Roy Keane was reportedly headbutted at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium. Footage was posted on social media of fellow Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards pinning a man against a wall in the moments after the alleged assault on Sunday. The Metropolitan Police refused to identify anyone involved in the incident, but issued a statement that said: “Police are investigating an incident at Emirates Stadium on Sunday, September 3, during which a man was assaulted. “On Monday, September 4, a 42-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault (ABH). The man has been taken into police custody. “Enquiries are ongoing.” Sky confirmed that Richards had attempted to “defuse” the situation after the alleged assault following Arsenal’s 3-1 victory over Manchester United. A spokeswoman said: “We understand the police are investigating an alleged assault by a member of the public immediately preceding the footage circulating on social media. “In the footage seen, Micah Richards was acting to defuse a situation.” Any witnesses or those with information can contact the Metropolitan Police on 101 quoting the reference CAD 6961/3 Sept. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Demarai Gray has hit out at Everton as talks over a move to Al Ettifaq continue.

Tottenham are on the verge of offloading both Davinson Sanchez and Tanguy Ndombele to Galatasaray, the PA news agency understands. While the English transfer window shut on Friday night, other transfer windows around Europe remain open and Turkish outfit Galatasaray have moved for two players which Spurs view as dispensable. Outcast Ndombele is set to sign for Galatasaray on loan, with the option to make the move permanent. Meanwhile, Sanchez, who has featured twice under Ange Postecoglou this season, is close to securing a permanent transfer. The departures of the duo will be a boost to Postecoglou, who has repeatedly made clear his desire to trim a bloated first-team squad that only have Premier League football to concentrate on until January. Ndombele will get his wish of Champions League football by signing for the Turkish Superliga side, with this set to be his third consecutive loan spell away from Spurs since he joined in 2019. The French international was originally given a chance to revive his Tottenham career upon Postecoglou’s arrival, but an ankle injury in pre-season was followed with poor time-keeping issues that saw the Australian coach give the green light for Ndombele’s departure. Sanchez will follow him to Galatasaray in a deal worth in the region of 15million euros, which brings his six-year association with the north London outfit to an end. Colombia centre-back Sanchez made 207 appearances for Tottenham following his arrival from Ajax but endured a mixed time, with his last outing for the club in a penalty shoot-out defeat to Fulham in the Carabao Cup where his spot-kick was saved. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

England go into the season’s first international break with cause to worry once more about the lack of homegrown players in the Premier League. Less than 30 per cent of playing time in the early stages of the campaign has gone to players eligible for England, continuing a running concern for national team boss Gareth Southgate. Here, the PA news agency looks at what the data can tell us. Struggle for playing time Of 86,710 minutes played by Premier League players this season, 25,399 have gone to players eligible for England. That equates to 29.3 per cent of the available playing time, a slight decline on recent seasons as a peak to nearly 40 per cent in the 2020-21 season was not sustained. Southgate said during March’s international window: “It has been around 32 per cent (in 2022-23) but that’s down from 35 per cent when I took over and 38 per cent in the years before, so the graph is clear.” The issue has been part of the ongoing ‘New Deal For Football’ discussions between the FA, Premier League and EFL, which covers the post-Brexit system of Governing Body Endorsements (GBEs) for overseas players, as well as financial distribution, cost controls and the domestic calendar. There have been 161 England-qualified players (EQPs) used in the 39 games so far, with 20 of those playing over 400 minutes including stoppage time. Eight of those 20 made Southgate’s squad for the upcoming games against Ukraine and Scotland, including Chelsea defender Levi Colwill, who joined Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah in earning a first senior call-up. Leading clubs Six clubs have so far given over 40 per cent of playing time to EQPs, a list headed by Everton at 49.4 per cent. England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has been ever-present for the Toffees along with veteran compatriot Ashley Young, with James Tarkowski just seven minutes behind. James Garner has been a mainstay in midfield, while defender Michael Keane was replaced after two games by fellow Englishman Jarrad Branthwaite. Newcastle have three English ever-presents in Nick Pope, Kieran Trippier and Dan Burn. Trippier is in this month’s England squad though Pope was surprisingly left out. Anthony Gordon is another regular, with significant playing time too for Callum Wilson, Harvey Barnes and Sean Longstaff. Newcastle’s total includes just under 90 minutes for Elliot Anderson, the midfielder selected by Scotland for this window but who remains eligible for England until he makes a competitive debut – potentially against the Three Lions next Tuesday. Crystal Palace have three players in Southgate’s latest squad – Pope’s replacement Sam Johnstone, Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze – after giving over 45 per cent of playing time to EQPs. Arsenal are at 43 per cent, Luton 42 and Chelsea 40. Fulham lagging behind At the other end of the scale, Fulham have used only two EQPs so far this season and one of those, Tosin Adarabioyo, has played only 12 minutes. That leaves Harrison Reed carrying the load in a paltry total of just over seven per cent, the only single-figure mark in the top flight. Tottenham have fared little better at 11 per cent following the departure of Southgate’s captain Harry Kane for German side Bayern Munich – one of four members of the England squad playing his football overseas, along with Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham, Fikayo Tomori of AC Milan and Jordan Henderson following his controversial move to Al-Ettifaq. Brentford are at 13 per cent without suspended England striker Ivan Toney, with the ever-present Rico Henry instead leading the way. Burnley are next lowest at 15 per cent with Wolves, Aston Villa and Henderson’s former club Liverpool all giving between 17.5 and 18.5 per cent of playing time to EQPs. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Luke Donald ‘blown away’ by Ludvig Aberg as Swede handed Ryder Cup wild card Ireland hooker Ronan Kelleher feeling ‘unbelievably healthy’ ahead of World Cup Owen Farrell says high tackle that led to World Cup suspension ‘a mistake’

Atlanta United came away with a point after their clash with FC Dallas.

Today's Saudi Pro League gossip includes David de Gea being linked with the division. Demari Gray could be on his way to Al-Ettifaq but Sergio Ramos looks to be set to join Sevilla instead of Al-Ittihad.

Jurgen Klopp hasn’t had a knock on his office door. But Dominik Szoboszlai heard the speech in the dressing room. Mohamed Salah had told his teammates he is staying, the Hungarian reported. The Egyptian, according to his manager, has never come to tell him he was leaving. The German, seeing Salah’s commitment in matches and training, noting his input in meetings of the players’ leadership group, had not felt the need to ask him if his next match would be for Al-Ittihad. “For me it wasn’t a subject for one second, to be honest,” Klopp said. Perhaps only for him. Klopp could brush aside a £150m bid, with a breezy indifference to the prospect of a windfall, because of Salah’s attitude. “I never had any doubt about his commitment to this club,” he said. “You can’t imagine how much fuss the world has made but how calm we are with it. He is our player and wants to play here.” Which, Szoboszlai said, was the message conveyed to the rest of the side. The Saudi Pro League transfer window remains open but Liverpool’s position is unchanging: Salah is not for sale. The 3-0 win over Aston Villa was his latest tour de force, but there were few signs it will prove his last: there was no wave that could be interpreted as a farewell on the pitch afterwards, his hug with Klopp was brief while the manager paid more attention to Jarell Quansah. There was a feel of normality, though these are abnormal times. More than a few would be distracted by the prospect of becoming the best-paid player in the world: not Salah. Other footballers, from Matheus Nunes to Wilfried Gnonto, went on strike towards the end of the window. Salah instead struck against Villa. Such dissent as he has shown this season came at Chelsea on the opening weekend when he contrived to rip a relatively small bandage into several pieces and fling it on the pitch in his annoyance at being substituted. Yet it was all a sign of an enduring ambition: to play, to excel. The signs are that it is to continue at Liverpool. He has propelled himself to greatness in Europe in a way that was not preordained – not for a player from his background, not for a fringe figure at Chelsea – and perhaps he is reluctant to give up his spot at the top table. Saudi Arabia may not be a retirement home for everyone, but it is for some. Salah’s old sidekicks Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino are there, the Senegalese after a troubled season at Bayern Munich, the Brazilian when his race felt run, but Salah is in the sort of shape to suggest that, even at 31, he is not entering his dotage. Even as Erling Haaland seems to have supplanted him as the annual Golden Boot winner, he may be more creative than before. Perhaps no forward in the Premier League presents such an all-round threat. As the best-paid player in Liverpool’s history, he is scarcely a pauper. Yet, in a time of transition at Anfield, when the side of 2024 may not reach the heights of some of its recent predecessors, it is notable that Salah has given no indications he is going. And this when he had more reasons to decamp to Saudi Arabia than most. The inexplicable element is that Al-Ittihad left their approach so late: as the best Arab footballer on the planet and, along with Karim Benzema, the outstanding Muslim player, Salah is seen as a flagship signing, a long-term target for the league as a whole. But that time may now have to be next summer, if not later. Liverpool will tend to sell anyone when three criteria are met: when the offer is big enough, when the player wants to go and when Klopp has the time to recruit a replacement, should he need one. Al-Ittihad only ticked one of those three boxes and increasing the bid to, say, £200m would not change that. If Klopp, his players and the fanbase who sang about their Egyptian king are in harmony, the most intriguing element of the Liverpool coalition is the owners. Fenway Sports Group traded their way to the top; Liverpool’s rise was financed in part by selling very well. Financial logic dictates that nine-figure sums for players in their thirties must be accepted. The case for keeping Salah is partly footballing, partly fiscal, given the value of Champions League qualification, partly a case of morale and status and keeping Klopp happy. But taking £40m for Fabinho, who seemed an old 29 last season, represented the kind of offer they were otherwise unlikely to get; £12m for a 33-year-old Jordan Henderson definitely was. Taking £150m for Salah, who could leave on a free transfer in 2025, might have seemed a no-brainer. But it would also be accepting defeat; for Liverpool but maybe for Salah, too. Read More Jurgen Klopp gives update on Mohamed Salah Saudi Arabia transfer As Saudi clubs prepare world-record bid, Mohamed Salah shows his true value to Liverpool Liverpool reinvented as midfield shuffle hints at Jurgen Klopp’s past Andy Robertson expects Mohamed Salah to stay at Liverpool despite Saudi interest Jurgen Klopp: Liverpool’s stance on keeping hold of Mohamed Salah will not waver Jurgen Klopp gives update on Mohamed Salah Saudi Arabia transfer

Updates on the fitness of Trent Alexander-Arnold after he pulled up with a hamstring injury against Aston Villa on Sunday.