كشف أحمد قندوسي لاعب فريق سيراميكا كليوباترا عن تفاصيل حديثه الأول مع مارسيل كولر المدير الفني لـ الأهلي عقب الانضمام لصفوف القلعة الحمراء.

وقال أحمد قندوسي في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة أون تايم سبورتس: “أول لقاء لي مع الأهلي الجماهير كانت تضع ثقة بي، ولم أشعر أنني جديد، وأول لقاء كان في أسوان، شاركت بديلًا والجمهور استقبلني بشكل جيد”.

وتابع: “كولر قال لي أنا لم أختارك حبًا فيك ولكن لأنني رأيت إمكانياتك وأنك لاعب جيد، أريدك أن تركز وتتدرب جيدًا، ومنحني ثقة بنفسي، ولم يشعرني أنني جئت اختبارا ولكن جئت لكي أشارك، وشاركت أساسيًا أمام صن داونز، وبعدها أشاد بي وطالبني بالتركيز، والحمد لله عندما كنت أشارك كنت أموت نفسي ولم أخيب ظن المدير الفني”.

وأكمل: “لم نكن منزعجين من عملية التدوير، لأن كان أهم شيء عندنا هو الفوز، أن تلعب أو لا تلعب لا تفرق، أهم شيء أن يفوز الفريق”.

طالع | أحمد قندوسي يعلن تفاصيل انضمامه لـ الأهلي.. ويصرح: كهربا أول من استقبلني في النادي

وأردف: “أكثر بطولة لم أكن أنتظرها هي دوري أبطال إفريقيا، لأنها كانت صعبة جدًا، خاصة بعد مباراة صن داونز التي خسرنا بها بخماسية، الشناوي قال لي أنا قديم هنا والله سنحصل على البطولة، رغم خسارتنا بخماسية، وعندما حصلنا على البطولة ذكرته بكلمته قال لي أنا قلت لك”.

وبسؤاله عن نهائي إفريقيا أمام الوداد المغربي؟، أجاب: “كانت صعبة، مررنا بضغط لأننا نريد أن نفوز، وكان عندنا كابوس لأن الفريق خسر الموسم الماضي أمام نفس الفريق، وإصابة الشناوي، وأمور كثيرة، ذهبنا للوداد واللاعبون تركوا الضغط خلفهم، والكل كان يريد أن يشارك في النهائي”.

وواصل: “الجمهور المغربي معروف إذا أحرز الفريق هدفًا يريدون تسجيل الثاني ويضغطون، لكن عندما دخل مرمانا هدف وجدت اللاعبين هادئين ويمررون الكرة بأرياحية، وهذه خبرة، وأضعنا فرصًا كثيرة، بعد ذلك عبد المنعم أحرز هدفًا لا أعرف كيف سجله، لو أعاده 100 مرة في التدريب لن يسجله هكذا”.

وأتم: “كولر عليه أن يحمد الله على هذا الفريق وهؤلاء اللاعبين، كان هناك لاعبين مصابين وأصروا على لعب المباراة، وأنا كنت أريد أن أواجه صن داونز في نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا، ستكون المباراة مختلفة عن دور المجموعات”.

Aston Villa are thought to be interested in signing Valencia midfielder Andre Almeida this summer and could make an offer in the region of €30m (£26.8m).

What’s the latest transfer news from Villa Park?

It could well be a busy summer in the transfer market ahead of Unai Emery’s first full season in charge at Villa Park, with owners NSWE ready to back the Spaniard with a ‘huge’ spending spree.

The club could even smash their transfer record, however, a new star striker is no longer wanted after Ollie Watkins’ recent form in the Midlands.

A new midfielder could well be on the club’s wishlist, though, with links to Almeida emerging in the last 48 hours. Caught Offside relayed an update from Spain regarding Almeida, claiming that Villa and Premier League rivals Brighton are keen on the midfielder.

The report states that both sides could pay around €30m (£26.8m) for the midfielder at the end of the season, however, it remains to be seen whether Valencia will sanction an exit.

What would Almeida bring to Emery’s side?

Almeida is 22 years of age and is primarily a central midfielder, although he can also turn out in an attacking midfield role or on the right.

The Portuguese ace appears to be at the top of his game with a career-high €15m Transfermarkt valuation, a figure that has rocketed after he joined Valencia from Vitoria de Guimaraes last summer.

Almeida has gone on to establish himself as a regular for Valencia this season, making 35 appearances in all competitions, contributing to eight goals. As per WhoScored, the midfielder has been the club’s second-best performer this season with an average match rating of 6.77/10, ranking highly for tackles and dribbles per 90.

Therefore, you could say that he may provide a real box-to-box midfield option for Emery next season, potentially rivalling the likes of John McGinn and Jacob Ramsey. It looks as if it could be one to keep an eye on, and you’d like to think that Almeida has room for improvement at the age of 22 before hitting his prime, which could make him an exciting signing wit Emery currently working wonders in the Midlands.

Leeds United boss Javi Gracia will not hesitate to continue to make surprising team selections in light of his choice to omit Junior Firpo from starting in the Whites' defeat against Fulham last weekend, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest news involving Junior Firpo and Javi Gracia?

Last Saturday, Gracia opted not to select Firpo to play against Fulham at Craven Cottage, instead fielding Maximilian Wober on the left-hand side of the defence in what ended up being a disappointing 2-1 defeat for the Yorkshire outfit, as per BBC Sport.

Before the clash in west London, Firpo had started Leeds United's last 11 Premier League matches, as per Transfermarkt, meaning that his omission may have come as a surprise to the away support.

Nevertheless, the 26-year-old's form has dipped of late, none more so than in Leeds United's 6-1 loss to Liverpool at Elland Road last Monday. As shown on WhoScored, Firpo endured a torrid time in the affair and picked up a match rating of just 5.35/10 for his exploits.

Gracia has already been recently been pressed on his selection choices of late, particularly that of his failure to field Wilfried Gnonto from the start in their last three matches.

As cited by Leeds Live, the Spaniard spoke about the youngster's fitness before his side's match against Fulham last weekend, stating: “Gnonto is ready. He had a little issue, he had some problem, but now he's ready. He's training from the last weeks and, in the beginning when he came back, it's true I tried to protect a little bit, but now he's ready and available."

Journalist Jones is adamant that Gracia will continue to pick whoever he sees best fit to help Leeds United claim the results they need to secure Premier League survival.

Speaking to Football FanCast, Jones said: "I mean, they've made a lot of changes like that [Firpo omission]. I haven't seen enough of Firpo directly to know whether he would have made any difference in that precise game.

"But Gracia hates the fact that he keeps getting questioned on his team selection. He says I know what I'm looking at, there are different teams for different scenarios."

Can Javi Gracia keep Leeds United in the Premier League?

It looks right now like it could go down to the wire; nevertheless, Leeds have a huge opportunity to put some distance between themselves and their relegation rivals when they face off against Leicester City at Elland Road on Tuesday night.

Securing all three points would take the Whites four points clear of the relegation zone while would also boost morale massively following a three-game losing streak in the Premier League.

On the other hand, losing out to the Foxes at home could have severe consequences, as not only would Leicester leapfrog them in the table, but Everton could also plunge the Yorkshire side into the relegation zone with a victory over Newcastle United on Thursday evening.

Realistically, it's all to play for at this point and events during this midweek round of English top-flight fixtures may go a long way to deciding who manages to avoid the drop come the end of this term.

Leeds United could reportedly decide to sell goalkeeper Illan Meslier in the summer transfer window to offset any finacial difficulties associated with relegation.

Is Meslier having a good season?

The Frenchman has been a key figure for the Whites for a number of years now, performing with great consistency despite his tender years. He has been the undisputed first-choice between the sticks over past few seasons, racking up 124 appearances and counting.

This season has been a struggle for Leeds, however, with their 2-1 defeat away to Fulham on Saturday lunchtime leaving them in 16th place in the Premier League by the end of the weekend. Meslier arguably hasn't been at his best during the campaign, which hasn't helped matters, with the 23-year-old making errors at Craven Cottage that sum up a hit-and-miss year for him.

His current Whites deal runs until the summer of 2026, but a fresh update suggests that he may have left Leeds well before that date arrives, following rumours he could quit the club if they are relegated.

Will Leeds cash in?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, journalist Pete O'Rourke said that Leeds may now take it upon themselves to cash in on Meslier at the end of the season:

"It's a potential exit that could happen, especially if Leeds get relegated. I don't think Meslier will want to drop down to the Championship after enjoying a couple of years in the Premier League with Leeds.

"They might be forced to balance the books if they suffer relegation. Meslier is probably one of their most sellable assets right now."

This is a tricky one for Leeds because Meslier remains a highly impressive young player with a potentially big future ahead of him, with Micah Richards describing him as "excellent" in the past. He could even be a future No.1 for France, such is his ability, which suggests that the Whites would be wise to keep him.

That being said, his form this season has been patchy as mentioned, and the club are in a strong bargaining position where they could earn big money for Meslier's services. If a huge offer came in, it could be hard to turn down – relegation may give them no other option – as those funds could be used to invest in several players and fit the whole squad ready for a promotion charge.

It is a big decision that may have to be made in the coming weeks and months, and it will only be proven to be right or wrong in the future, as £30,000-a-week Frenchman's career continues to develop.

While Tottenham Hotspur are yet to decide just who will be the permanent replacement for Antonio Conte in the dugout, one major issue that any new appointment will have to sort is with regard to the goalkeeping ranks, with uncertainty mounting over Hugo Lloris' position at the club.

The long-serving Frenchman is undoubtedly something of a "legend" at N17 having spent almost 11 years in north London, according to writer Seb Jenkins, although it remains to be seen just how much longer the veteran will be the first-choice option, with just over 12 months left to run on his existing deal.

According to reports, the Lilywhites are scouring the market to find a suitable successor to the 36-year-old, with the former Lyon man currently ranking first in the division for most errors (four) leading to goals in the Premier League this season.

While Daniel Levy and co are understandably looking to find a high-profile figure to fill the void of the £100k-per-week skipper – amid links to the likes of Brentford's David Raya – the club may well already have a possible heir to Lloris on their books in the form of teenager Josh Keeley.

Who is Tottenham's Josh Keeley?

The 19-year-old – who was signed from St Patrick's Athletic during Conte's tenure last summer – may still be in the early days of his time England, although he has already caught the eye at senior level, having only recently been included in first-team training.

The promising Irishman has earned rave reviews from club insider Superhotspur, with the respected source labelling him as a 'commanding goalkeeper from set-pieces' and describing him as being 'so quick off of his line'.

Those traits are also bolstered by the Republic of Ireland U21 international's 'good and impressive distribution' – as per the same source – with that quality on the ball making him an ideal fit for the modern game.

After sealing a "dream move" to Spurs back in July – as per St Patrick's technical director Alan Mathews – young Keeley has already established himself as the leading figure at U21 level, making 19 appearances at that age group this season.

The £910-per-week starlet has already enjoyed a taste of life at first-team level after featuring twice for his former club, having also featured twice against senior opposition for Spurs in the EFL Trophy earlier in the campaign.

While a chance to impress under Conte was always likely to be hard to come by due to the Italian's unwillingness to look to the youth set-up – a fact that left academy staff at the club frustrated – the arrival of a new man at the helm could bolster Keeley's chances of succeeding the ageing Lloris next term or in the years to come.

أكد الألماني وينفريد شايفر المدير الفني السابق لمنتخب الكاميرون، أن منتخب مصر أحد أبرز المرشحين لحصد لقب كأس أمم إفريقيا 2023 بكوت ديفوار.

وقال شايفر خلال تصريحات عبر برنامج “كورة كل يوم” المذاع على “قناة الحياة”: “الطبيعي أن منتخب مصر واحد من المرشحين، والآن مصر تلعب مع محمد صلاح وهو مثل ميسي في الأرجنتين”.

وأضاف: “مصر لديها محمد صلاح وشاهدت مباراة أمس لليفربول، صلاح كان مذهلًا، كلما استلم يصنع الفارق وأعتقد أنه سيفعل ذلك، وهو واحد من أفضل المهاجمين في العالم، عليكم أن تساعدوه كما حدث مع ميسي في كأس العالم في قطر”.

وتابع: “محمد صلاح عليه أن يعمل بشكل مختلف، أعطوه الحرية والمساحة”.

طالع | أحمد حسن يوجه رسالة إلى لاعبي منتخب مصر قبل كأس أمم إفريقيا.. ويقدم روشتة التتويج

وأكمل: “منتخب المغرب لديه مجموعة سهلة في كأس أمم إفريقيا ولكن باقي المجموعات صعبة، أتمنى تأهل الكاميرون للدور المقبل”.

وعن أنباء تولي المدرب الألماني فرنكو فودا تدريب الزمالك، أوضح مواطنه: “أعرفه بشكل جيد وسيححق النجاح مع الزمالك حال توليه المسؤولية”.

وأتم: “مصر دائمًا لديها لاعبين رائعين وفرق كبيرة مثل الأهلي والزمالك، وأتمنى أن أدرب في مصر”.

Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher could potentially join Borussia Dortmund this summer, according to reliable journalist Florian Plettenberg.

Is Gallagher having a good season?

The 23-year-old's future has been up in the air for a number of months now, as he finds himself at a key point in his Blues career. Having shone on loan at Crystal Palace last season, he has found things tough back at Stamford Bridge, rarely feeling like a key member of the starting lineup in 2022/23.

In total, Gallagher has only started 12 Premier League matches this term, and while there has been plenty of playing time from the substitutes' bench, he may feel that regular starts are required moving forward.

That may not ever quite happen for him in a Chelsea shirt – the Blues next manager is likely to play a big part in that decision – so a move away is increasingly feeling like a strong possibility.

Could Gallagher leave Chelsea this summer?

Taking to Twitter, Sky Germany's Plettenberg gave an update on the situation, saying Dortmund is a possibility for Gallagher, who could well depart west London for around £44m:

"News #Gallagher: He’s on the list of #BVB confirmed. They are monitoring his situation. But nothing advanced at this stage. No concrete talks. His future at Chelsea is open. Understand he could really leave Chelsea in summer. Valuation of around €50m."

In truth, it does feel like Gallagher leaving in the summer transfer window could be the best option for all parties, allowing him to be a key man elsewhere and getting his £50,000-a-week wages off the club's bill.

There is no doubt that the Englishman possesses quality as a footballer – Graham Potter hailed him as "fantastic" during his time in charge – but there are question marks over whether he will ever become the genuinely elite midfielder that Chelsea need to have in their ranks moving forward.

For all the endless work ethic and strong team work, Gallagher doesn't produce enough end product from his attack midfield role, scoring just twice and registering only one assist in 28 league matches this season, as well as none apiece in eight Champions League outings.

With his current Chelsea deal expiring in the summer of 2025, now feels like the best time to receive a good amount of money for him, so if Dortmund are willing to pay a hefty fee, the Blues should allow him to depart.

West Ham United chiefs have been 'alerted' to Ligue 1 boss Will Still as they kickstart the process of considering replacements for David Moyes.

What's the latest on Moyes and West Ham?

The Scotsman has been a pivotal figure at the club over these last two Premier League seasons, guiding West Ham to consecutive European qualification campaigns and making supporters dream again.

Moyes' side reached the semi-finals of last year's Europa League and could yet reach the same stage of the Europa Conference League this year with victory tonight against Gent.

West Ham supporters have been gifted fond memories since he replaced Manuel Pellegrini in December 2019, yet this campaign has been a disappointing one overall.

The east Londoners have fell far below expectations despite spending around £160 million last summer and a further £10.5 million in the signing of Danny Ings mid-season (Transfermarkt).

West Ham are still in the relegation dog-scrap despite picking up form of late, losing just once in their last five league games, but this won't be enough to save Moyes as the club apparently start considering replacements.

According to The Daily Mail, sources have indicated that the task of weighing who will succeed Moyes has 'begun', and there are a few candidates.

There is apparently a 'growing sense' Moyes will leave before the start of 2023/2024, with Reims boss Still firmly in the running. Indeed, West Ham chiefs have apparently been 'alerted' to the tactician who also has family ties to the club.

Still's side went on a headline-grabbing unbeaten run earlier this season, a period which seriously rose his stock in the footballing world and him one of this season's fairytale stories.

Should West Ham turn to Still?

The 30-year-old is hugely inexperienced for a job this big in England, which could count against him as the West Ham board measure their most suitable candidates.

That being said, Still has been revered for his work at Reims this season, and could even be considered one of Europe's most promising young coaches.

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe certainly thinks so, recently hailing the 'incredible' job he's done whilst calling it very impressive – explaining (via Chronicle Live):

"I'm not sure on Will's background and how he's built his career to this point but very impressive to be managing at his age.

"The success he's had has been incredible. Are managers getting younger? I'm not sure if that's a fact or not. But certainly it is a very demanding job."

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the future of loaned-out Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku has not been decided.

What's the latest Chelsea transfer news?

The Belgium forward only signed for the Blues the summer before last, arriving from Inter for what was a club-record £97.5m transfer fee.

After just one season back in England, however, he then returned back to the Serie A club on loan, leaving his long-term future at Stamford Bridge under much doubt.

Still, when he left England, Thomas Tuchel was in charge. Now the German and his replacement Graham Potter have both been sacked, much has changed at Chelsea.

It seems as though Mauricio Pochettino will take over as manager next season, and this could potentially open the door for Lukaku to return.

While speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano explained that Inter and the Blues will hold talks in the next month or so – but nothing is set in stone just yet one way or the other amid uncertainties over the future of Nerazzurri boss Simone Inzaghi.

He explained: "So Lukaku is waiting for Inter, and Inter are waiting to make important decisions, including [on] the coach.

"There will be a talk with Chelsea at the end of the season. So Chelsea and Inter will speak, it will be [at the] end of May, beginning of June – they will have a conversation about the situation of Romelu Lukaku.

“So it's not over yet. But for Lukaku, that is the crucial moment – not now. Nothing will be decided now.

"And also, it's important to understand who is going to be Chelsea's new coach – probably Mauricio Pochettino – [in terms of] the decision on Lukaku. So at the moment, nothing [has been] decided.”

Will Lukaku go back to Chelsea?

Much has been made about the Premier League club's need for a goalscoring striker in their team and it shouldn't be forgotten that Lukaku could be a solution to this issue.

After all, he has scored over 250 senior goals over the span of his career – including 15 in a Chelsea shirt.

However, his form in Italy hasn't been that great this term, as he has only nine goals in 26 games across all competitions.

Even so, the Blues may not be able to spend much this summer as they are potentially at risk of breaching Financial Fair Play rules.

With that being the case, Lukaku may be the best way of solving their striker problems without dipping into the transfer market. At the same time, if Inter come in with a decent offer, it may be wise to accept it.

All in all, it will certainly be interesting to see where the £185k-per-week star's future lies.

Frank Lampard was dealt a tough hand during his first stint at Chelsea, having to operate under a strict transfer embargo in his opening campaign.

His accomplishments, therefore, are impressive. The former midfielder guided the Blues to a top-four place in his debut season, qualification that ultimately paved the way for a Champions League triumph under Thomas Tuchel.

Much of his philosophy was based upon the promotion of Cobham youngsters with Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori, two players who had featured under Lampard at Derby County, becoming notable names in the first-team set-up.

Tammy Abraham and Reece James also rose to prominence under the current interim boss at Stamford Bridge, only for the former to be sold to Roma.

It's likely Chelsea regret that decision given their meagre tally of 29 goals in 30 Premier League matches this term, but for now, Lampard will have to work with what he's given, again.

Who will benefit from Lampard's appointment at Chelsea?

The 44-year-old will only have a matter of weeks in which to weave his magic in west London but fortunately for him, Todd Boehly's transfer strategy has largely focused on young stars of tomorrow, even if they do cost a pretty fortune.

The likes of Mykhailo Mudryk, an £88.5m acquisition and Noni Madueke, a £29m purchase are notable additions, but it's a cut price £20m signing who perhaps stands the greatest chance of replicating Mount and co under Lampard.

Indeed, that happens to be Carney Chukwuemeka, a 19-year-old who wasted away under Graham Potter this term.

Having previously been dubbed "the best 16-year-old in England" by Aston Villa CEO, Christian Purslow, he has the world at his feet but hasn't managed to realise that in London yet.

The teenager has featured on just 12 occasions in all competitions after arriving last summer, with just 224 minutes being afforded in the Premier League.

For a young talent boasting nearly 30 goal involvements in the upper age levels at Villa, it is surprising he hasn't been given a chance when creativity and goals are so sparse at Chelsea this term.

However, it may not be too long before we see the 6 foot 2 powerhouse given his big break.

According to journalist Simon Phillips, who was writing for GIVEMESPORT, Chukwuemeka is already impressing behind the scenes, having 'caught Lampard's eye so far'.

On that evidence, it's strange that he wasn't in the squad for the trip to Wolves last weekend, but now must be his time to shine.

A clash against Real Madrid may be a step too far, but there feels little reason to ignore him when the Blues face Brighton on Saturday.

The "exciting" wonderkid – as dubbed by Boehly – has a big future ahead of him and simply must be unleashed by Lampard. After all, performances can't get much worse.