Saudi Pro League chiefs reportedly believe they are "being used" by Mohamed Salah as they try to sign him and Liverpool attempt to extend his deal.
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Combat legend Francis Ngannou believes Cristiano Ronaldo can become an ace UFC fighter due to his "dedication and discipline".
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Ronaldo & Ngannnou share a close bondThe duo forged friendship during a fight in RiyadhMMA fighter backed Ronaldo to shine in UFCFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Despite turning 40, Ronaldo remains an elite athlete and his hunger for success has not diminished as he continues to deliver outstanding performances for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.
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Ngannou believes that Ronaldo’s mentality, work ethic and commitment to excellence could have made him a formidable presence in the Ultimate Fighting Championship if he had chosen a different career path. Ngannou, who has competed at the highest level of combat sports, is known for his immense dedication and perseverance. According to him, these same traits are evident in Ronaldo’s approach to football, making the five-time Ballon d’Or winner a natural fit for professional fighting.
WHAT NGANNOU SAID
In an interview with Ngannou said: "[Ronaldo] loves combat sports. I think Cristiano is the kind of guy that maybe when he was younger you could have said doesn't have the attributes to be a player. But he's such a hard worker, disciplined and focused on what he wants. I think he has even the only attribute that you need to become a fighter. Dedication and discipline.”
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The admiration between Ngannou and Ronaldo extends beyond mutual respect, as the two sports icons have formed a genuine friendship. Their first meeting took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2023, when they happened to be staying at the same hotel. Ngannou recalled how he was initially sceptical when a member of Ronaldo’s entourage informed him that the Portuguese superstar was a fan of his. Unsure if it was some sort of prank, Ngannou was surprised when Ronaldo personally invited him to his hotel room.
“[Ronaldo and I] do have a very good relationship," he said. "I went to Saudi for the first time two years ago and I had the opportunity to meet Cristiano, he was in the pool with his family and we were there for like 45 minutes just chatting next to the pool and stuff and it just felt very genuine. We looked like people that knew each other for a very long time but it was the very first time and it was one of those times you have to pinch yourself like: ‘This is Cristiano, right?’. ‘Yes, it’s really Cristiano’. From then we picked it up on DM’s from time to time on Instagram and then he asked for my number. “
Nottingham Forest have begun contract talks with an “outstanding” player after his impressive start to the 2024/25 Premier League season, according to a new report. It has been a fantastic campaign for the Reds so far, as they sit in seventh place on 16 points, two behind fourth place Aston Villa and 12 ahead of 18th place Ipswich Town.
Liverpool and Chelsea seriously monitoring £30k-p/w Nottingham Forest star
Forest have a fight on their hands to keep hold of one of Nuno’s top stars.
ByBrett Worthington Oct 28, 2024 Nottingham Forest transfer news
Nuno Espirito Santo couldn’t have wished for a better start to a season, but it may have come with a consequence, as two big Premier League teams are now circling with interest in one of their key defenders.
Both Liverpool and Chelsea are monitoring star defender Murillo, as they consider a move in the upcoming transfer window. The centre-back has become a key player under Nuno, but his performances have put him on the radar of both clubs. Liverpool are looking at potential replacements for Virgil van Dijk, while Chelsea are yet to decide if signing another centre-back is a priority but will move for him if they do.
But Forest have their own plans when it comes to transfers, and the Reds are interested in signing Batista Mendy from Turkish side Trabzonspor. The versatile defender/midfielder has become a key player for his side, playing 31 league games last season, and he could now be available for a transfer for a price around £16 million.
The transfer window doesn’t open for a few months yet, but Forest could be about to complete the best bit of business they’ll do all season, as they look to tie a star player down to a new contract.
Forest begin Chris Wood contract talks
According to John Percy of The Telegraph, Nottingham Forest have opened contract talks with striker Chris Wood. The New Zealand international, who earns £80,000 a week, which is just over £4 million a year, has made an excellent start to this 2024/25 season, scoring seven goals in nine league games.
Wood, who was described as being “outstanding” by Match Of The Day pundit Stephen Warnock earlier this month, has been at the City Ground since January 2023, and Percy reports those within the club are “hopeful of wrapping this up quickly”. It was reported earlier this month that Nuno was pushing the club to offer the star striker a new deal to remain a Forest player.
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Wood has performed very well in the English top flight before, as he was impressive while at Burnley, but even at the age of 32, he looks to have taken his game up a level, as he continues to be in sensational form for Forest. The forward added to his tally last time out, grabbing two goals as the Reds beat Leicester City 3-1.
Meanwhile, chief curator is expecting heavy dew on the match day from around 7.30pm onwards
Edited PTI story18-Nov-2021
The Jharkhand state government has okayed 100% capacity for the second T20I•Getty Images
The second T20I between India and New Zealand is set to be played in front of a full house at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi.According to Jharkhand State Cricket Association secretary Sanjay Sahay, they are expecting a full house after the state government has given a green signal to “100% capacity”. As per a state government notification, people who are double vaccinated or carrying RT-PCR negative result will be allowed entry into the venue.”The state government has okayed for a full capacity and we are all set to witness a full house in India after a long, long time,” Sahay told PTI. “There will also be food available in the stands. Normalcy is back again.”People have been fed up after being in the lockdown for close to two years and the match, so there’s a big excitement for the match tomorrow. There will be people back on the roads again.”He, however, said they would take appropriate COVID measures. “There will be multiple checking and spectators will have to produce double vaccination certificates or a negative RT-PCR result done within 48 hours.”The 39,000-capacity stadium has tickets priced between Rs 900 and Rs 9,000 and all tickets are “virtually sold out”.”We have 80-odd tickets left which are all for the emergency quota and we don’t keep them for sale. The seats remain vacant so we are all set to have a full capacity,” Sahay said.Meanwhile, seasoned chief curator Shyam Bahadur Singh is expecting heavy dew on the match day, which means the toss could play a significant role.”Heavy dew is expected from around 7.30pm onwards. We will take all possible measures to negate the impact,” Singh said.As for the wicket, it would be a typical batting-friendly surface with the bowlers having little advantage.”It would be a sporting wicket. T20 is a game of entertainment, not a classic version. People will come to watch some power hitting and not to see a Ranji or a Test.”The pitch was last used during the Jharkhand state T20 tournament in July.
Roger Hutton has resigned as chairman of Yorkshire with immediate effect citing a lack of support from the ECB and a lack of “care and contrition” from senior management at the club.Yorkshire were stripped of their right to host international cricket by the ECB on Thursday in light of their botched response to Azeem Rafiq’s allegations of racism.Hutton, who joined the club in April 2020 after Azeem had left, was the man who called for Yorkshire’s report into the issue and has remained insistent that he wanted to publish its findings. Indeed, it is believed that, in recent weeks, he became convinced that the club would have to sack most of its coaching staff and much of its management team if it was to rebuild with a more healthy culture.But, thwarted by legal advice and a club management which insisted they had nothing to learn or regret, Hutton was unable to implement the changes he desired. Finally, with politicians blaming him for the club culture and the club management sensing him as the enemy, he stepped down with immediate effect while also calling for the club’s chief executive, Mark Arthur, and director of cricket, Martyn Moxon, to resign. A couple of non-executive directors who remained loyal to Hutton are also likely to announce their resignation today.Hutton is understood to remain keen to appear before the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) committee on November 16. Azeem, Arthur and Moxon have also been called to give evidence.”For much of my time at the club, I experienced a culture that refuses to accept change or challenge,” Hutton said in a statement released to ESPNcricinfo. “There has been a constant unwillingness from the Executive members of the Board [Arthur and Moxon are the executive members of the board] and senior management at the Club to apologise and to accept racism and to look forward.Related
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“During my time as Chairman, I take responsibility for failing to persuade them to take appropriate and timely action. This frustration has been shared by all of the Non-Executive members of the Board, some of whom have also now resigned. I now call for those Executive members of the Board to resign, to make way for a new path for the Club I love so much.”I am sorry that we could not persuade Executive members of the Board to recognise the gravity of the situation and show care and contrition. I remain disappointed that legal restrictions, including an ongoing employment tribunal, have prevented the investigation report from being published and look forward to the time that everyone can see its recommendations. I hope for it to be published as soon as possible.”Azeem left the club in August 2018, 18 months before I joined. I have never met Azeem. I know however, that when someone makes claims as serious as his, they need to be investigated and changes need to be made. I would like to take this opportunity to apologise unreservedly to Azeem. The club should have recognised at the time the serious allegations of racism.”In a September 2020 interview with ESPNcricinfo, Azeem Rafiq revealed he was ‘on brink of suicide’ after experiencing racism at Yorkshire•Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images
Hutton departs with a swipe at the ECB, too. Early in the saga, he recognised that the club needed to undergo a significant cultural change and reached out to the ECB for help. For various reasons, the ECB declined.”I want to be clear that when I was made aware of Azeem Rafiq’s allegations, I immediately reached out to the ECB to ask for their help and intervention to support a robust inquiry,” Hutton said. “I was saddened when they declined to help as I felt it was a matter of great importance for the game as a whole. It is a matter of record that I have continually expressed my frustration at the ECB’s reluctance to act.”With Hutton gone, the stage might have been set for a return for Colin Graves. The former Yorkshire and ECB chairman is keen on another stint at Yorkshire and is insistent that the current management team should remain in place. His family trusts, which are owed somewhere around £18m, retain a veto upon anyone joining the Yorkshire board and are understood to have called for a vote of no-confidence against Hutton a week or so ago. The vote was defeated.It is understood, however, that there are significant reservations at both the ECB and within the Yorkshire board about Graves’ return. Not only are the ECB increasingly committed to seeing a changing of the guard at Yorkshire, but they feel the return of Graves – who was chairman of the club for much of the period to which Azeem is referring – would do nothing to improve its tainted image.It is also understood that, should he attempt to return, Graves would be called as a witness by the DCMS committee to answer questions about his first stint at the club and his desire to back the current management.In that case, it looks likely that a compromise candidate could emerge. Lord Kamlesh Patel, a former ECB board member, who remains close to Graves and the ECB, looks set to be appointed in at least an interim capacity.If Patel is appointed, it seems he will be charged with engineering a clear-out of coaching and executive staff and attempting a change of culture at the club. Hutton’s departure from the club looks certain to be the first of many.
Chelsea and Enzo Maresca are concerned one of their rising stars is on the brink of injury having been picked to represent his country in the upcoming international break.
Palmer sparks Chelsea concern
Mercurial midfielder Cole Palmer sparked widespread concern among the Chelsea fanbase in the build up to their 1-1 draw with Arsenal after suffering a knee injury in their win over Manchester United the week before.
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The Englishman, who is key to the Blues’ early season success, was caught on the knee by a reckless Lisandro Martinez challenge and was a major doubt for Chelsea’s home tie with the Gunners. However, he was named in the starting XI and played the full 90 minutes as his side held their out-of-form London rivals to a 1-1 draw courtesy of a stunning effort from Pedro Neto.
But that concern returned after the final whistle, when Palmer was spotted limping out of Stamford Bridge, casting doubt on his availability for Lee Carsley’s England squad, though Maresca moved fast to allay those fears.
“He is painful now but it doesn’t look something important,” the Blues boss explained.
Now, there is another member of the Chelsea squad that is causing Maresca concern ahead of the international break.
Chelsea defender set for tests
That comes as a report from France suggests that Maresca and Chelsea were concerned that Wesley Fofana would pick up another injury should he head on international duty with France, as he looks to keep his prize defender fit amid injury concerns. Fofana suffered consecutive knee issues upon his arrival at Chelsea from Leicester City, but has managed to leave that behind him this season, and has emerged as a key part of Chelsea’s backline.
Nonetheless, Maresca has been careful with the defender, leaving him out of the Conference League squad and minimising his gametime as much as possible, with reports suggesting he has agreed to play him just once a week until 2025.
Wesley Fofana so far this season
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Despite this, it has been claimed that Fofana, who played 90 minutes against Arsenal, ended the game with “knee inflammation”, which has rung alarm bells in west London.
Indeed, “Enzo Maresca’s side want the player to undergo tests this morning [Monday] in London”, and it has now been confirmed that Fofana will play no part in France’s upcoming internationals, with Inter defender Benjamin Pavard called up as his replacement.
Of course, this will come as good news for Chelsea fans, provided that it is indeed only inflammation, and they will be keen to see Fofana avoid any further unnecessary injuries after such a long spell on the sidelines.
He will have plenty of time to recover, with Chelsea’s next game not for almost two weeks when they visit his former side Leicester City, a reunion which he will be hoping to be fit for.
Scorchers will spend the rest of the entire season on the road after WA government changed the border restrictions
Tristan Lavalette and Alex Malcolm15-Dec-2021
Perth Stadium unlikely to host another BBL game this season•Getty Images and Cricket Australia
Perth Scorchers will spend the rest of the BBL season on the road with their December 20 home fixture against Hobart Hurricanes moved from Perth Stadium.Cricket Australia was left scrambling on Wednesday to reschedule the fixture after the Western Australian government tightened its border with New South Wales, which has a surge of Covid-19 cases amid the Omicron variant. Under a reclassified “extreme risk” category, travel from New South Wales to Western Australia will not be permitted effective from December 18 unless approved under the strictest of conditions. Victoria is already classified as “extreme risk” by the WA government.Scorchers and Hurricanes both played matches in Sydney in recent days meaning they would not be allowed entry into Western Australia. It was confirmed on Thursday that the December 20 fixture had moved to Tasmania with the teams, currently in Hobart, having played each other on Tuesday night at Bellerive Oval.Having played their season opener against Brisbane Heat at home, Scorchers will be locked out of Western Australia until the state’s hard border comes down on February 5 with players and coaching staff planning to spend the remainder of the BBL interstate. Their second match of the season against Adelaide Strikers was moved from Perth Stadium to Sydney Showgrounds and played behind closed doors after Strikers weren’t allowed into Western Australia because they had played their season opener in Melbourne.Scorchers’ home fixtures against Melbourne Renegades on December 26 and Melbourne Stars on December 30 have been moved to Marvel Stadium in Melbourne. Scorchers’ home games against Sydney Thunder on January 5 and Sydney Sixers on January 6 are also likely to be played in Sydney.But the upheaval has not affected the unbeaten Scorchers, who can take heed of last season’s runners-up finish after playing only four games at Optus Stadium.”We are accepting the challenge and look forward to embracing it,” Scorchers batter Cameron Bancroft told ESPNcricinfo earlier in the week. “We have to enjoy this time together and just try to have fun with it.”The fifth Ashes Test, which was originally scheduled to be played in Perth, was recently shifted to Hobart, while the ODI between Australia and New Zealand on January 30 at Optus Stadium remains in doubt.
Rodrygo has been a silent warrior on the pitch this season, and wants to continue making history at Real Madrid.
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West Bromwich Albion are now without a win in five after being held to a goalless draw by Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on Wednesday night. Carlos Corberan’s side had the better of the chances on the night, but were unable to convert any of their nine shots, with Rovers’ stopper Aynsley Pears saving efforts from Jayson Molumby, Karlan Grant and Alex Mowatt.
The result means the Baggies remain fourth in the Sky Bet Championship, three points behind third placed Leeds United and seven behind leaders Sunderland. Corberan said after the draw that he felt his side deserved more.
“Of course, the draw is not the result we want and we don’t view the point as a good point, but we will put the effort of the players down as a good point,” he said, adding: “In general, we had more possibilities to get something else and to achieve three points.”
West Brom were without Kyle Bartley for the stalemate with Blackburn, with Corberan handing a league debut to Paddy McNair in the veteran defender’s absence. Bartley, 33, picked up a knock in the Baggies 1-1 tie with Oxford United last week and did not recover in time for the trip to Ewood.
Corberan revealed on Wednesday that he now also expects the defender to miss the weekend’s game against Cardiff City at The Hawthorns, having struggled in training due to the problem with his knee.
“Bartley let us know during training that his knee had not recovered properly from the previous game,” he explained. “I don’t think he’ll be ready for the game against Cardiff on Saturday, but we will have to wait and see how the knee reacts in the next few days.”
While Bartley will likely miss the Cardiff game, Jamaica international Mason Holgate, who also missed Wednesday’s draw with Rovers, will be back in contention.
“Mason Holgate, who was also injured, will train on Thursday,” revealed Corberan.
Bartley has been a key figure for West Brom so far this term, starting all but one of the Baggies’ 11 Championship games, captaining them on eight occasions. With the former Arsenal youngster at the heart of their defence, the Baggies enjoyed a strong start to the campaign, winning five of their first six games. Things have fallen apart since, however, with Corberan’s side losing two and drawing three of their last five.
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That poor run of form could have changed against Blackburn had referee John Busby awarded the Baggies a penalty after Darnell Furlong appeared to have been pushed by Todd Cantwell inside the area.
Speaking with Birmingham Live after the match, Corberan expressed his frustration at his side not being given what he called an “obvious” spot kick.
“I think the action of the penalty, live, Furlong received a foul. A foul in the box, it’s a penalty. Because he was in the position and the defender [Cantwell] makes a foul to avoid the finishing of Furlong,” he said. “In these actions, the referee didn’t understand enough probably to issue a penalty.”
He wants his team to get over the news as soon as possible as they look to bounce back against India
Firdose Moonda02-Jan-20221:43
‘No surprises’ in Cullinan’s South Africa XI
Dean Elgar was “pretty shocked” by Quinton de Kock’s decision to retire from Test cricket but has asked the South African squad to “move on” quickly as they seek to level the series against India.de Kock, who was due to miss the second and third Tests on paternity leave, retired from Test cricket entirely at the conclusion of the Boxing Day Test. He announced his decision to the team on the evening of December 30 but had told some members about his plans to step away earlier. Elgar did not seem to be one of those. “I was pretty shocked. I wasn’t aware this was going to happen, but sitting down with Quinny that evening and him explaining to me the reason, I very much respect his decision and fully understand the space he is in,” Elgar said. “Hopefully it doesn’t come back one day and he still wishes he was part of our red-ball set-up.”Despite supporting de Kock’s choice, Elgar did not take the news entirely well, especially as it comes on the back of several other issues affecting South African cricket, on and off the field. “It’s disappointing. Not having Quinny around is disappointing for me,” he said. “It’s something I need to get over because I know there’s other talented players within our system that I need to give a lot of attention to now and that’s perfectly fine. As tough as it is, it’s one of those things you need to crack on with and get over as quickly as possible. The players respect the environment, we’ve realised we’ve had quite a few setbacks over recent times and this is just another one we need to be clever around and we need to get over because the game moves on. I don’t see this affecting the players and them still being shocked about his retirement.”But de Kock’s decision, at just 29 years old, has prompted a deeper look into the sustainability of Test cricket, especially in an age of lucrative T20 leagues and long international tours in bio-bubbles. Though there is talk of others, both in South Africa and elsewhere, opting to give up the longest format, Elgar does not think that is imminent. “I don’t think his decision is going to jeopardise Test cricket. His reasons are his reasons and we as a group respect that. We have to get over it and move on. The game moves on when guys retire. I have been fortunate enough to have experienced quite a few big South African retirements and one thing I have realised is that the game continues. You’re not immortal and the game definitely doesn’t stop for you.”Dean Elgar has hinted at South Africa not playing an all-pace attack at the Wanderers•AFP/Getty ImagesElgar debuted in 2012 and in every year since then there has been at least one high-profile retirement. “Tell me about it,” he said, when reminded of some of those who have walked away in the time he has been part of the side. “If it was up to me, I wouldn’t have had any of those guys retire but retirements are part and parcel of the game. I don’t think it’s the kind of thing you can control because it’s out of your hands as another player.”Which brought Elgar to what he can control, starting with what he has done behind the scenes to keep spirits high as South Africa, at 1-0 down, enter a must-win match at the Wanderers. “I don’t think I can say the words that I’ve been saying recently but we’ve had hard chats,” he said. “I have had a lot of talks with the guys, even if it’s in a personal capacity. I take the guys aside and just chat, give them a little bit of affirmation to put him in a better mind space.”One word that has come up in those conversations is responsibility. Elgar has said: “Players have to take responsibility. You can talk and talk until there’s action. I said to the guys: ‘I need to see actions’. Test cricket is a hard and ruthless environment and if you want to survive and be successful in this format you need to ask yourself the hard questions and respond to those questions. That’s the culture I was brought up with and I want the other guys to think about it. They’re not bad players. They haven’t become any weaker. They just need to be mentally a bit more switched on and understand Test cricket is bloody tough and you’re facing some of the best bowlers in the world now. You need to put on your big boy pants and react to what’s happened.”The batting group seems to have been on the receiving end of most of the chats, with Elgar pointing the first fingers at himself and his opening partner Aiden Markram, who have not posted a stand greater than four in their last three Tests. “Aiden and I need to look after the new ball. That allows our Nos. 3, 4, 5 and 6 to play as naturally as possible. We know as an opening pair we need to get us off to a better start to give the guys a clearer mindset going in,” Elgar said.He also wants more from the middle order, specifically vice-captain Temba Bavuma. “You need big hundreds to compete and win. We are aware of that. We were very disappointed that we [just] had two fifties [by Elgar himself and Bavuma] in the previous match, knowing that I can score big hundreds,” he said. “And Temba needs to push on. He needs to stop getting those good fifties and getting those hundreds because we know how far it goes with regards to setting up the team.”The bowlers have not been spared either and their lack of incision with the new ball has been under the microscope. “With the ball, there were still a few areas we could fine tune, like maybe making them play a little with the new ball, especially when we are bowling upfront,” Elgar said.Related
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India’s openers put on 117 and South Africa only took three wickets on the first day before returning to claim 55 for 7 on the third. One of the reasons for South Africa’s slow start may have been personnel related as the most in-form quick Duanne Olivier was not available to play the Boxing Day Test but he is available for the Wanderers. Elgar would not give away much about South Africa’s combination except to say that on a pitch that will offer better balance between bat and ball, they are unlikely to go all-pace.”I am always a fan of having a frontline spin bowler,” Elgar said. “He is someone I can throw the ball to and he can try to bring down the run rate. Keshav [Maharaj] adapts to whatever conditions are put in front of him. I trust that he is a very smart and clever cricketer and having a left-arm spinner bowling to the Indian batters – 10 right-hand batters – is something for us to utilise.”Elgar expects the surface to be far less spicy than the one South Africa prepared for India in 2018, which was rated poor by the ICC for uneven bounce. “The surface will be playing a lot better than it has in recent times. They have a new groundsman in Evan [Flint] and I think he is trying to make it a little bit more batter friendly or a little more of a better cricket wicket that creates good Test cricket. So we have to put our hands up and take ownership of our positions. We’ve been echoing a lot of positivity throughout the group. Hopefully we can adopt the language we have been speaking in the last few days.”