Local replacement player Charis Bekker went from the pub to centre stage as Melbourne Renegades posted a 15-run WBBL win over arch-rivals Melbourne Stars.Bekker was playing just her second WBBL game after being called into the squad to replace injured spinner Sophie Molineux (knee). The 20-year-old didn’t let the big stage of a Melbourne derby faze her, returning the miserly figures of 1 for 9 from her four overs to be named player of the match.”It’s been a bit of a whirlwind,” Bekker said. “I was at the pub a couple of days ago with my mates, and then got the call [to join the squad]. I played against the Scorchers which was really cool. And then hopped on a flight. It’s been really rushed.”Bekker’s maiden WBBL wicket was none other than superstar batter Meg Lanning.”Everyone was cheering me on, I was just trying to bowl my best ball, and it happened to be Meg Lanning, which was kind of awesome,” Bekker said.Deepti Sharma top-scored for Stars with 23. Georgia Wareham claimed the key wicket of captain Annabel Sutherland for 16. The result improved Renegades’ record to 3-3, while the Stars are now 2-3.Earlier, Renegades were struggling at 87 for 5 before Naomi Stalenberg (26 not out off 17 balls) and Nicole Faltum (29 off 23) added some handy runs to lift the total to 146 for 6.The Renegades were 54 for 2 after 10 overs when they took the power surge. Although Deandra Dottin fell for 7 shortly after, Renegades cracked 29 runs off the two overs. Alice Capsey and Wareham fell in quick succession before Stalenberg and Faltum steadied the ship with a 55-run stand.Stars’ run chase started slowly with the scoreboard reading 16 for 1 after five overs. Bhatia was lucky to still be there after being dropped by wicketkeeper Faltum in the first over when she was yet to score. The opener scored 22 off 26 balls, but the rest of her team-mates struggled for fluency as the required run rate ballooned out.Jemimah Rodrigues top-scored for Brisbane Heat•Getty Images

India starJemimah Rodrigues posted an impressive half-century as Brisbane Heat piled more misery on defending champions Adelaide Strikers in an eight-run win at the Gabba.Rodrigues anchored the Heat’s innings with 61 from 40 balls, belting seven fours and a six in her player-of-the-match performance. Opener Grace Harris (33 from 22) and captain Jess Jonassen (32 from 21) also provided handy knocks.In reply, Strikers were reduced to 16 for 3 in the fourth over before Bridget Patterson and Madeline Penna threatened to pull off a remarkable fightback. The unbeaten pair put on a 113-run stand for the fifth wicket – from just 62 balls – but weren’t quite able to drag their side over the line. It was the second-highest fifth-wicket stand in WBBL history.Strikers remain last on the table with a 1-4 record, while Heat (3-3) are right in the finals mix.

Chelsea continue to be more active than most in the summer transfer window, as we’ve come to expect from them.

Already, the newly-crowned champions of the world have signed eight new first-team players, most notably signing João Pedro, who scored twice in the Club World Cup semi-finals against former side Fluminense, before also finding the target against PSG in the final itself.

Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens and Estêvão Willian have all also arrived to bolster Enzo Maresca’s attacking options, but are the Blues’ recruitment staff now turning their attention to the defensive end of the pitch?

Chelsea targeting new defenders

As has been widely reported, including by David Ornstein of The Athletic, Chelsea are ‘closing in’ on the signing of Jorrell Hato from Ajax, who will cost around £35m.

Matt Law of the Telegraph notes that the 19-year-old’s arrival will ‘ease some of the burden’ on the Blues’ current first-choice left-back Marc Cucurella, albeit he is also capable of playing centre-back too, having started all five of the Netherlands’ fixtures at this summer’s U21 Euros in that position.

Central defence is certainly a position of need for Chelsea, with none of Tosin Adarabioyo, Benoît Badiashile, Trevoh Chalobah, Levin Colwill nor the injury-prone Wesley Fofana able to establish themselves as the undisputed first choice.

Thus, according to a report by Tutto Mercato, Chelsea are ‘preparing an initial offer’ to Atalanta, as they seek to sign Giorgio Scalvini, claiming he is valued at €60m (around £51m) by la Dea.

Transfer Focus

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

Now might be a good time to leave Bergamo, given that legendary manager Gian Piero Gasperini has departed for Roma, while star attacker Ademola Lookman is on his way to Inter, with top-scorer Mateo Retegui having already been sold to Al-Qadsiah.

Thus, James Richardson of the Totally Football Show is forecasting a difficult campaign for the Bergamasque, now led by Ivan Jurić, who Carl Anka asserts might be the worst Premier League manager of all time.

So, could Scalvini soon swap Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia for Stamford Bridge?

How Giorgio Scalvini would improve Chelsea

Scalvini joined Atalanta as a 12-year-old, accumulating 107 appearances for la Dea, despite suffering an anterior cruciate ligament tear in June 2024, on the eve of the European Championships, which saw him heartbreakingly miss the tournament in Germany.

When he has been on the pitch though, the 21-year-old has earned rave reviews, including from analyst Ben Mattinson, who describes him as “aggressive”, given that he is able to push into midfield and use his outstanding “ball-winning” ability.

Meantime, Akhilesh Ashok of Total Football Analysis believes he is the perfect ‘modern-day central defender’ as he is ‘elegant and technically sound’, also praising his ability to ‘read the game and intercept’ forward passes.

Dharnish Iqbal of Breaking the Lines agrees, impressed by the fact that Scalvini often ‘seizes control of the ball’ by virtue of winning plenty of duels.

So, let’s analyse how he compares to potential future teammate Hato.

Tackles

2.2

2.2

Blocks

1.4

1.2

Interceptions

2.1

0.9

Clearances

2.62

2.30

Ball recoveries

6.07

4.69

Pass completion %

80.7%

88.8%

Progressive passes

4.14

3.95

% of ground duels won

57.4%

50.7%

% of aerial duels won

65.9%

55.4%

As the table documents, Scalvini comes out on top when compared to Hato for all defensive metrics included, when using data from the 2023/24 campaign, given that the Italian missed the vast majority of the most recent season due to injury.

This is not to denigrate Hato, who Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout believes is a “magnificent talent”, while Domagoj Kostanjšak of Total Football Analysis agrees, but notes that the 19-year-old still has a few weaknesses that need to be ‘ironed out and improved upon’.

How much Hato will play at Chelsea next season is also a question mark considering, as outlined by Ahmed Walid of the Athletic, current left-back Cucurella has established himself as one of the club’s most pivotal players.

At centre-back however, as referenced earlier, both positions remain up for grabs, so Scalvini could come in and make an immediate impact, and the Italian certainly boasts the talent to elevate the Blues to the next level.

Chelsea to bid for £192k-a-week star who Bayern have phoned "several" times

BlueCo remain busy in the market.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 29, 2025

All the pre-season friendlies are now over for Sunderland as the main task of the Premier League comes to the Stadium of Light this coming weekend.

A late trip to Augsburg last time out saw Regis Le Bris’ men clinch a 1-0 win in Germany as new £30m signing Habib Diarra proved to be the difference-maker on the day by powering home the decisive strike, alongside fellow fresh recruit Robin Roefs, showing off his quality in goal by saving a penalty.

Away from this encouraging performance against Bundesliga opposition, Le Bris and Co. have also welcomed in their tenth summer signing of a busy transfer window in the form of ex-West Ham United defender Arthur Masuaku.

He will be chomping at the bit to play on the opening day, as his ex-Hammers side travel to Wearside.

More defensive additions could soon be on the menu, away from just the experienced 31-year-old joining, with a former Newcastle United player even on the Black Cats’ radar.

Sunderland make approach for £17m signing

Sunderland might well be into the double digits now with incoming signings, but they are yet to win themselves a centre-back this summer.

It hasn’t been through lack of trying, however, with the likes of Bologna defender Jhon Lucumi consistently popping up as a target, alongside talk now that Fiorentina youngster Pietro Comuzzo could soon join the building in the heart of defence for a whopping £34.5m.

Of course, they are also close to landing Omar Alderete from Getafe to strengthen here, too.

However, away from all these rumours, it has now surfaced that Sunderland have opened talks to understand the situation surrounding former Magpies defender Lloyd Kelly.

Indeed, as per reports from Italy, the current Juventus centre-back has admirers on Wearside, who would be willing to fork out £17m for the Premier League-proven defender’s services so they can shore up ahead of a potential relegation battle in the top-flight.

There will likely be some apprehension involving the deal due to Kelly’s prior St James’ Park struggles, but Le Bris and Co will hope they can strike gold with the 26-year-old, in much the same way they managed with Daniel Ballard, who was once chucked to one side himself by Arsenal.

How Kelly could be Ballard 2.0 at Sunderland

Sunderland certainly gambled on Ballard when they initially signed him in 2022, considering he had never made a senior appearance for the Gunners and was regularly thrown out on loan.

However, now heading into the Premier League, the Northern Irishman is a solid member of Le Bris’ starting XI, having now notched up 89 appearances for the Black Cats, with six important goals also coming his way as a colossus unafraid to launch himself into duels.

Kelly will hope he can instantly fit in, too, having been put through the wringer somewhat at Newcastle when last plying his trade at the very pinnacle of English football.

In total, the 26-year-old only lined up for 14 appearances on Tyneside before amazingly finding himself on the books of Juventus out in Italy.

Kelly’s last two seasons @ Bournemouth

Stat (* = per 90 mins)

(22/23)

(23/24)

Games played

23

23

Goals scored

0

0

Assists

2

1

Touches*

61.3

47.4

Accurate passes*

36.7 (81%)

26.0 (78%)

Tackles*

1.4

1.0

Clearances*

4.3

2.6

Total duels won*

3.3

2.9

Clean sheets

5

4

Stats by Sofascore

He has since impressed in spurts for the Serie A giants, with five clean sheets collected from just 11 league outings last season, but it will be his promising showings for the Cherries in the hustle and bustle of the Premier League that will have caught Sunderland’s eye even more.

In particular, Kelly’s offerings during the 2022/23 season for Bournemouth will stick out, as the ex-England U21 international managed to show off his class with the ball at his feet with two assists tallied up, on top of also collecting a respectable five clean sheets from his 23 clashes in the demanding division.

Ballard equally impressed in the Championship last season in this regard with one assist coming his way from an average of 33.2 accurate passes per match, with Kelly hopeful he can put a whirlwind few years behind him and cement himself as a Black Cats regular, alongside the former Gunners youngster.

After all, his time at Bournemouth even saw his ex-Cherries manager in Gary O’Neil, hail him as “incredible”, as Kelly hopes his valiant efforts to steer his new employers away from any relegation danger.

Related Sunderland scouting Italian prodigy who would smash transfer record again

After breaking their transfer record with Diarra, Sunderland have identified a new target…

Posts ByCallum Kemp Aug 8, 2025

Leeds United are on the verge of playing their first match in the Premier League for more than two years as they prepare to welcome Everton to Elland Road on Monday night.

The Whites won the Championship title with a staggering haul of 100 points last season, and now have to show that they have what it takes to avoid an instant relegation back down to the second tier.

Daniel Farke watched on as the two teams that came up alongside Leeds put in contrasting performances on Saturday, with Burnley losing 3-0 to Tottenham and Sunderland smashing West Ham United 3-0.

The West Yorkshire outfit will be hoping for closer to Sunderland’s fortunes, as they look to kick off the new season with three points on the board in front of their home supporters.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin arrived on a free transfer on Friday, having left Everton, and it remains to be seen if he will make his debut in the match.

Leeds do, however, still need to sign an attacking midfielder before the end of the window to provide Calvert-Lewin, and others, with chances to find the back of the net.

Why Leeds need to sign an attacking midfielder

Whilst Farke has promised not to rigidly stick to his principles, following his struggles at Norwich, getting relegated from the Premier League in the past, the German boss will not abandon the way he wants his teams to play.

This means that the 4-2-3-1 formation, which was the go-to for Leeds in the Championship, may get plenty of use in the top-flight in the current campaign.

With this in mind, the Whites need to sign a new option for the number ten position because Brenden Aaronson may not have what it takes to make the step up, after scoring one goal in 36 games in the Premier League in the 2022/23 campaign, per Sofascore.

Bristol City (A)

0

0

Burnley (H)

0

0

Sunderland (A)

0

0

Sheffield United (H)

0

0

Coventry (H)

0

0

Coventry (A)

0

0

Burnley (A)

0

0

Sunderland (H)

0

0

Sheffield United (A)

0

0

Bristol City (H)

0

0

As you can see in the table above, the USA international also failed to deliver a single goal or assist in his ten appearances against the other five teams in the top six in the Championship last season.

Aaronson has not shown enough in the final third to suggest that he has Premier League quality, which may be why the Whites have recently been linked with an interest in Leicester City star Bilal El Khannouss.

The Morocco international, who has delivered two assists in two Championship games this season, is not the only attacking midfielder on the club’s radar, though.

Leeds have interest in Dutch playmaker

According to EFL Analysis, Leeds United have an interest in £14m-rated Sheffield United attacking midfielder Gustavo Hamer, as they look to bolster their squad before the end of the window.

The report claims that the Championship champions are ‘huge admirers’ of the former Coventry City sensation, and that PSV have also been linked with the midfield star.

Transfer Focus

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

Speaking to EFL Analysis, though, journalist Graeme Bailey said: “I don’t think that they ever wanted Gus Hamer to go, and as it’s looking now, there’s certainly a good chance that he stays.

“He’s the captain and I think, despite the scoreline against Bristol City, Ruben Selles actually got them playing some wonderful football and it looks as if that system will suit Hamer.”

These comments suggest that it will not be an easy deal for Leeds to do before the window slams shut, because the Blades are not actively looking to cash in on their captain.

Why Leeds should sign Gustavo Hamer

The Whites should be pushing to convince them to part ways with Hamer, though, because he would be an even better option than El Khannouss to play in the attacking midfield position for Farke.

Both attacking midfielders have played in the Premier League in teams that were relegated from the division at the first time of asking, but it was the Dutchman who showed more potential to deliver in a better team.

Appearances

36

32

xG

2.97

1.31

Goals

4

2

Big chances created

10

8

xA

4.55

3.11

Assists

6

3

As you can see in the table above, Hamer scored twice as many goals and registered twice as many assists in the top-flight in comparison to El Khannouss in his season in the division with Sheffield United in the 2023/24 campaign.

These statistics suggest that the Blades star, dubbed “outstanding” by Chris Wilder, would be more suited to hitting the ground running at Elland Road as a solid number ten option for Leeds, because he has shown that he can deliver goals and assists at a fairly impressive rate at that level.

Hamer, who scored a sensational goal from the halfway line against Birmingham City this month, also delivered ten goals and eight assists in all competitions for Sheffield United last season, per Sofascore, in their Championship campaign.

El Khannouss, meanwhile, has yet to score more than three goals in a single season in all competitions in his career, per Sofascore, which means that he has yet to prove himself as a consistent goal threat.

This suggests that signing Hamer would be less of a gamble for Leeds, because he has proven more in his career and delivered more impressive performances at Premier League level, and that is what the Whites need as they look to avoid relegation this season.

Therefore, the Sheffield United star would be a way better option than El Khannouss for Farke’s side this summer, because he appears to have a much greater chance of hitting the ground running and making an instant impact on the pitch in the top-flight as an attacking midfielder.

Instant Calvert-Lewin upgrade: Leeds lining up move for "special" £35m star

Leeds United are reportedly eyeing up a new striker who would be an instant upgrade on Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

1 ByDan Emery Aug 17, 2025

كشفت تقارير صحفية اقتراب نادي برشلونة  من التعاقد مع أحد لاعبي الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ليفربول الفترة الماضية.

ليفربول كان قد تعاقد مع إيزاك خلال فترة الميركاتو الصيفي الأخير، قادمًا من صفوف نيوكاسل يونايتد مقابل أكثر من 150 مليون يورو وفي عقد مدته 5 سنوات.

وحارب إيزاك كثيرًا من أجل الانتقال إلى ليفربول، وضغط كثيرًا على إدارة نيوكاسل حتى تمكن اللاعب البالغ من العمر 26 عامًا من تحقيق حلمه باللعب للفريق الأحمر.

ويزعم هنريك لارسون، مساعد كومان بين عامي 2020 و2021، أنه هو من اقترح بعد ذلك على الدولي السويدي، لاعب ليفربول الآن، الإنضمام إلى نادي برشلونة.

اقرأ أيضًا | لتعويض إينيجو مارتينيز.. برشلونة يراقب مدافعين لضم أحدهما الصيف المقبل

ولم يستمر كومان سوى موسم وبعض أشهر من الموسم الثاني، استطاع أن يتوج بلقب وحيد وهو كأس ملك إسبانيا بعد الفوز على أتلتيك بلباو 4/0.

وقال لارسون في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية: “تحدثت إلى برشلونة بشأنه عندما كنت هناك، طلبوا مني قائمة بالمهاجمين، فاقترحت ألكسندر إيزاك”.

وأضاف: “روبرت ليفاندوفسكي كان أيضًا ضمن تلك القائمة، وبالنسبة لتوجيه نصيحة له فأنا لا أملك نصيحة محددة لـ إيزاك”.

وأردف: “الأمر ليس بيدي، إنه موهوب منذ أن كان في الخامسة عشرة من عمره، اللعب مع نيوكاسل ليس سهلًا، وقد قدّم أداءً رائعًا، الآن سينتقل إلى ليفربول، وهذه هي الخطوة التالية”.

Only 33.1 overs were possible on what may have been the stop-startiest day in the history of Test cricket, featuring as many as eight stoppages for rain, but Australia kept alive their hopes of going 2-1 up with two days remaining at the Gabba. They stretched their first-innings total to 445 on the morning of day three before Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins ripped out India’s top order over the remainder of the day’s play, in between the many rain breaks.India went to stumps at 51 for 4, 394 runs adrift of Australia, and their first target when the Test match resumes will be to get to 246 to avoid the follow-on. If they get there, they dramatically improve their chances of getting to Melbourne with the series still level. Rain is expected on days four and five as well, so Australia may be battling time if they’re forced to bat again.Australia’s last three wickets added 40 runs to their overnight 405 for 7. There were brief spells of rain either side of the 17.1 overs they took to do so as well as one in between, after Jasprit Bumrah removed Pat Cummins to pick up his sixth wicket of the innings and his 50th in Tests in Australia. Alex Carey, who had raced to 45 on the evening of day two to keep Australia’s advantage intact after a three-wicket burst from Bumrah, brought up his half-century and played some resplendent strokes – including an effortless six over wide long-off off Akash Deep – before he was last out for 70. He was out to Akash Deep, who finally got a wicket with the 53rd false shot he had induced in the innings.Australia’s fast bowlers then began to show how much more they could get out of this Gabba surface than India’s quicks had managed, thanks to both home and height advantage, with all three of Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins measuring upwards of 6’5″. They often found seam movement when they hit the pitch on a length or back of it, and occasionally awkward bounce too, with Hazlewood striking KL Rahul’s wrist with his first ball of the match.By then, India were already one down, with Yashasvi Jaiswal having fallen second ball, flicking Starc uppishly and straight to Mitchell Marsh at square leg. Starc struck once more in his second over, slanting a full one away from Shubman Gill and inducing a drive away from the body with his head not on top of the ball. The ball flew quickly to the left of gully, and Marsh was once again in position to intercept it, this time with a spectacular dive to his left.As much as the ball was doing off the deck, both of India’s wickets had fallen to avoidable shots, and the trend continued when Kohli – who, in the previous over, had to react quickly to fend away a Starc lifter that leapt towards his head – drove loosely at a wide one from Hazlewood and edged behind, falling early once again in series marked by uncertainty outside off stump.Rain returned immediately after Kohli’s dismissal, prompting lunch to be taken early, and there was another interruption 11 balls after resumption. None of this was helping Australia’s victory push, but it was also keeping their fast bowlers fresh. It also meant India’s batters had to get their eye in multiple times.All this, and superb bowling, contributed to India’s next wicket, with Cummins slanting one across Rishabh Pant from over the wicket and landing it on the perfect line and length to draw an uncertain forward-defensive push. Australia have noted Pant’s tendency to aim down the ground while defending balls angled across him, rather than going with the angle and playing later and squarer on the off side. This particular ball threatened to swing back into Pant before nipping away off the pitch, and found his edge through to Carey.All through this, Rahul had batted with something approaching certainty, showing excellent judgment in the fourth-stump channel as well as a readiness – both in terms of intent and the timing of his weight transfer – to drive balls pitched up to him. Apart from one sliced effort that flew through the backward point region, he drove with certainty, picking up three fours through the covers on his way to 33 off 64 balls at stumps. With him was his captain Rohit Sharma, who was still to open his account.

CWI will review the tournament regulations, with a double-forfeiture being an unprecedented occurrence

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Nov-2024In an extraordinary conclusion to the Super50 Cup one-day tournament in the West Indies, the finalists – Barbados Pride and Jamaica Scorpions – decided not to turn up for the toss and forfeit the final in Tarouba instead.This came after heavy spells of rain reduced the match to a 20-overs-a-side contest. As a result of the teams’ no-show, the trophy went unawarded.The game was scheduled to start at 1pm local time on Saturday but, as the tournament organisers explained in a statement, “scattered showers began at the ground around midday, forcing the first indefinite delay to the start of proceedings”.Elaborating on the sequence of events, the statement said: “Match referee Reon King, in conjunction with the umpiring team, informed both teams that the latest possible start time was 6.17pm, at which point the game would be played as a 20-overs-a-side contest. However, around 5.45pm, the officiating team determined that the game could proceed at the latest possible start time of 6.17pm. They informed the players of this and that the toss would be conducted at 6pm.”Despite assurances from the umpires and match referee that the conditions were safe for play, both captains failed to be present for the toss, allowing time to elapse past the latest starting point. As a result, both teams failed to take the field, effectively refusing to play. This resulted in a double forfeit, with no champion being declared.”Cricket West Indies will now review the tournament regulations, with a double-forfeiture being an unprecedented occurrence.Barbados got to the final having beaten defending Super50 champions Trinidad & Tobago Red Force by 153 runs in the semis, while Jamaica Scorpions beat Leeward Islands Hurricanes by 107 runs to earn their ticket to the final.

Chelsea are going into their opening Premier League game of the season with a shortage of centre-back options, coming after it was confirmed that Levi Colwill will miss most of 2025/2026.

The Cobham academy graduate, after playing a key role under Enzo Maresca last season, won’t be seen on the pitch again for a long time.

Colwill suffered an ACL injury near the end of his first training session back, and has since undergone successful surgery as the 22-year-old’s lengthy rehabilitation process begins.

ACL injuries typically have a recovery time of around six-to-nine months, so Chelsea will need a solid alternative/replacement for Colwill, who won’t be available until well into 2026.

Maresca also confirmed to Channel 5 last week that he wants a new centre-back as a “priority” in light of the Chelsea starlet’s blow.

“It is a priority for me,” Maresca said, via Standard Sport.

“Levi is a fantastic player. What we achieved last season is because of him. He played a lot of games with me, I love him. We are going to miss him.

“We are trying also to find different solutions.”

Chelsea are exploring that possibility after Colwill’s injury, according to reports, and Blues transfer chiefs are even discussing an emergency loan deal.

“Chelsea are exploring possible new centre backs after the injury to Levi Colwill,” wrote journalist Simon Phillips earlier this week.

“Well, they were exploring new centre backs before that, and the proof is in the pudding because they tried to sign Dean Huijsen and failed, and then tried for Jarrad Branthwaite after that but his price tag was way too high.

“Sources have said this week that the club are discussing a new centre back again, and although we don’t have any solid names yet and will update accordingly when we do, there is talk of a potential loan deal being done for an incoming centre back.”

Earlier this window, Chelsea turned to sister club Strasbourg in their pursuit of a centre-half – specifically Ismael Doukoure.

The French Under-21 international was a mainstay under Liam Rosenior during Strasbourg’s charge for a European place last season, starting all of their final 11 Ligue 1 matches as a centre-back despite featuring mostly as a defensive midfielder beforehand.

It was reported in June that Chelsea offered Doukoure a contract to join Maresca’s side, but talks haven’t exactly gone to plan.

Ismael Doukoure banished to Strasbourg reserves after Chelsea talks

L’Equipe have an update on the 22-year-old’s future – stating Doukoure’s negotiations over a move to Chelsea are now at a standstill.

Strasbourg wanted to tempt the player with a Stamford Bridge switch to keep him on BlueCo’s books, with Doukoure’s contract expiring next year, but no progress has been made – so the ex-Valenciennes ace is poised to leave for free in 2026.

As a result, Doukoure has now been banished to the reserve squad ahead of their Ligue 1 opener against FC Metz this weekend.

It is unclear whether Chelsea will continue to try and tempt him, but Doukoure could be a solid, versatile option to cover for Trevoh Chalobah and Wesley Fofana – who’ll most likely be Maresca’s starting centre-backs against Crystal Palace on Sunday.

MatériaMais Notícias

No próximo domingo, dia 30 às 16h, Flamengo e Botafogo fazem o primeiro clássico carioca na Série A do Brasileirão. A partida, válida pela terceira rodada, será no Maracanã, às 16h, e os ingressos estarão à venda a partir das 10h desta quarta. As entradas custam entre R$ 80 e R$ 450.

+ Todos os jogos do Brasileirão você encontra no Prime Video. Assine já e acompanhe o seu time do coração!

Neste primeiro dia, a venda será apenas online para a torcida rubro-negra. Na quinta, começam a funcionar os pontos físicos. Veja os locais e mais informações divulgadas pelo clube mais abaixo.

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A torcida do Botafogo ficará no Setor Sul B, com ingressos a R$ 80 (R$ 40 a meia). A abertura de vendas também será nesta quarta-feira, às 10h. Os pontos de troca e venda ainda serão divulgados.

Para retirar os ingressos, tanto para a torcida do Flamengo quanto para os alvinegros, será preciso apresentar voucher impresso, preenchido e assinado; documento original com foto e CPF; e documento que comprove o benefício de meia (se houver). Não é permitida a retirada por terceiros.

Mais informações sobre a venda de ingressos para Flamengo x Botafogo, pelo Brasileirão:

VALORES:

Norte (Flamengo)
– Diamante: R$20,00
– Platina: R$28,00
– Ouro: R$28,00
– Prata: R$32,00
– Bronze e planos antigos: R$40,00
– Público Geral: R$80,00 (meia R$40,00)

Sul (Flamengo)
– Diamante: R$20,00
– Platina: R$28,00
– Ouro: R$28,00
– Prata: R$32,00
– Bronze e planos antigos: R$40,00
– Público Geral: R$80,00 (meia R$40,00)

Leste Superior (Flamengo)
– Diamante: R$25,00
– Platina: R$35,00
– Ouro: R$35,00
– Prata: R$40,00
– Bronze e planos antigos: R$50,00
– Público Geral: R$100,00 (meia R$50,00)

Leste Inferior (Flamengo)
– Diamante: R$30,00
– Platina: R$42,00
– Ouro: R$42,00
– Prata: R$48,00
– Bronze e planos antigos: R$60,00
– Público Geral: R$120,00 (meia R$60,00)

Oeste inferior (Flamengo)
– Diamante: R$30,00
– Platina: R$42,00
– Ouro: R$42,00
– Prata: R$48,00
– Bronze e planos antigos: R$60,00
– Público Geral: R$120,00 (meia R$60,00)

Maracanã Mais (Flamengo)
– Diamante: R$168,75
– Platina: R$206,25
– Ouro: R$206,25
– Prata: R$225,00
– Bronze e planos antigos: R$262,50
– Público Geral: R$450,00 (meia R$262,50)

Sul B (Botafogo)
– Visitante: R$80,00 (meia R$40,00)

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PONTOS DE VENDA:

Os pontos de venda e retirada de ingressos para as torcidas de Flamengo e Botafogo ainda serão informados pelos clubes.

Ivan Toney has shockingly claimed that the Saudi Pro League is "on par" with the Premier League and insisted that Al-Ahli would compete for a top four finish if they competed in the English top flight. Toney left the Premier League last summer when joining Al-Ahli from Brentford. The English forward has already won two titles in his first year in the Middle East.

Toney compared SPL to Premier LeagueWon two titles with Al-Ahli alreadyTalks up strength of Saudi footballFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Saudi Pro League's biggest star, Cristiano Ronaldo, has repeatedly claimed that the competition should be considered among the top five leagues in the world. He even aimed a dig at his eternal rival, Lionel Messi, by saying that the Saudi league is already better than Major League Soccer in the United States and France's Ligue 1.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALWHAT TONEY SAID

Former Brentford star Toney has now gone one step further than Ronaldo, claiming that the Saudi Pro League is "on par" with the Premier League. Speaking to , the England international said: "Ronaldo has been around the world and probably knows a lot more than me, as I have only played in the Premier League, the Championship and Leagues One and Two. For me, [the Pro League] is on a par with the Premier League. If [Al-Ahli] were in the Premier League, we’d give it a good go and we’d be close to the top four. It is a quality league and people should not turn their noses up. We saw Al-Hilal play against Man City [at the Club World Cup] and beat them."

AFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Toney enjoyed a successful first season in Saudi Arabia as he scored 23 league goals in 30 appearances, two short of Ronaldo's tally. Pairing up with the likes of Roberto Firmino – who left Al-Ahli this summer – and Riyad Mahrez in the attack, Toney also helped the club win the AFC Champions League title last season. At the start of the 2025-26 campaign, Al-Ahli lifted the Saudi Super Cup.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR AL-AHLI?

Toney and Al-Ahli will be back in action this Friday as the Saudi giants take on Al-Ettifaq in a league clash.