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Fabrizio Romano has dropped an exciting transfer claim about Arsenal’s pursuit of Real Madrid star Martin Odegaard this summer.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent days have suggested that Mikel Arteta’s side haven’t given up hope of signing the Norway international, who of course joined the Gunners on a loan deal back in the January transfer window.

Now, Romano has delivered an update on the situation, and it makes for exciting news for Arsenal fans.

Writing on Twitter, he said: “Arsenal always had clear position regarding Martin Ødegaard. He’s always been considered the main target as number 10 – also if ‘complicated’. #AFC …but if Real Madrid decide to let Ødegaard leave, Arsenal will be ready to make a proposal to sign Martin on permanent deal.”

And then, in response to a fan who asked whether Odegaard would want to come to the Emirates if Madrid didn’t want him, Romano simply replied with a “yes”.

Fans will be buzzing

While Odegaard may not have exploded onto the scene at the Emirates, he did show flashes of brilliance –  both with his creativity and off-the-ball work – to suggest that he could become a real star over a longer period for the Gunners.

As per WhoScored, the Norwegian averaged 1.4 key passes per game in the top-flight, which was the joint-highest of any Arsenal player last season along with Emile Smith Rowe.

Add to that, his 0.9 dribbles per match put him in the top five, while his impressive 90.9% pass accuracy was good enough to place him second in the Gunners’ entire squad.

Crucially, Arteta himself hailed the kind of quality Odegaard brought to the table, saying: “Well, he’s showing that I think from week one. The way he steps on the pitch, he always wants the ball, the way he commands the pressing. He’s been really influential.

“I think we’ve all been a bit surprised because he looks really shy and humble, but when he steps on that pitch he’s a real character and he loves to play football.”

With Arsenal having no Champions League or European football to offer whatsoever, news that Odegaard would be interested in making his return to the Emirates, and that the Gunners would look to sign him on a permanent deal however much money that costs, is news that’ll have fans buzzing.

Meanwhile, Arsenal have made an approach for this South American star…

Manchester City have been dealt a cruel blow ahead of the 2021/22 campaign, with Phil Foden still wearing a protective boot after suffering an injury at Euro 2020 earlier in the summer.

What’s the word?

Foden picked up an injury in training for England during the summer which meant that he missed the final against Italy and it seems clear that he is still recovering, as he was pictured wearing a protective boot on his right foot recently.

Given that City’s season kicks off on in less than two weeks when they face Leicester City in the Community Shield, it seems unlikely that he will be back to full fitness before then.

Due to a number of City’s players progressing into the latter stages of the European Championships and Copa America, Guardiola looks to have a very disjointed squad at the moment, and after a friendly against Troyes was cancelled, Tuesday night’s game against Preston North End is currently the only game the Citizens have planned before that trip to Wembley.

Is this a blow for Guardiola?

Given that Foden was one of City’s most impressive performers last season as they tasted success in the Premier League and the Carabao Cup, it is undoubtedly a blow that he could miss the start of the new season.

City face a tough test against Tottenham Hotspur in their opening Premier League fixture, and Guardiola have wanted to have a fully fit squad available to him for the trip to North London.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-manchester-city-transfer-rumours-and-news” title=”Read the latest Manchester City transfer rumours and news!”]

Last season saw the 21-year-old academy graduate contribute nine goals and five assists in 28 Premier League appearances, averaging an impressive 7.14 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

He was also key in City’s run to the Champions League final, starring in knockout stage wins against Borussia Dortmund and PSG, which solidified his status as a key player in Guardiola’s side.

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Therefore, if the “very special” Foden isn’t available for the start of the season thanks to the injury he suffered at the Euros, then City fans will be disappointed, as they will undoubtedly have been keen to see him in action when they return to stadiums en masse.

And, in other news… Man City handed huge boost with “exceptional” PL star, Pep surely buzzing

Beau Casson says he is ready to become Australia’s latest Test debutant if the opportunity arises when the third Test against West Indies begins in Barbados next week. Casson is the only backup slow bowler in the touring squad and the unexpected retirement of Stuart MacGill has suddenly thrust him into contention for an international call-up.Timing has been on Casson’s side. After a couple of lean state seasons, including 2006-07 when he moved from Western Australia to New South Wales and carried a shoulder injury through the summer, Casson came good in 2007-08 when a Test spin position finally became available. He said preparing against Australia’s top order during the West Indies trip had given him extra confidence.”We’ve got some of the most exceptional players of all time, not just of a certain era, and if you think if you’re going okay against them, you think you’re going to be pretty comfortable playing Test cricket,” Casson told the . “The way they go about their work, I’m learning a hell of a lot every day.”I would be kidding myself if I said I pictured it exactly like this. But it has always been a goal to play at the highest level and develop. After hurting my shoulder, that really set me back a bit and it was a bit of a long path to get it stronger and be able to bowl the overs I need to.”While Casson is thinking about a possible Test debut, there is no guarantee he will be the No. 1 spinner for New South Wales next season if MacGill continues to play state cricket. MacGill believes he still has plenty to offer the Blues but his plans were not received well by Terry Jenner, the spin coach who has worked with some of Australia’s young slow bowlers.”I hear he is going to play for New South Wales and I say why? It’s over,” Jenner told AAP. “He would be better now to move on, do some more wine shows and things like that and pass a few bottles of red around to us. The ideal thing would be for him now to make way, he’s had his moment and it didn’t quite work I think probably because his wrist never really recovered.”If MacGill does not return to the New South Wales setup it might open a door for Nathan Hauritz, who fell off the radar after playing his sole Test in India in 2004-05, to force his way back into first-class cricket. Hauritz, 26, has become a one-day specialist in state cricket but Jenner wants Australia to ensure the younger generation, including Dan Cullen and Cullen Bailey, get plenty of experience at first-class level.”These guys have got to learn to be four-day bowlers,” Jenner said. “Dot-ball bowlers aren’t four-day bowlers. It is difficult when you lose Warne who was the best ever, MacGill who is the best understudy ever and of course Brad Hogg who is the best one day spinner that was going around in world cricket. A year or so down the track … we will have people I think knocking on the door.”But none of those younger spinners are guaranteed to take over MacGill’s Cricket Australia contract for 2008-09. The chief executive James Sutherland and the operations manager Michael Brown discussed the issue on Friday and decided there was no rush to replace MacGill in the 25-man squad and instead they may wait and see if any players put their hands up with strong performances later in the year.

أكد نادي بايرن ميونخ بطل الدوري الألماني على ضم ظهير أيمن منتخب المغرب والفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي أياكس أمستردام، نصير مزراوي، في الميركاتو الصيفي المقبل رغم عدم الإعلان الرسمي.

وينتهي عقد مزراوي مع أياكس أمستردام بنهاية الموسم الحالي وتحديدًا في 30 يونيو المقبل، وبالتالي، يحق للمغربي الدولي الانتقال إلى أي فريق جديد دون العودة للإدارة الهولندية.

اقرأ أيضًا | جريشة: هدفا الأهلي وإنبي ليسا صحيحين.. وهناك ضربة جزاء غير محتسبة

وكان مزراوي قد أعلن بعد نهاية الدوري الهولندي أنه سينتقل إلى بايرن ميونخ بداية من الموسم المقبل بعد انتهاء المفاوضات بنجاح، دون تأكيد من النادي الألماني.

واليوم، جاء التأكيد من جانب بايرن ميونخ عن طريق مديره الرياضي، حسن صالح حميديتش، الذي أكد حسم الصفقة خلال حواره مع قناة “Sport1” الألمانية.

وعلق حميديتش على الصفقة المحتملة الثانية من أياكس وهي، ريان جرافينبيرش، وقال: “نحن في مفاوضات جيدة في الوقت الحالي مع اللاعب، نريد أن نعزز صفوف بايرن ميونخ في جميع المراكز”.

MatériaMais Notícias

A estreia de Hyoran no Palmeiras rendeu ao meia uma noite de sono inquieto. Apesar da boa atuação no segundo tempo contra a Ponte Preta, o camisa 28 não esquece a última chance que teve no jogo de quarta, quando parou em uma boa defesa de Aranha.

-Rolei umas cinco vezes na cama para cada lado, sonhei, imaginei como seria, seria um sonho na estreia fazer um gol, mas foi uma boa partida. O resultado não foi o que a gente almejava, mas foi gratificante para mim jogar bem – afirmou o jogador em entrevista na Academia de Futebol.

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-Aquele momento realmente o Aranha foi muito bem e me surpreendeu. Como eu bati já estava saindo para comemorar. Fiquei feliz com a atuação, me senti bem na estreia, entrei em uma situação difícil com um a menos e perdendo. A derrota não foi legal, mas desempenhei legal o papel que o Edu pediu e por um detalhe não conseguimos o empate – acrescentou.

Contratado por R$ 7 milhões da Chapecoense, o meia não foi inicialmente inscrito no Campeonato Paulista. O clube aproveitou o período para fazê-lo ganhar massa muscular. Ele ficou 5kg mais forte e entrou na vaga de Arouca no Estadual. O atleta já sente diferenças pelo trabalho que fez no Verdão.

-Agregou um pouco de tudo. A força e agilidade me ajudam até em dribles, divididas eu me sinto mais preparado. Temos jogos do Paulista, e Libertadores, que são mais duros. O ganho de massa nestes são bons para jogos de contato – explicou.

-Tive que comer bastante, me cuidar bastante e trabalhei bastante. Tenho de agradecer a todos do Palmeiras que deram este suporte. Alguns acharam que quando fiquei fora da lista do Paulista ia me abater, mas serviu para dar força e fazer o trabalho que o Palmeiras fez para mim. Agradecer fisiologia, preparação física, nutrição, porque com eles fizemos um trabalho legal de ganho de massa e estou me sentindo muito bem – completou.

NAIROBI – Shane Watson saved Australia from the most humiliating defeatin its long cricket history but struggled to give himself a pass markfor his effort.The world champion side was on the verge of losing to Kenya – a non-Testnation which hardly ever plays at international level – before Watsoncame to the rescue with a couple of lusty blows in the penultimate over.With Australia needing 19 to win off 12 balls, Watson hit a a four and asix, saw off a no-ball and then took a single before Brett Lee hitanother six to tie the scores with six balls left.Watson then hit the winning runs as Australia reached 5-205 to win byfive wickets with five balls to spare.Acting Australian captain Adam Gilchrist said he almost had to cheer upWatson afterwards.”He’s pretty hard on himself,” Gilchrist explained.”He thinks he could have done things a little bit better or a little bitdifferently but I’ve said to him ‘At the end of the day you’ve won agame for us mate – not many people get a chance to do that for theircountry’.”Watson almost grudgingly accepted the kudos after making 77 not out off114 balls.It was his first half-century in 11 games for Australia, coming off 81balls, but he blamed himself for not scoring at a better rate on adifficult deck.”I had to make sure I got us home because I got us into trouble,” Watsonsaid.”Obviously it’s good to win a game for your country but I wasn’t veryhappy with the way I hit the ball – I hit the ball to the fielders alot.”However, Watson was never too worried the game was out of Australia’sreach even though six runs an over were needed for the last 16 overs.”I never thought it would get away from us, I knew all we needed was acouple of boundaries to get us back level. I was never worried.”Watson went in at No.4 as Australia kept back Matthew Hayden and DamienMartyn in an effort to test the mettle of the lower order.Never at any stage, did he hope Hayden would step through the gate andonto the field to join him.”We’ve got good enough players to get ourselves out of a toughsituation,” Watson said.”Brett Lee’s a good striker of the ball and so is Shane Warne so I neverthought at any time it would be good to have a specialist batsman outthere.”He said the experience would do him the world of good further down theline.”Even though I didn’t hit them that well it’s good to put myself intothat position because I know that, hopefully, at the World Cup, in thesemifinals or something like that, I’ll be able to handle myself underpressure.”Gilchrist agreed, saying it was strong effort from a player who has beentouted as the answer to the hard-to-fill all-rounder’s spot.”It’s another step in his climb up the ladder towards cementing a spot,”Gilchrist said.”He’ll get a lot from this.”

Wasim Akram, superbly supported by Shoaib Akhtar and Shahid Afridi, had handed the second match of the Super Challenge, to Pakistan on a silver platter

Omar Kureishi19-Jun-2002Wasim Akram, superbly supported by Shoaib Akhtar and Shahid Afridi, had handed the second match of the Super Challenge, to Pakistan on a silver platter. Australia had been bowled out for 167 and Pakistan, had it chosen, could have got these runs in singles.Instead it made an unholy mess of its batting and the match went to the wire and Pakistan scraped through by the skin of its teeth.In the first match Pakistan had been blown away and we rationalized that the team had not adjusted to the extra bounce of the Australian wickets, the batsmen had no clue where their off stump was and hung out their bats, as one hangs out the laundry and the bowlers bowled too short and gave too much width. The bowlers had learnt from the first match. Not so the batsmen. Clearly much work needs to be done to bring some discipline in the batting.A gutsy innings from Younis Khan saw Pakistan home but he had his share of luck because the Australians were not so sharp in the field, off-season blues, as one commentator described it.Pakistan lost Saeed Anwar in the first over, run out when he backed up too far and was a little lazy in getting back. To our consternation, Azhar Mahmood was sent in next. It made no sense to change the batting order and if the order had to be changed Shahid Afridi who is an opening batsman, should have been sent.To no one’s surprise Azhar had only a walk-on role to play and with Imran Nazir, out of sorts and all at sea, Pakistan was soon on the back foot. Inzamam did not look fit and was limping and he was out to a wild shot.I was surprised that he had not asked for a runner unless he brought his injury to the match which should raise some eye-brows. I raise the question once more about Pakistan getting itself a fitness trainer. The trainer need not necessarily come from abroad.In the seventies when Geoff Hunt ruled the squash world, we discovered that what separated him from a bevy of Pakistani champions was his supreme fitness. If we had to dethrone him, we could have to match his fitness.Nur Khan arranged for a fitness trainer from the PAF. I still remember him as a very tall man, ramrod-straight and a no-nonsense man. I had nicknamed him ‘Commando’. He put the players through their paces and they howled in protest. He was too strict. But there was no let-up, no relaxation. Came the Irish Open in Dublin, Geoff Hunt was beaten and from then on, Pakistan reigned supreme in the squash world.I don’t ascribe all their success to the fitness-training. The Pakistanis were superb players but they had also become extremely fit.Mark Waugh who has turned commentator rated Australia and Pakistan as the two best teams in the world. According to him, Australia had the edge in fielding and running-between-wickets. It seems a fair evaluation.I think Pakistan was ‘unlucky’ with the umpiring in the second match. Damien Martyn was caught by Waqar Younis and Waqar claimed the catch. Darrel Hair who was standing only ten meters away and was in a position to judge himself whether it was a clean catch or not, chose to ask the third umpire. The moment this is done, some doubts are created in the minds of the third umpire and its almost a certainty that the benefit of doubt will go to the batsman.I don’t think umpires should abdicate their responsibilities merely because technology is available. In the good, old days, a fielder’s word was enough whether he had caught the ball cleanly or not.Martyn should have asked Waqar. But these are not the good, old days.Still, Pakistan go to Brisbane, one-all. This match will be played under open skies and Pakistan will have to brave the elements which includes the Australian winter. The ball seams a lot on the Brisbane (GABA) tracks.I have fond memories of Brisbane which is one of the most beautiful cities in Australia. The going will be tough for Pakistan but Pakistan has the bowling to make life difficult for Australia.It is the batting that is a matter of concern. Saeed Anwar has yet to face a ball in the Super Challenge. It would be great if he could get some big runs on his come-back and give Pakistan the start it hasn’t had so far.

Dean Windass thinks Jack Grealish’s Aston Villa future could depend on how the club start the season, but has tipped the midfielder to be gone before Christmas.

Grealish is on the radar of champions Manchester City, who’re desperate to sign both the Aston Villa man and Harry Kane in a sensational double swoop this summer.

Whilst Manchester United and Chelsea might have their say, strong reports believe that both sides are willing to make the deal happen.

Grealish is currently away with England at the European Championships, with his excellent form for his club making him one of the hottest talents in the Premier League.

The Villa captain missed a large chunk of last season through injury, but still managed an impressive 18 goal contributions in just 26 appearances, with his 12 assists bettered only by Kevin De Bruyne, Bruno Fernandes, and Three Lions colleague Kane.

With four years remaining on the deal he signed following Villa’s escape last summer, City or whoever will need to pay around the £100m mark, but Windass told The Transfer Tavern that he doesn’t expect the 25-year-old to stay loyal to his boyhood club:

“I can’t see Jack Grealish being at Aston Villa by Christmas. If he has a good Euro’s, he starts well and then Villa struggle, but it depends on what Villa do.

“They’ve spent a lot of money on Buendia, but where does Jack Grealish want to go, where do his ambitions lie? He’s a local lad, he’s captain, he’s their king, but depending on how Villa do, will depend on what happens to Jack Grealish.”

MatériaMais Notícias

Pressionado pela chegada de Luís Fabiano, novo reforço do Vasco, o atacante cruzmaltino Thalles atuou durante os 90 minutos, neste sábado, na partida contra a Portuguesa, pela quinta rodada do Grupo B da Taça Guanabara, e marcou o único gol do jogo em São Januário.

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Contente com sua atuação, o camisa 9 ressaltou a importância do tento, que classificou o time cruzmaltino às semifinais da competição.

– Foi importante, a equipe estava precisando. Mas, graças a Deus, eu pude dar uma vitória ao Vasco – afirmou o atacante, que deixou a sua marca pela terceira vez no Campeonato Carioca de 2017.

Com o triunfo, o Cruz-Maltino chegou aos nove pontos e ficou em segundo no Grupo B. Na próxima fase, o time pode pegar Flamengo ou Madureira, que se enfrentam neste domingo.

Glasgow Rangers transfer target Joseph Okumu has revealed he is ready to take the next step and leave current club Elfsborg.

The Lowdown: Gers want Okumu

The Gers have been heavily linked with a move for Okumu (Aftonbladet), who currently plays in the Swedish Allsvenskan.

Their fierce city rivals Celtic have also been linked with a move for the central defender, who has been compared to Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk (mozzartsportke.com).

The Latest: Okumu speaks out on future

Speaking to Swedish outlet Fotbolldirekt.se, Okumu admitted he is ready to take the next step. He said:

“Yes, definitely [will take the next step]. The most important thing is that I have already made an impression here.

“When I have done that, and both I and the club are satisfied. I think we have the same interests here, that I will take the next step.

“I let my agent take care of it. When there is something concrete, he will let me know, but we have not talked about this, so I am not so sure about it.”

The Verdict: Time to strike

These comments from the 24-year-old indicate that it is time for the Gers to strike if they want to take him to Ibrox. While not directed at Rangers explicitly, this is a come-and-get-me plea to any of the clubs interested in the Kenya international’s services.

It has previously been said Elfsborg are looking for a fee of at least 40m SEK – about £3.4m. That would be a considerable sum for the 55-time Scottish champions, but with them in with a chance of qualifying for the Champions League group stages, they should not be frugal as they look for new signings. It remains to be seen whether Ross Wilson and co react to Okumu’s words.

In other news, Rangers have been urged to sign this man with 24 goals/assists last term.