Wojciech Szczesny became surplus to requirements at Arsenal before he permanently left the club in 2017.
Petr Cech and David Ospina were first and second choice respectively under manger Arsene Wenger, who ended his 22-year spell in charge of the Gunners last week.
Szczesny began dropping out of the team in 2015 when he was sent on loan to Roma, where he spent two years before sealing a permanent switch away from Arsenal.
The 28-year-old moved from Rome to Turin in a transfer to Juventus, but he had to settle for a drop in the pecking order due to Gianluigi Buffon standing in his way.
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Szczesny would have known that he had little chance of breaking through due to the legendary status of his teammate.
However, this week it was announced that Buffon will leave Juve following a 17-year stint with the Italian giants.
The nine-time title winner’s departure frees up the number one spot, and club chairman Andrea Agnelli has confirmed that Szczesny will be promoted to the top spot.
Arsenal fans reacted to the news on Reddit.
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Liverpool have made their a £52.5m (60m euros) bid for Lyon playmaker Nabil Fekir, 24, according to French outlet Le Parisien.
What’s the story, then?
Links between Fekir and Liverpool have been swirling for weeks now but Le Parisien report that the Reds have only just made their first concrete bid for the French international.
The report also claims that Fekir wants to have his future resolved by the time the World Cup starts but that the bid still doesn’t fully match Lyon’s valuation of the playmaker.
It also goes on to say that the ‘deadline’ of June 16, when France play their first match of the tournament against Australia may well not be met due to complications to be ironed out with the deal.
Liverpool must act fast again
The capture of Monaco man Fabinho was as impressive as it was sudden. Liverpool’s interest in Fekir has rumbled on for a while already and it would be in everybody’s interests for a deal to be concluded snappily once more.
Transfer sagas that run into World Cups are not a great idea for anyone; the club cannot adequately plan for next season, and the player is distracted through what should be a hugely enjoyable experience.
If Liverpool could snare another of Ligue 1’s top talents before the Russian showpiece begins, it would also lay down a major marker that they mean business next season.
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Fulham have shown an interest in signing Liverpool midfielder Marko Grujic, according to Goal.com.
What’s the word?
The Serbian international has been part of the Merseyside outfit since his 2016 switch from Red Star Belgrade, but game time has been an issue.
The 22-year-old has struggled to land a regular spot in the first team, which resulted in a loan move last season.
In January, Grujic moved to Cardiff City on loan and helped the Welsh outfit earn promotion to the Premier League.
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It remains unlikely that the midfielder will break into Jurgen Klopp’s team in the 2018-19 campaign, and Goal.com reports that Fulham are potentially interested in a temporary deal.
What should Grujic do?
It is an exciting time at Liverpool following a positive campaign, which included a top-four finish and reaching the Champions League final.
Unfortunately for the Reds, they were unable to overcome Real Madrid in the Kiev showpiece, but their exciting fast-paced football has certainly caught the eye.
From Grujic’s point of view, he would struggle to gain a first-team place and it is in his best interests to rack up some minutes elsewhere.
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Fulham would be an ideal fit for the Serbian as they adopt a passing style that the young midfielder could potentially thrive in.
On top of that, Grujic will be playing Premier League football following the Cottagers’ promotion via the playoffs, which means that he can test himself against some of the best teams in the country.
Aston Villa’s poor financial situation has been well-documented and the Mirror report that they will demand £40m from Tottenham for their star man Jack Grealish this summer.
Squad depth has been a prolonged issue for Mauricio Pochettino during his time in North London and notoriously tough negotiator Daniel Levy has clearly spied an opportunity to engineer a cheap deal with Tony Xia desperately battling to balance the books at Villa Park.
Nevertheless, there is generally a disconnect between what makes sense from a financial point of view and what a football manager is after in order to bolster his team so it is worth looking at the potential consequences of any deal to take the promising English playmaker to Spurs.
That’s exactly what we’ve done; examined the deal from all angles to look at the practical considerations for Pochettino and Tottenham if Grealish does pitch up this summer…
Spurs have the choice to go 4-3-3
Grealish’s improvement this season has been in part brought about by an adjustment in his position as Steve Bruce settled on a 4-3-3 at Villa Park.
He has moved to a deeper role, playing in a similar style to Kevin de Bruyne at Manchester City, as a playmaker with licence to drive from midfield.
Therefore, while Grealish could operate in one of the three advanced roles behind Harry Kane in Pochettino’s 4-2-3-1, he would also give the Argentine the option to go to 4-3-3, potentially with himself and Dele Alli bursting forward from that deeper area.
Aston Villa miss out on promotion again
Soccer Football – Championship Play-Off Final – Fulham vs Aston Villa – Wembley Stadium, London, Britain – May 26, 2018 Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce gestures Action Images via Reuters/Carl Recine EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative fo
There were many outstanding performers for Villa last season as Bruce moulded them into an effective side but Grealish was the man who sprinkled the stardust on.
Lewis Grabban and Robert Snodgrass were loanees who have now returned to their Premier League clubs, while John Terry has departed.
With precious little funds available, the apple of the Holte End’s eye departing his boyhood club could well spell the end of Villa’s promotion hopes before the 2018/19 has even started.
Christian Eriksen is allowed to leave
After Antoine Griezmann committed his future to Atletico Madrid, the Daily Mail reported that Barcelona have turned their attention to Spurs playmaker Eriksen as a transfer target this summer.
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As much as Tottenham are ambitious, Levy may well be tempted to cash in on the Dane if he can engineer a cut-price deal for a young Englishman to replace his creativity.
Yet, as we touched on above, Grealish is a slightly different type of creator to Eriksen, although the former Ajax man has the hallmarks of a player who may move slightly deeper to add more guile to Spurs build-up.
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Nottingham Forest failed in their quest for promotion to the Premier League last season, but they will have another chance come August.
Aitor Karanka took over as manager in January, which means that the 2018-19 campaign will be his first full season in charge.
On Thursday, Forest announced their fixtures, and first up will be an away trip to take on Bristol City on August 4.
The Reds will return to the City Ground for their opening home match of the campaign on Tuesday, August 7 when they will go head to head with newly-demoted side West Bromwich Albion.
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Reading, Wigan Athletic and Birmingham City will make up the fixtures in August, as well as a Carabao Cup tie against Bury at home.
Over the festive period, Queens Park Rangers and Leeds United will visit the City Ground, while Karanka’s side will travel to take on Norwich City and Millwall.
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On the final day of the season, Forest will go head to head with Bolton Wanderers, who managed to come from behind to beat the Reds 3-2 to save themselves from relegation to League One last season.
Forest fans have been tweeting their thoughts on the fixture schedule.
Tottenham Hotspur continue to be strongly linked with a move for Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish – as recently covered by The Mirror – but the London club should drop their interest to pursue a possible deal for Manchester United’s Juan Mata.
What’s the story?
Tottenham are one of a number of clubs believed to be interested in a move for Grealish, who is widely expected to leave Villa Park in this summer’s transfer window.
Villa would have found it difficult to keep the 22-year-old regardless of their financial problems, having failed to secure a return to the Premier League.
Villa reportedly value Grealish in the region of £40m, but according to The Mirror, Spurs are in no rush to complete a deal as they look to take advantage of the Championship club’s issues.
Liverpool have also been credited with an interest in a player who scored three times and registered five assists in 27 Championship appearances last season.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”257236″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Five things we learned from England 21 Tunisia”]
Mauricio Pochettino’s side, however, should be looking at a potential deal for United attacker Mata, who may well become available in this summer’s transfer window.
Why would Mata suit Tottenham?
There are currently no indications that United boss Jose Mourinho would be prepared to sell Mata this summer, with the Spaniard a regular last term.
Indeed, the former Valencia attacker, who is valued at £27m by transfermarkt.co.uk, made 40 appearances in all competitions during the 2017-18 campaign, but he actually only managed three goals.
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Fred’s arrival at Old Trafford means that Mourinho will more than likely switch to a 4-3-3 formation next season, and Mata will find it difficult to gain one of the wide positions, with Alexis Sanchez’s January arrival providing more competition.
At the age of 30, Mata will want first-team football, and his football brain and ability to work the ball in tight areas would be perfect for Tottenham.
Christian Eriksen, Dele Alli and Harry Kane would all benefit operating alongside a player of Mata’s ilk and experience, and Tottenham should test the water with a bid for the 41-time Spain international in this summer’s transfer window.
For some time, Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini was rumoured to be a target of Arsenal.
The Belgian international divides opinion among football fans, with many regularly frustrated by his bullish antics on the pitch.
The link to Arsenal was a surprising one, particularly as it emerged when Arsene Wenger was still manager.
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Fellaini does not feel like a natural Wenger-type player, and when Unai Emery took over at the Emirates, the speculation cooled.
According to The Times, the midfielder did hold talks with Arsenal’s head of recruitment Sven Mislintat, but instead opted to sign a new two-year contract at United, which includes the option of a further year.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”255574″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Four World Cup myths debunked”]
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The overwhelming reaction from the United fans has been one of dismay, but it has been the complete opposite from Arsenal supporters.
Once the news was announced by their rivals, the Gunners’ following took to social media to express their relief and joy.
Comment from discussion Gunners rejoice! Fellaini continuing journey as a Manchester United player.Comment from discussion Gunners rejoice! Fellaini continuing journey as a Manchester United player.Comment from discussion Gunners rejoice! Fellaini continuing journey as a Manchester United player.Comment from discussion Gunners rejoice! Fellaini continuing journey as a Manchester United player.Comment from discussion Gunners rejoice! Fellaini continuing journey as a Manchester United player.Comment from discussion Gunners rejoice! Fellaini continuing journey as a Manchester United player.Comment from discussion Gunners rejoice! Fellaini continuing journey as a Manchester United player.Comment from discussion Gunners rejoice! Fellaini continuing journey as a Manchester United player.Comment from discussion Gunners rejoice! Fellaini continuing journey as a Manchester United player.
Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, and a dead Ahmedabad pitch (21 wickets and seven centuries in five days) put paid to Sri Lanka’s dream of a first Test win in India
The Bulletin by Sidharth Monga20-Nov-2009 Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were outSachin Tendulkar crossed 30,000 international runs, and reached his 88th international century•AFP
Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, and a dead Ahmedabad pitch (21 wickets and seven centuries in five days) put paid to Sri Lanka’s dream of a first Test win in India. Gambhir played out 110 deliveries for 40 runs, and Tendulkar 211 for 100 runs; both of them looked entirely at home in the role of saving a Test, not letting dot balls affect their minds.By the time the final session of the match arrived, the only question left unanswered was whether Tendulkar would get to his 88th international century. Kumar Sangakkara didn’t seem pleased with being kept on the field in the mandatory overs while Tendulkar moved towards the ton. The bowlers started bowling way outside off stump, and Tendulkar retorted in his own inimitable manner. He walked across to a delivery so wide it would have been called in an ODI, and flicked it to the square-leg boundary to get into the 90s. He had to work similarly hard for the rest of the runs too. As soon as he got there, the captains agreed to call off the match with six overs still to go.Sri Lanka started the day 144 ahead, and needed eight Indian wickets to force a result, but met a docile pitch and determined batting. The only break in concentration came in the second session when Gambhir stepped out to launch Rangana Herath out of the ground, and ended up losing his wicket. That was not before he had reached his seventh century: four of them, including his last three, have come in the second innings, two of them in match-saving scenarios. He now averages 59.55 in the second innings, against 54.22 overall.Sri Lanka were not helped by the hamstring injury to Dammika Prasad, who didn’t bowl in the first session, and Muttiah Muralitharan’s ineffectiveness: he didn’t take a wicket in 38 second-innings overs. Previously Murali had gone wicketless in the second innings of a match only six times; the most he had bowled in such scenarios was 17 overs. Their problems on the unhelpful pitch were summed up by how Amit Mishra, nightwatchman from yesterday, got to his personal best score and frustrated them for 26 deliveries on the fifth morning.
Smart Stats
Gautam Gambhir’s 114 was his fourth century in the second innings; he averages 59.55 in the second innings, significantly higher than his overall average of 54.22.
Sachin Tendulkar’s 43rd Test century was 11th in the second innings; he averages 54.79 overall but it dips to 42.40 in the second innings.
A total of 1598 runs were scored in the Test, the second-highest aggregate for Tests in India.
The Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad ranks fourth in the list of Indian venues with the highest average runs per wicket. Each wicket averages 34.88 at the venue, but the list is headed by the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi with 35.88.
Muttiah Muralitharan was played cautiously but was kept at bay by each of the batsmen. Gambhir took him for 31 off 73, Amit Mishra made 2 off 22, Tendulkar scored 32 off 50 and Laxman 25 off 50.
Gambhir, at the other end, was in his Napier-like mode from earlier this year, when he batted 643 minutes for 137 runs to save the Test. Even today, he was not interested in scoring, or in other words he didn’t let being stuck at one end bother him much. Angelo Mathews bowled well in Prasad’s absence, hitting good lengths consistently, getting some of them to stay low and getting the odd one to seam away off the rare crack on the pitch. But Gambhir took most of the strike to him, playing 30 consecutive balls from Mathews for no run in the first hour, certain in his judgement outside off, and coming forward to straighter deliveries to negate the odd shooter.Against spinners, Gambhir preferred to stay back, or jump out of the track and get close enough to the delivery. He did pull out the big hits in the 90s, as he is used to doing because he prefers to get the 90s done with quickly. He took 61 deliveries to move from overnight 74 to 90, but then hit three boundaries in six balls to reach his century quickly. And then scored two runs in 25 deliveries. The approach in the 90s was similar to that in Napier, when he stepped out and lofted Daniel Vettori and Jeetan Patel for fours in consecutive overs.Post lunch, when Gambhir played his only rash shot, he left the saunter towards safety in Tendulkar’s hands. Tendulkar had started off fluently, driving Murali against the spin for two boundaries, and punching Mathews for one, and once he got comfortable in the middle he too opted to play for time. Between them Gambhir and Tendulkar played out 24 overs. The latter had reached 32 off 75 deliveries, and slowed down even more after that.Sri Lanka tried one of the last rolls of the dice, taking the new ball and getting Prasad to bowl despite the injury. But neither Prasad nor Chanaka Welegedara could find enough from the pitch to disturb Tendulkar or VVS Laxman. For a while Tendulkar shut shop completely, scoring three runs in 26 deliveries. By that time he had reached 30,000 international runs, and it seemed torturous to make the fast bowlers keep bowling on this pitch.The spinners came back on, the match started moving towards a slow draw again. By tea Tendulkar had crossed 50, India had erased the deficit, and Tendulkar and Laxman had played out another 24 overs. Post the interval, both Tendulkar and Laxman batted with more intent, in the knowledge that the game had been saved. Sri Lankan bowlers tried various angles of attack, but there was little left to play for, and both the batsmen duly reached personal milestones.
The IPL opened its doors a little to players from Pakistan once again, though it was made more difficult for the four players with suspended contracts to take part in the league’s next edition
Osman Samiuddin10-Dec-2009The IPL opened its doors a little to players from Pakistan once again, though ironically it was made more difficult for the four players with existing – albeit suspended – contracts to take part in the next edition of the lucrative league. Non-contracted Pakistani players, however, can enter this season’s auction, a step forward from last seasonKamran Akmal, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul and Misbah-ul-Haq, the gang of four who already had existing contracts with franchises, had their visas cleared earlier today by the Indian ministry of external affairs, briefly raising hopes that they may be allowed in after all. But because they missed the December 7 deadline to do so, their contracts remain suspended, according to Lalit Modi, chairman IPL. It wasn’t, however, a total reinforcement of the league’s earlier decision which ruled them out totally; they can, in the right circumstances, still appear.”The current players will be kept in suspension as they have not fulfilled their obligations,” Modi told Cricinfo. “The current suspended players cannot go to the auction. But they will be available to the franchisee for replacement if they have a spot. So their price does not change and others cannot bid for them as it will be a disadvantage for the existing owners.”Essentially this means that Tanvir, for example, can play for Rajasthan Royals only if they decide to free up a spot in their squad by getting rid of another foreign player. This will not be straightforward as the franchises involved – Rajasthan Royals (Tanvir and Akmal), Kolkata Knight Riders (Gul) and Bangalore Royal Challengers (Misbah) – have already replaced their Pakistani players after the contracts were first suspended.This will come as a disappointment not only to the players but to chairman Ijaz Butt and the PCB. Butt has fought hard to get his players back into the IPL after they were prevented by their own government from playing in the second season, a fallout of a deterioration in political ties between India and Pakistan after the Mumbai attacks of 2008. He met Modi in October to begin finding a way back for the players. After confirming that visas had been granted earlier today, Butt intended to speak to Modi to try and get the four back in, despite missing the deadline, which had already been extended twice.Some gains seem to have been made, however, as other non-contracted Pakistani players can enter this season’s auction. “Others who are not with any franchisee can be in the auction. They need to apply by December 31. Once we get their request we will then put them on the list and fix a price,” Modi said, before adding that “all contracts expire after this season and we will then go through new process again.”In an ideal world, Pakistani players such as Shahid Afridi, Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Aamer would be attractive purchases in any auction, given that they won the World Twenty20 earlier this year and are generally considered the leading nation in the format. But franchises may find the red tape and paperwork to get through in getting players over too much.On a day of swift developments, Modi also addressed a press conference after news of the visa clearances came through, but full clarity is yet to be reached; who, for example, will initiate contact between franchises and Pakistan players for the auction; and what paperwork will be required for new Pakistani players to appear in the next IPL.
Mohammad Asif completed a stunning six-wicket haul before the end of his 18th over as part of Pakistan’s broader demolition of Australia. In union with Mohammad Sami, who dismissed Australia’s top three batsmen before the first drinks break, Asif exploite
The Bulletin by Alex Brown at the SCG03-Jan-2010
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details Mohammad Asif was the toast of the Pakistan team with 6 for 41•Getty Images
Mohammad Asif completed a career-best six-wicket haul as part of Pakistan’s broader demolition of Australia that called into question Ricky Ponting’s decision to bat first on a Sydney green-top. In union with Mohammad Sami, who dismissed Australia’s top three batsmen before the first drinks break, Asif exploited the heavy pitch and atmospheric conditions to full effect to rout Australia for 127 – their second-lowest total batting first at the SCG and worst at home since 1996.Ponting was left to rue the decision to bat first on a green, seaming pitch after rain delayed the coin toss until shortly before 2pm. Not since his infamous decision to send England into bat at Edgbaston in 2005 has Ponting called correctly and opted to bowl. How he must wish to have his time over.Only a 44-run eighth-wicket stand between Mitchell Johnson and Nathan Hauritz saved Australia from complete embarassment although, as it stood, the humiliation ran deep enough. Sami, playing his first Test in more than two years following a stint in the unauthorised ICL, scythed through Australia’s top order with seven overs of express pace and prodigious movement to account for Phillip Hughes, Ponting and Shane Watson before the first drinks break.Asif then swung into gear in the period leading up to tea with the wickets of Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, Marcus North and Brad Haddin. He went onto remove Hauritz and Johnson to finish with the career-best figures of 6 for 41 as Australia were rolled inside 45 overs.Pakistan’s opening batsmen, Imran Farhat and Salman Butt, added 14 runs without loss before bad light stopped play 4.1 overs into the tourists’ innings. Both survived the odd anxious moment, particularly against Doug Bollinger, but their battles paled into insignificance compared to those experienced by the Australian batsmen against a Pakistan attack at its enigmatic best.Sami was an eleventh-hour inclusion in the Pakistani side after the withdrawal of Mohammad Aamer, one of the heroes of Melbourne, with a groin injury. The move almost paid immediate dividends when Sami had Hughes, a replacement for the injured Simon Katich, dropped by the hard-handed Umar Akmal at backward point from his first delivery. Retribution followed in the next over, however, when Sami lured Hughes into an aggressive push to a straighter, fuller delivery that flew low to Faisal Iqbal at second slip.The inspired paceman then removed Ponting with his very next ball, wafting at a shorter delivery that reared off the surface, and might well have completed a hat-trick had Billy Doctrove ruled Watson out to an excellent lbw appeal that struck him on the front toe. The Pakistanis sent the decision for video review, however Hawk-Eye confirmed Sami’s 150kph bolt had struck the batsman outside the line of off stump. Watson successfully dodged that bullet, but was not so lucky in Sami’s next over, edging a seaming, straightening delivery to Kamran Akmal.That left Sami with figures of 3 for 5 from his first four overs, and Australia gasping for breath. Clarke rounded out an eventful hour by successfully overturning Asoka de Silva’s decision to adjudge him lbw to an Umar Gul delivery that was comfortably clearing the stumps, but his defiance ended shortly after the drinks break when he was bowled through the gate to an Asif delivery that straightened off the pitch.The task fell to Hussey and North, both well short of peak form, to pull Australia from the mire. Neither looked comfortable repelling Asif’s relentlessly probing lines and it came as little surprise when Hussey fell to a top-edged pull-stroke that was accepted by Misbah-ul-Haq in the slips. North followed next ball, waving at a delivery outside his off-stump, and Asif completed the first session rout by removing an attack-minded Haddin.Australia enjoyed a brief period of respite in the final session as Johnson and Hauritz took the attack to the Pakistanis. The hosts showed no nerves through the nineties – a curious twist on an oft-mentioned topic this summer – as the lower-order duo pounded 17 runs from one Danish Kaneria over to guide the team into triple figures.But the wheels fell off thereafter. Hauritz was bowled to an Asif delivery angled back into the right-hander, while Johnson fell attempting to loft over extra-cover. Umar Gul completed the rout with the final wicket of Doug Bollinger – the sixth Australian batsman to post a single-figure total – to close out the hosts’ innings in just 44.2 overs.Much will be made of Ponting’s “anti-Edgbaston” moment at the coin toss, but few of Pakistan’s wickets were the result of exaggerated aerial or surface movement. Disciplined Pakistani bowling and questionable Australian decision-making played as much of a role in the hosts’ disintegration as swing or seam. Let the inquest begin.