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Arsenal have announced that midfielder Christian Norgaard has signed for the club from Premier League side Brentford.

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Gunners add Norgaard to squadSigns in transfer worth £12mArsenal strengthening squad ahead of title pushFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Norgaard has become Arsenal's third signing of the summer transfer window, joining Kepa Arrizabalaga and Martin Zubimendi at the Emirates. He moves after impressing with Brentford and has signed a two-year deal with Mikel Arteta's side as the Gunners look to finally go from challenging for the Premier League to potentially winning it next season, alongside a strong showing in the Champions League.

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Norgaard spent six years at Brentford, playing a crucial role in helping the club cement its place in the Premier League after their 2021 promotion from the Championship. The Danish international was a consistent presence last season, starting 34 matches. In total, he made 196 appearances for the west London side during his time at the club.

WHAT NORGAARD SAID

Speaking to Arsenal's club media, Norgaard revealed that his move to Arsenal also stemmed from his dream of playing the Champions League. The Dane said: “You can get almost emotional because maybe it was a dream that I've given a little bit up on coming towards the later stage in my career.

“I've just turned 31 and had signed a new deal with Brentford. Of course, there's always a little chance that a miracle could happen with Brentford, but it was probably unrealistic to play Champions League with them.

“Now, I get to hear the anthem and be a part of a Champions League campaign. It's a childhood dream and something I didn't think would be possible. So it's something I'm really, really happy about.”

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Arsenal have officially begun their pre-season training for the 2025/26 season on July 15. It is likely that Norgaard will be able to participate with the first team starting tomorrow, and will have some time to gel with the squad before they begin their Asian pre-season tour.

Bids were due to be submitted by December 22, but after the meeting between the PM and PCB head, bidders were informed that the process would be delayed

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Dec-2023The bidding for the broadcast and media rights for the PSL has been delayed by two weeks to the beginning of January, meaning the ninth season of the league will only land a broadcast deal a month before it is due to start. Though bids will be submitted to the PCB, the winner will have to be approved by IPC, the government’s ministry for inter-provincial coordination.The delay once again highlights the limitations of the current interim PCB administration, which is under a government mandate to only make decisions on day-to-day affairs and organise elections to set up the Board of Governors. Zaka Ashraf, the current PCB head, met with the interim Prime Minister and patron of the PCB in Islamabad earlier in the week and was told once again that organising the elections and managing daily affairs were his priority.”The Prime Minister/Patron PCB directed PCB that all decisions having financial and contractual implications shall only be taken with the approval of Prime Minister/Patron PCB,” reads a note sent by the IPC to Ashraf after the meeting, and seen by ESPNcricinfo. “Any appointment or awards of rights or contracts of any sort will be violation of the directions of Patron PCB.”The note ends with another reminder that no progress report has been given by the PCB on the organisation of its elections.Related

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Technical bids for PSL broadcast were due to be submitted by December 22, but after the meeting between the Prime Minister and Ashraf, potential bidders were informed by the PCB that the process would be delayed. The PSL’s broadcast rights have been an important source of revenue for the PCB, fetching USD 24 million for two seasons under the deal just ended. That, in itself, represented a 50% boost on the preceding deal.It is believed the new deal will be for two seasons, in 2024 and 2025. A number of local sports channels are expected to submit bids and there has been speculation about multiple broadcasters forming a consortium to submit bids. Traditionally, the PSL is broadcast live on multiple channels available for viewing in Pakistan, including PTV (Pakistan Television, the state-run broadcaster).Though the draft for the ninth season was held last week, a schedule has not yet been finalised for the ninth season. The start of the season is complicated by general nationwide elections in the country from February 8. The tenure for the current administration also ends on February 4. It is likely the season will begin in mid-February and though there had been talk of moving the start to the UAE, it will go ahead in Pakistan.It is unusual for the state to be directly involved in approving broadcast deals, but it illustrates the administrative limbo the game is in Pakistan at the moment. Because the authority of the administration is so limited, they have been unable to fire the previous team management set-up, but have new personnel in place. Mickey Arthur, the former team director, and Grant Bradburn, the head coach, have been replaced by Mohammad Hafeez in both capacities, but neither of them have been officially ousted by the board. When Ashraf’s tenure ends, and depending on the new government post-elections, it is very likely a new PCB administration will be in place, which may involve yet more upheaval.

Brentford have become the latest club to welcome an A-list investor onto their books, with supermodel Claudia Schiffer now part of the Bees family.

Bees are attracting more investorsGerman model part of the familyOwns minority stake alongside husbandFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱GettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The 54-year-old German actress has become a minority shareholder in the Premier League club alongside filmmaker husband Matthew Vaughn. They join philanthropist Gary Lubner in the Bees' ownership group, although Matthew Brennan remains majority owner.

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Brentford chief executive Jon Varney has told the club’s : "This is an exciting time for Brentford. The club has enjoyed significant success in recent years, and this investment will build on that progress to help us continue to challenge in both on-pitch performance and off-pitch commercial growth.

“It is vital to us that any new investors understand and reflect the values of our club. Since we first met Gary and Matthew, we have been aligned on how they can make a positive impact. They bring different but complementary expertise, and I am excited to see what we can collectively achieve.

“Matthew Benham remains a committed majority shareholder who has brought the club an incredibly long way in a short space of time. Together with our new investors we have a shared ambition for continued growth and to thrive in the world’s most competitive football league. We thank our fans for their loyalty and support as we keep driving the club forward.”

WHAT SCHIFFER SAID

Schiffer has shared her excitement at taking on a new venture, posting on Instagram while wearing a shirt that features Brentford badges from past and present: “I was lucky enough to bring out the World Cup with Pele and he told me football is a beautiful game. I’m very excited that I’m now officially involved in a football club and look forward to experiencing its beauty.”

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WHAT NEXT?

Schiffer got her hands on the World Cup trophy during the opening ceremony of the 2006 tournament, which took place in her native Germany. She delivered the trophy alongside Brazil legend Pele.

Former chair is back on the board and set to take charge of club’s fortunes at meeting on Friday

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Feb-2024Colin Graves is a step closer to resuming his role as Yorkshire’s chair after being approved as a new non-executive director of the club.Graves’ appointment is expected to be ratified at Yorkshire’s next Annual General Meeting. However, he is in line to be elected as the new chair at the club’s board meeting on Friday morning, after Yorkshire received the approval of the Financial Conduct Authority for relevant changes to the club’s rules.Graves will succeed interim chair, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, who will remain on the board as a non-executive director, and previous chair, Harry Chathli.Graves previously chaired Yorkshire from 2012 to 2015, with his original involvement coming in 2002, when as the founder of the Costcutter supermarket chain his bailout saved them from bankruptcy.His family trust, which is managed by independent trustees, is still owed nearly £15 million by the club, and his refinancing proposal received the support of 88.3% of the valid votes at an Emergency General Meeting last week. He returns to the board alongside fellow members of his consortium, Phillip Hodson, Sanjeev Gandhi and Sanjay Patel.Graves’ previous tenure covered part of the period for which Yorkshire were fined £400,000 for failing to address the systemic use of racist or discriminatory language, and Graves “personally and unreservedly” apologised to victims of institutional racism at Yorkshire last month.He was criticised by the ECB last year after dismissing previous allegations of racism as “banter” but the governing body have since described his return as Yorkshire’s “only viable option” and encouraged him to continue the club’s recent work in making cricket a more inclusive sport.”It is an honour and privilege to be appointed and be back at Yorkshire CCC,” Graves said. “I will work tirelessly with the board to resolve the financial position in which the club currently finds itself, and to restore financial stability and sustainability to Yorkshire cricket for generations to come.”Equally, it is my personal pledge to members and to the entire Yorkshire public that, regardless of background, community or ethnicity, all will be welcome in the fully inclusive culture and environment of the Yorkshire County Cricket Club. There will never be any exceptions.”I have unreservedly apologised for any, and all mistakes either I or the club has made over the painful and difficult years of the recent past. Lessons have been learned and will continue to be acted on as we move forward and focus on the future of our great club. Yorkshire CCC will become a sporting institution of which everyone can be proud.”Stephen Vaughan, Yorkshire’s chief executive, said: “We are pleased to welcome Colin to the board at The Yorkshire County Cricket Club.”I, along with the rest of the board, take our responsibility very seriously. The board are custodians of the club and we are mindful of the responsibility that comes with it.”We are pleased that members voted overwhelmingly in favour of the rule changes enabling Colin’s appointment to the board, and in doing so protecting the future of Yorkshire, and we look forward to him taking the club forward.”Colin will be able to draw on significant experience, both as a former ECB chair and as a former chair of the club whose financial assistance was essential in safeguarding the club’s ongoing existence some years ago has continued to support the club in recent times.”Chathli, Graves’ predecessor, had previously stepped down as chair, alongside fellow board members, Lucy Amos, Kavita Singh, Nolan Hough, Yaseen Mohammed and Trevor Strain.

Napoli manager Antonio Conte has made Manchester City outcast Jack Grealish his top target this summer.

Grealish expected to leave Man CityWanted by Everton and NapoliConte eager to bring in outcastFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Grealish looks destined to leave Manchester City this summer, particularly after being left out of Pep Guardiola's Club World Cup squad. Everton are keen to bring in the 29-year-old star on loan but look set to face competition from Serie A champions Napoli, according to . Manager Antonio Conte is a big fan of Grealish and has already signed his former City team-mate Kevin De Bruyne for the club.

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Conte has turned to Grealish after being beaten to Dan Ndoye's signature by Nottingham Forest. The Manchester City star has been training in Italy this summer, and not too far away from Napoli, which has also increased optimism at the club that he could be tempted to join the Serie A side this summer.

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Manchester City are currently reported to be asking for around €45m (£39m) to sell Grealish this summer. Grealish currently earns around €10m (£8.6m) per season but is willing to take a pay cut to secure a move.

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Interest in Grealish appears to be increasing ahead of the start of the season, and he may will be eager to move on in search of regular minutes in a bid to boost his hopes of making the England squad for World Cup 2026. Grealish has returned to pre-season training with Manchester City this week but fans will have to wait and see where he starts the new campaign next month.

Liverpool have confirmed that star striker Darwin Nunez has completed his transfer to Saudi Pro League giants Al-Hilal. Nunez, who was linked with a move away from Anfield since the start of the summer transfer window, has secured a permanent move to Saudi Arabia. The Uruguayan forward, who joined the Reds in 2023 from Benfica for a whopping £64 million ($86m), spent just three years at the Merseyside club.

Nunez leaves LiverpoolSigns for Saudi giants Al-HilalReds could go after Isak after Nunez's departureFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Premier League champions announced the departure of their star forward on Saturday. Nunez's transfer to Al-Hilal is now just subject to the player getting international clearance. The official statement from Liverpool read: "Liverpool FC can confirm Darwin Nunez has completed a permanent transfer to Al-Hilal, subject to international clearance. Everybody at the club would like to thank Darwin for his contributions and wish him and his family all the best for the future."

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Nunez's three-year spell at Anfield turned out to be a disappointment, as he managed to score just 25 league goals in 95 appearances. In the 2024-25 campaign, under new manager Arne Slot, the Uruguay international further saw his game time reduced, as he started in only eight Premier League matches, although he had 30 appearances under his belt.

WHAT AL-HILAL SAID

The Saudi giants were delighted to welcome Nunez to their club, who directly joined the squad in their pre-season preparations in Germany. The club's official statement read: "Nunez, 26, has been one of the most prominent players in Europe in recent years. He has represented several clubs, most notably Liverpool, winning the Premier League in 2024/25, the EFL Cup in 2024, and the FA Community Shield in 2022. 

"He also played for Portuguese club Benfica, where he was named the best player of the Portuguese League for the 2021/22 season after finishing as top scorer with 26 goals and four assists. Nunez previously played for Uruguayan side Peñarol, winning the Uruguayan League twice in 2017 and 2018, in addition to representing Spanish club Almería. Internationally, Nunez has represented the Uruguayan national team in 35 matches, scoring 13 goals and delivering three assists. He also played for Uruguay U20 and U22 national teams. Nunez has just joined the squad during the current preseason training camp in Germany."

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With money coming in for Nunez, the Reds could now launch an improved bid for Alexander Isak as there is a realistic chance that the Swedish forward could head to Liverpool, after Newcastle boss Eddie Howe hinted that the club could allow the player to leave this summer. 

The Nepal legspinner’s chances of making the T20 World Cup received a jolt

ESPNcricinfo staff22-May-2024Sandeep Lamichhane’s prospects of making the T20 World Cup 2024 received a jolt after he was denied a US visa. ESPNcricinfo had reported last week that he was in line to be considered for Nepal’s squad for the T20 World Cup, to be played in the USA and the West Indies from June 1, after he had been acquitted of rape charges.”And the @USEmbassyNepal did it again what they did back in 2019, they denied my Visa for the T-20 World Cup happening in USA and West Indies. Unfortunate. I am sorry to all the well wishers of Nepal Cricket,” Lamichhane posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday.The last date for boards to submit their final squads to the ICC is May 25. ESPNcricinfo tried reaching out to Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) but is yet to receive a response about their future course of action. Lamichhane had picked up nine wickets in the T20 World Cup Asia Qualifiers last year, the most for Nepal, and that sealed their spot for the tournament proper.Related

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Lamichhane acquitted of rape by Nepal court, to be considered for T20 World Cup

Nepal’s provisional squad is already in the Caribbean and has been training in St Vincent. They will soon travel to the USA for their two warm-ups on May 27 and 30 against Canada and USA respectively, both in Dallas. Their first match in the main event is on June 4 against Netherlands in Dallas.Last week, the Patan High Court in Nepal acquitted Lamichhane of rape because of “a lack of evidence”, allowing him to resume playing cricket with immediate effect. “Since the high court has cleared Sandeep Lamichhane from all the allegations, he is now cleared to play all forms of cricket,” a CAN spokesperson had said then.On January 10, a single-judge bench of the Kathmandu court had found Lamichhane guilty of raping an 18-year-old woman and sentenced him and also fined him approximately USD 2255, ordering him to pay approximately USD 1500 in compensation to the victim. On the following day, CAN suspended him.In early September 2022, Lamichhane, then the Nepal captain, was suspended by CAN for the first time after an arrest warrant was issued against him in Kathmandu over the matter. It followed the news that a complaint against Lamichhane had been lodged in a Kathmandu police station.At the time, Lamichhane was in the West Indies with Jamaica Tallawahs taking part in CPL 2022. The club announced that Lamichhane would be leaving the tournament with immediate effect. Upon landing at the airport in Kathmandu in early October, he had been taken into custody.He returned to the Nepal side in February last year – amid protests from rights groups at home – for a Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series at home, against Namibia and Scotland, during which opposition players did not greet him before or after the games.Subsequently, he was not considered for Nepal’s squad for the Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series in Dubai in early 2023, but joined the team later as an injury replacement. He has continued to turn out for Nepal since then, including at the ODI World Cup qualifier in Zimbabwe in June-July last year and the ODI Asia Cup in August-September.

Manchester United have been told to turn their attention to Crystal Palace ace Adam Wharton as they look to sign a new midfielder this summer.

Man Utd want a new midfielderTop target is Brighton ace BalebaAmorim urged to go for Wharton insteadFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Red Devils have spent big in an attempt to improve their fortunes in 2025-26, with Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha joining from RB Leipzig, Brentford and Wolverhampton Wanderers respectively. However, Ruben Amorim's men – who finished 15th in what was their lowest ever Premier League finish in 2024-25 – are still looking to strengthen in the middle of the park before the transfer window shuts on September 1.

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Reports suggest Amorim's preferred target is Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba, 21, but an alternative list is being drawn up due to the midfielder's £100 million ($135m) price tag. And according to former United first-team coach Rene Meulensteen, Palace midfielder Wharton should be the name at the top of it.

WHAT MEULENSTEEN SAID

In an interview with CoinPoker, Meulensteen – who spent 12 years at United – said: "Carlos Baleba is promising. But then I think to myself, why don't you buy Adam Wharton? Is everybody blind? Honestly, that boy is one of the best midfielders in England.

"Why are all the top teams not trying to sign him? I would break the bank for him if I was Man Utd, 100%. Because he's miles ahead. He is a young player with good legs and good energy, he is what a team like United needs."

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Wharton has received many plaudits since moving to Palace from Blackburn Rovers in 2024, so much so that La Liga giants Real Madrid are also believed to be interested in him. The midfielder has made 44 appearances for Palace, helping them win both the FA Cup and the Community Shield in the last three months.

Axel Witsel has sealed his next move after leaving Atletico Madrid, with the veteran midfielder set to remain in Spain’s top flight.

Veteran midfielder secures fresh La Liga dealLeaves Atletico Madrid after contract expiryRemains in Spain for next career chapterFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Belgian international Witsel has decided to extend his career in La Liga after leaving Atletico Madrid as a free agent this summer, according to a report from The 36-year-old midfielder who initially appeared set for a move to Serie A side Udinese after agreeing personal terms, ultimately turned down the deal. Girona stepped in with a longer contract offer, two years instead of Udinese’s one, and that proved decisive in convincing Witsel to join the Catalan club ahead of the 2025-26 season.

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Witsel’s decision reflects both his desire to continue playing in a top European league and his ambition to stay sharp ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Belgium. Despite interest from the Saudi Pro League in the past, he has prioritised competitive football in Spain over potentially more lucrative offers elsewhere. His move also adds valuable experience to a Girona side aiming to consolidate their position in La Liga after recent progress.

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During his three seasons with Atleti, Witsel was a reliable figure, particularly in his first two campaigns, making 68 La Liga appearances in 78 matches. However, his role diminished in the 2024-25 season, with Jose Maria Gimenez, Clement Lenglet, and Robin Le Normand ahead of him in Diego Simeone’s pecking order. Atletico’s defensive rebuild, including the permanent signing of Lenglet and new arrivals such as Marc Pubill and David Hancko, meant his contract was not renewed. Girona’s offer of an extra year, combined with the opportunity for regular playing time, proved the perfect fit.

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Witsel is expected to slot into Girona’s midfield and defence, providing leadership and versatility for a team that will also compete in Europe this season. Girona begin their La Liga campaign at home to Rayo Vallecano on August 15, while Witsel will also have one eye on Belgium’s September World Cup qualifiers. His experience and tactical intelligence could be a key asset as Girona aim for another strong season in Spain’s top flight.

Inter have informed Atalanta they will no longer pursue Ademola Lookman after both clubs failed to agree on a price for the Nigerian’s transfer.

Inter have stopped their pursuit of LookmanCommunicated to Atalanta when negotiating for ZalewskiNerazzurri interested in Bade and KoneFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to Fabrizio Romano, Inter have told Lookman’s entourage they are ending their pursuit after failing to reach an agreement on the player’s transfer fee. After Atalanta rejected Inter’s €45 million (£38m/$53m) bid for Lookman, the Nerazzurri decided to move on to other targets following tactical and technical assessments of the squad, reports. This was conveyed to Atalanta during talks that saw the two clubs agree a fee for Polish international Nicolas Zalewski’s move to Bergamo.

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Lookman turned down offers from Napoli, Atletico Madrid and Arsenal while also submitting a transfer request to push for a move to Inter as he accused Atalanta of breaking promises. The club's CEO clarified that they had only told him the agreement to let him leave only applied to teams outside of Italy. Lookman subsequently went on strike, refusing to attend pre-season training and matches to force a transfer to Inter.

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With their pursuit of Lookman over, Inter have shifted focus to strengthening other areas. Two names on their list are Roma’s Manu Kone and Sevilla’s Loic Bade. However, negotiations with Roma for Kone remain stalled over the transfer fee, while Bade appears close to joining Bayer Leverkusen under Erik ten Hag.

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With Inter officially ending their pursuit of Lookman, it will be a long and difficult road for the Nigerian to reintegrate at Atalanta after going on strike. Inter, meanwhile, will shift focus to alternative targets as they look to get their transfer market back on track.