Tottenham, in unprecedented circumstances, missed out on Nottingham Forest playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White, with the club now forced to move on to other transfer targets.

Related Tottenham advancing move for £24m defender after 'emerging' as favourites

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The announcement of Gibbs-White’s new contract dropped on Saturday evening, thwarting Thomas Frank’s hopes of bringing in a proven number 10 to inject some much-needed creativity – at least for now.

The England international was due to be another statement signing immediately after Tottenham’s £55 million deal for Mohammed Kudus, with chairman Daniel Levy and co booking Gibbs-White in for medical tests at Hotspur Way on July 11 (BBC).

Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League – 2024/2025

Average match rating

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

The Lilywhites were also ready to pay his £60 million release clause, but Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis put a stop to the transfer, threatened Spurs with legal action and somehow convinced Gibbs-White to pen a contract extension.

Gibbs-White praised Marinakis in an interview after the new deal was confirmed, with the Greek tycoon standing proudly next to him in what was seen as a bizarre move.

It is never straightforward when it comes to Tottenham, with Levy, technical director Johan Lange and the recruitment team wasting over a fortnight on their chase for Gibbs-White as just weeks remain of the summer window.

Their need for a new creator is emphasised by club legend Son Heung-min’s potential departure to the States.

Los Angeles FC are actively pursuing a deal for the South Korea international with an approach made, but the north Londoners are unlikely to sell before the end of their pre-season tour of Asia due to certain contractual obligations and his obvious commercial appeal in the Far East (The Telegraph).

There are reports that Levy is prepared to sanction Son’s move to LA for around £15-20 million, and another update has now come to light.

Son close to agreeing personal terms with LAFC over Tottenham exit

According to GiveMeSport, Son is now close to agreeing personal terms with LAFC, and the MLS side are eyeing a transfer towards the end of August.

The 33-year-old also has firm admirers in Saudi Arabia, who are prepared to pay £30 million plus add-ons, but it appears LAFC are taking the lead right now with talks “advancing”. That being said, Son has made no final decision on leaving just yet.

The £190,000-per-week winger is expected to hold crunch discussions with Frank over his future and role in the first team once they return to London, with Tottenham happy to keep Son and let him leave on a free transfer next year.

Levy won’t stand in the former Bayer Leverkusen star’s way if he does choose a move to LA, though, meaning Son’s future is entirely in his hands.

An exit would bring an end to Son’s incredible 10-year stay in N17, where he cemented himself as a club icon. Son is past the century mark in terms of both goals (173) and assists (101) since joining Spurs, with supporters facing the prospect of bidding an emotional farewell to the forward.

Robbie Keane called Son the most “underrated” player in Premier League history, and he could soon become the new star of LAFC’s project.

أعلن مدرب نادي ريال مدريد، تشابي ألونسو، عن تشكيل فريقه لمواجهة إسبانيول ضمن منافسات الجولة الخامسة من بطولة الدوري الإسباني للدرجة الأولى.

ويسعى ريال مدريد إلى تحقيق الفوز على إسبانيول، من أجل مواصلة صدارته لبطولة الدوري الإسباني، حيث يقدم الفريق الملكي مستوى مميز هذا الموسم.

ريال مدريد يحتل صدارة الدوري الإسباني برصيد 12 نقطة من أربع انتصارات متتالية وبالعلامة الكاملة متفوقًا على برشلونة صاحب المركز الثاني برصيد 10 نقاط.

أقرأ أيضًا .. “آس” تثير القلق حول مستقبل فينيسيوس جونيور مع ريال مدريد

وشهد تشكيل ريال مدريد إجراء عدد من التغييرات، ومن أهمها التعويل على جونزالو جارسيا في خط الهجوم، حيث سيلعب اللاعب الشاب على الأغلب كجناح أيمن على حساب فرانكو ماستانتونو الذي يتواجد اليوم كصانع ألعاب.

كما عاد فينيسيوس جونيور للتواجد بشكل أساسي في لقاء اليوم، بعدما جلس الدولي البرازيلي كبديل أمام أوليمبيك مارسيليا في دوري أبطال أوروبا الأسبوع الماضي. تشكيل ريال مدريد لمواجهة إسبانيول بالدوري الإسباني

حراسة المرمى: تيبو كورتوا.

خط الدفاع: داني كارفاخال، راؤول أسينسيو، إيدير ميليتاو، ألفارو كاريراس.

خط الوسط: فيديريكو فالفيردي، أوريلين تشواميني.

خط الوسط الهجومي: جونزالو جارسيا، فينيسيوس جونيور، فرانكو ماستانتونو.

خط الهجوم: كيليان مبابي.

ويجلس على دكة بدلاء ريال مدريد كلًا من: أندريه لونين، ميستري، ديفيد ألابا، جود بيلينجهام، إدواردو كامافينجا، إندريك، رودريجو، أردا جولر، داني سيبايوس ، فران جارسيا، إبراهيم دياز، خيمينيز.

Stand-in captain Lewis targets 2-0 win after coming through in final-ball ODI triumph

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Sep-2024Gaby Lewis says that Ireland’s aim is to keep the buzz going after their thrilling final-ball victory in Belfast on Wednesday, as the format switches from 50-overs to 20 for the Dublin leg of England women’s tour.Lewis, who is currently standing in for Laura Delany, led from the front with a matchwinning 72 from 56 balls in the third ODI, but it was left to Ireland’s lower-order to scramble over the line by three wickets, despite a spirited England fightback led by Lauren Filer and Mady Villiers.The result didn’t impact the series, which England claimed 2-1 after emphatic wins in the first two fixtures, but the feelgood factor has been palpable for the hosts, especially after the disappointment of failing to qualify for next month’s T20 World Cup.Not only can they look forward to eager crowds in Clontarf for the T20Is, but the fact that Ireland came out on top in a contest that was reduced to 22 overs a side clearly augurs well for their prospects in the shorter format.”It’s huge,” Lewis said. “If you suffer a defeat in the last game of the series, you’re on a bit of a downer coming into the next series. But that just puts the defeat to the back of your mind. It’s not forgotten, we have obviously learned from it, but all you can all you can remember is the buzz we had on Wednesday.”So, we’re looking forward to bringing that positivity into these two games this weekend. And especially because it was a shortened game, it gives us that confidence in the T20 format. We’re looking forward to a 2-0 series win this weekend!”Kate Cross, who is leading a new-look England squad in Heather Knight’s absence, admitted that Ireland had been the better team on the day. However, she was proud of the fight they had shown in adversity, and backed a team that has featured six new caps across the three matches to learn more from the setback than they could have picked up in victory – not least Hollie Armitage, whose glaring misfield off the final ball handed Ireland their matchwinning boundary.”Ultimately the result was probably a fair one,” Cross said. “Ireland were the better team in that third ODI, but what our girls did really well was they fought to stay in the game. If you can take games of cricket as deep as possible, then you just don’t know.”We got a little bit of a sniff at the end of that game, but incidents like what happened with Hollie are just part of the game. Obviously it’s more upsetting that it’s off the final ball, but I just said to her that we all made some mistakes in the field at some points, which contributed to us losing that game.”England’s T20I squad will feature some more fresh faces, with Seren Smale and Charis Pavely among the players who could make their international debuts this weekend. Katie George has also been called into the squad, partially as cover for Mahika Gaur, the 18-year-old left-arm seamer whose comeback from a side strain is being carefully handled by the team management.”Mahika is coming back from an injury,” Cross said. “She’s not played much cricket this summer, and to throw her into back-to-back games feels like it might be a bit of a risk for her, especially when there’s a World Cup around the corner, plus a South Africa series and an Ashes to play for this winter.”Katie’s been added to the squad to just give us a little bit more depth in the seam attack. She’s had to fight back through a lot of injuries herself. Stress-fracture rehabs are never easy, you end up doing a lot of lonely work, So for her to have her name back in an England squad is absolutely exceptional for her.”

Afghanistan completed their most high-profile bilateral series win and their first against a team ranked in the ICC’s top five with a 177-run victory over South Africa in Sharjah. After dominating South Africa with the ball two days ago, Afghanistan repeated the dose with the bat on Friday and posted their tenth total of 300 or more to ask South Africa to complete their sixth-highest successful chase. A collapse of 10 for 61 meant South Africa did not even get close and recorded their fifth-biggest defeat by runs. Afghanistan lead the series 2-0 with one match remaining.Birthday-boy Rashid Khan turned 26 and took his fifth career five-for to top off a day of excellence for Afghanistan in all departments. Their celebrations began with Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s seventh ODI century, followed by Rahmat Shah’s 29th ODI half-century and then Azmatullah Omarzai’s fastest fifty in the format. Omarzai reached his half-century off 32 balls, ended unbeaten on 86 off 50 balls and led Afghanistan’s charge of 93 runs in the last ten overs to post a challenging total. While Rashid headlined their bowling, he shared his success with left-arm spinner Nangeyalia Kharote, who finished with a career-best 4 for 26.Afghanistan asserted themselves from the get-go when they chose to bat which left South Africa to field in the worst of the heat. Officially the temperature was 38 degrees Celsius but the real-feel was in the late 40s and they did not have any real menace. Gurbaz and Riaz Hassan put on 88 for the first wicket before Gurbaz and Shah shared a 101-run second-wicket stand which formed the spine of the Afghan innings.South Africa’s spinners, Bjorn Fortuin and Aiden Markram were the most effective in keeping Afghanistan quiet and conceded 59 runs in 14 overs between them, but debutant legspinner Nqaba Peter was expensive and Nandre Burger also conceded 68 runs. Lungi Ngidi was the pick of the seamers, particularly at the end of the innings but South Africa lacked wicket-taking ability, which allowed Afghanistan to get away from them with their fourth and fifth wicket stands of 55 off 40 balls and 40 off 23, respectively.Gurbaz got things underway with the first boundary: a massive six over long-off, off an Ngidi length ball. He followed it up with a cover drive for four, and then two pull shots off Burger short balls to race to go from 4 off the first 15 balls he faced to a run-a-ball 24.Fortuin was brought on in the powerplay and kept his end quiet but Burger’s insistence on using the short ball did not serve South Africa well early on. His first spell of five overs cost 32 runs. He was replaced by Peter, whose first over was tight. He gave away a boundary in each of his next two before Markam took over. Markram got the first wicket when he beat Hassan’s inside-edge and hit him on the pad above the knee roll.Rashid Khan appeals for a wicket•Afghanistan Cricket Board

Gurbaz quietened down for a couple of overs but when Wiaan Mulder was brought on in the 21st over, he could not resist a charge down. He hit Mulder over long-on for his second six. What followed was an electric display of shots from both Gurbaz and Rahmat in a stand that seemed to drain South Africa. Rahmat reverse paddled Markam to third and flicked Mulder fine for four, Gurbaz lofted Peter over mid-off, mid-wicket and swept Fortuin to deep backward square to edge towards 90.Then, the nerves kicked in. He spent 18 deliveries in the 90s and seven of those on 99, including a maiden over from Fortuin, as he inched towards his milestone. He got there when he swept Markram behind square leg and his response was as emotive as they come. Gurbaz dropped his bat and then himself to his knees in sajdah, and then composed himself to create a heart-shape with his hands and blow a kiss to the changeroom and a spirited Sharjah crowd. However, in the next over, he swung at a Burger ball, missed and was bowled to end an exceptional knock. This is also the third successive year in which Gurbaz has scored two hundreds. With this knock, Gurbaz has most ODI hundreds for Afghanistan, surpassing Mohammad Shahzad (6).Afghanistan’s 200 was up after 36 overs, and they would have been eyeing a total in excess of 300. Peter made it difficult for them before the last ten overs and picked up his first ODI wicket when he dragged his length back as Rahmat advanced on him, and had Rahmat stumped on 50.Omarzai’s intent in the final period was clear when he hit Mulder over long-off for six two balls into the last 10. He sent Peter in the same area twice, and then hit him over mid-wicket for his fourth six and the shot that brought up his half-century, off 32 balls. Mohammad Nabi was little more than a spectator in the 55-run stand with Omarzai but when he tried to smash an Ngidi slower ball, he skied to Bavuma to depart for 13.That brought Rashid to the crease and he was in immediate trouble, albeit not caused by the bowlers. He hit Ngidi to sweeper cover and ran two but pulled up at the end of the second run with what looked like a hamstring concern. He received treatment on the field, skied the next ball he faced, which Peter couldn’t get to, and then held his hamstring again. Rashid stayed with Omarzai as he took Afghanistan over 300, and any problems he had with his fitness did not show in the field.South Africa’s chase got underway steadily with returning captain Temba Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi’s opening stand of 73 in 14 overs. But Bavuma’s dismissal and then Rashid’s introduction into the attack sparked an almighty collapse. Bavuma top-edged a pull off an Omarzai short ball and the high catch was well judged by Mohammed Nabi. Bavuma departed before he even had a chance to face Rashid, who was given the ball in the 18th over and caused problems with his first ball which teased Reeza Hendricks’ outside edge. Four balls later, de Zorzi tried to drive Rashid through the covers but edged to Ikram Alikhil.Stunned by spin, South Africa went into their shell and scored only 11 runs in the next four overs as pressure built. When left-arm spinner Kharote was brought on in the 23rd over, Hendricks looked particularly out-of-sorts when he stayed back in his crease to play for turn and was bowled. In the next over, Tristan Stubbs was given out on review when he gloved a sweep off Rashid to Nabi at leg slip. Two balls later, Kyle Verreynne failed to pick the wrong ‘un and was out lbw and Markram was left with the lower-order. Mulder was Rashid’s fourth victim, beaten as he stayed back, and Fortuin was bowled by his counterpart Kharote off one that stayed low. At 112 for 7, there was no way back for South Africa.Rashid’s fifth came when he bowled Markram with a googly. Kharote took wickets either side of that to leave South Africa floored. They lost all ten wickets in the space of 20.3 overs.

This summer just keeps getting better and better for Chelsea.

On the pitch, Enzo Maresca’s side have looked dangerous and off it, the board have been doing brilliant work in the transfer market.

For example, the likes of Jame Gittens, Liam Delap and Joao Pedro were all through the door before the Club World Cup final, and then the tremendously exciting Jorrel Hato was added last week.

As if that wasn’t enough, the West Londoners appear to be making progress on a deal to sign Alejandro Garnacho, are even further along in the process of signing Xavi Simons, and are now being linked with an international who’d be a brilliant teammate for the Dutchman.

Chelsea target perfect teammate for Simons

As it stands, Chelsea are supposedly in talks for Manchester United’s controversial but undeniably talented Garnacho, but with the club supposedly sure his price will come down before the end of the window, it looks like Simons might be signed first.

Transfer Focus

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

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Reports from earlier this month have made it clear that the personal terms with the Dutchman have already been agreed, and that a fee of around £61m would be enough for RB Leipzig to let him go.

The 22-year-old would be an incredible addition to the Blues’ squad, and it already seems like the club are now looking at another international who’d be a perfect teammate for him.

At least that’s according to a recent report from The Express, which claims Chelsea are very interested in Morgan Rogers.

The story goes on to reveal that the West Londoners have been ‘keen admirers’ of the Aston Villa star for some time, and that should he be made available, they’ll be running for his signature.

However, it’d likely be a costly transfer to get over the line, with stories from earlier this summer claiming that the Claret and Blue value him at around £100m.

That said, if Chelsea have a chance to sign Rogers, they should take it, as he’d be an exceptional addition to the squad and a perfect teammate for Simons.

Why Rogers would be a dream teammate for Simons

Fundamentally, there are two key reasons why Rogers would be an excellent signing and teammate for Simons, and the first relates to his output.

For example, despite still only being 22 years old and playing in the Championship a couple of years ago, the Villa ace was monsterously effective for the Claret and Blue.

In his 54 appearances, totalling 4496 minutes, the Halesowen-born “machine,” as dubbed by The Athletic’s Jacob, put the ball in the back of the net 14 times and provided 15 assists for good measure.

Rogers in 24/25

Appearances

54

Minutes

4496′

Goals

14

Assists

15

Goal Involvements per Match

0.53

Minutes per Goal Involvement

155.03′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

That means the former Middlesbrough gem was able to maintain a goal involvement every 1.86 games, or every 155.03 minutes.

Now, just imagine what those numbers could look like playing alongside the Dutchman, who racked up 19 goal involvements in 33 games last season, and vice versa.

With both players being more than capable creators and goal-scorers, they could form a seriously dangerous partnership, with opposition defenders never quite sure which one is going to create the chance or finish it.

The second reason the former Manchester City academy gem could be such a great teammate for the Amsterdam-born international is that he’s also comfortable playing in the middle of the park or on the wing.

Therefore, he’d have more opportunities to play with the Leipzig star, and more crucially, he’d be able to come in and cover for him when he needs a rest, in turn reducing the risk of injury.

Ultimately, it won’t be cheap, but Chelsea should be doing all they can to sign Rogers this summer, as he’d be a brilliant addition in his own right, but an even better one alongside Simons.

Related Shades of Hazard: Chelsea lead race for £40m "superstar" alongside Simons

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Manchester United have now opened talks with the agent of a “real leader”, who would be keen on a move to Old Trafford this summer, according to a report.

Amorim needs to hit the ground running next season

Despite admitting it was always going to be “tough” to join Man United mid-way through the 2024-25 campaign, former Man United man Ashley Young believes Ruben Amorim needs to make a fast start to the 2024-25 campaign.

However, Amorim has a very particular style, meaning new personnel will be needed if his side are to kick on next season, and there has been a strong desire to bring in a new forward, with Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo emerging as a major target.

The Red Devils are hoping to get a deal for Mbeumo over the line as soon as possible, and having reportedly now struck an agreement, they can perhaps afford to turn their attentions towards strengthening other areas of the squad.

With Casemiro now 33-years-old, Amorim is looking to bring in a long-term replacement for the Brazilian, and an approach has been made for Richard Rios, while another midfielder has also emerged as a potential target.

According to a report from L’Equipe (via Sport Witness), Man United have now opened talks with the agent of Lyon midfielder Corentin Tolisso, in order to assess whether he would be willing to make a move to Old Trafford this summer.

Tolisso is said to be keen on the move, which could make it easier for United to orchestrate a deal, although he is unwilling to force an exit.

"Real leader" Tolisso could be exactly what United need

Roy Keane has been critical of the lack of leaders at Man United for quite some time, with the former midfielder saying: “You need characters, you need leaders, I keep repeating myself every week on here. That’s what you need from a group of players.”

As a result, it would make sense to bring in players with more of a presence in the dressing room this summer, and the Lyon star could fit the bill in that regard, having been described as a “real leader” by Lyon manager Paulo Fonseca.

Not only that, but the £90k-a-week maestro is clearly a very well-rounded midfielder, having performed very well across some key attacking and defensive statistics over the past year.

Statistic	Average per 90
Non-penalty goals	0.28 (96th percentile)
Assists	0.17 (84th percentile)
Blocks	1.98 (97th percentile)
Aerials won	2.10 (93rd percentile)

Tolisso could be a solid signing for Man United this summer, but there may be some slight concerns about his age, with the central midfielder set to turn 31 before the new Premier League season gets underway.

Noni Madueke's private coach says the winger is a "mentality monster" just like Cristiano Ronaldo and is backing him to a big hit at Arsenal.

Madueke moved to Arsenal from ChelseaTransfer criticised by many GoonersCoach backs him to come good in north LondonFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Madueke swapped Chelsea for Arsenal in the summer transfer window in a transfer worth over £50 million ($67.8m). The move saw some backlash from Arsenal fans, with #NoToMadueke going viral on X and thousands of fans signing a petition calling for the Gunners not to sign the forward.

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Madueke has featured in all of Arsenal's first three Premier League games of the new season but is yet to score or assist for Mikel Arteta's side. However, his private coach – Saul Isaksson-Hurst – has backed the England international to come good and has even compared him to Portugal icon Cristiano Ronaldo.

WHAT ISAKSSON-HURST SAID

He told : "The big misconception about Noni is his mentality. He’s like a mentality monster. In terms of mentality, I would liken that to Cristiano. He’s so focused and driven in terms of wanting to be the best and wanting to improve. We’ve been away in Marbella for five or six days. I’ve had to force him to have a day off and take a rest in between. He wants to work, he wants to do more, he wants to do the extras. When his peers are partying around the beach clubs in Marbella, he’s on the grass, training with me every day. I can only comment on what I see when he trains with me. I haven’t seen him when he’s with Chelsea, but when he’s been with me, he’s switched on, he works hard, he’s on it.”

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Madueke's coach also had a word for his critics, adding: "That’s water off a duck’s back. He takes that on board and it’s part of the game. That is not going to faze him and he wants to be a success there. Arsenal fans will come to love him, I’m sure. It’s close to the family home so he’s settled. Arsenal’s a massive club and Noni wants to be one of the best players in the world.”

Celtic will return from their pre-season camp in Portugal and could now be set to announce an imminent signing to strengthen their forward line amid recent developments.

Celtic's hunt for a striker to challenge existing options goes on

Adam Idah, Daizen Maeda and Johnny Kenny are currently Celtic’s senior options to lead the line for the coming season, while Callum Osmand’s arrival on a free transfer from Fulham has introduced another competitor for minutes at Parkhead.

Despite Brendan Rodgers potentially sending Irish striker Kenny out on loan, the former Shamrock Rovers striker has given his manager food for thought after laying on an assist and winning a penalty in the Bhoys’ 2-0 victory over Sporting Clube de Portugal on Wednesday evening.

Nevertheless, Rodgers urged Adam Idah to ‘come alive’ when chances fall his way after he missed two gilt-edged opportunities in the Algarve, which could’ve put his side in a more comfortable position.

He stated: “He needs to come alive. You can’t be caught thinking at this level. You have to anticipate and move and then have authority in the box. I know he can score goals and it’s also the time of pre-season.”

The Bhoys’ search for a new number nine has been well-documented this window, and reports continue to suggest Odsonne Edouard could be on Celtic’s radar despite Rodgers pouring cold water on the scenario for now.

Balikwisha will love him: Celtic exploring deal to sign "exciting" star

Celtic could land a dream signing alongside Michel-Ange Balikwisha by landing this star.

ByDan Emery Jul 17, 2025

Napoli’s Giuseppe Ambrosino could also secure a move to Parkhead on loan, albeit it remains to be seen if the Hoops can win the race for the Italy Under-21 international.

Plates are starting to spin in Celtic’s hunt for a forward, and they now look to be on the verge of confirming a striker signing in the next couple of days.

Celtic set to sign Shin Yamada with medical booked

Speaking last night, Rodgers also confirmed that Shin Yamada is set for a medical at Celtic ahead of his £1.3 million move from J League outfit Kawasaki Frontale.

He stated: “He’ll have a medical over the next couple of days and we’ll have a look at him. We’ve lost a lot of goals, so we need to replace that. Hopefully, this can be one of a number of players we can bring in that aspect.

Shin Yamada’s goalscoring record at Kawasaki Frontale

Appearances

121

Goals

32

Assists

9

“He’s got intensity and workrate. It’s something the scouts have seen. In terms of the club, we will bring in players to develop and players for now. Even though he’s a bit older, he’s probably one that can give us that intensity and pressure.

“I need to look and see him when he comes in and hopefully he can do well. The idea was to bring him in and assess him. He’s a strong boy, but we’d want to add to our front line also.”

Dubbed “impressive” by Hudl Wyscout, he earned his maiden cap for the Japan national team against Hong Kong as a group of domestic-based players took part in the East Asian Football Championship, claiming glory in the mini-tournament.

Barring any last-minute hitches, Rodgers will have the striker he is looking for after Kawasaki Frontale announced his departure to an ‘overseas’ club, but his comments suggest there could be further movement to strengthen his forward line.

تم الكشف بشكل رسمي اليوم الخميس، عن التميمة الخاصة ببطولة كأس العالم العام المقبل، والتي سوف تقام في كندا والمكسيك والولايات المتحدة الأمريكية.

وتقام بطولة كأس العالم في الفترة بين شهري يونيو ويوليو في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية وكندا والمكسيك، بينما ستقام قرعة البطولة خلال شهر ديسمبر المقبل.

وكان كأس العالم الأخير قد لعب خلال عام 2022 في قطر، حيث توج به منتخب الأرجنتين للمرة الثالثة في تاريخه، عقب الفوز على فرنسا بركلات الترجيح في المباراة النهائية.

ويقام كأس العالم العام المقبل بنظام جديد تمامًا، حيث يشارك 48 منتخبًا لأول مرة في تاريخ المسابقة الأكبر في كرة القدم.

اقرأ أيضًا.. تقارير: تغيير جديد قد يحدث على نظام كأس العالم

وأشار الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم ”فيفا” اليوم الخميس، أن هناك ثلاث تمائم لبطولة كأس العالم العام المقبل.

وتعتبر هذه الثلاث تمائم هي الجغور ”Zayo” باللون الأخضر، والذي يرمز إلى المكسيك، والنسر الأمريكي ”Clutch” باللون الأزرق والأبيض، والذي يرمز إلى الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، ومابل ”Maple” باللون الأحمر، والذي يرمز إلى كندا.

ويرمز الجغور ”Zayo” إلى المهاجم الصريح والذي يعكس كرة القدم الهجومية التي يقدمها منتخب المكسيك عبر تاريخه وهو رمز ارتبط أيضًا بالقوة والشجاعة، أما إسم كلاتش ”Clucth” فيرمز إلى حارس المرمى الأمريكي وهو النسر الأصلع الذي يمثل شعب الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، وأخيرًا مابل ”Maple” بالقميص رقم عشرة والذي يمثل الشعب الكندي.

وقال رئيس الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم، جياني إنفانتينو، تعليقًا على تميمة كأس العالم في تصريحات نقلتها “نيويورك تايمز”: “مابل وزايو وكلاتش مفعمون بالبهجة والطاقة وروح التآخي تمامًا كما هو الحال في كأس العالم لكرة القدم نفسها، أستطيع أن أتخيلهم بالفعل على قمصان الأطفال وهم يصافحون أساطير كرة القدم وفي سابقة أخرى في هذه البطولة، يشاركون في ألعاب الفيديو التي يلعبها الملايين حول العالم”.

Celtic may bring in a new centre-forward to compete with the likes of Adam Idah, Shin Yamada, and Johnny Kenny before the summer transfer window slams shut.

Brendan Rodgers confirmed that the Hoops want to “improve” their “forward” options after his side beat St Mirren 1-0 at Parkhead in their first match of the Scottish Premiership season.

When looking at potential options to add to the club’s striker ranks, the Premiership champions do not have to sign a marquee forward from one of Europe’s major leagues.

In fact, one of Celtic’s most successful striker signings in the past 15 years or so was Gary Hooper, who joined from Scunthorpe United in 2010.

Celtic hit the jackpot with Gary Hooper

In the two seasons prior to his move to Glasgow, the English marksman scored 19 goals in the Championship and 24 goals in League One for Scunthorpe, but he had never played in the Premier League.

The Hoops took a gamble on a player from the lower leagues in England and they hit the jackpot with Hooper, as he went on to be a roaring success at Parkhead.

In 138 matches for the Scottish giants, the prolific forward racked up an eye-catching haul of 82 goals and 30 assists in all competitions, before sealing a move to Norwich in 2014.

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Hooper was an exceptional striker for the Hoops, as evidenced by his sensational goal return, and Celtic can now repeat that masterclass with a swoop for Richard Kone.

Why Celtic should sign Richard Kone

The Scottish giants are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the Wycombe Wanderers star, who is valued at £7m by the English club, as he could be Hooper 2.0.

As was the case when Hooper joined, Kone would arrive at Parkhead without any top-flight or European football under his belt. He has only played at League One level with the Choir Boys to date.

This means that the Ivorian marksman would join as a young, at the age of 22, and hungry striker who has everything to prove, rather than being an experienced forward who may see a move to Celtic as a step down or a last payday.

His form for Wycombe in League One last season also suggests that Kone has the potential to be an effective and exciting number nine option for Rodgers to call upon if the Hoops get a deal over the line for him.

xG

15.89

Top 7%

xG on target

16.84

Top 6%

Goals

18

Top 7%

xA

3.33

Top 8%

Assists

3

Top 32%

Successful dribbles

44

Top 6%

Duels won

240

Top 5%

Aerial duels won

131

Top 9%

As you can see in the table above, Kone outperformed his xG by just over two goals and ranked incredibly highly among his positional peers in a host of metrics, as a goalscorer, a creator, and as a physical presence.

These statistics suggest that he could thrive in a Celtic team that creates plenty of chances, as evidenced by the three ‘big chances’ that were created for Idah against St Mirren.

Idah failed to take any of those three opportunities to find the back of the net, but the Wycombe star’s form last term suggests that he would not be as wasteful.

Kone, whose nine-minute hat-trick in League One last season was dubbed “extraordinary” by pundit Gabriel Sutton, could be the lethal and consistent striker that Celtic are looking for, which is why they should be pushing to sign the lower leagues star in a Hooper repeat.

Celtic can drop Yang with move for "top-level talent" who earns £150k-p/w

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1 ByDan Emery Aug 5, 2025