Sunday’s draw at home to Crystal Palace was a game to forget for Chelsea, and not the way they would’ve wanted to kickstart their Premier League campaign.

Enzo Maresca’s side were underwhelming from the first minute to the last, and new signing Jamie Gittens failed to make any impact whatsoever.

The former Borussia Dortmund gem started the game but was taken off just 54 minutes in for the 18-year-old Estevao after failing three of his five dribbles, completing just 14 passes and not taking a single shot on target.

While it would be unfair to judge the Englishman too harshly on one performance, Chelsea are now closing in on another signing who could keep him on the bench more than he’d like.

Chelsea target Gittens upgrade

While the draw to the Eagles has taken the gloss off somewhat, this has still been a brilliant summer for Chelsea, as on top of their Club World Cup success, they’ve made several exciting signings.

Transfer Focus

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

For example, Joao Pedro and Liam Delap should add goals to the Blues’ frontline, and even though he is still just 19 years old, Jorrel Hato looks the real deal.

Moreover, even with all the signings they’ve made this window, the West Londoners are now closing in on another addition, someone who could keep Gittens on the bench.

At least that is according to a recent report from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, who has claimed Chelsea are still working on a deal to sign Alejandro Garnacho.

The Italian journalist has revealed that the Blues and Manchester United are now “advancing in club to club talks” for the Argentine international, who “only wants” a move to Stamford Bridge.

Romano does not reveal how much the 21-year-old could cost, but reports from earlier this month claim that a fee of around £50m could seal the deal, and while that is a lot of money, it might be fair value for the talented youngster, even if he could see Gittens relegated to the bench.

Why Garnacho would bench Gittens

Now it should be said that Gittens is a talented youngster, and based on what we saw at Dortmund over the last couple of years, he’s someone we think will eventually be a success for Chelsea.

However, if the club get their hands on Garnacho, and it looks like they will, we reckon the Englishman will have to make do with being a bench player for some time, and the first reason why comes down to their respective output.

For example, in his 49 appearances for the German outfit last season, the Blues’ new left-winger scored 12 goals and provided five assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.88 games.

In contrast, the Madrid-born “superstar” in the making, as dubbed by journalist Liam Canning, was able to score 11 goals and provide ten assists in 58 appearances for a historically terrible United side, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.76 games.

Moreover, while the Bundesliga isn’t an easy league, it is ranked as only the fourth toughest in the world, whereas the Premier League is comfortably in the top spot.

So, while we know the Argentine international has what it takes to succeed in the league – he ranks in the top six for progressive carries, for example – the jury remains out on the Reading-born gem.

Finally, on top of having the better output and being proven in England, the United ace also comes out way ahead when we take a look under the hood, at their underlying numbers.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.48

0.31

Progressive Carries

5.78

5.74

Progressive Passes

2.30

2.13

Shots

3.44

2.64

Passing Accuracy

78.9%

76.5%

Key Passes

1.52

1.07

Passes into the Final Third

0.90

0.86

Live Passes

32.7

27.8

Shot-Creating Actions

3.40

3.70

Successful Take-Ons

1.07

3.91

Ball Recoveries

4.43

3.20

For example, he comes out on top in most relevant metrics such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive passes and carries, shots, key passes, ball recoveries and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while Gittens is a talented player, Garnacho has him beat in pretty much all areas at the moment, and with him being more than comfortable off the left, we can see the United ace benching the Englishman this season.

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The international game-changers could be just what Chelsea need to get the most out of Pedro.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 20, 2025

Shadab Khan returns to the T20I side as vice-captain, while Rizwan retains his ODI captaincy

Danyal Rasool04-Mar-2025Pakistan have shuffled the deck once more in an attempt to find the right T20I combination, dropping captain Mohammad Rizwan as well as Babar Azam for the five-match series in New Zealand.In the first squad announced since Pakistan’s ignominious exit from a home Champions Trophy, there are several changes, including the return of Shadab Khan – also appointed vice-captain, and the awarding of the T20I captaincy to Rizwan’s deputy Salman Agha. On the ODI front, Rizwan retains his captaincy, but Shaheen Afridi has been dropped.According to a PCB release, Mohammad Haris returns after an extended spell out of the national side, while Saim Ayub remains absent with the ankle injury he picked up in South Africa. Hasan Nawaz, the 22-year old wicketkeeper who has played just 21 T20s, is in the squad. Abdul Samad, the 27-year-old big-hitting batter who is also yet to play PSL cricket, comes in after a positive domestic T20 tournament showing. Quetta Gladiators batter Omair Yousuf earns a call-up as Pakistan pivot sharply away from their experienced batters in the format.Pakistan’s white-ball squads for their tour of New Zealand•ESPNcricinfo LtdThere are fewer changes in the bowling department, with the make-up roughly the same as it was for their recent T20I series in South Africa. Afridi and Haris Rauf are part of the squad, but Naseem Shah – who last played T20Is against Australia in November – remains absent. Spinners Sufiyaan Muqeem and Abrar Ahmed retain their places, while Khushdil Shah comes into the side.Related

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These changes bring an end to an unhappy, if brief, stint as T20I captain for Rizwan. He led Pakistan as full-time captain in just four completed T20Is, losing all of them. He was absent for the three T20Is in Zimbabwe, with Agha leading the team as Pakistan won 2-1.Babar’s absence, too, suggests Pakistan are once again looking to break free of the Babar-Rizwan combination at the top of the order. The duo have polarised opinion almost as soon as the combination was set up in 2020. Critics have panned them for being too-risk averse at the start in T20Is, but their reliability and consistency of run accumulation, set in contrast against an oft-misfiring middle order, had seen Pakistan continue to return to them.The ODI squad doesn’t include such drastic changes, except for the omission of Afridi. He was Pakistan’s best bowler in their ODI series wins in South Africa and Australia. Rizwan retains the ODI captaincy and Babar is in the squad, while Abdullah Shafique returns after being dropped for the Champions Trophy. Left-arm quick Akif Javed earns a maiden ODI squad selection while Sufiyaan Muqeem returns as well.Pakistan play five T20Is in New Zealand starting March 16, followed by three ODIs.Pakistan T20I squad: Hasan Nawaz, Omair Yousuf, Mohammad Haris, Abdul Samad, Salman Agha (capt), Irfan Niazi, Khushdil Shah, Shadab Khan, Abbas Afridi, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Sufiyaan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed, Usman KhanPakistan ODI squad: Mohammad Rizwan (capt), Salman Agha, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Irfan Niazi, Naseem Shah, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir.

When it comes to summer transfer windows, Arsenal haven’t always been a club that like to go big.

However, this year saw the thrice Premier League runners-up smash open the war chest and make the addition that could finally get them over the line come May.

Andrea Berta oversaw the arrival of eight first-team quality players, and while several of them have the potential to be real game-changers, Viktor Gyokeres might just be the most exciting.

The Swedish shot-stopper could be the missing piece in Mikel Arteta’s attack, but he’ll have to take the league by storm to see his valuation match that of one of his new teammates.

Gyokeres' start to the Premier League season

To describe Gyokeres as prolific during his time with Sporting CP would be a colossal understatement.

In 102 appearances, totalling 8417 minutes, he scored 97 goals and provided 28 assists, which comes out to an average of 1.22 goal involvements every game, or one every 67.33 minutes.

With numbers like these, it’s easy to understand why Arsenal spent £64m on him and why there are such high expectations about what he could do at the club.

Yet, while it is still early days, it would be fair to say that he’s not exactly got off to a flyer in red and white.

For example, in the games against Manchester United and Liverpool, he failed to have a single shot, let alone one on target.

Moreover, while his teammates weren’t providing him with adequate service, he was not helping himself with some lacklustre runs and heavy touches.

Fortunately, we got to see what he can do in the game against Leeds United, as he opened his account with a lovely run early in the second half and then doubled his tally with a thunderous strike from the penalty spot towards the end of the game.

In all, Gyokeres could be a huge difference-maker for Arsenal this season, although there is already someone in the team competing with him who is worth millions more.

The Arsenal star worth millions more than Gyokeres

Even before this summer’s spending spree, Arsenal could boast a team overflowing with sensational talent.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

From William Saliba in defence, to Declam Rice in midfield and Bukayo Saka in attack, there are superstars all over this team.

However, in this instance, the attacker in question is none other than Kai Havertz, and while he might divide opinion at times, his valuation remains incredibly high.

For example, the CIES Football Observatory prices the German international at a whopping €91m, which is about £79m, or £15m more than Gyokeres cost the Gunners.

That might sound like an awful lot of money for a player who has quite the reputation for being wasteful in attacking situations, but contrary to how many view him, the 26-year-old has quite an impressive record for the club.

For example, since making the move to North London, the former Chelsea ace has scored 29 goals and provided 13 assists in 88 appearances, which is an average of a goal involvement every 2.09 games.

However, when you look purely at the games in which he played as the team’s striker, the numbers become even more impressive.

Appearances

48

Minutes

4004′

Goals

19

Assists

13

Goal Involvements per Match

0.66

Minutes per Goal Involvement

125.12

In those 48 matches, totalling 4004 minutes, the “magnificent” ace, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has scored 19 goals and provided 13 assists.

In other words, when he has played as a striker, the Aachen-born monster averages a goal involvement every 1.5 games, or every 125.12 minutes, which is a brilliant rate of return.

Ultimately, he might still divide opinion among fans and pundits alike, but Havertz’s numbers are undoubtedly impressive and help to explain why he currently has a higher valuation than Gyokeres.

Arsenal sold homegrown Gyokeres for £4m, now he's one of the best in Europe

Arsenal had a promising talent in their ranks who could have been their own homegrown Gyokeres.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 3, 2025

Decision taken ahead of Hundred’s final retentions for 2025, and follows international retirement in September

Matt Roller24-Feb-2025

Moeen Ali intends to retire from English domestic cricket after the T20 Blast and will skip the Hundred in 2025, ESPNcricinfo has learned.Moeen, 37, has remained active on the franchise circuit since announcing his international retirement in September. His decision to quit English cricket will enable him to take up further opportunities overseas as he heads into the final stages of his career, with the ECB’s policy on No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) otherwise limiting his movement during the English summer.Now in the third and final year of his contract with Warwickshire, Moeen will accelerate his move into coaching during the T20 Blast this year with a player-coach role at Birmingham Bears and has decided to skip the Hundred. It is understood that he will not be available to play in the knockout stages in September, should the Bears qualify.Moeen has captained Birmingham Phoenix across the first four seasons of the Hundred but will not play for them in 2025. The eight Hundred teams had until 1pm on Monday to finalise their retentions for 2025, keeping hold of up to 10 players in both the men’s and women’s competitions at a mutually-agreed salary band.Related

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'Felt the time was right' – Moeen retires from international cricket

Moeen joins his long-time England team-mate Alex Hales in skipping the Hundred this year as a result of the ECB’s hardline stance on NOCs, which is designed to stop players picking and choosing which leagues they play in during the English summer. James Vince, Hampshire’s captain, recently spoke out about the stance in an interview with ESPNcricinfo, after confirming his retirement from red-ball cricket ahead of this season.Hales confirmed last week that he will not play at Trent Bridge this year, and has instead signed with the Knight Riders franchises in Major League Cricket and the Caribbean Premier League. Moeen’s decision could see him return to Guyana Amazon Warriors in mid-August, having represented the franchise in the CPL and the inaugural Global Super League last year.Warwickshire confirmed ESPNcricinfo’s story on Monday afternoon. “This is a big decision for me and not one I’ve taken lightly,” Moeen said in a club statement. “But I’ve reached a decision in the last few days, taking into account what I feel is best for me and my family at this stage in my career.”I’m still passionate about the game and want to play as much as I can. I still love playing. I still have passion for the game and I love being in a team environment. “I also enjoy talking to players about cricket, the tactics, and I think that’ll help me move smoothly into coaching after my playing days are over.”I came back to Warwickshire with an aim of trying to help them win the Blast and I still want to play a role this year. I’ll be available to play throughout the Blast group games, and would love to be involved as a player-coach.”Moeen has stayed active on the franchise circuit since his international retirement•Getty Images

Moeen is not the only England player set to leave the Phoenix, with Jamie Smith and Chris Woakes also departing. ESPNcricinfo understands that London Spirit have lined Smith up as their designated centrally-contracted player, while Welsh Fire are thought to be interested in bringing Woakes in.The Phoenix’s men narrowly missed out on the final last year and have retained a strong core. Jacob Bethell, Liam Livingstone, Ben Duckett, Dan Mousley, Will Smeed and Benny Howell are all staying put, while Dan Vettori’s side will field an all-New Zealand pace attack comprising Adam Milne, Tim Southee and new direct signing Trent Boult.At least two other Hundred teams are releasing their men’s captains. Lewis Gregory, who captained Trent Rockets to the 2022 title, is set to head back into March’s draft, as is Dan Lawrence, who captained London Spirit for the last two seasons but will be replaced in the role by new signing Kane Williamson.Moeen, who is studying for his ECB Level Three coaching qualifications, will form part of a new-look Warwickshire coaching staff during the Blast, with Ian Westwood replacing Mark Robinson as head coach and Matt Walker joining as batting coach after leaving Kent. The Blast starts on May 30, soon after Moeen returns from his IPL commitments with Kolkata Knight Riders.2.45pm GMT – This story was updated after confirmation from Warwickshire.

Following recent reports that Savinho has agreed a new contract with Manchester City, manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed that a deal with the Brazilian to remain at the Etihad Stadium is now almost complete. It comes after Tottenham Hotspur showed serious interest in the player during the recent summer transfer window.

• Man City 'clear' over Savinho intentions

  Guardiola suggested that City were "so clear" that they wanted Savinho to stay. The Brazilian has been a versatile asset since making the move within the City Football Group from Troyes last year, capable of playing on either flank – he racked up 10 Premier League assists in 2024-25.

  "We were so clear that we want to keep him," the City boss said after Savinho started the weekend's timely win over Burnley.

  "It depends on the offer [from Tottenham]. Maybe the offer was not good enough for the club, I don't know," he added. "But of course, at his age, last season he played a lot of minutes. He can play on both sides, right and left, has pace that is unbelievable. So in that term, he's really good."

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• AFP
  

  Spurs fell short of valuation

  Reports at the time suggested that City were unwilling to let Savinho leave during the summer for what Spurs were prepared to pay. The north London side saw £42 million ($56m) turned down, with City said to be holding out for a much higher offer worth £67m ($90m).

  It seems that they may actually have been willing to sell for the right price, which has been the club's business model for years – especially if a player has shown interest in pursuing something else, as was the case with Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez and others in the past.

  That ties into what Guardiola hinted by stating he didn't know if the problem for Spurs was that their offer wasn't good enough to interest City's sporting hierarchy. The club paid just over £30m ($40m) and selling for the alleged asking price would have meant more than doubling their money in 12 months.

• Savinho contract is 'close'

  It has been reported that City have agreed a new deal with Savinho until 2031, a two-year extension on his existing deal signed only just over 12 months ago.

  "It's happened with Rico [Lewis], Nico [O'Reilly]…Savinho is close, and in the past, Ruben [Dias] has done it as well," Guardiola said, referencing other recent deals that have been signed.

  "So we'll try to be sure to show a player that we want him. Do the effort that we need to stay a bit longer. So I'm really pleased. Nico is growing a lot. I think since he started to play, we lost just one game. The FA Cup final against [Crystal] Palace.

  "When he's not been involved it was defeats all the time. So Nico helped us a lot, improved a lot in his aggressivity and set pieces and with the ball. We're really, really pleased."

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• O'Reilly the most recent new deal at City

  It's just days since Nico O'Reilly signed his own new City contract until 2030. The versatile home-grown talent has made a real impact over the last 12 months, becoming a regular in the first-team squad thanks to his ability to fill in at left-back.

  Upon signing the deal, he was particularly grateful towards his mum for all the support she has given him on his football journey so far.

  "I'm so happy, I feel really good to have signed this contract with this amazing club. It's made my family proud and yeah; it's an amazing day," O'Reilly said.

  "My mum has been making sacrifices for me since I was a baby, and she has put her life into mine and I'm so happy she was able to do this and just hope one day I can pay her back. She's so proud and obviously she has to take a lot of credit as well because I wouldn't be here without her, so I'd like to say thank you to my mum."

Borussia Dortmund have opened contract talks with Karim Adeyemi after the forward switched representation to super-agent Jorge Mendes. Adeyemi, fresh from stunning long-range goals against Juventus and Wolfsburg, is tied to the German club until 2027, but early negotiations are under way as Dortmund look to secure his long-term future.

Adeyemi contract talks begin

According to, sporting director Sebastian Kehl has held initial talks with Mendes, the Portuguese agent who recently took charge of Adeyemi’s representation. The talks are still described as “in the early stages,” but underline BVB’s intent to secure one of their brightest attacking talents beyond his current agreement.

AdvertisementMendes steps in as new agent

Adeyemi’s move to Mendes is his third change of representation in the past year. Mendes has “made certain promises” to the German forward about shaping his future at Dortmund, according to . Mendes’ involvement is expected to play a major role in how negotiations unfold, particularly regarding salary demands and long-term planning.

Adeyemi thriving in Bundesliga and Champions League

The German international has bolstered his position at the table with his recent performances. Adeyemi lit up the Champions League with a thunderous strike against Juve and followed it with a 78 mph winner against Wolfsburg, the fastest shot leading to a goal in the Bundesliga this season. In 112 appearances for Dortmund, he has scored 28 goals and provided 21 assists.

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AFPDortmund’s financial balancing act

Dortmund are keen to extend Adeyemi’s contract, potentially until 2029, but salary remains a sticking point. The 23-year-old already earns around €6 million annually, placing him among the club’s top earners. Any renewal could push his wages into the bracket of stars like Gregor Kobel and Serhou Guirassy, with reports suggesting a new deal could rise to €7m per year. While BVB want to reward his progress, they remain committed to maintaining their wage structure.

Talks with Mendes will continue over the coming months, with Dortmund eager to strike an agreement before Adeyemi enters the final two years of his current deal. Meanwhile, the forward is expected to feature again when Dortmund face Mainz at the Mewa Arena this weekend.

MatériaMais Notícias

Além da derrota para o Bahia, por 1 a 0, nesta quarta-feira (21), o Palmeiras teve uma notícia ruim. Isso porque, Abel Ferreira tem julgamento marcado para esta terça (27), pelo STJD (Supremo Tribunal de Justiça Desportiva), por ter tomado o celular de um jornalista após o duelo com o Atlético-MG, fora de casa, pelo Brasileirão.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasBahia bate o Palmeiras, e resultado pode tirar o Verdão da vice-liderança do BrasileirãoPalmeiras21/06/2023PalmeirasJustiça suspende ação de execução que o Palmeiras moveu contra a WTorrePalmeiras21/06/2023Fora de CampoCPI das Apostas recebe pedido para investigar Gabriel Menino e ouvir Abel e Leila, do PalmeirasFora de Campo21/06/2023

+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

O treinador português foi enquadrado nos artigos 258 e 258-D do CBJD (Código Brasileiro de Justiça Desportiva), que diz: “Assumir qualquer conduta contrária à disciplina ou à ética desportiva não tipificada pelas demais regras deste Código”. As punições podem ser de um a seis jogos e/ou multa de até R$ 10 mil.

+ Até 50% OFF em produtos do Verdão para os torcedores fanáticos!

A intenção do STJD é julgar o caso ocorrido no dia 28 de maio, quando o Palmeiras empatou em 1 a 1 com o Atlético-MG, no Mineirão. Naquele dia, após a partida, Abel Ferreira tomou o celular das mãos de um jornalista da Globo Minas, que filmava uma discussão entre o diretor de futebol do clube, Anderson Barros, e o quarto árbitro.

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Segundo o treinador, ele acreditava que fosse uma zona de acesso restrito, em que os jornalistas não poderiam entrar. No entanto, se tratava da zona mista, onde repórteres credenciados têm livre acesso. No dia seguinte, Abel fez uma chamada de vídeo com o profissional da Globo e pediu desculpas pelo ocorrido.

+ ATUAÇÕES: Sem brilho individual ou coletivo, Palmeiras peca em finalizações e sai derrotado da Bahia

A situação se assemelha com o caso do atacante Calleri, do São Paulo, que derrubou o celular de um garoto da base do Palmeiras no chão após a goleada por 4 a 0 sofrida pelo Tricolor, no Allianz Parque, na final do Campeonato Paulista de 2022. O jogador acabou firmando um acordo com o TJD-SP, em que pagou uma multa de R$ 30 mil e gravou um vídeo de retratação pedindo desculpas ao jovem, não precisando comparecer ao julgamento e nem cumprir suspensão.

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Aston Villa are reportedly in talks to sell a £40m-rated player along with Jacob Ramsey in the summer transfer window, with manager Unai Emery ready to move him on.

Ramsey’s spell with the Villans is reaching its conclusion this summer, in a decision that could arguably split opinion, considering he is a talented player who is still relatively young. The English midfielder is heading to Newcastle United in a move that could eventually be worth £43m, as he seals a move to one of Villa’s Premier League rivals.

It remains to be seen if selling Ramsey is the right decision, but if he isn’t deemed a key starter moving forward, cashing in on him and generating funds for other signings before the end of the current transfer window makes sense.

Now, it looks as though Villa have also sanctioned the exit of another established player this summer, following a significant update regarding his future.

Aston Villa in talks to sell £40m ace

According to a new report from The Boot Room, Aston Villa are in talks with Roma over the signing of winger Leon Bailey, with journalist Graeme Bailey adding that Emery is happy for him to leave.

“Bailey is that one player who Villa have been looking to move on all summer. Unai Emery has not been happy with his progress since he signed his new deal in 2024 and that is a big reason. Villa and Emery want Bailey out the door, he is not staying and won’t play for the club again. They also want him out now as it will give them a chance to spend that money in this window.”

This feels like the right time for the £40m-rated Bailey to leave Villa, especially as Emery doesn’t consider him an important part of his plans moving forward.

The 28-year-old only started 14 of his side’s 38 Premier League matches last season, showing that he was invariably considered more of a squad player, and that seems unlikely to change in 2025/26.

Bailey also isn’t getting any younger now, so to potentially receive £40m for him, or an amount around that figure, could ultimately be too good to turn down.

Emery's new Asensio: Aston Villa hold talks over signing £18m "wizard"

Aston Villa are looking to sign another attacker this summer

By
Joe Nuttall

Aug 14, 2025

If he does depart before the end of this month, he will be remembered as a gifted player who contributed plenty, scoring 22 goals and registering 24 assists, but also one who didn’t always manage to find great consistency in his game.

يخوض منتخب العراق مباراة هامة اليوم السبت، أمام إندونيسيا، ضمن منافسات التصفيات الآسيوية المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم 2026.

ويستضيف ملعب “الإنماء” بمدينة الملك عبد الله الرياضية في جدة، مباراة منتخب العراق مع نظيره الإندونيسي، ضمن الجولة الثانية من المجموعة الثانية في الملحق الآسيوي المؤهل إلى نهائيات كأس العالم 2026 المقررة في الولايات المتحدة وكندا والمكسيك.

طالع.. ترتيب مجموعة السعودية في تصفيات كأس العالم بعد الفوز على إندونيسيا

ويدخل العراق المباراة بحثًا عن حصد النقاط الثلاث لتعزيز آماله في المنافسة على بطاقة التأهل المباشر، قبل المواجهة المرتقبة أمام المنتخب السعودي في الجولة المقبلة.

في المقابل، يسعى منتخب إندونيسيا لتعويض خسارته في الجولة الافتتاحية أمام السعودية 3-2، واستعادة توازنه في ظل صعوبة المجموعة التي تضم ثلاثة منتخبات فقط.

ويتصدر المنتخب السعودي ترتيب المجموعة برصيد 3 نقاط بعد فوزه على إندونيسيا، بينما يخوض العراق أولى مبارياته في هذا الدور، فيما يتذيل المنتخب الإندونيسي الترتيب بدون نقاط. موعد مباراة العراق وإندونيسيا اليوم

ومن المقرر أن تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة 10:30 مساءً بتوقيت مكة المكرمة والعراق ومصر، و11:30 بتوقيت أبو ظبي. القناة الناقلة لمباراة العراق وإندونيسيا اليوم

ومن المنتظر أن تُنقل المواجهة مباشرة عبر قناة beIN SPORTS 2.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنـــا

Manchester City are now in talks to hijack Chelsea’s move for a “spectacular” midfielder, who the west Londoners were hoping to sign very soon.

Man City rivalling Chelsea for new midfielders

Despite Pep Guardiola repeatedly making it clear he wants to work with a smaller squad this season, Man City remain interested in bringing in at least one new midfielder before the deadline, and they have been credited with an interest in signing RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons.

However, Simons is seemingly set on joining Chelsea, despite having to wait a long time for the west Londoners to get a deal over the line, which means City have now been forced to more on to alternative targets.

With a deal for the RB Leipzig attacking midfielder looking unlikely, transfer expert Graeme Bailey has now revealed that Guardiola’s side could hijack a move for a different Chelsea target, namely Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez.

Speaking to TBR Football, Bailey said: “Chelsea were made aware of Lopez possibly being available, and he is a player they love, indeed, most clubs in Europe love him as a talent.

“Lopez has not been agitating to this point, but the camp has been talking to other clubs, and that includes City and Spurs. Nothing advanced at this point, but merely exploring possible options.”

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It was recently revealed that Enzo Maresca’s side are hoping to sign Lopez very soon, having already submitted a £50m bid for the Barca maestro’s services, but there could now be a twist in the tale, with Man City in talks with his agents.

"Spectacular" Lopez could be exciting Simons alternative

City seemingly stand little chance of winning the race for Simons, but the Barca midfielder could be a fantastic alternative, given that he also flourishes in an attacking midfield role, regularly providing goals and assists since making a breakthrough in the 2023-24 campaign.

Season

Appearances

G/A (all comps)

2023-24

42

12

2024-25

46

18

Former Barca boss Xavi has previously praised the Spaniard’s shooting ability too, claiming he has a “terrific shot from distance”, while also adding: “Fermin has a spectacular mentality. He’s always listening, always thinking and I really like his mentality – when you tell him things, they go in and he applies them.”

Lopez clearly has all the tools required to be a success at the Etihad Stadium, and given that he is just 22-years-old, the Barca star could be a key player for City for years to come, so it is exciting news that talks have now been opened over a deal.