The club remains winless through the first 13 games of the season
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Manchester United, co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and manager Ruben Amorim are ready to axe 10 players this summer on a combined salary of £1.8m-a-week.
Ratcliffe calls some Man Utd players ‘overpaid’ and ‘not good enough’
The Red Devils and Ratcliffe have been in the headlines this week, and before plans for a new 100,000 capacity stadium were unveiled, the main talking points were on the co-owners’ comments to the media.
Talking on various topics, including Erik ten Hag, Amorim, the squad and Old Trafford finances to the likes of Gary Neville and the BBC, Ratcliffe took aim at some of the current Man Utd squad.
“If you look at the players we are buying this summer, that we didn’t buy, we’re buying Antony, we’re buying Casemiro, we’re buying Onana, we’re buying Hojlund, we’re buying Sancho. These are all things from the past, whether we like it or not, we’ve inherited those things and have to sort that out.
“For Sancho, who now plays for Chelsea [on loan] and we pay half his wages, we’re paying £17m to buy him in the summer. It takes time for us to move away from the past into a new place in the future.
“Some are not good enough and some probably are overpaid, but for us to mould the squad that we are fully responsible for, and accountable for, will take time.”
"Devastated" – Mark Goldbridge gutted at Man Utd update confirmed by INEOS
He hasn’t held back.
ByCharlie Smith Mar 12, 2025
Amorim has since responded to Ratcliffe’s comments on some of the squad being ‘overpaid’ and ‘not good enough’, saying: “If you’re a top player playing in this club, even me – a lot of people say I am not good enough for the club – my feeling is that you can change that with results. In training, I feel that they want this really bad.”
It promises to be a busy summer ahead of Amorim’s first full season in charge of Man Utd, and by the looks of things, a mass overhaul of the playing squad is on the cards.
Ratcliffe and Amorim ready to move on 10 Man Utd players this summer
According to a recent report from Spain, Man Utd are preparing to get rid of 10 players who are on a combined £1.8m-a-week at Old Trafford.
Casemiro (£350,000-a-week), Marcus Rashford (£300,000-a-week), Mason Mount, (£250,000-a-week), Jadon Sancho, (£250,000-a-week), Antony (£200,000-a-week), Christian Eriksen (£150,000-a-week), Victor Lindelof (£120,000-a-week), Rasmus Hojlund (£85,000-a-week), Jonny Evans (£85,000-a-week) and Tom Heaton (£45,000-a-week) are all in line to leave Old Trafford over the coming months.
Patrick Dorgu
Lecce
Ayden Heaven
Arsenal
As we know, Rashford, Sancho and Antony are on loan at Aston Villa, Chelsea and Real Betis respectively, whereas Eriksen, Evans, Lindelof and Heaton are out of contract at the end of the season.
INEOS will look to move all 10 on ‘in an attempt to generate income and free up space for new signings’ and Amorim has given the green light regarding the exits.
Should the three loanees complete permanent moves to their new employers, United will only need to find homes for Casmeiro, Mount and Hojlund.
Clear and sunny weather awaits the teams in Dublin after the first T20I was cut short by rain
Srinidhi Ramanujam19-Aug-20232:01
Takeaways: Is Bumrah World Cup ready?
Big picture – India batters will want a proper hitJasprit Bumrah’s comeback was the main talking point in the rain-hit opening T20I in Malahide, but now the focus quickly shifts to the batters from the two sides.India batted 41 balls with openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal consuming 39 of those before rain stopped play. The likes of Gaikwad, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube and Sanju Samson will be keen to make noteworthy performances, if they get a chance, with an eye on the next T20 World Cup that is less than a year away. Among them, Samson – who is also in contention for the Asia Cup – will want to impress the selectors with the squad to be announced on Monday.Related
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Jasprit Bumrah strikes twice in first over on his comeback
India finish just ahead of Ireland in rain-hit contest
For Ireland, it was the lower order that helped them to a modest 139 in the first T20I. The top six, which scored just 64 runs between them with Curtis Campher scoring 39 of them, will have to step up against the quality Indian bowling on Sunday if they want to level the series. Andrew Balbirnie, Paul Stirling and Lorcan Tucker were all among runs in the T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier in July and will be expected to put up a fight here.Form guideIreland LLWWW
India WLWWLIn the spotlight – Gaikwad and McCarthyRuturaj Gaikwad survived a mix-up with Jaiswal in the second over of the chase to remain unbeaten on 19 before rain stopped play. He had a successful IPL season where he scored 590 runs in 15 innings at a strike rate of 147. With the team management making him the captain for the Asian Games, scheduled for September end, Gaikwad will be hoping to get some big scores before heading to the tournament.1:16
Bishnoi: Can’t take Ireland lightly in T20s
Barry McCarthy provided a reminder of his batting prowess in the opener, scoring an unbeaten 51 off 33 from No. 8 to lift Ireland from 59 for 6. The allrounder had also finished as the joint-second-highest wicket-taker for Ireland with nine wickets from five matches in the recent T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier.Team news – will India continue with Arshdeep?Ireland are unlikely to make changes to their playing XI despite the loss in the first game.Ireland (possible XI): 1 Paul Stirling (capt), 2 Andrew Balbirnie, 3 Lorcan Tucker (wk), 4 Harry Tector, 5 Curtis Campher, 6 George Dockrell, 7 Mark Adair, 8 Barry McCarthy, 9 Craig Young, 10 Josh Little, 11 Ben WhiteArshdeep Singh hasn’t been as effective of late as he had been in the first bit of his international career, though there was the 3 for 38 in the win over West Indies in the fourth T20I. But he returned 1 for 35 in the first T20I against Ireland – and gave away 22 in the final over as McCarthy smashed two sixes and a four – and India do have Avesh Khan and Mukesh Kumar in their line up.India (possible XI): 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Ruturaj Gaikwad, 3 Tilak Varma, 4 Rinku Singh, 5 Sanju Samson (wk), 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Washington Sundar, 8 Arshdeep Singh/Avesh Khan, 9 Ravi Bishnoi, 10 Jasprit Bumrah (capt), 11 Prasidh Krishna.Pitch and conditionsThe average first-innings score in T20Is in Malahide is 161. Teams batting first have lost 10 out of 17 T20Is here. It is expected to be sunny and pleasant throughout the day.Stats and trivia Balbirnie has scored 286 runs in 13 T20Is at a strike rate of 138.8 in Dublin, the most for a batter at this venue. Only six times have India won a men’s T20I by a margin of fewer than five runs. Two of those have come against Ireland in their previous two meetings.Quotes”Ireland have been playing well, you can’t say that any team is big or small in T20 cricket. In this format, in one over everything can change, just like the last over in this game. If those two wickets didn’t fall, there would be a difference of 10-12 runs. It was because of Sanju and Ruturaj we finished the match. So Ireland have been doing well in this format.”
Leeds United are a club that have produced countless academy stars over the years, numerous of whom have made themselves key members of the first-team at Elland Road.
Kalvin Phillips broke into the senior side in Yorkshire back in 2016, making himself a regular in the squad after multiple campaigns of settling for minutes off the bench.
He would register a total of 234 appearances for the Whites, before leaving in a £45m deal to join Manchester City in the summer of 2022 – making the hierarchy a hefty profit.
Jack Clarke was another player to emerge out of the club’s impressive youth setup, taking the Championship by storm with his direct dribbling ability in the final third.
Like Phillips, he would depart in a big-money move, joining Tottenham Hotspur for a fee in the region of £10m, with another player following in the attacker’s footsteps in moving to North London over the last few years.
Archie Gray’s time at Spurs in 2024/25
Youngster Archie Gray endured a rapid rise to stardom in the 2023/24 season for his boyhood side, breaking into the first team during his ninth year on the books.
The now 18-year-old made himself a regular under Daniel Farke last season, featuring a staggering 52 times across all competitions despite his tender teenage years.
However, he would look right at home, featuring in various roles such as central midfield and right-back, but starring in both, earning him the EFL Young Championship Player of the Season award as a result.
After such tremendous showings in the second tier, Premier League outfit Tottenham Hotspur would come knocking, with the Whites reluctantly offloading him for £40m after their failure to secure promotion last season.
Such a big-money fee has massively helped the club’s finances, but they may have sold one player too prematurely, missing out on another mammoth sum had developed him rather than cashing in on him in the summer.
The player who could’ve been the next Archie Gray
As previously mentioned, the club have been lucky enough to have multiple talents develop through the ranks, but not all of whom have lived up to the hype at Elland Road.
One example of whom is centre-back Charlie Cresswell, who appeared as though he could become a key first-team member in Yorkshire after his first-team breakthrough back in 2020/21.
However, he would spend the following campaign on loan at Championship outfit Millwall, gaining valuable experience – something which appeared to be key given the Whites’ relegation back to the second tier upon his return to the club.
Cresswell would struggle to break into Farke’s plans in the German’s first year at the helm, restricting him to just seven appearances across all competitions – leading to his eventual departure last summer.
The 22-year-old would join French side Toulouse in a deal rising to £4m, a deal which would prove to be a bargain given his recent form for the Ligue 1 outfit, starting 19 times since his transfer.
The defender, who’s previously been dubbed a “warrior” by the Second Tier Podcast, has wasted no time in impressing away from Elland Road, showcasing the mistake made by his boyhood club in allowing him to leave on a permanent basis.
Games played
21
Goals & assists
1
Pass accuracy
82%
Tackles won
60%
Duels won
5.6
Duel success rate
63%
Aerials won
3.7
Aerial success rate
70%
After such an impressive loan stint a couple of years ago, it’s a surprise that Cresswell didn’t get more of an opportunity to showcase his talent at Elland Road, resulting in his switch to Europe.
However, given his form away from Yorkshire, the hierarchy may live to regret their decision to allow him to leave, potentially growing into the next academy star to leave for a huge sum – but if that is to happen, Toulouse would now be the beneficiaries after taking advantage of his lack of action.
His skillset and talent so far in 2024/25 is evidence that he could’ve been perfect for the current side, but their loss is now the Ligue 1 outfit’s gain – with Cresswell able to kick on and take full advantage of the chance handed his way, potentially developing into a top-level star.
Leeds hit gold selling "dangerous" striker who's being outscored by Bogle
Leeds United certainly made the right call in allowing the talented star to depart Elland Road.
ByEthan Lamb Feb 26, 2025
At one stage, South Australia needed two wickets with 33 runs to get, but Goodwin and Rocchiccioli kept their composure to finish the job for their team
Tristan Lavalette17-Nov-2023
Jayden Goodwin was the Player of the Match in Western Australia’s win•Getty Images
Jayden Goodwin and Corey Rocchiccioli produced a stirring ninth-wicket partnership late on day three as Western Australia overcame South Australia by two wickets in a nerve-jangling Sheffield Shield match in Perth.Chasing 201 for victory on a grassy WACA surface, WA were on the cusp of a second straight defeat at 168 for 8. But Goodwin and Rocchiccioli defied the Redbacks’ bid of a boilover with a calm, unbroken 33-run stand.Rocchiccioli hit the running runs to spark jubilation in the terraces as WA bounced back from a horror trip to Sydney where they suffered big defeats to NSW in the Shield and the Marsh Cup.”We discussed at tea that we were going to be positive and get it done today,” said 21-year-old Goodwin, who finished unbeaten on 47 off 72 balls on his return to the side after replacing the injured Ashton Turner.It was heartbreak for South Australia, who in their last match had beaten Queensland by three runs in a similarly tense finish.After a dull draw between WA and Tasmania last month, the WACA surface was particularly spicy and just three half-centuries were struck in the low-scoring contest.The Redbacks needed to strike with the new ball, which had accounted for clumps of wickets earlier in the match. But skipper Sam Whiteman and Cameron Bancroft looked unruffled as they chipped away at the target with a 39-run opening stand.The match turned when Whiteman fell to a short delivery from Brendan Doggett, who shortly after banged a brutal delivery that thundered into Teague Wyllie’s elbow.After receiving medical attention, Wyllie retired hurt and a pumped-up Doggett was on a roll with the key wicket of Bancroft for 27. A visibly annoyed Bancroft trudged off having endured a rare sub-par match, having fallen for 20 to a rash cut shot in the first innings.Doggett continued his spectacular spell when he had Hilton Cartwright caught behind to leave WA shakily placed at 58 for 3 at tea. Goodwin and Aaron Hardie decided to counter-attack after the break as they compiled 37 runs in quick time.A desperate South Australia captain Jake Lehmann reverted to offspinner Ben Manenti for the first time in the innings, and the gamble worked with Manenti getting through Hardie’s defences before Josh Philippe fell to Doggett in a rash stroke to extra cover.When Manenti had Joel Paris chopping on to his stumps, the Redbacks could sense a famous victory with WA slumping to 105 for 6 and still 96 short with Wyllie’s status uncertain.But Charlie Stobo, who bats in the top four for his local grade club, hit a breezy 26 to swing the momentum WA’s way before falling to Nathan McAndrew. In another twist, Wyllie returned to the crease having undergone a couple of rigorous net sessions in between.He was peppered by short deliveries but showed no ill effects, and inched WA closer. Manenti again provided a pivotal breakthrough after Wyllie was trapped lbw failing to connect on a sweep shot.WA’s hopes would have sunk at that stage, but Goodwin and Rocchiccioli, who showed maturity in his 25 off 42 balls, came together as the shadows creeped on to the ground.The gripping finale seemed unlikely when South Australia struggled to build a lead. But Harry Nielsen led a lower-order fight-back with a half-century and he was well supported by Manenti, who top-scored with 66 to lift the Redbacks to a lead of 200.Manenti took the long handle to offspinning counterpart Rocchiccioli and smashed him for two sixes which landed in rubble amid the ground’s redevelopment.His cavalier 88-ball knock was ended by Lance Morris, who finished with 3 for 44 from 14.4 overs. Steadily building his bowling loads this season after a back injury, Morris was venomous on a hard surface and hit speeds of around 145 kph.Paris shrugged off a groin niggle, which forced him off the ground late on day two. The injury-plagued Paris dismissed any possible concerns by dismissing McAndrew after coming into the attack an hour into the day’s play.The topsy-turvy contest continued until Rocchiccioli’s winning boundary powered WA over the line and into top spot on the ladder.
MatériaMais Notícias
da dobrowin： Pelas quartas de finais da Supercopa do Brasil feminina, o Flamengo atropelou a equipe do Ceará por 10 a 0, na manhã deste domingo. Além da goleada expressiva, internautas repercutiram nas redes sociais outros fatores da partida como o horário do jogo, disparidade entre os times da modalidade, más gestões das entidades e a presença de uma atleta de 14 anos entre as profissionais da equipe alvinegra.
Com a vitória, as Meninas da Gávea avançaram à semifinal do torneio nacional. Agora, o Rubro-Negro vai enfrentar o Real Brasília, que venceu o Avaí por 2 a 1 no outro confronto da chave.
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da betcris： +Artista recria troféus de grandes competições com o auxílio da Inteligência Artificial
Uma das maiores críticas direcionadas ao confronto foi relacionada ao horário escolhido para o duelo no Rio de Janeiro, 10h30 da manhã. Em temporada de altas temperaturas na cidade por conta do verão, o abatimento físico das atletas no gramado do estádio Luso Brasileiro, era perceptível aos telespectadores da partida.
Jogo de futebol feminino rolando agora, flamengo x ceará, ao meio dia é sacanagem. Sensação térmica de 50° pic.twitter.com/umbNgdnMy6
— Júlio Bittencourt (@juliocriciuma) February 5, 2023
Que legal a Globo mostrando futebol feminino
mas… a que preço pras atletas? Jogar nesse horário em pleno mês de fevereiro no Rio de Janeiro… pic.twitter.com/eov3lBoIzN— #ETC (@epictimechat) February 5, 2023
Um sol de 40° graus o Flamengo faz 10 x 0 no Ceará de manhã é ter um preparo físico muito bom, porque eu cansei so de olha HAHA
— Taiara Moreira (@taiaramdsilva) February 5, 2023
Também houveram reclamações sobre a disparidade entre os elencos da modalidade feminina. O placar elástico das rubro-negras sobre as cearenses foi ressaltado por internautas.
O equilíbrio e a competitividade do futebol feminino são impressionantes pic.twitter.com/aZfhc6cdbw
— O Verdureiro (@TiaoVerdureiro) February 5, 2023
Supercopa Feminina com placar 10×0, Flamengo X Ceará. Precisa diminuir disparidades. Se é pra promover, tem q ter fomento. Cadê a grana da CBF? Tem q usar pra equiparar e ter um jogo. Transmitir massacre não ajuda, só fortalece a ideia q futebol feminino não merece investimento.
— Anderson Pires (@andersontpires) February 5, 2023
Triste a disparidade no placar do jogo entre Flamengo e Ceará. 10 x 0. O atual campeão da Série A2 começou a temporada – diante do Flamengo – com jogadoras da base! Por que?
O Futebol feminino do Ceará foi abandonado? Cadê a diretoria do time?
— Rayssa Loreen (@rayssa_loreen) February 5, 2023
Alguns torcedores chamaram a atenção para a presença de uma atleta de apenas 14 anos entre as jogadoras profissionais do Ceará. O alvinegro é o atual campeão da série A2 do futebol feminino, contudo, por conta do rebaixamento no Campeonato Brasileiro de masculino de 2022 ocorreu um corte de gastos no clube. Com isso, houve um desmanche da equipe feminina. Internautas criticaram a situação e cobraram medidas da CBF.
É inacreditável a falta de incentivo no futebol feminino! Flamengo x Ceará ao vivo em rede nacional, com o Flamengo metendo 10 gols contra um time que estava jogando com atleta de 14 anos em campo… A CBF é uma piada por permitir um negócio desses!
— rdg (@luanourdg) February 5, 2023
Investimento de 1%. O futebol feminino do Ceará vale 1% pra essa diretoria. Atleta de 14 anos compondo o elenco principal. Vocês conseguem entender a forma desleal como lidam com a modalidade? Depois de um 2022 com o título brasileiro, 2023 vem sendo injusto.
— Vithória Raulino (@vithraulino) February 5, 2023
O Ceará foi disputar a supercopa tendo como jogadora mais velha a goleira, de 22 anos de idade. 22 ANOS! Uma atleta entrou em campo tendo 14 ANOS! 14 ANOS! As meninas, que não tem culpa nenhuma, foram humilhadas pelo flamengo por 10×0. Inacreditável e inaceitável.
— Athirson na 🅱️ 🇧🇷⭐️ (@ThirsonFerreira) February 5, 2023
The allrounder will miss the match against Perth Scorchers on Wednesday
ESPNcricinfo staff08-Dec-2023Melbourne Stars have suffered a huge blow to their hopes of bouncing back from a horror start to the BBL with Glenn Maxwell ruled out of their next match against Perth Scorchers due to injury.Maxwell picked up an injury to his forearm when batting against Brisbane Heat on the opening night of the competition where he made 23 off 14 balls as Stars were heavily beaten by 103 runs.Related
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He had medical attention twice in middle and had his forearm taped, then was seen icing it in the dugout after his dismissal at the Gabba. Maxwell’s absence will put more onus on Marcus Stoinis to lead the batting line-up while it also means Stars miss an important spin-bowling option.Stars face Scorchers on Wednesday at the MCG then have a 10-day gap until their next outing, against Sydney Thunder in Albury on December 23, which the club will hope gives Maxwell time to recover and only miss the one game.”Biggest forearms in the world and he’s pulled a muscle,” team-mate Hilton Cartwright joked after the game and before confirmation that Maxwell would be ruled out.”He’s had a nice break, came back super positive and he’s still super positive [after the loss]. On a night like tonight you’ve got to keep reminding yourself you’re not a bad team.”Stars also appear likely to be without Nathan Coulter-Nile after he picked up a calf strain against Heat. He came out to bat at No. 11 with a runner.”Nathan Coulter-Nile will undergo scans this weekend to determine damage to a calf injury suffered whilst bowling against the Brisbane Heat,” a club statement said.Stars will hope to be able to call on Pakistan quick Haris Rauf after he was not selected against Heat having only just arrived in the country. England fast bowler Olly Stone was one of their three overseas players along with Liam Dawson and Usama Mir.
da bet7k： As the summer transfer window approaches, Atletico Madrid have already reportedly reached a verbal agreement with a Manchester United star who could now leave in a deal worth £42m.
Man Utd transfer news
da imperador bet： In what has been a trend spanning over 10 years, Manchester United are once again in need of a major overhaul under a new manager.
This time, it’s Ruben Amorim who needs to welcome several fresh faces if he is to stamp his mark on the struggling side that Erik ten Hag left behind. However, unlike in previous tenures, the Red Devils are not in a position to splash the cash so easily.
As INEOS continue their cost-cutting measures, which have not come without controversy, the first thing they must do when the summer arrives is sell any players Amorim does not deem fit to feature in his strongest side – and that could see one star man depart.
According to reports in Spain, Atletico Madrid have now reached a verbal agreement with Alejandro Garnacho and could complete a summer deal worth €50m (£42m).
Man Utd open talks to sign £40m star outscoring Zirkzee & Hojlund combined
He’d be an instant upgrade…
ByTom Cunningham Mar 9, 2025
The Argentinian winger looked destined to follow in Marcus Rashford’s footsteps by departing in the January transfer window amid links to the likes of Chelsea, but eventually stayed put and has since crept back into Amorim’s side.
Nonetheless, he could still decide to leave a sinking ship and a manager whose system simply does not accommodate wingers when the summer arrives. United, meanwhile, could commence a summer of sales by showing Garnacho the door.
"Brave" Garnacho needs Man Utd exit
There was once a time when leaving Old Trafford seemed an absurd idea, but those days are long gone. Recent history instead tells a damning story of how players can benefit from leaving Manchester United – whether it’s been Alexis Sanchez, Romelu Lukaku or more recently, Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Now, Garnacho can become the latest to steal the headlines away from a club drowning in failure.
Under Ten Hag, the young winger looked destined to become the star of the team, having earned regular praise from the Dutchman, who told reporters: “I love to work with Garnacho.
“He’s a player who needs a challenge, he likes a challenge, he is very brave, he’s very confident, our job is to push him to high levels. He has high potential and now we have to get the potential out, therefore you have to work day by day.”
Now, under Amorim, he has been surplus to requirements at times, in what has been the harshest reality check possible for a player who has strayed from a path towards Old Trafford greatness.
Like others in the past, Garnacho should take hold of an opportunity to leave Manchester United behind this summer.
أوضح باولو جارسيا، وكيل أعمال البرازيلي ماركوس ليوناردو، مهاجم فريق الهلال الأول لكرة القدم، أنه لم يتم إخطار اللاعب سواء من قبل إدارة النادي أو الجهاز الفني بشأن ضمه إلى قائمة الفريق الآسيوية فقط، واستبعاده من القائمة المحلية بسبب تجاوز السن القانونية.
ويبلغ ليوناردو 22 عامًا، في حين تنص لوائح دوري روشن السعودي على أن كل فريق يمكنه تسجيل 25 لاعبًا في قائمته، منهم ثمانية لاعبين أجانب، ولاعبان من مواليد 2003، أي أقل من 21 عامًا، ما يلزم تسجيله ضمن قائمة الأجانب الثمانية للفريق الأزرق.
ويضم الهلال في قائمة الأجانب الحاليين كلًا من: السنغالي خاليدو كوليبالي، الصربيين سيرجي سافيتش وألكسندر ميتروفيتش، المغربي ياسين بونو، الفرنسي ثيو هيرنانديز، الأوروجوياني داروين نونيز، البرازيليين مالكوم ورينان لودي، والبرتغاليين جواو كانسيلو وروبن نيفيز، بينما يشغل البرازيلي كايو، البالغ 21 عامًا، خانة لاعب المواليد الأقل من 2004.
طالع أيضًا | بعد أزمة الهلال.. الاتحاد السعودي يُقر تعديلات رادعة على لوائح الانسحاب
وكانت تقارير قد أشارت مؤخرًا إلى نية الجهاز الفني للهلال ضم ماركوس ليوناردو إلى قائمة دوري أبطال آسيا فقط، دون تسجيله في الدوري السعودي.
وفي تصريحات لصحيفة “الرياضية” السعودية، قال جارسيا: “لا أعلم ما تتوقعونه سماعه مني، لكن يمكنني القول إنني مندهش من خبر عدم تسجيل ماركوس ليوناردو في الدوري السعودي، لقد قدمنا الكثير من أجل النادي وجماهيره، وسأنتظر بيانًا رسميًا من الإدارة، وإذا صح ما يُتداول بشأن تسجيله في القائمة الآسيوية فقط، فسيكون ذلك مخيبًا للآمال”.
وعند سؤاله عن وجود عروض أوروبية أو برازيلية حالية للاعب، نفى وكيله وجود أي تحركات بهذا الخصوص مؤكدًا: “ليس لدينا أي شيء حاليًا. ليوناردو لاعب في الهلال، وهو سعيد هنا، وقلبه أزرق”.
ومنذ انضمامه إلى الهلال في سبتمبر الماضي، خاض ليوناردو 43 مباراة سجل خلالها 29 هدفًا وصنع 4 أهداف.
Qatar are set to host the FIFA Arab Cup and the FIFA U17 World Cup later this year.
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The upcoming 2025 FIFA Arab Cup in Qatar will feature record prize moneyThe next five editions of the FIFA U17 World Cup will also be held in QatarWith multiple events across various sports lined up, Qatar are positioning themselves as the capital of sportsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The 2025 FIFA Arab Cup and the 2025 FIFA U17 World Cups headline the FIFA football calendar later this year, with Qatar set to host both the tournaments.
The Arab Cup will be held from December 1-18 while the U17 World Cup, scheduled in November, will precede that.
With Qatar set to attract global footballing eyeballs, Jassim Abdulaziz Al-Jassim, CEO of the tournaments, is confident of delivering successful tournaments and elevating Qatar's profile as a 'sports capital'.
AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Apart from the next three editions of the FIFA Arab Cup and the next five FIFA U17 World Cups, Qatar have also lined up multiple other tournaments to be hosted by them, including the Basketball World Cup in 2027 and the Asian Games in 2030.
This is apart from tournaments like the Intercontinental Cup which Qatar hosted earlier.
All this comes on the backdrop of the hugely successful 2022 World Cup in Qatar which was a gamechanger iin terms of innovation and infrastructure.
WHAT JASSIM ABDULAZIZ AL-JASSIM SAID
When asked if hosting the FIFA U17 World Cup and FIFA Arab Cups are part of the country's push to be the 'capital of sports', Al-Jassim said,"It shows the alignment that we have in Qatar right now. So for sure, we are trying to increase the tourism for the country. And we have realized that sports tournaments and sports tourism is huge for us. We've already established that relationship with the fans. And also have the experience to organize any tournament.
"So next, in 2027, we have the Basketball World Cup. We have the Arab Cup for three editions until 2033. We have the U-17 for five years. And we're also working on bringing other tournaments as well. So for sure, sports tourism is one of the main targets for us as a country."
On why Qatar played a key role in increasing the prize money for the FIFA Arab Cup, Al-Jassim said, "This tournament is really, really important to us and to all the Arab nations and teams. So you need to have something that is also taking it to the same level. So that's where we came with the prize money that we have. We discussed it with FIFA and we increased. So it brings this kind of value to the tournament itself."
Al-Jassim also spoke about why Qatar were ready to host the next five editions of the FIFA U17 World Cup and how committed they are to developing the next generation of footballers.
"So the U-17 World Cup, I think it was every two years before. Now it's on a yearly basis to give more chance for the youth to shine and show and come here. So what we and FIFA together discussed was this was the best way to do it because it gives more chance for players to shine, to play more football, to play the best football. And also to increase it to 48 teams, similar to the World Cup in 2026.
AFPDID YOU KNOW?
Interestingly, the FIFA Arab Cup will see record prize money for a regional tournament. It was announced earlier this week that the total pool will amount to almost $36.9 million which is a signifcant rise from the 2021 edition.
The FIFA U17 World Cup, set to held annually for the next five years in Qatar, will also see a change in format, expanding it to 48 teams from 2025. The tournament, which will feature 104 matches, will be held exclusively at Qatar's Aspire Academy with only the final set to be held at the Khalifa Stadium in Doha.
"We have a new concept as well, the tournament is going to be played in Aspire Academy, except for the final which will be in Khalifa Stadium. So we will have more of a carnival festival kind of concept that all the matches are happening at the same place. Every half an hour you have a match starting. It's going to be a big huge festival where 104 matches are going to take place. We'll see how it goes this year. We are very, very confident that it will be a huge success," Al-Jassim added.