SPORTS
Kylian Mbappe has been linked with a move away from Paris Saint-Germain this summer, with Real Madrid his likely destination.
Kylian Mbappe will be a free agent next summer, and Paris Saint-Germain could look to cash in on him this year to avoid losing him on a free transfer next year. A report from Sky Sports claims that the French club fear that the 24-year-old has already agreed to join Real Madrid in a Bosman move in the 2024 summer transfer window.
Mbappe has recently revealed that he does not wish to leave the French outfit this summer, and he will see out his contract at the club. But Paris Saint-Germain will be desperate for him to sign an extension with them so that they do not lose him on a free transfer.
Alternatively, they will look to cash in on the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner, considering the precarious situation they find themselves in. So it will be interesting to see if they can convince the player to sign a new deal with them with a nominal release clause.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid certainly need someone like him to lead their attack, especially after the departure of Karim Benzema. Mbappe is one of the best players in the world, and he scored 41 goals across all competitions last season.
He is versatile enough to play anywhere across the front three and could transform the Real Madrid attack next year. The player has been linked with clubs like Arsenal and Liverpool as well. But it would be highly surprising if he decided to join them.
A move to Real Madrid will appeal to him more than any other club, and the player was heavily linked with the Spanish giants before he signed his last contract with PSG. Mbappe will be hoping to take the next step in his career and fight for major trophies with Real Madrid.
The Spanish giants have a phenomenal record in the Champions League, and the French international will want to win that competition soon. Despite spending massive sums of money in recent seasons the Champions League trophy has proven to be elusive for Paris Saint-Germain.
So Mbappe might feel that a move to Real Madrid could finally help him secure the european crown. Signing a player of his quality on a free transfer could prove to be an absolute masterstroke from the Spanish giants, and it will be interesting to see how the situation unfolds.
[thehardtackle]
Can England bring it home?
No, we aren't talking about the Lionesses and their quest to win the World Cup in a few weeks time...
This weekend, it's about the men's side, who face Spain in the final of the Uefa Under-21 European Championships.
It's the first time the Young Lions have reached the final of an Under-21s Euros in 14 years.
The exciting squad includes some Premier League stars as well as some 'up-and-coming' players who are all hoping to make themselves household names on Saturday evening.
The Young Lions, who are yet to concede a goal in the tournament, hope to win the competition for the first time since 1984.
The final kicks off at 5:00pm on Saturday 8 July at the Adjarabet Arena in Batumi, in Georgia.
Who is in the England U-21 squad?
Morgan Gibbs-White has been a key player for the Young Lions for many years. Will he be rewarded with another trophy?
One of the star players so far has been Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White.
The 23-year-old has had a taste of success with England's youth sides before, having been part of the team to win the Under-17s World Cup back in 2017, so can he bring that winning spirit to the rest of the squad?
Well, he has set up three goals and scored one on his way to the final, but is keen to praise his fellow players for their teamwork.
"We have a good together team and the right team that can go all the way."
Despite his brilliant work-rate, he isn't getting ahead of himself.
"It's not an achievement yet, we still have loads of work to do,"
Morgan Gibbs-White
The rest of the team is also brimming with star-quality, as Arsenal's Emile Smith-Rowe, Liverpool's Harvey Elliot and Manchester City's Cole Palmer all looking to impress the Three Lion's senior squad manager Gareth Southgate ahead of next year's European Championships.
Goal keeper James Trafford, who is rumoured to be joining newly promoted Burnley, has also proved to be a reliable force within the team.
The Cumbrian keeper who learned to drive on tractors at his parents farm and spent his summers lifting hay bales in fields, has kept out a wave of shots since the start of the tournament.
Who is the England U-21 coach?
England coach Lee Carsley made more than 150 appearances for Everton during his playing career.
Head coach Lee Carsley has been in charge of the Under-21 side since 2021.
He is a former player himself, and played a key role for Everton and Derby County in the late 1990s and 2000s.
Carsley says he has been really impressed with the attitude of the players in his junior squad.
"These young players' mentality is different to my generation" he said.
"Curtis (Jones) gives the ball away and just wants to get on it again, he doesn't even think about it. Morgan is the same.
"It's such a skill to have, that self-belief. The players know we believe in them, we want them to do well. It's important that he keeps getting on it, he keeps creating chances."
The players know we believe in them, we want them to do well."
Who are England playing in the final?
Spain beat Ukraine 5-1 in their semi-final, but can they overcome the consistent England side to win a third European title?
The Young Lions will face Spain in Saturday's final, and previous results suggest they will be fierce competition.
The Spanish side are also unbeaten in the tournament so far, but have drawn one match and conceded four goals.
Much like the England team, the Spanish side is full of top players.
Antonio Blanco, Sergio Gomez, Juan Miranda and Abel Ruiz, along with coach Santi Denia are all going for their version of the "treble".
They were all part of the teams who won both the Under-17s Euros in 2017 and the Under-19s Euros in 2019.
Spanish forward Abel Ruiz is aware of the challenge ahead.
"We know England are a very good team. They came to this tournament as favourites and have had a very good tournament".
[BBC]
Arsenal's summer transfer window is in full swing now with Granit Xhaka becoming the second senior player to depart permanently in the past week.
With Pablo Mari's £5.9million move to Serie A outfit Monza being completed last Saturday as the international transfer window officially opened, five days later brought about confirmation that the Switzerland international had completed a switch to Bayer Leverkusen thus earning the Gunners a £21.5million windfall.
As reported by football.london, more first-team players are expected to leave the Emirates Stadium between now and deadline day at the beginning of September with the club open to selling Thomas Partey, Nuno Tavares, Runar Alex Runarsson, Auston Trusty and Folarin Balogun.
Meanwhile, in terms of additions, Arsenal have agreements in place for Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber to push their spending over the £200million mark - having already completed the signing of Kai Havertz for £65million from London rivals Chelsea - and there could be one or two more following suit.
Having said that, the north London outfit have to be wary of not exceeding the limit of 17 non-homegrown players. This has previously been a problem as in the 2020/21 season Mesut Ozil and Sokratis Papastathopoulos missed out on both Premier League and Europa League squads.
Of course, with the Gunners competing in the Champions League next season and their hopes of toppling Manchester City in the title race, they'll have to ensure they adhere to both UEFA and Premier League rules when it comes to submitting the two squads lists after the summer transfer window closes.
With regard to the Premier League, Arsenal cannot name more than 17 non-homegrown players. The departures of Mari and Xhaka means as things currently stand, Gabriel Magalhaes, Mohamed Elneny, Gabriel Jesus, Fabio Vieira, Jorginho, Jakub Kiwior, Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey, Kieran Tierney, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Leandro Trossard, Matt Turner, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Havertz, Runarsson, Cedric Soares, Nuno Tavares, Trusty, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Nicolas Pepe all fall into this particular category
Over the limit by three, that number (20) will have to drop over the next couple of months - especially in order for Timber to be registered - but it would appear that Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar have the situation under control with the pair expected to oversee a number of non-homegrown player sales.
As for the Champions League, UEFA states: 'No club may have more than 25 players on List A during the season. As a minimum, eight places are reserved exclusively for "locally trained players" and no club may have more than four "association-trained players" listed in these eight places on List A. List A must specify the players who qualify as being "locally trained", as well as whether they are "club-trained" or "association-trained".
Arsenal no longer have to consider Mari and Xhaka following the double departure but because Marquinhos, despite being born after January 2002, is only eligible for List A as an overseas player due to not being at the club 'for any uninterrupted period of two years, or a total of three consecutive years' they are currently over the limit by four (21).
Once again, that number is expected to drop in the coming months when taking into consideration the players whom the Gunners are open to selling but it's important those deals are completed one way or another otherwise there will be a registration issue for Arteta to face.
[Football.London]
Everton transfer news: Toffees agree to sell two academy products to fund search for new striker
AdminEverton are pushing to broker their first addition to the senior squad for more than 10 months after agreeing the double sale of two academy graduates.
The club have sanctioned the sales of striker Ellis Simms to Coventry and 17-year-old academy prospect Ishe Samuels-Smith, who will join Chelsea for around £4m.
i understands that Everton will bank an initial £3.5m for Simms in a deal that will feature staggered payments and could be worth up to £8m eventually.
The 22-year-old spent the second half of last season back at Goodison Park after Everton failed to make any additions in January and scored a memorable late equaliser at Chelsea in a crucial 2-2 draw.
But he is surplus to requirements and, in a summer where Everton know they need to sell to spend substantially, the sale could be crucial.
The Toffees are still wrestling with Financial Fair Play issues and the cost of the new stadium project, with the club in advanced talks over investment from New York-based private equity firm MSP Sports Capital.
Sources close to the deal told i that there remains “no timeline” on when that could be concluded, pointing out the “very complex” nature of the investment.
“There are a lot of moving parts in the deal and it is not just a case of pressing the button and then it’s done,” a source told i.
They added that the group remained hopeful it would be done soon, having already provided an interim loan to help stadium construction in advance of the investment deal being concluded.
Everton director of football Kevin Thelwell has made a number of enquiries and the club are hopeful of securing a first incoming deal since September 2022, having gone through the whole of January without bringing anyone in.
The club returned for pre-season training on Thursday, with former England international Dele Alli noticeably the first to return for fitness tests ahead of his latest new start.
Sean Dyche will hold talks with Alli but with Everton required to pay £10m if he plays another seven games for the club, he would need to convince the manager quickly that he was over his recent travails.
Dyche has prioritised new forward additions, putting a premium on pace and power for his new recruits, with the scouting team reluctant to take risks on players with patchy fitness records.
They have been scouring the loan and free agent market and have an active interest in Lyon’s former Celtic forward Moussa Dembele.
They are also keen on Leeds United’s Italy striker Wilfried Gnoto, although there is a reluctance to sell at Elland Road. A fee of around £40m would surely require further outgoings at Goodison Park, where Amadou Onana could also be sold to raise funds.
The Belgium midfielder has interest from Chelsea and has been linked with Newcastle United.
Meanwhile, i understands that there has been no move for Almeria forward El Bilal Toure, despite reports in Spain that a £34.3m bid has been launched for the Mali international.
Almeria managing director Mohamed El Assy name-checked Everton in an interview this week as one club who had made an offer for Toure but sources at Goodison Park say that is not correct.
[inews]
A lot of Manchester City's players have nothing left to prove, and have a job for life as long as they want it.
Bernardo Silva, Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri, Jack Grealish, Ederson, Ruben Dias, John Stones and several others. Last season City achieve the remarkable, to become just the second English team to win the treble and equal fierce rivals Manchester United's crowning glory.
While those names will go down in the history books, tales of the brilliance passed from generation to generation, there are others in the City squad who didn't play as much of a significant role. Every member of a squad is crucial for more than what we see on the pitch, to ensure squad harmony and team spirit.
But everyone wants to play. Every single game. Some did not do enough to earn a regular spot in the side last season and will be fighting for their futures during pre-season and the forthcoming campaign.
The biggest example of course is Kalvin Phillips. The midfielder was brought in from Leeds United last summer to replace the departing Fernandinho to provide cover for Rodri but hardly got a sniff of action. A should injury disrupted the first half of his season and Pep Guardiola expressed his frustrations early on that he was having to play Rodri so much.
The time off meant Phillips was already playing catch-up at a club where it tends to take players a year to get used to the manager's methods. Even when back on the bench, Guardiola did not trust him enough to play much. His longest cameo off the bench in the Premier League against Leicester City was disastrous and threatened to throw away the lead.
The midfielder didn't start his first league match until the title was already secured and he finished the campaign with 593 minutes of action. Phillips expected to be playing second fiddle behind Rodri but must have thought he'd play more.
His first season has been such a disappointment that there was speculation he could depart after a year but Phillips quickly put those rumours to bed by declaring his desire to prove himself at the Etihad. “My intention is to stay there. We have just won the treble, so there is no reason for me to leave, other than if I am not playing I will obviously have to think about it.
“I cannot give it 12 months and say, ‘I am not playing so I am going to leave’. I came to Manchester City to win trophies and we won the trophies, but I didn’t play as much as I wanted to do.
“With England I played a little bit, but was ruled out through injuries as well. It is just nice to be back fit. I have nothing to worry about now. Everything is fine with my body. I will continue to work hard next season and hopefully do well when I go back to City.”
That's an admirable stance to take and there is every chance he could discover his best form now he's got a clean bill of health, like so many signings have in their second season. But if there isn't a dramatic improvement soon, it's hard to see him lasting for a third campaign.
Another new signing who struggled last year was Sergio Gomez, though it was hardly his fault. The Spaniard was signed as a developmental addition and the original plan was for him to head straight out on loan to continue his development. But a rare error from City meant he had to stay after the Blues allowed Aleks Zinchenko to depart without having replacement Marc Cucurella secured, who eventually joined Chelsea.
In his few appearances, Gomez looked exactly like a player initially deemed not ready for the senior squad. Completely out of his depth. Given he's also a converted attacker, it was hardly surprising. However, he is enjoying an excellent Under-21 Euros with his five goal contributions in four games helping guide Spain to the final, though he is playing as a winger.
There is clearly potential in Gomez but he will have to start showing it at City if he is to remain with the squad and not head out either on loan or permanently.
Cole Palmer is also enjoying a good tournament and shone in England's semi-final victory over Israel as he scored and set up two more in a 3-0 win. The playmaker clearly has lots of talent, made obvious by the fact he has been a regular face in the squad for a couple of years now.
But he didn't play quite as much as might have been expected last season and now at 21 it's time he starts having a greater impact on games if he is to follow in Phil Foden's footsteps and become a mainstay in the side.
He faces competition from his fellow EDS teammates Tommy Doyle and James McAtee. The pair spent last season on loan at Sheffield United and were instrumental in the Blades' promotion back to the Premier League. They have had the taste of regular first-team football now and will no doubt be eager to replicate that at City.
While starting regularly is highly unlikely, there is certainly a spot available on the bench for an exciting young midfielder and the trio will have to impress in pre-season to be the one to earn it or face another season out on loan.
Germany lost their last warm-up game for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup at home to Zambia despite retrieving a two-goal deficit in added time.
Racheal Kundanaji’s long ball saw Barbra Banda open the scoring past Merle Frohms three minutes into the second half, with Kundanaji herself netting shortly afterwards.
Carolin Simon hit the crossbar, before Lea Schüller reduced the arrears just after the 90 minutes by heading in Simon’s corner.
Ten minutes into stoppage-time, Alexandra Popp turned in Svenja Huth’s cross to equalise, only for Banda to lob Frohms from 20 yards for a dramatic winner.
Elsewhere, Portugal defeated Ukraine 2-0 with Jessica Silva scoring both goals in the first half.
USA host Wales at 9pm UK time on Sunday 9 July, live on BBC One Wales, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.
[shekicks]
Jurgen Klopp ‘requests’ €60m Liverpool raid on European giants for final cog of midfield rebuild
AdminAccording to reports, Jurgen Klopp has asked Liverpool to sign Inter Milan standout Nicolo Barella, who was pursued by Newcastle earlier this summer.
As expected, Liverpool have been busy in the transfer market already this summer. They moved quickly to sign World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton for £35m.
They then turned their attention to Dominik Szoboszlai, who has joined Liverpool after the Premier League giants activated the £60m release clause in his contract at RB Leipzig.
The Reds could sign one more midfielder before the transfer window closes, with a defensive midfielder likely to be preferred by the club’s hierarchy.
Barella was involved in 19 goals across all competitions during the 2022/23 campaign and he was heavily linked with Newcastle before they signed Sandro Tonali from AC Milan.
The Italy international has also been linked with Liverpool and while it has rightly been assumed that they are no longer interested in him following the arrival of Szoboszlai, but Spanish outlet Fichajes are reporting that they are ‘seeking to add’ him to their squad following a ‘request’ by Klopp.
Inter Milan are ‘willing to sell Barella if they receive an offer of 60 million euros’ and Liverpool ‘could be willing to pay’ this amount.
It is said to be one of Klopp’s ‘great desires’ to make Barella the third and final cog of his summer rebuild in midfield.
This should be taken with a pinch of salt, as it is being widely reported by more reliable outlets that Southampton teenager Romeo Lavia is actually their main midfield target for the rest of this summer.
Football Insider are reporting that ‘Southampton are holding out for top money for their best players as Liverpool continue to negotiate a possible deal for Lavia. They add.
‘A well-placed source has told Football Insider that midfield duo Lavia and James Ward-Prowse are “fully expected” to return to the Premier League with a move away from St Mary’s Stadium.
‘However, it is believed Liverpool are only currently willing to offer around £40million for Lavia as negotiations continue – while Southampton are believed to be holding out for a figure closer to £50million.
‘A host of other Premier League giants, including Chelsea and Arsenal, have also been linked with the 19-year-old.
‘Southampton are keen to maximise the Belgium international’s value as Man City will be entitled to 20% of any fee received for his services. That clause was negotiated as part of the reported £10.5million deal which brought Lavia to Southampton last summer.’
[football365]
According to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea are not in negotiations with any club over the sale of Andrey Santos. The player has recently returned from his loan spell at Vasco da Gama and has been attracting a lot of interest.
Barcelona were among the clubs keen on securing the services of the youngster this summer. Although the Catalans were interested in Santos even during the January transfer window, Chelsea beat them to the chase and loaned the player back to Vasco da Gama until the end of last season.
With Chelsea undergoing many changes this summer, Barcelona have re-ignited their pursuit of Santos, hoping that the youngster might consider leaving Stamford Bridge in favour of a more sporting prospect in Catalonia.
The club’s new sporting director Deco is a great admirer of Santos, while Xavi Hernandez himself had given the approval for the move. Barcelona had even started negotiations to sign the youngster this summer, reports Lucas Pedrosa.
Chelsea, though, appear to have no desire to negotiate with any clubs. Their new coach Mauricio Pochettino wants to assess the 19-year-old youngster during pre-season. The club also believe he is the future of the team.
Following the departure of Sergio Busquets, Barcelona are desperate to sign a replacement this summer. Barça’s late pursuit of Santos hinted that the club are looking for alternatives to top target Oriol Romeu, who is set to cost €8 million in the market.
Given his age and the potential he has shown in his native Brazil, Andrey Santos fits the bill well. But with Chelsea unwilling to sanction an exit, Barcelona must continue to look at other options in the transfer market.
The Blaugrana have been recently linked with a move for former youth team player Gerard Gumbau, who is currently a free agent. But the Spaniard does not have much experience at the highest level, which makes him a risky target for the club.
[barcauniversal]
Sandro Tonali’s agent Giuseppe Riso has reflected on his client’s record-breaking move to Newcastle United.
Just under a fortnight after the deal was first agreed, Tonali was officially confirmed as a Magpies player on Monday for an undisclosed fee - believed to be £52million plus add-ons - to make him Italy’s most expensive player of all time.
Tonali put pen to paper on a five-year contract - which includes an option of a sixth year - before making a flying visit to Tyneside on Wednesday, where he visited St James’ Park and the club’s Benton training ground before travelling back to Milan a day later.
Upon his return to Italy, Tonali and his agent Giuseppe Riso were questioned by Italian journalists at the airport. While Tonali spoke of the difficult decision to leave his boyhood team, Riso showed his delight.
Riso said: “The operation will go down in history, we are happy and proud. I see him calm. When clubs like Newcastle or others from the Premier League appear, which is the NBA of football, it is right for all parties to sit down and discuss it.”
When asked how satisified he was to get the Tonali deal over the line, Riso paid tribute to super agent Mino Raiola, who passed away aged 54 last year.
“A lot,” he said. “I say one thing: I would like to take the opportunity to remember Mino Raiola, he’s missed so much and that’s felt. He changed our way of working and improved it. He created the show. I would like an award or a day to remember him. He deserves it.
Tonali will enjoy a short break before linking up with his new teammates as they prepare for the 2023-24 Premier League campaign.
[newcastleworld]
Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia continues to be linked with a move to a number of Premier League clubs this summer.
According to Florian Plettenberg, the 19-year-old defensive midfielder is a target for Liverpool and manager Jurgen Klopp is a big fan of the player.
However, he might face competition from Barcelona for the talented young Belgian.
Barcelona are reportedly keeping tabs on the youngster as well but they are unlikely to be able to pay the asking price. They need a quality long-term replacement for Sergio Busquets.
The midfielder is valued at £50 million and it will be interesting to see if Liverpool are willing to shell out that kind of money for him.
Liverpool have already signed Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai this summer.
Although there is no doubt that Lavia is a prodigious young talent with a massive future ahead of him, £50 million does seem like a steep asking price.
Southampton will probably have to lower their demands in order for the transfer to go through.
Liverpool need to bring in a quality defensive midfielder who can compete with Fabinho for the starting spot. The Brazilian regressed massively last season and competition for places will help the squad improve.
The opportunity to join a big club like Liverpool will be an attractive proposition for Lavia who has recently been relegated to the Championship with Southampton.
If the two clubs can agree on a fee, it is fair to assume that the move will go through. Agreeing on personal terms with the player should not be a problem for the Reds.
[caughtoffside]
More...
French football star Kylian Mbappe on Thursday arrived his home country Cameroon.
He was met by jubilant fans as he visited his father’s village and the school for deaf children while in the country.
Mbappe, 24, was met by hundreds of admirers, many of whom were wearing Paris Saint-Germain’s jerseys as he commenced his three days stay in Cameroon on Thursday, July 6.
A troupe of roughly 100 traditional dancers performed in his honor. Afterward, the police escorted him off in an SUV with tinted windows as the footballer waved to the crowd.
Kylian Mbappe is expected to stay in the hotel complex run by the Yaounde-based family of former French tennis champion Yannick Noah.
The France national team captain and Joakim Noah, a former NBA player, are expected to play in a basketball game. Later, they will participate in a match against second-tier FC Vent d’Etoudi of Cameroon.
Fans trying to touch Kylian Mbappe as he visits Cameroon on Thursday.
Mbappe will then visit a school in Douala, the financial hub of the country, on Saturday before heading to Djebale, the village where his father Wilfried Mbappe was born.
His father left the village for France when he was a young man. While in France, he worked as a football coach and developed Mbappe’s football career.
Mbappe will get the opportunity to visit two schools in Yaounde and Douala that are funded by his charitable foundation, Inspired by KM.
The French footballer will also meet with many government officials, including Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute, to discuss initiatives he wants to launch in Cameroon, according to a statement from his management team.
Media
NFF Didn’t Pay Me For 14 Months, Players Are Also Owed Bonuses - Super Falcons Head Coach, Waldrum Speaks
AdminThe Super Falcons head coach, Randy Waldrum, has revealed that he is owed salary by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
The Super Falcons coach spoke in a recent chat with ‘On The Whistle’ podcast.
Waldrum said he was owed 14 months salary until three weeks ago when the NFF paid for seven months.
He said some players are owed “per diem and bonuses” from two years ago.
“Up until about three weeks ago, I had been owed 14 months’ salary, and then they paid seven months salary,” the American said.
“Before that, a year and a half to two years, I had been owed for months before I was paid a little bit of it. Starting July, I’ll be eight months behind in salary.
“We still have players that haven’t been paid since two years ago when we played the summer series in the USA. It’s a travesty.”
Waldrum also claimed that FIFA had disbursed $960,000 to all the teams that qualified for the 2023 Women’s World Cup to prepare for the tournament.
The coach demanded accountability from the NFF regarding the money that was meant to fund the Falcons’ preparation for the World Cup.
“I have a close contact in the US that is very connected to some of the boards at FIFA, and this person told me that in October, every country was given $960,000 from FIFA to prepare for the World Cup. Where’s the money?” he said.
“If we had that money, why did we not build a camp in November?
“FIFA allows your staff to have up to 22 people, but we have only 11. We don’t have scouts to watch the teams in our group or potential opponents.
“In the two-and-a-half years that I’ve been here, I have never had one time that the federation came to me and asked, “What do you need, coach?”
“What keeps me going is the players. Otherwise, I would have walked away from this job a long time ago.”
The development is the latest in the exchange of words between Waldrum and the NFF over the past week.
On June 29, the Falcons’ head coach condemned the NFF over its “lack of support” for the team ahead of the World Cup.
He said the team is “not prepared the way we need to be” for the tournament.
Responding, Ademola Olajire, NFF communications director, said Waldrum was “shooting his mouth off” instead of “admitting to the glaring deficiencies” he displayed in the list of players invited to participate in the tournament.
The women’s World Cup will be hosted by New Zealand and Australia from July 20.
The Falcons are scheduled to play Canada in their first match on July 21 before facing Australia six days later. The team will play Ireland in their last group game on July 31.
Victor Osimhen has demanded a salary of €7m annually to extend his current deal with Napoli, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Napoli, who have already opened talks to extend Osimhen’s contract, are keen on inserting a hefty €200m release clause in the new deal, Get Italy football news stated.
The Nigeria international helped the Partenopei win their first Serie A title in 33 years, and emerged the leading scorer in Italy’s topflight with 26 goals in 32 games in 2022/23.
His impressive form has seen him linked with moves to PSG, Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham and Bayern Munich.
“A solution for the issue could be that Napoli will go close to meeting the wage demand of about €7m and will add a release clause of around €200m in his (Osimhen’s) deal,” the report stated.
“Shared image rights could also bring the parties close. Work is already going on in the right direction for this, with both parties trying to close a deal as quickly as possible.”
Sky Italia reports that a second meeting regarding Osimhen’s renewal has taken place between the club and the Nigerian’s representative, Roberto Calenda.
Calenda revealed Osimhen’s desire to renew his deal at Napoli, with both parties now keen on making sure that the 24-year-old stays for at least another season.
“There is still a lot of gap between the club’s offer and what the player demands, but Napoli know that they can’t lose more assets after the exits of Cristiano Guintoli, Luciano Spalletti and Kim Min-Jae,” Calenda said.
Meanwhile, Osimhen is Paris Saint-Germain’s main target if Kylian Mbappe leaves the club this summer, Football-Italia reports.
The 24-year-old Frenchman was set for a switch to Real Madrid last year, only to snub Carlo Ancelotti’s side and agree a new two-year deal at the Parc des Princes with the option of an additional 12 months.
The French champions have been left aghast after receiving a letter from Mbappe confirming that he would not take up the option to extend his contract until 2025, meaning that he could walk out of the door for nothing this time next year.
Despite his refusal to trigger the clause, Mbappe has insisted that he wants to stay put in Paris for the 2023/24 season, and he plans to make a decision on his future next summer.
On the other hand, PSG are reportedly working to sell the France international this summer, and a “shocked” and “disappointed” Al-Khelaifi has ruled out the possibility of Mbappe departing for nothing in 2024.
Osimhen joined Napoli from Lille in 2020 in a deal worth €75m. He has scored 50 goals in 83 Serie A matches adding seven in 11 Champions League appearances.
His current contract at the Stadio Maradona expires in June 2025.
World number four Casper Ruud crashed out in the second round of Wimbledon on Thursday at the hands of British wildcard Liam Broady. Broady held his nerve when trailing two sets to one against the French Open finalist, rallying to win the Centre Court clash 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-0. Norway's Ruud, who has been runner-up at Roland Garros in the past two years, was also the beaten finalist at the US Open last year.
The 24-year-old has never gone beyond the second round at the All England Club. Broady, 142 in the world rankings, took a medical time out at the end of the fourth set to change some bandaging on his wrist.
But the 29-year-old came out fit and firing in the evening sunshine, demolishing Ruud 6-0 in the decider before soaking up the applause from the partisan crowd.
"I would have liked to have played him back home, but Centre Court of Wimbledon will do," said Broady. "When I went to bed last night, I was having a think of what I'd say if I won the match, but now I'm here I don't know what to say.
"I said to my mum this morning, she doesn't like watching, but I said I've already won £80,000 ($102,000) this week so she can chill out a bit."
The British player will play Canadian 26th seed Denis Shapovalov in the third round. "Denis is a mercurial talent, he's one of the best players in the world as is Casper," he said. "He's won junior Wimbledon. He's an amazing player. With a crowd like this then why not have a go again."
Teen power
Meanwhile, Russian 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva reached the third round of a Grand Slam for a second successive time at Wimbledon on Thursday. Andreeva was leading Czech 10th seed Barbora Krejcikova 6-3, 4-0 when the former French Open champion retired with an injury.
Just as she had done at the French Open, the teenager came through qualifying for Wimbledon and next faces either compatriot Anastasia Potapova or Kaja Juvan of Slovenia. Making her main draw debut, Andreeva, ranked at 102 in the world, saw off China's Wang Xiyu in the first round in a match that finished late Wednesday.
In Paris last month, it took world number seven Coco Gauff to stop her in three sets in the last 32.
[sports]