قال توماس لاف المسئول الإعلامي لمنتخب كرواتيا، إن فريق بلاده يرى دورة كأس عاصمة مصر الدولية الودية، خطوة هامة جدًا نحو بناء الفريق للصيف المقبل لبطولة اليورو.

ويشارك منتخب كرواتيا في الدورة الدولية الودية بمشاركة منتخبات مصر وتونس ونيوزيلندا.

وأضاف توماس لاف في تصريحات تلفزيونية بفضائية “أون تايم سبورتس”: “نؤدي مباريات رائعة في البطولة سنواجه منتخب تونس، وهذه فرصة رائعة للاعبين من أجل الانسجام وخلق أجواء رائعة بين لاعبي كرواتيا”.

وليد عبد الوهاب: استاد القاهرة جاهز لاستضافة مباراة تونس وكرواتيا

وأردف: “إقامتنا في منتجع ورائعة وسعداء جدًا، هناك العديد من المنشآت الجيدة في مصر والبنية التحتية الرائعة”.

وتابع: “نتطلع لرؤية جوانب كثيرة في مصر خلال الأيام المقبلة، ونزور الأهرامات والمتحف المصري والمواقع السياحية الرائعة”.

وأتم: “الملاعب رائعة والاستاد أكثر من رائع، نتمنى أن نلعب هنا لأن هذا الاستاد سيقام عليه المباراة النهائية، وسنخوض المباراة الأولى على ستاد القاهرة”.

ومن المقرر أن يواجه منتخب كرواتيا نظيره التونسي مساء السبت المقبل، وحال فوزه سيلتقي بالفائز من موقعة مصر ونيوزيلندا في نهائي الدورة الودية.

ScorecardTom Westley stemmed a Lions collapse•Getty Images

Tom Westley and Liam Livingstone hit unbeaten half centuries to steer England Lions out of a sticky situation in the opening game of their tour of Sri Lanka.After dismissing the Board President’s XI for 153 on the first day of their only warm-up fixture before the two four-day games against Sri Lanka A, the Lions slipped to 69 for four in reply, with their England openers Keaton Jennings and Haseeb Hameed, who both made Test debuts on the sub-continent this winter, going cheaply.But Westley and Livingstone responded with an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 99 in 24 overs, meaning the Lions will resume on the second day of the three-day match 15 runs ahead.Westley, who made an important 84 for the Lions in the first-class match against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi before Christmas, reached an unbeaten 65 from 108 balls with 12 boundaries.Livingstone, who signed an extended contract with Lancashire just before the Lions left for Sri Lanka, will resume on 61 from 75 balls after reaching his half century with a six in addition to hitting seven fours.Tom Helm had claimed the best figures after the home team chose to bat first, although the wickets were shared around as all seven of the specialist bowlers in the Lions squad had a decent spell in a game that does not have first-class status because of the squad system being utilised.Tom Curran shared the new ball with Toby Roland-Jones and took a wicket in each of his first two overs to reduce the Board XI to 9-2.Helm, who was fast-tracked into the Lions squad from the Pace Programme in December after impressing in the training camp in Dubai, ended with three for 18 from 7.3 overs, and there were three catches for Joe Clarke as he kept wicket in place of Ben Foakes, who has a back problem.Sam Curran and the spinners Ollie Rayner and Jack Leach claimed one wicket apiece, and there were two for Leach’s Somerset team-mate Craig Overton.

Newcastle United are considering a swoop to bring Benfica forward Goncalo Ramos to the Premier League, according to reports.

How many goals did Goncalo Ramos score this season?

Ramos is naturally a striker who has played his football at the Estadio da Luz all of his career having graduated from the club’s academy to get promoted to the first-team back in 2020. He’s since gone on to become a regular feature of Roger Schmidt’s side, making 30 starts from 34 Liga Portugal games last season and finding the back of the net 19 times in those outings.

The Portugal international was heavily linked with a move to the northeast last summer when journalist Pedro Sepulveda reported that the Magpies were “interested” in striking a deal for the 22-year-old, which was followed up by O Jogo who claimed that he was still firmly on their radar in January, though once again, a switch failed to materialise.

Fabrizio Romano has hinted that AC Milan midfielder Sandro Tonali could finalise his transfer to Eddie Howe’s side within the next “few days”, and the boss will be hoping that his centre-forward target can follow in his footsteps, now eyeing a third attempt to bring Ramos to St. James’ Park.

Are Newcastle signing Ramos?

According to Football Transfers, Newcastle are “looking at” Ramos as a serious option for the summer as a result of Howe wanting to add to his attacking ranks.

Benfica’s striker, who has a staggering €120m (£103m) release clause, is believed to be “admired” by the recruitment team, and whilst it’s unknown whether an approach will be made in the coming weeks, there’s a chance that “groundwork” could be getting laid behind-the-scenes to go for it in the new year.

Is Ramos a good signing for Newcastle?

Newcastle do already have strong centre-forward options in Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak, but Ramos, dubbed an “outrageous” player by talent scout Jacek Kulig, may have a higher ceiling than both of them, so it would be a massive coup should Howe be able to secure his services either this window or the next.

The Gestifute client posted 26 total goal contributions (19 goals and seven assists) in 30 Liga Portugal appearances last season which not only made him his club’s best-performing offensive player but he also received the division’s Striker of the Year award for 2022/23.

The World Cup participant additionally recorded 98 shots over the course of the campaign which was more than any of his fellow teammates, as per FBRef, so with the prolific threat that he could bring, Ramos joining would undoubtedly strengthen the squad ahead of next season.

Liverpool made a blistering start to the 2023 summer transfer window after swiftly signing Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton & Hove Albion for a bargain £35m, but are yet to make their next move.

That's despite a wealth of names entering transfer circulation, mostly focussing on the midfield after the departures of James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain at the end of their contracts.

However, following a revelation from The Athletic's David Ornstein earlier this week, it could be that the next man to join the Anfield ranks is Red Bull Leipzig star Dominik Szoboszlai, who has enjoyed an exemplary campaign with his German Bundesliga outfit.

Ornstein's report reveals that Liverpool met with the Hungarian's representatives, with a release clause of €70m (£61m) the requirement if the Reds' sporting director Jorg Schmadtke does decide to lodge a formal offer for the playmaker.

The sticking point comes in the clause's conditions, which purportedly expires at the end of June and as such leaves Jurgen Klopp's side with a paltry window of opportunity to make their move before the bargaining chips fall into Die Roten Bullen's hands.

How good is Dominik Szoboszlai?

Should Liverpool decide to pay the lucrative sum to procure the fleet-footed phenom, they would wield a creative midfielder of a calibre unseen on Merseyside since Philippe Coutinho plied his trade for the club.

And what a signing it would be; Szoboszlai has made 91 appearances since arriving from RB Salzburg, registering 42 direct goal contributions and has been hailed as a "generational talent" by journalist Marcel Moeller.

This season, the 22-year-old scored ten goals and supplied 13 assists from 46 outings as Leipzig secured a third-place finish in the German top-flight, also winning the DFB Pokal for the second season in succession.

Given his ability as a dynamic and prolific No. 10, Szoboszlai could be Klopp's answer to Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes, who has cemented his stature as one of Europe's premium attacking midfielders since joining the Red Devil ranks from Sporting Lisbon for an initial £47m in January 2020.

Fernandes has scored 64 goals and registered 54 assists from 185 outings for the Old Trafford side and has been hailed as the "example" and "inspiration" by his manager Erik ten Hag as United clinched the Carabao Cup last term and finished third in the league.

As per FBref, the £240k-per-week Portuguese gem ranks among the top 3% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 6% for passes attempted, the top 5% for progressive passes, the top 20% for tackles and the top 5% for clearances per 90.

This all-encompassing skill set exemplifies the nature of his trade and why he has been so effective over the past several years and is something that Szoboszlai could certainly emulate, given that he is listed as a 'similar player' to the Portugal maestro.

This is evidenced through the 32-cap Hungary captain's FBref metrics, where he ranks among the top 15% for assists, the top 9% for shot-creating actions, the top 13% for progressive passes, the top 11% for blocks and the top 13% for clearances per 90.

Described as a "magician" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Szoboszlai is exactly what Liverpool need to thread the thirds together and restore balance and cohesion to Klopp's outfit, and despite the high valuation, he must be signed to close the gap on the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United after a lacklustre year.

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Feb-2017

A substantial reduction of potential earning from the ICC’s central revenue is only part of the concern for the BCCI, which fears that a fundamental change in the principle of income distribution could lead to further shrinkages for all the cricket boards, with the Indian board taking bigger cuts.While attention has been focused on the reduction in revenue for the BCCI – from $570 million in the Big Three model to an estimated $255 million now – it has emerged that even this figure, and indeed the potential revenue for every board, could be subject to change because a new variable has been added to the distribution model – the ICC’s own costs are now flexible.Previously, the ICC’s projected revenue – pegged at $2.5 billion – was the only variable in the earlier model in which all the costs, including the payout to the member boards, were fixed. The ICC was granted a budget of $870 million – $550 million for staging events, $250 million as administrative costs, and $70 million for a Test fund – and the member boards received fixed percentages of the total revenue. But in the latest model, which has hiked the ICC’s costs by $160 million – $60 million of which is for a contingency fund – the boards will be granted a percentage of the surplus.”Since it is based on surplus, there is an uncertainty of earning,” a person closely involved with the earlier model told ESPNcricinfo. “If the ICC decided to spend more on admin or events or increase the contingency fund, it will further reduce the share of the member boards.”The BCCI now fears it stands to lose about $330 million after its share from the ICC’s revenue pool was reduced in the revised distribution model for the 2015-2023 period, which was passed in principle at the ICC Board meeting in Dubai. If the ICC schedules two extra world events during the period – and negotiations to do so are reportedly underway – the BCCI’s estimated fall in revenue could be as much as $400 million.The ICC, however, pegged the BCCI’s drop in revenue at only $200 million for the 2015-2023 period. Apart from the two organisations disagreeing over the principle of reducing the BCCI’s share, there is also a significant divergence between how the BCCI calculated its revenue under the Big Three model, and how the ICC calculated it before further cutting the BCCI’s share under the new distribution model.The ICC estimated the BCCI’s original share according to the Big Three model to be $450-455 million – and not $570 million – because it had raised its costs by $160 million, thereby reducing the share of the revenue that was available for distribution to the member boards. The BCCI was unhappy with what it considered to be an arbitrary increase in ICC costs, which were upped by the working group responsible for cutting the BCCI’s share in the new distribution model.The ICC working group led by its chairman Shashank Manohar arrived at an increase of $160 million in costs because it said event expenses had gone up by $50 million, central ICC revenues had also gone up by $50 million, and $60 million had been allotted as a reserve and contingency fund. The rise in costs was then readjusted down to $90 million, after doing away with the expense of $70 million for the ICC Test fund.Another key decision taken by Manohar’s working group was to remove the contribution cost borne by the ICC, which had been introduced in the Big Three model. The ICC was to pay ‘contribution costs’ to Full Members from its gross revenue through a graded percentage share. The contribution cost paid to a country was arrived at via four parameters: the revenue contributed by the country to the ICC, its historical ICC membership, its on-field performance over the past 20 years in men’s and women’s competitions, and its domestic development performance.According to the Big Three model, India’s “value contribution” for the 2007-2015 period was over 80%, while that of other Full Members ranged from 0.1% to 5%. So for a projected revenue of $2.5 billion the BCCI, under the Big Three model, would earn close to $570 million from the ICC, which included a distribution cost amount of $63 million given to all Full Members.The BCCI’s argument is that there needs to be a cap on the ICC’s expenses, otherwise the surplus of ICC revenue left for distribution among boards could reduce in the future. Due to the present increase in the estimate of the ICC’s expenses, the distribution costs received from the ICC by every Full Member has dropped from $63 million to $52 million.The BCCI has been the most vocal opponent of this revision.After Manohar became the independent ICC chairman in early 2016, he said he wanted the ICC revenue distribution to be fair and equitable for all the Full Members. In the first version of the new distribution model, after factoring in the $90 million increase in ICC costs, the BCCI’s share fell to $440-445 million from the estimated $570-million in the Big Three model. In percentage terms, it went from 22.76% to 17.8 %.The ECB’s revenue fell from $172 million to between $145-150 million and CA’s projected $130 million was revised to between $110-115 million. The other seven Full Members would also have seen cuts, ranging from US$1-10 million, when compared to the original model.

West Ham United's attempts to sign Joao Palhinha and James Ward-Prowse have been "negatively impacted" by the "uncertainty" surrounding the Declan Rice saga, claims journalist Paul Brown.

West Ham United transfer news – what's the latest on Joao Palhinha and James Ward-Prowse?

With the departure of club captain Rice confirmed by chairman David Sullivan in the aftermath of the club's UEFA Conference League triumph earlier this month, West Ham look like they have a midfield to rebuild in the summer.

Two players targeted to help with that rebuild are Fulham's Palhinha and Southampton's captain, Ward-Prowse.

It seems as if Declan Rice is now set to join Arsenal for around £105 million, but the structure of the deal is still being discussed, so it remains to be seen as to when this will get resolved.

With Fulham's hard-tackling midfielder set to cost around £90m, according to the Daily Mail, and Ward-Prowse set to cost around €60m (£52m) per transfer expert Ekrem Konur, the East London club need to wrap up their sale quickly to access the funds they need.

What has journalist Paul Brown said about Joao Palhinha and James Ward-Prowse to West Ham United this year?

Brown quickly pointed out that the progress with both players has stalled and that one of the main reasons for this lack of progress was the uncertainty from the unresolved Rice deal.

Speaking to Football FanCast, he said: "They haven't made progress really, with either Palhinha or Ward-Prowse. Part of that is to do with the uncertainty over Rice."

How good would Joao Palhinha and James Ward-Prowse be at West Ham United together?

Rice was a player that could seemingly do multiple things on the pitch and do them all well, whether that was playing as an out-and-out defensive midfielder or playing a little bit further forward as a central midfielder.

That proficiency across multiple positions is something the club won't be able to replace with a single player.

Instead, Palhinha's excellent defensive abilities and Ward-Prowse's fantastic passing could collectively supplement what the side loses without the England international's presence.

Palhinha, for example, was the leading tackler across Europe's top five leagues last season, per FBref, registering a staggering 147 in his debut Premier League campaign, which led to teammate Harrison Reed dubbing him a "tackling machine."

Ward-Prowse could supplement that brilliant defensive work with his slightly higher attacking output. According to WhoScored, the 28-year-old scored nine goals and assisted another four across his 38 games for an incredibly dysfunctional Southampton side last season.

Even more impressively, across those 38 games, he averaged a rating of 6.95, just 0.06 lower than Rice.

While neither player will be able to replace Rice independently, their collective output could help the club push on in a post-Rice era.

Leeds United have earmarked Daniel Farke as their prime candidate in the race to secure a new manager ahead of the return to the Championship.

That's according to a recent report from the Daily Mail, which claims that the German boss has emerged as the frontrunner ahead of Scott Parker and Patrick Vieira after the Whites suffered relegation from the Premier League.

Farke has secured promotion to the Premier League on two occasions, and given that he implements a 'Bielsa-style' philosophy, he could get Elland Road rocking in no time.

Could Daniel Farke succeed at Leeds?

Farke most recently took the helm with German Bundesliga outfit Borussia Monchengladbach, but after a lacklustre term that yielded a tenth-placed finish, he was dismissed several weeks ago after just one year in charge.

However, despite flattering to deceive in his homeland, the 46-year-old boasts a wealth of experience with the Canaries on English shores and would undoubtedly bring the requisite tools to craft an ascent back to the Premier League at Elland Road.

Indeed, earning plaudits for his emphasis on ball-playing ability, swift transitions and high intensity at Norwich, Farke could emulate his past feats with the Whites and create a team worthy of a swift climb from the obscurity of the second division, all the while returning to a philosophy the fans can get behind after the past success of the revered Marcelo Bielsa.

And given he previously nurtured man of the moment, James Maddison, to prominence at Carrow Road, he could unlock the potential of lacklustre midfielder Brenden Aaronson, who may well be reborn at Leeds next season.

Indeed, before the England international made the £20m switch to Leicester City – where he won the FA Cup and is being touted with a move to the likes of Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur – he shone for Norwich under the German tactician.

Maddison scored 15 goals and supplied 12 assists from 49 outings under Farke's tutelage and is indebted to his former manager, who built the framework of his career.

Hailed as "exceptional" by England boss Gareth Southgate, Maddison was impressive despite Leicester's relegation alongside Leeds last term and recorded an average Sofascore rating of 7.33, scoring ten goals, providing nine assists and averaging 2.8 shots and 2.3 key passes per outing – an incredibly high output for a player at the centre of a team wracked with danger.

Signing from RB Salzburg for around £25m last summer, the USMNT international has comparatively not been at the races and after scoring just one Premier League goal all season and earning a woeful 6.51 rating – as per Sofascore – he certainly could do with some revitalisation after a "disappointing" year – according to pundit Jon Newsome.

But despite the woes, the £45k-per-week earner averaged 1.1 shots and 1.3 key passes per game, certainly worse numbers than Maddison but it provides a glimpse of their similar qualities. With Leeds ostensibly set to fight at the forefront of the Championship next term, Aaronson could craft the prolific success to kickstart his career and set him in good stead to alight the Premier League at the second time of asking.

Fulham have set their sights on Leeds United striker Rodrigo this summer but face stiff competition from Saudi Arabian side Al Rayyan, according to journalist Bruno Andrade.

Who are Fulham signing?

It's been a summer of transfer links for manager Marco Silva as the Whites, following a successful first campaign back in the top flight, aim to strengthen their ranks.

As a result of last season's impressive performances in parts, major clubs across England could look to poach a few key Fulham players, most notably the likes of Joao Palhinha and Antonee Robinson.

The former could apparently command over £90 million to sign as Fulham set a marquee price tag, and if any side decide to pay in and around that figure, some of the funds could be re-invested into Silva's squad.

There are no shortage of players linked with a move to Craven Cottage, including Southampton star James Ward-Prowse, Japan international Ao Tanaka, Coventry City's Viktor Gyokeres, Fenerbahce defender Ferdi Kadioglu and Roma centre-back Ibanez in recent weeks.

Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi will also be made available for just £15 million, a development which has apparently sparked Fulham's interest in the Englishman.

Rodrigo, who starred for Leeds last season, is now also on Fulham's radar as Gyokeres apparently nears a move to Sporting Lisbon.

The Spaniard was heralded as Leeds' player of the season last year by members of the media like The Athletic's Phil Hay, with Silva eyeing a move.

However, Saudi Arabian side Al Rayyan are looking to continue this growing summer trend of players making the move away from Europe to the Middle East.

Al Rayyan are confident they can Rodrigo, but according to journalist Andrade of UOL Esporte, Fulham are still pose a very real threat.

"Al Rayyan remains confident in signing Rodrigo Moreno, but has already learned that the Spanish player is also in Fulham's sights," the reporter said on his personal Twitter account.

How many goals did Rodrigo score last season?

The 32-year-old finished 2022/2023 as Leeds' top scorer in the English top flight, standing out as their star player with 13 goals and one assist (WhoScored).

No other Leeds player managed more attempts at goal per than Rodrigo either, making him a credible alternative to Aleksandr Mitrovic in the Fulham forward line (WhoScored).

Hay, writing for The Athletic, also praised his attitude and demeanor during Leeds' scrap against the drop – saying Rodrigo looked up for the fight.

"The noticeable thing about Rodrigo this season is that he has looked game for the scrap," said Hay.

"His attitude and body language have been more feisty and, as much as it is possible to do this when results are imploding around him, he has looked like a forward who is ‘having himself’, a forward who expects to score."

Meanwhile, former Whites striker Noel Whelan branded the forward "very invaluable" last year, with reports suggesting Rodrigo has a meagre £3 million release clause in his deal after Leeds' relegation.

This could certainly be a price more than worth paying.

Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez could be tempted to join Manchester United this summer according to South American expert Tim Vickery.

The World Cup winner could be convinced to leave Villa due to the allure of Champions League football on offer at Old Trafford.

What is the latest regarding Emiliano Martinez to Manchester United?

According to Football Transfers, United are ready to battle with Chelsea for the Argentine goalkeeper's signature.

Erik ten Hag wants to partner up Lisandro Martinez with his namesake and believes that their experience together with the national side will have resulted in a strong connection, whilst the 30-year-old shot-stopper wants to leave his current club in order to play Champions League football.

There is still major uncertainty around the future of David de Gea, whose contract has officially expired at United, however, talks are still ongoing with the Spaniard about a new deal. There have been rumours that the club has retracted an offer that De Gea had agreed on, which may have built up tension.

Football Insider are also reporting that Villa are braced for the Red Devils bid, with Martinez reportedly having continued friction with boss Unai Emery which dates back to their time together at Arsenal.

The report states that a bid north of the keeper's £40m valuation could tempt the Midlands club into negotiations.

What has Tim Vickery said about the situation?

Speaking on talkSPORT, Vickery said: "It's come out in Argentina that he would like to move, not that he's unhappy with Villa, but you can understand why he's a man in a hurry, and he's 30 now."

Vickery also went on to say "If there's someone there who can offer him Champions League and so on I think he would really, really want to take that. Not that he's unhappy at Villa but you know tick tick tick tick tick I'm 30, what am I going to do now."

Would Martinez be a good buy for Manchester United?

Martinez enjoyed the finest moment of his career last season, saving two penalties in the World Cup final shoot-out as Argentina went on to win the World Cup, and his stock has never been higher.

The keeper enjoyed a fine club campaign as well, recording 13 clean sheets in 36 appearances as the Midlands club secured European football for the first time in over a decade under the management of Emery.

The 30-year-old made 98 saves last season and recorded a save percentage of 73.6%, which is higher than what De Gea managed last season in 71.1%.

A key part of Martinez's game is his sweeping and ball-playing ability, with his 2.09 defensive actions outside the penalty area ranking him in the top 3% of all goalkeepers across Europe's top five leagues. The World Cup hero also ranks in the top one percent for crosses stopped with 1.72 per 90. He also attempts 33.57 passes per 90, only launching 35% of them, showcasing his ability to build up from the back, a quality Ten Hag is desperate for his goalkeeper to have in order to play his style of football.

Should United bring in Martinez, they have brought in one of the most in-demand keepers who should free them up to play the style of play that Ten Hag envisions his side playing.

Manchester United have now made contact with Eintracht Frankfurt over a move for Randal Kolo Muani, according to a report from Football Insider.

What's the latest Man United transfer news?

Man United have reportedly compiled a four-man shortlist of striker targets for this summer, with Atalanta's Rasmus Hojlund still of interest, however, there are some reservations regarding the 20-year-old's suitability for a big move.

The Red Devils' other top targets include Victor Osimhen, who they are planning to speak with in the near future, and Harry Kane, but a move for the Tottenham Hotspur forward is now unlikely, given Daniel Levy's reluctance to sell.

Kolo Muani has been a target for quite some time, with United at one stage preparing a bid for the Frankfurt star in the January transfer window, and they have now made their first move to sign him this summer.

According to a report from Football Insider, Man United have now made contact over a potential deal for the 24-year-old, with Old Trafford chiefs sounding out Frankfurt about the possibility of finally making the transfer a reality.

However, like with other targets, the France international's price tag could prove to be a major stumbling block, with the Bundesliga club set to hold out for £85m, amid interest from the likes of Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. The Red Devils are eager to bring in a marquee striker this summer, in order to ease the goalscoring burden on Marcus Rashford.

Is Randal Kolo Muani joining Man United?

Hailed as "special" by members of the media, the Bondy-born attacker had a remarkable 2022-23 campaign, recording 15 goals and 14 assists in the Bundesliga from a central position, averaging just under one goal contribution every game.

Over the past year, the Frenchman ranks in the 97th percentile for assists per 90, when compared to his positional peers, so it is no wonder Frankfurt are asking for such a huge fee.

With the striker contracted until 2027, his current employers are in a strong negotiating position this summer, so it may be a very difficult transfer for Man United to orchestrate, should they be unwilling to shell out £85m.

Although the former Nantes man had a very impressive previous season, there are question marks about whether he is worth such an astronomical fee, as it was the first time in his career he has reached the 15-goal mark in the league. If Kolo Muani becomes available for less, United may see a move as a shrewd one, but he has not yet proven he is worth the figure Frankfurt are asking for.