Liverpool could STEAL Newcastle's Hugo Ekitike alternative
Since the Magpies stepped back from their interest in Ekitike earlier this week, presumably as a result of Liverpool deciding to enter the race, they have decided to target Brentford's Yohan Wissa.
This was according to David Ornstein at the time, although whether the Bees are still willing to sell the Congo international is still unknown, since Bryan Mbeumo is now set to join Manchester United.
But even if Wissa remains on the market, Newcastle will have to keep their wits about them because according to BBC Sport, Liverpool are interested in him and the Reds might outplay them once again.
Their report said: "Liverpool have also checked in on Brentford's Yohan wise and Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins as they work through a range of striker options."
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New York Times
23 minutes ago
- New York Times
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There are a couple of paradoxes in international women's football in Europe at the moment. The first is that, while the overall quality of the game is steadily improving year on year, it is difficult to make a case that any individual side has dramatically improved in relation to the others. The accepted hierarchy is still in place. Advertisement In other words, the six favourites going into Euro 2022 were the same six favourites going into Euro 2025: England, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden. No one has yet evolved from being one of the 'other' nations to being one of the favourites. The second is related. While the outsiders have become better at competing with the favourites — there are no longer any huge thrashings at the European Championship, and the biggest margin of victory at this tournament has been by a fairly respectable five goals — they are not actually managing to defeat them. Or, in actual fact, even get a draw against them. The statistics demonstrate this nicely. At Euro 2022, there were 16 matches between one of the 'big six' and the 'other 10'. Those matches produced 15 victories for the favourites, and a single draw. That draw was recorded with the final kick of the group stage, when Iceland scored a 112th-minute penalty against a France side who were already assured of top spot in Group D, and therefore had made six changes for a game played in 36-degree heat. The equaliser, admitted France manager Corinne Diacre after the game, 'wasn't that important given the situation'. It's fair to suspect that, had France needed to beat Iceland, they would have. It's been a similar story this time around. The 11 matches between one of the favourites and the 'other 11' at Euro 2025 have produced 10 victories for the favourites. And only Denmark have (twice) held the opposition to merely a one-goal victory, losing 1-0 to neighbours Sweden, and 2-1 to Germany, ensuring their elimination after two matches. Denmark, of course, will not be celebrating this as much of an achievement. Indeed, Denmark are the side who inflicted the last genuine shock at the European Championship, in 2017. Going into the quarter-final, they were given little hope against a Germany side who had won eight of the previous nine European Championships. But after the match was postponed by a day due to torrential rain in Rotterdam, Denmark produced a huge upset by coming back from a goal down to win 2-1. It was only the second time since 1989 that Germany had not won the European Championship. Advertisement The Danes subsequently reached the final in 2017, beating relative minnows Austria on penalties in the semi-final, before losing to hosts the Netherlands 4-2 in the final. But that seems a long time ago. And now, the underdogs' record against the 'big six' at the past two tournaments is played 27, won none, drawn one, and lost 26. Which does not make for a particularly appealing competition for viewers hoping for the unexpected. On Tuesday in Geneva, Italy have the final opportunity in this European Championship to provide the Euros' first genuine shock, when they take on holders England. In some ways, it is a shame to be speaking about Italy in such a fashion, considering their period of relative success in the 1990s. As other European nations have put more resources into women's football, Italy stood still and therefore slipped behind. The Italian game remains something of a mystery to many, with almost all the national team players remaining at home, and relatively little Italian involvement in the final stages of the Champions League. It is clear, from speaking to four-time Serie A-winning manager Rita Guarino before the tournament, that English football and the Women's Super League is considered a template for Italy to follow. That includes bidding to host this tournament in four years' time, having witnessed the success of Euro 2022. It might seem patronising to consider Italy underdogs, but then the general pattern from this tournament is players and managers declaring the opposition are favourites. And, after all, Italy are suited to the role. For all the brilliance of playmaker Manuela Giugliano, they probably do not have the guile to dominate the game against England. But they have centre-backs who will relish a physical duel against Alessia Russo (of Italian descent, as it happens), full-backs who have provided a stream of good crosses throughout this tournament, attacking midfielders who make direct runs on the break, and a major penalty-box threat in Cristiana Girelli. Advertisement Andrea Soncin's side showed enough against Spain in their final group game to suggest they will cause England problems, primarily on the counter-attack. An Italian win would be popular across Europe — it would not merely be a victory for themselves, but for everyone outside the established 'big six'.
New York Times
23 minutes ago
- New York Times
Bryan Mbeumo to Manchester United: Everything you need to know
Manchester United have signed Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford for £65million with a further £6m in potential add-ons. The 25-year-old has signed a five-year deal at Old Trafford with the option of a further year. As part of this summer's transfer coverage on The Athletic, in addition to breaking news, tactical analysis and in-depth reads, our Transfers TLDR series (you can read them all here) will bring you a quick guide to each of the key deals. When he was a 14-year-old, Mbeumo, who was born in Avallon, France, a three-hour drive south from Paris, joined Troyes. He would spend the next six years at the now-Ligue 2 side making 42 senior appearances, including four games in Ligue 1. Brentford called in 2019 and it was a perfect fit. Mbeumo contributed 70 goals and 51 assists in 242 games as Thomas Frank's team won promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs in 2021 and have consolidated their place in the top flight since. Advertisement Mbeumo represented France through the age groups before committing to Cameroon, playing for them at the 2022 World Cup. Caoimhe O'Neill Now here is a player who loves being part of a sweeping counter-attacking move. Mbeumo likes pushing the ball past players before finding space for a shot or working a pass for a team-mate. He is a creator. And while he can, has and will score spectacular goals, don't expect each and every one to be so. Mbeumo has got the traditional winger-cutting-in finish on lock. He won't get past his marker every time, but when he does expect a goalscoring opportunity to emerge from a player who played in all 38 Premier League games for Brentford last season scoring 20 goals and completing eight assists. Caoimhe O'Neill In Mbeumo, United are getting a versatile, left-footed forward who is comfortable using his weaker right foot too. He is excellent at driving forward with the ball, using a combination of sprints, pauses and deft touches to outmanoeuvre defenders. Coupled with his awareness and ability to create from the half-spaces and wide areas, Mbeumo fits into the right No 10 role in Ruben Amorim's system and could play as a centre-forward if required. Mbeumo is an efficient operator. Among the 25 players who scored 10 or more Premier League goals last season, his 2.2 shots per 90 ranked 19th. But his 22.7 touches per shot and 24 per cent shot-to-goal conversion rate both ranked third, while his xG overperformance of 7.7 (20 goals from 12.3xG) was the highest. Anantaajith Raghuraman Mbeumo was sidelined for three months from December 2023 to March 2024 with an ankle problem that needed surgery. Other than that, he has been consistently available for Brentford and did not miss a match through injury in 2024-25. 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Mbeumo's arrival marks the second £60m-plus signing of the summer at United, after Matheus Cunha's move from Wolves in June. Mbeumo is the sixth most expensive signing in the club's history, trailing Paul Pogba, Antony, Harry Maguire, Jadon Sancho and Romelu Lukaku. Advertisement The sale represents a club record for Brentford, surpassing the £34m received from Al Ahli for Ivan Toney a year ago. Brentford have now generated over £80m in sales this summer, with Mbeumo joining Christian Norgaard and Mark Flekken in leaving. Chris Weatherspoon Assuming agent fees of 10 per cent plus a four per cent transfer levy, Mbeumo's signing adds £14.1m to United's amortisation bill in 2025-26, then £15.0m per season until the end of the 2029-30 season. While United will pay the fee in four instalments, the timing of payments doesn't materially impact their PSR calculation. The full £65m is still spread across Mbeumo's five-year contract. 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Forbes
23 minutes ago
- Forbes
Cricket Has A Huge Climate Change Problem
Virat Kohli of India, one of cricket's biggest stars, suffered from heat exhaustion at the 2023 ICC ... More World Cup in India. Cricket is facing its ultimate challenge: climate change. The second most popular sport in the world (2.5 billion fans) is being played in dangerously hot and humid conditions that increasingly put its players and fans at risk. The new Hit for Six: The Danger Zone report, authored by non-profits Climate Central, FrontRunners, The British Association for Sustainability in Sport (BASIS), and The Next Test, analyzes the increase in extreme heat and humidity on the Indian subcontinent and in other cricket-loving regions like the United Kingdom, the West Indies, and Australia. According to Hit for Six, nearly 50% of the Indian Premier League's (IPL) 2025 matches were played in conditions of 'Extreme Caution' or 'Danger' on the Heat Index — a measure that combines air temperature and humidity to assess heat-related risk. The IPL is a global juggernaut, similar in scale and quality to the English Premier League and the NFL. It is a country-wide obsession that breeds fame and fortune for players and captures the hearts of fans worldwide with every match. Unfortunately, as heat, humidity, and air pollution continue to increase, it faces an uncertain future despite its vast economic resources. Reflecting on the challenge cricket faces, former West Indies Captain Daren Ganga says, 'This challenge is an existential one...I have seen the unbridled joy and enthusiasm that this game of ours brings to different generations and nations. It is a pleasure to behold and cherish, and it saddens me deeply to see it threatened by a worsening climate crisis.' Cricket in Extreme Heat The implications of 'Extreme Caution' and 'Danger' conditions are stark for cricket players and fans. According to the National Weather Service, 'Extreme Caution' is the classification for heat index temperatures between 90°F and 102°F (32 °C to 39.4 °C). The effects on the human body can range from cramps to heat stroke, and are exacerbated by prolonged exposure or physical activity. 'Danger' is denoted as a heat index temperature from 103F to 124F (39.4C to 51C). 12% of the IPL matches in 2025 were played in this temperature range, one that seems unbearable to sit in, let alone bat, bowl, and run in. England international Maia Bouchier has been subject to these temperatures, calling them 'incredibly hard to play in.' Bouchier says, 'We played in Dubai for the Twenty20 World Cup in October and after one game, where I had only really been batting for about 45 minutes to an hour, I couldn't breathe in the humidity and I had to sit down for 15 minutes after we had finished because I felt light headed and physically couldn't stay standing.' PERTH, AUSTRALIA - DECEMBER 12: Marnus Labuschagne of Australia feels the heat during day one of the ... More First Test match between Australia and New Zealand at Optus Stadium on December 12, 2019 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by) The conditions are not foreign to Ganga either. The Caribbean native says, 'I have played in blistering heat and vividly recall he nausea, the dizziness, the cramps that come with feelings of heatstroke.' As heat and humidity increase, player reaction times increase, concentration goes down and reflexes are impaired. Dehydration causes cramps, and overall performance deteriorates the longer the athlete is in the heat, exerting themselves. For a sport like cricket, which can last between three and eight hours depending on the format, heat can be deadly. India's Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill, both of whom are elite athletes accustomed to the subcontinent's harsh heat index, suffered debilitating cramps during the ICC World Cup semi-final against New Zealand, with Gill forced to retire for several innings. The Data The Hit for Six researchers collected heat index temperatures from 1970 through 2025 from all of India's major cricket cities, and from other countries around the world. In that time, Mumbai has seen its high-risk heat days jump by 125%. Every major cricketing nation has seen a surge in extreme heat days as a direct cause of climate change. Thiruvananthapuram in India's southern Kerala region recorded more than 100 hazardous heat days in 2024 alone. According to the report, 'these are days when temperatures exceed safe limits for human health, dramatically increasing the risk of heat-related illness.' Dr. Kaitlyn Trudeau is the Senior Research Associate at Climate Central. Trudeau synthesized the temperature data for the report, but admits that temperatures in the study and their impacts could be even greater than reported. Speaking to me via video call, Trudeau said Heat Index is the easiest and most accessible climate-related figure to calculate in different parts of the world; however, it assumes the person is in the shade, and it underestimates the impact of heat on the body. Heat Index does not adequately account for latent heat, which is the moisture in the air that can lead to greater total heat accumulation. Nor does it factor in elements like wind and radiation. In cricket, players are in sunny areas for the duration of the game, often in padded gear, which adds extra heat as they bat, none of which is truly accounted for. Sri Lanka's players attend a practice session amid smoggy conditions on the eve of their 2023 ICC ... More Men's Cricket World Cup one-day international (ODI) match against Bangladesh at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on November 5, 2023. Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha admitted on November 5 his team has "no choice" but to play Sri Lanka in smog-choked New Delhi as their failed World Cup mission winds down. (Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP) / — IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE — (Photo by ARUN SANKAR/AFP via Getty Images) Heat is also just the tip of the climate iceberg. The T20 World Cup hosted in the U.S. and the Caribbean last summer was disrupted by multiple times by increasingly unpredictable and devastating thunderstorms. The enduring image of the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup in India is of Bangladesh players wearing masks as they trained in a smog-filled Delhi ahead of their World Cup match against Sri Lanka. If air pollution in India were to be reduced, heat and humidity could actually increase on the subcontinent, as currently the particulate matter is reflecting some of the sun's rays into space. What's even more concerning, according to Trudeau, is that the world is already reaching temperatures that were expected in 2050. Changes in climate, and especially its upper limits, are taking place faster than expected. As she says, 'It's hard to imagine we won't be seeing more of this unless we dramatically do something.' Recommendations for Cricket The most obvious recommendation the report makes, albeit one that is out of the cricket industry's hands, is to reduce carbon pollution by stopping the exploration, refining, and burning of fossil fuels. As Kristina Dahl, Climate Central's VP of Science, explains: 'Across India, climate change is increasing the number of days when extreme heat threatens the health of both cricket fans and cricket players. This trend toward more frequent, more extreme heat will continue as long as we keep burning fossil fuels, so preserving the future of cricket will require both cutting carbon pollution and considering ways to adapt cricket seasons to keep players and fans safe." If climate change is not arrested and temperatures continue to rise, governing bodies will need to consider playing games at cooler times of day or indoors to avoid potential heat exhaustion. In line with this, Hit for Six recommends that national federations follow the leadership of Cricket Australia and England and Wales Cricket Board and publish guidelines for playing in extreme heat, something Bouchier says she would welcome. The report also pushes for governing bodies to sign up to the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework, review their heat policies annually, review their commercial sponsors, such as the International Cricket Council's partnership with Saudi oil major Aramco, and invest in eco-conscious infrastructure. In the words of Selwin Hart, Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on Climate Action, 'If cricket is to survive and thrive, it needs to adapt. But, like any good team, it also needs major cricket powers to play their respective parts in tackling the root causes of the climate us harness the unifying power of cricket to drive meaningful change, ensuring that present and future generations can continue to enjoy the game under clear skies and on firm ground.'
