Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr 'lining up shock £73m move for Arsenal star after being told Liverpool's Luis Diaz is not for sale'
The Saudi Pro League side are on the hunt for a replacement for Jhon Duran this summer with the forward set to join Jose Mourinho 's Fenerbahce on loan.
Duran only joined Al-Nassr in January, with Aston Villa cashing in £64.5million for a player who had netted 20 goals in the previous 18 months.
However, Foot Mercato reported last week that he is set to spend the 2025-26 campaign in Turkey.
Liverpool winger Diaz was Al-Nassr's preferred option but the Reds do not have any intention to sell at any price.
And GiveMeSport claim Cristiano Ronaldo 's club are now preparing are serious offer for Arsenal 's Gabriel Martienlli.
The report claims Al-Nassr requested central funding of €85m (£73m) in order to make a bid for a new winger.
The Gunners are not looking to sell the Brazilian this summer but an offer of that size could well tempt them to do so.
It would smash Arsenal's club-record sale which saw Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain join Liverpool for £35m in 2017.
Martinelli joined the north London outfit in 2019 for a reported fee of £6million and has since gone on to become a regular feature in Mikel Arteta's starting XI.
The 24-year-old has contributed 51 goals and 29 assists in 225 appearances for the but there has been pressure from some sections of the fanbase to sign another left winger.
Arsenal have already been linked with the likes of Real Madrid star Rodrygo and Newcastle's Anthony Gordon this summer.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
10 minutes ago
- The Guardian
England v India: second men's cricket Test, day four
Update: Date: 2025-07-05T11:28:11.000Z Title: 30th over: India 136-3 (Gill 14, Pant 10) Content: Edgbaston updates, 11am BST start | Sign up to The Spin England keep India WT20 series alive | And mail James James Wallace (now) and Rob Smyth (later) Sat 5 Jul 2025 07.28 EDT First published on Sat 5 Jul 2025 05.23 EDT 7.28am EDT 07:28 Pant pulls a short ball from Tongue away for four and then charges down the track to bloodaxe a SIX into the stands. Pant missed out in the first innings and this situation is tailor made for him. 7.25am EDT 07:25 Pant looks to run down the track first ball and Tongue follows him with a full ball into the pads. DO. NOT. GO. ANYWHERE. 7.23am EDT 07:23 Buckle up knuckleheads, here comes Rishabh Pant. 7.22am EDT 07:22 Yes he can! Tongue is a wicket taker and he rushes a ball through KL Rahul's defences to send the middle stump cartwheeling. Rahul was rushed by the speed and seemed to play down the wrong line too. England have their second of the morning. Updated at 7.25am EDT 7.20am EDT 07:20 29th over: India 126-2 (Rahul 55, Gill 14) Stokes brings himself on and immediately finds the edge of Rahul's blade but wouldyoubelieeeevit the edge flies through the vacant third slip region. England are trying to stem the runs and take wickets and they can't have fielders everywhere, the ball has mostly flown in the gaps so far this morning. Top over from Stokes, can Tongue back him up at the other end? 7.18am EDT 07:18 28th over: India 119-2 (Rahul 50, Gill 13) Josh Tongue replaces Chris Woakes and immediately the pressure is released. This is becoming a problem for England, Tongue is a wicket taker but he has also been particularly loose this summer so far. Ten runs off the over as Tongue is too full, driven for three by KL Rahul - as the opener notches another half century - and Tongue is then pinged through the covers for four by Gill. Some commentary cliches courtesy of Kandukuru Nagarjun and Gary Naylor. 'Gavaskar on Indian commentary just said, while praising Karun Nair as a slipper, that he catches them 'more often than not.' I hate that phrase - in this case, it implies Nair could be dropping upto 49% of 'em. Also: 'He's good at the hook shot; he middles them more often than not.' 'It's basically a good pitch for batting. A bit on the slow side, but if you can get through the new ball, there's plenty of runs in it. There's a chance it might break up a little on the fourth day and offer some turn to the spinners later in the match.' Every. Single. Test.' 7.11am EDT 07:11 27th over: India 109-2 (Rahul 46, Gill 7) Carse has been excellent this morning, he returns after a slurp of electrolytes and bowls a zippy and probing maiden to KL Rahul. Ben Stokes is warming up, he'll be a handful in these overcast conditions ifhe can find his groove too. Good morning to Tom v d Gucht: 'The OBO has its own rich tapestry of unique clichés. Id say my favourite would be oblique references to or quotes from Peep Show. For example, 'I'm not the sort of person who makes things happen. I'm the sort of person things happen to.' Keep them coming.' Have you heard the Big Beats OBO manifesto recently? The OBO manifesto is short posts are the best, do quotes all the time… 7.05am EDT 07:05 26th over: India 109-2 (Rahul 46, Gill 7) Jamie Smith stands up to the stumps to Chris Woakes. Plenty of ego driven club bowlers wouldn't like the keeper insulting their pace by doing the same. Woakes gets on with the task in hand and skims one past Gills edge, Smith shows off some fast hands behind said sticks. Gill angles the blade to pick up four to deep third, it's time for a drink for the players and a vat of Kenco pour moi. Updated at 7.10am EDT 7.02am EDT 07:02 25th over: India 105-2 (Rahul 46, Gill 3) Carse has looked the most dangerous bowler this morning, he gets one to lift at Rahul who flashes an angled blade outside off and gets a meaty edge wide of point for four. That was risky but India are in a position where they can take a few. 7.00am EDT 07:00 24th over: India 101-2 (Rahul 42, Gill 3) A maiden from the Wizard. England are bowling well this morning, India's lead stands at 281, they haven't pulled away yet this morning. 6.53am EDT 06:53 23rd over: India 101-2 (Rahul 42, Gill 3) England lose a review much to Ben Stokes' chagrin. Gill gets a scratch of an inside edge on straight on from Carse, the keeper and slips all fancy it but Stokes – at mid off - reckons he heard something woody. The troops convince their general to give it a whirl but DRS confirms the bat was tickled. Democracy is overrated eh Ben? 'Morning James!' back atcha Anand Kumar. 'Wonder how all pundits say the same thing about the same things for all test matches? First hour is the key. New ball is vital. First half hour of this session is important. This last hour before close of play is crucial Do fellow OBOers have their favourite clichés?' Fine to join in - as long as they aren't OBO cliches (actually…) 6.45am EDT 06:45 22nd over: India 98-2 (Rahul 41, Gill 1) Gill gets off the mark with a nudge into the leg side off Woakes. There's some movement in the air and the clouds have a grey-ish tinge to them. The floodlights are on and these are about the best conditions for bowling in the match so far. 6.41am EDT 06:41 21st over: India 96-2 (Rahul 40, Gill 0) Shubman Gill arrives in the middle… he won't be on strike as Nair fell to the last ball of the over. The lead stands at 276 runs. England would dearly love a couple of quick ones to put a bit of pressure back onto India. Easier said than done of course. Updated at 6.43am EDT 6.38am EDT 06:38 These two batters are two of the most elegant players you could wish to watch, Nair pings a cover drive for four but is then GONE! Carse deserves that, he's hammered away at a good length and eventually Nair drives at one that wasn't quite there and the nick goes to hand, Jamie Smith taking a sharp catch with the gloves. Updated at 6.46am EDT 6.35am EDT 06:35 20th over: India 88-1 (Nair 18, Rahul 40) Woakes has Kl Rahul beaten a couple of times in the over, one nip backer and one that holds its line that the normally unflappable Rahul has an undistinguished flap at. There's something happening with the ball out there and England are trying to harness it. 6.32am EDT 06:32 19th over: India 86-1 (Nair 17, Rahul 39) Carse has found some real rhythm this morning, he looks to be less bothered by his troublesome toes and is pounding away at a handkerchief sized spot back of a length. He beats Nairs edge with one that moves away late and then gets the edge but it is a thick one and runs away for four backward of point. No justice eh Brydon? 6.28am EDT 06:28 18th over: India 81-1 (Nair 13, Rahul 38) Woakes stitches together a maiden. England have bowled well this morning but with no luck so far. 'Morning James. A packed day of sport today, it's what the OBO/MBM was made for!' Indeed Guy Hornsby, it is in fact the busiest weekend of the year on the Guardian Sports desk. 'These next two sessions should be fascinating in how the game is set up. England will feel they can't chase anything, but yesterday showed that even a monster partnership can't solve a big total on its own. India will want, you feel, 450+, and England will give that a go. It's a far cry from forlorn hope of the draw in my formative 1990s. This team has made it an endangered species. But it shouldn't be off the table, either. Going down in a blaze of boundaries to lose by 200 doesn't help us in the series. But we're all just passengers now, eh.' Spot on Mr Hornsby. Slightly more problematic thinking from Tim Sanders… 'Good morning James. I think Howard Banwell might be mistaken if he caps England's run-chase ambitions at 350-400. It's three years to the day, at the same ground, against the same opposition, since Joe and Jonny's partnership chased down 378 with seven wickets in hand. I think if, come tomorrow evening, England were to need 720 from 20 overs, they'd give it a good go.' Updated at 6.30am EDT 6.22am EDT 06:22 17th over: India 81-1 (Nair 13, Rahul 38) Eventful over as Carse clangs Karun Nair on the helmet with a brutish delivery and then draws the edge with the next ball but it flies in the large-ish gap between first and second slip! England can't believe their luck but they were trying to have a bob each way. Nair survives. Top over from Brydon Carse, he really bent his back in that one and got some life out of this placid wicket. 6.19am EDT 06:19 16th over: India 76-1 (Nair 8, Rahul 38) 'India are only going to get better as the series goes on' purrs Ravi Shastri, and he's not wrong. If they win this game sans Bumrah then the series is well and truly anyones with three to play. A leg bye sees India stretch the lead up to 250. 6.10am EDT 06:10 15th over: India 75-1 (Nair 8, Rahul 38) Rahul unfurls another picture perfect cover drive, how good is he at that shot? He never seems to miss out. Carse nips one back and the inside edge from KL saves him from succumbing lbw. Carse asked the question but Stokes wasn't interested in the review and rightly so. Edge! Safe. Rahul punches off the back foot and the edge flies wide of second slip. Four more for India, they are rollocking along at five an over. 6.08am EDT 06:08 14th over: India 67-1 (Nair 8, Rahul 30) There are no alarms or surprises in the wicket, the roller was on it this morning and it is still very easy paced. We have seen the odd ball nip and bounce, the wickets of Brook and Stokes for example. Kl Rahul picks up a couple of singles in his usual princely fashion. Nair then clips a ball off his hip for a single to make it three off the first over of the day. It's cloudy but still flat as all flip out there. 6.03am EDT 06:03 Righto, the players are out on the field, its a bit more overcast and breezy in Edgbaston. Chris Woakes is going to start with the ball, England need some wickets to try and keep India in check. India will look to bat most of the day. Fingers crossed for another belter. WinViz gives England just 3 per cent chance of winning, might be worth a flutter you know… 6.00am EDT 06:00 'I'm torn.' Says Howard Banwell, getting his Natalie Imbruglia on. 'I like very much the positive, go-for-it England approach to test cricket in recent years, but here I would rather see a draw than an England loss. I reckon it depends on the lead India is allowed to rack up today. If England restrict them to a 350 to 400 lead (or Shubman declares with that target on the table), Stokes will be very tempted to go for the chase. More than that, I suspect even Stokes will pucker up and kiss his sister.' 5.48am EDT 05:48 Our man Ali Martin had the task of summing up a quite bonkers day of Test cricket: Pressure? What pressure? Or to pinch a line from Keith Miller, the great Australian all-rounder and a fighter pilot during the second world war: 'There is no pressure in Test cricket. Real pressure is when you are flying a Mosquito with a Messerschmitt up your arse.' Notwithstanding this old truism, there was still a fair bit on the line when Jamie Smith strode out to middle at 11.12am here on the third morning. Joe Root had been uncharacteristically strangled down leg, Ben Stokes had been blown away by a brutish first ball and Mohammed Siraj, a fiery fast bowler known to get on a roll, was eyeing up a hat-trick. Oh, and England were 84 for five, 503 runs behind India's first innings.' 5.43am EDT 05:43 Ease yourself into Saturday morning with Mr Andy Bull: The field was set, the slips were waiting, the crowd was up. There was, everyone watching felt sure, only one way the game was heading. The ball was a good one, on a length just outside off and moving in towards middle. Smith took a half-step forwards and, crack, thumped it back down the ground for four. Everyone else in this England team had to unlearn a lot of what they had been taught to begin to bat like this. But not Smith. He and Harry Brook are hothouse kids.' 5.23am EDT 05:23 James Wallace Here's something I wrote earlier: 'A draw is like kissing your sister,' Edward J Erdelatz said to the New York Times in 1954. Erdelatz was the United States Navy's head football coach and his side had just drawn 0-0 against Duke University. 'No one asked the mild spoken navy coach to explain,' the report adds. Well, quite. But sister or not, everyone knew what he meant. Erdelatz's unique take on the merits or otherwise of not winning are ingrained in American sports where a Lombardian win-at-all-costs mentality prevails. Try explaining Test cricket to an American sports fan, they say, with a wry chuckle – the fact that two teams can battle it out for five full days and in the end, there is not necessarily a winner. Good luck, they smirk. Adelaide 1961? You may as well be describing the plot of Christopher Nolan's Memento to a toddler. Old Trafford 2005? More chance of a cider-addled bee getting to grips with quantum theory. They do not get it, be gone with your quaint English ways, five days and no winner. That's crazy, man. Yet draws are intrinsic to Test cricket, they are written in its DNA – a double helix in the shape of a deadlock. Draws speak to its beguiling and maddening qualities, a testament to the game's downright peculiarity. That a side can battle back from a point of seemingly no return to pull off the heist of shared spoils, drop anchor, defy logic, battle against their opponents' desire, their own self-belief, against conditions under their feet and above their heads, against time itself. This makes the game what it is, why it is called what it is called. Even when you are on top, it is still really hard to finish a side off and win a Test match.' At what point in this game do you think Ben Stokes might decide to pucker up and play for the draw? Or will he laugh in the face of such outdated thinking? Preferring his side to go down in a blaze of wickets rather than entertain not entertaining and batting out to share the spoils? England are playing a more nuanced version of Bazball but whether they still have the stomach to suck up a draw remains to be seen. India are currently 64 for one and hold a lead of 244. India captain Shubman Gill knows all too well that England will try and chase whatever they are set, at least initially, and 371 wasn't enough last week in Headingley. Harry Brook and Jamie Smith's barnstormingly epic three hundred run partnership showed the path of one possible outcome just as England's quacking and creaking batting card containing six ducks showed the other. Of one thing we can be sure, it'll be unmissable viewing on day four at Edgbaston. Play gets underway at 11am and I'm very much here for your thoughts and theories on where this second Test match might be headed. Updated at 5.24am EDT
Daily Record
10 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Ronaldo misses Jota's funeral after emotional tribute to late teammate
Diogo Jota was laid to rest on Saturday morning, with a host of his Liverpool and Portugal teammates in attendance - but Cristiano Ronaldo was not present. Cristiano Ronaldo was notably absent from Diogo Jota's funeral on Saturday morning, as the football world mourned the loss of the player and his brother Andre Silva, who tragically passed away in a car accident in Spain. Jota was honoured in his hometown of Gondomar, near Porto, Portugal, where he and his brother were laid to rest. The service saw an outpouring of support from Jota's Liverpool colleagues, members of the Portugal national squad, and his ex-Wolves teammates. Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson were spotted bringing red floral tributes into the church, while Portuguese footballers Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, and Joao Neves also attended the ceremony held at the Chapel of the Resurrection. Neves, a close friend and former teammate of Jota at both Wolves and on the international stage, was one of those carrying the coffin into the church after arriving from the United States, where he had been competing in the Club World Cup with Al-Hilal. However, Ronaldo, the captain of the Portugal team, did not join the gathering of mourners at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar catholic church. According to Mirror Football, Ronaldo was concerned that his appearance in the small town might detract from the solemn occasion. In recent days, he has chosen to stay out of the public eye, spending time with his family instead, reports the Mirror. Ronaldo did, however, share a heartfelt message on social media following the announcement of Jota's death on Thursday, expressing his disbelief and sorrow: "It doesn't make sense. We were just together in the national team, and you had just gotten married. "To your family, your wife and your children, I send my condolences and wish them all the strength in the world. I know you will always be with them. Rest in peace, Diogo and Andre. We will all miss you." At the solemn gathering, Liverpool figures such as Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson stood united with teammates Curtis Jones, Alexis Mac Allister, Harvey Elliott, Wataru Endo, Darwin Nunez, Federico Chiesa and the new gaffer Arne Slot. Former Reds Caoimhin Kelleher, Jordan Henderson and James Milner also joined to pay their respects. The tragedy unfolded when Jota and his brother tragically passed away following a horrific car accident involving a Lamborghini in north west Spain that led to the vehicle catching fire last Thursday. The burial came after a private family observance on Friday, attended by Jota's spouse Rute Cardoso, whom he had just wedded the previous month, and close relatives. The Portuguese Football Federation expressed their sadness, stating: "Diogo Jota was not only a fantastic player with almost 50 caps for the national team, but also an extraordinary person who was respected by all his team-mates and opponents. He had a contagious joy and was a reference point in his own community." They continued, "On behalf of the Portuguese Football Federation and myself, I would like to offer our deepest condolences to the families and friends of Diogo and Andre as well as Liverpool FC and FC Penafiel, the respective clubs of the players. "We have lost two champions. Their deaths represent irreparable losses for Portuguese football, and we will do everything we can to honour their legacy every day."
Powys County Times
12 minutes ago
- Powys County Times
Diogo Jota's wife and family joined by Liverpool players for funeral in Portugal
Diogo Jota's wife and family have been joined by Liverpool players for the funeral of the forward and his brother in Portugal following their death in a car crash in Spain. The father-of-three, who married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso 11 days before the accident, died alongside his brother, Andre Silva, after a Lamborghini they were travelling in burst into flames following a suspected tyre blowout in the early hours of Thursday morning. The coffins of Jota and Silva were carried into Igreja Matriz de Gondomar church in the town of Gondomar near Porto on Saturday morning, followed by mourners. A church bell tolled and crowds applauded as the brothers' coffins were carried into the church, followed by mourners, some with their arms around each other. Others seen arriving at the church included Reds manager Arne Slot, captain Virgil van Dijk and team-mates including Andy Robertson, Conor Bradley, Ryan Gravenberch, Cody Gakpo, Curtis Jones, Darwin Nunez and Joe Gomez. Also at the funeral for the Portugal international were his national team-mates Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United, Ruben Dias and Bernardo Silva of Manchester City, Joao Felix and Renato Veiga of Chelsea, Nelson Semedo from Wolves, Joao Moutinho, Rui Patricio and Ruben Neves, as well as former Liverpool player Fabinho, Porto president Andre Villas-Boas and Portugal manager Roberto Martinez. Some of the players carried wreaths shaped like football shirts as they arrived at the church. Family and friends gathered for the brothers' wake on Friday, with a queue forming outside the Portuguese chapel. The brothers' parents attended the Sao Cosme Chapel, the Capela da Ressurreicao, in Gondomar, with Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Prime Minister Luis Montenegro and Jota's agent also there. People held service sheets featuring pictures of both brothers, the largest one showing Jota smiling in his Liverpool shirt and making a heart sign with his hands. Liverpool postponed the return of their players for pre-season following Jota's death and players past and present paid tribute to him and his brother on social media. A sea of floral tributes had been left outside Anfield, with many Liverpool fans and supporters of other clubs looking to pay their respects. Flags have been lowered to half-mast at the stadium and all club stores, museums and tours have been closed until Monday, with staff offered wellbeing support. Jota and Silva were found dead after the car crashed on the A-52 in Palacios de Sanabria near the city of Zamora at 12.40am on Thursday. Police said they were investigating the possibility that the Lamborghini left the road because of a tyre blowout while overtaking, and a source from the government sub-delegation in Zamora confirmed 'a possible speeding incident' was being looked at. Pictures of the aftermath of the crash showed debris scattered along the side of the road including what appeared to be charred parts of the vehicle.
