Balodis backs Ikpeazu at Tynecastle
St Johnstone's Daniel Balodis backs team-mate Uche Ikpeazu to show former club Hearts what he's capable of when the sides meet at Tynecastle on Wednesday evening. (Courier - subscription required), externalRead Wednesday's Scottish gossip
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The Guardian
38 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Football transfer rumours: Real Madrid plot move for Myles Lewis-Skelly?
Real Madrid might be the biggest successful side in Europe but that doesn't mean they are too big for a bargain. David Alaba, Kylian Mbappé, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Tony Rüdiger and Steve McManaman have all moved to the Bernabéu on a free transfer in the past and now the Spanish giants are reportedly targeting another soon-to-be out-of-contract star. Myles Lewis-Skelly had a breakthrough year at Arsenal last season but, with his current deal expiring next summer, he would be free to talk to foreign clubs in January. The Gunners are said to be 'relaxed' about the contract situation but this would not be the first time they have been gazumped by a Spanish rival. Another elite full-back but at the tail end of his career, Kyle Walker, is garnering interest from Everton after being left out of Manchester City's Club World Cup squad. José Mourinho and Fenerbahce have already submitted an offer for the 34-year-old but the opportunity to stay in the Premier League might sway the England international to stay in the north-west of England. Any transfer fee would be nominal, with just one year left on his deal at City, but Everton would still have to match his substantial wages. Fulham are also said to be interested. The Club World Cup might be a bit of damp squib on the pitch but at least it is a fertile networking opportunity for agents. Hurray! Neymar's father has been earning his 15% and has suggested his son could return to Europe before the real World Cup next summer. 'This week, we're going to Miami to talk to clubs,' Neymar Sr told L'Équipe. 'We have to listen to them and decide what we're going to do. Yes, there are European clubs. Some are competing in the Champions League. They know he's capable of having a great season because the lights are green. But the Brazilian market is also interesting. There's a good chance he'll stay at Santos. I'm working for that. That doesn't stop me from listening to other clubs. It's Neymar [Jr] who will decide whether to stay or not. Now we're going to prepare again for an impossible dream: winning the World Cup. Carlo's [Ancelotti] arrival is good, but no matter who's in charge, we have to work. Everything is there to make it work. The team has style. And I can see Neymar with Viní, Rodrygo, Raphinha.' Newcastle were in fine fettle last season in the Premier League without the extra weight of European football, but know from their 2023-24 campaign (in which they finished seventh) that balancing Champions League football and a domestic campaign can be tricky and a tiresome business. And so with the club again qualifying for Europe's elite club competition next season, Eddie Howe and co know they need a bigger and stronger squad. João Pedro has been linked with a move to the north-east but Brighton don't sell their best players on the cheap, and the Brazilian would cost around £70m. Is that too much to spend on a player that would probably serve as a back-up to Alexander Isak? Another Brazilian already at Newcastle is Bruno Guimarães, and while the midfielder has been continually linked with a move away from St James' Park – the Saudi club Al-Ittihad are the latest to be named – the 27-year-old is said now to be very happy at the club and willing to sign a new contract, with the current deal set to expire in 2028. Chelsea already have one Fofana (Wesley) but are now targeting another in Lyon's Malick Fofana, with the 20-year-old viewed as an alternative to Jamie Gittens. Borussia Dortmund have been unwilling to budge on their £50m valuation for the latter, with Chelsea seeing a bid of £42m turned down last week, while Fofana is potentially a slightly cheaper option. Liverpool are understood to have dropped their price for Darwin Núñez, with the Uruguayan's price tag now £40m. Milan and Napoli are interested although any deal is likely to depend on other deals. Having lost Tijjani Reijnders to Manchester City, Milan are also considering adding Granit Xhaka and Luka Modric to their midfield while they are exploring a swap deal with Barcelona, reportedly offering Rafael Leão for centre back Ronald Araújo.
Scotsman
44 minutes ago
- Scotsman
Where Hearts and Hibs place in Scottish football power rankings vs rivals
Teams are gearing up for the new season - but where do stats experts ranking the likes of Hearts and Hibs currently? The Jambos have made a flurry of new signings as they look ahead to their competitive action beginning in the Premier Sports Cup group stages. Hibs meanwhile will find out who they face in Europa League second qualifying round action this week. Opta's power rankings have been updated, ranking 43 Scottish clubs, the top 42 from last year plus Highland League side Brechin City. They are defined by a 'hierarchical Elo-based rating system to measure the strength of each team. The Elo rating system is a skill score that has been adapted to many sports since its creation for chess player ratings, including the official FIFA world rankings for both men and women.' Here's where Hearts and Hibs rank on the list, going from bottom to top.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Andy Murray lands new job as he ditches grandmother's tradition for RIVAL - and stars in cheeky surprise advert less than a year after retiring
Andy Murray is swapping serves for shortbread as he has starred in an advert for a traditional Scottish biscuit brand. The retired tennis ace is now a brand ambassador for Walker's Shortbread - the first in the company's 117-year history. And Murray is the face of a tongue-in-cheek advert which speaks of an icon 'loved by mums' - before he takes a delicate bite out of the crumbly snack. But the 38-year-old may want a word with his family - after years of tucking into his grandmother Shirley Erskine's own recipe while playing around the world. Erskine's shortbread has graced Strictly Come Dancing, Sunday Brunch, and Mrs Brown's Saturday night spin-off talk show - but Murray's loyalties may now be divided, at least publicly. 'I'm proudly Scottish, and partnering with Walker's, a brand that has been representing Scotland around the world for well over a century, felt like a great fit for me,' said Murray as he began a multi-year deal. 'I come from a small tight-knit community and when I look back at where I have come from, I am proud of what I've achieved, which is something I share with Walker's. 'It's a real honour to be part of this next chapter for such a well-loved Scottish brand. 'I've been eating shortbread since I was a kid – my gran would make it all the time for us. We even celebrated my Wimbledon win with shortbread. 'Shortbread is one of my simple pleasures. No matter where I am in the world, a piece of Walker's Shortbread always transports me back home.' Murray's shortbread ad will be displayed at train stations across the UK. Founded in 1898 with humble roots, Walker's is a huge brand which employed 1,500 people and had an annual revenue of £184million as of 2023. Three-time Grand Slam winner Murrya bowed out of professional tennis last summer after the Paris Olympic Games. The Dunblane star shocked the tennis world when he revealed he would start coaching his erstwhile rival Novak Djokovic, though they split in May - six weeks before Wimbledon - after just six months together. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme in September, he said: 'The thing that I always found difficult in recent years was that there was always a guilt associated with what I was doing. 'If I was going away for a trip of like three to four weeks I would feel guilty leaving my children at home or being away from my wife for a long time with them, so missing the kids I found hard. '(Now) I can dedicate time to my children and have free time to play golf or go to the gym on my own terms. It is really nice and I didn't expect that.' Even though he is an ambassador for Walker's, one imagines there is no prohibitions on him tucking into the occasional family treat. In a Sunday Brunch appearance in 2018, mother Judy Murray explained: 'It's her now very famous shortbread. She started making it for Andy and Jamie when they were travelling all around the world. 'It was a little slice of something from home when they were on teh road. And it became a thing when they were doing the Davis Cup. They had it in the tea room. And it has become quite famous. It's quite good. 'She shares the recipe with everybody, but nobody makes it like her, so we reckon she puts something in it.'
