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New York Times
an hour ago
- Business
- New York Times
Cristiano Ronaldo's future is unclear. Could he join one of the teams at the Club World Cup?
Cristiano Ronaldo's future at Al Nassr is up in the air after a disappointing season, and his contract is set to expire at the end of next month. The 40-year-old also posted a cryptic message on his social media earlier this week, writing: 'This chapter is over. The story? Still being written.' With Al Nassr not involved in the tournament, there have long been suggestions that Ronaldo could compete at FIFA's inaugural expanded Club World Cup, which takes place in the United States this summer. And the body's president Gianni Infantino added fuel to the fire during an interview with YouTuber IShowSpeed last weekend. Advertisement Discussing Lionel Messi competing in the event with his MLS club Inter Miami, Infantino then added: 'And Ronaldo might play for one of the teams as well at the Club World Cup. There are discussions with some clubs, so if any club is watching and is interested in hiring Ronaldo for the Club World Cup… who knows, who knows.' A special transfer window opens for teams competing in the Club World Cup between June 1 and June 10, with sides able to add players before its opening game on June 14. So, could a team move to sign Ronaldo between now and then? Are any of them interested? Is there a chance he could face eternal rival Messi, surely for the final time in their careers, at this tournament? The Athletic's team of reporters approached figures at clubs competing at the Club World Cup to ask whether they would be interested in a move for Ronaldo. Unless otherwise noted, those people spoke under the condition of anonymity to protect relationships. Their responses are below. Chelsea turned down the opportunity to sign Ronaldo in 2022, and are not going to change their minds three years later. The London club have already compiled a list of players they want to play up front for them in the future, including Hugo Ekitike, Liam Delap — who Chelsea have reached a transfer agreement for — and Benjamin Sesko. Like most of the Chelsea squad, these are players all under the age of 25 and have the best of their careers still to come. Their wage demands also fit into the general structure in place at Stamford Bridge. Ronaldo, while respected for all his achievements, simply does not fit into the club's recruitment strategy. Simon Johnson No chance. Juventus are still in arbitration with Ronaldo over an agreement that was made to defer some of his wages while he was with the Turin club during the Covid-19 pandemic. Last year, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) ordered Juventus to pay more than €9.7million ($10.35m, £8.3m), plus interest, to Ronaldo in back wages. James Horncastle As exciting as it could be, a Messi vs Ronaldo clash in the opening match of the 2025 Club World Cup is unlikely to happen. Ronaldo joining Al Ahly, the Egyptian side who kick the tournament off against Messi's Inter Miami in that Florida city in two weeks' time, is a transfer that's only possible in video games. Financially, the move just isn't logical due to his salary requirements. Ahmed Walid Mamelodi Sundowns are South Africa's richest team, backed by one of the country's wealthiest men, Patrice Motsepe, who has been in charge since 2003. Since Motsepe became president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in 2021, his son, Thlopie, has taken over as club chairman, running Sundowns on a day-to-day basis. Advertisement Thlopie confirmed last week that they are considering using the forthcoming transfer window but any new faces are only likely to arrive once their involvement in the Club World Cup is over. That responsibility will fall on Flemming Berg, the club's Danish sporting director, and his assistant, Ryan Hunt. Simon Hughes Palmeiras have not made any move, nor do they plan to do so, to sign Ronaldo. That has been the club's position since mid-May, when the first rumours surfaced that a team from Brazil was interested in the Portuguese forward. They also added they did not envision any Brazilian club being able to afford such a move. The doubts about whether Ronaldo will stay in Saudi Arabia or not, with his current contract about to expire, have not changed the scenario at the Sao Paulo club. Their attacking options will be young Estevao, a right-winger who will join Chelsea after this tournament; the Argentine Jose Manuel Lopez; or Vitor Roque, who failed to meet expectations at Spanish sides Barcelona and Real Betis over the past two seasons and did not score in his first nine games with Palmeiras after joining in February. Mario Cortegana Even as their Brazilian rivals have made a habit of making splashy signings from European football over the past decade, Fluminense have generally been more circumspect. This is in large part due to their financial situation: compared to the country's big hitters — Palmeiras, Flamengo, Corinthians — they have a pretty modest budget and prefer to cut their cloth accordingly. It was no surprise, then, that a source at the club immediately rejected the idea that Rio de Janeiro-based Fluminense could offer Ronaldo a new challenge. Jack Lang Another Brazilian side who have no interest in, and have had no discussions over, signing Ronaldo. Although the club's owner, John Textor, attended Al Nassr training sessions due to his relationship with their chief executive Majed AlJamaan, any suggestion that he might join the Rio side or that he would be involved in the Eagle Football multi-club vehicle where Textor is chairman have been described to The Athletic as 'a bizarre fantasy story'. Matt Woosnam Flamengo have also ruled out a move for Ronaldo ahead of the Club World Cup, mainly for financial reasons. Jorginho's arrival from Arsenal is their latest planned move for the tournament. Jose Boto, Flamengo's sporting director, is Portuguese and has very good contacts in his home country, which could potentially facilitate the deal at some point. However, it is not something Rio-based Flamengo have seriously considered. Mario Cortegana Inter's American ownership, the asset management firm Oaktree, has provided stability and financial security for this weekend's Champions League finalists. They are also committed to rejuvenating a squad that is the oldest in this season's Champions League. 'Investments will be made in slightly younger profiles who represent a real asset, players with potential who are an asset for the present and the future,' Inter's CEO Giuseppe Marotta explained to The Athletic this week. That doesn't sound like Ronaldo, who turned 40 in February. Advertisement Marotta was at Juventus when Ronaldo joined them in 2018, but that was a signing driven by colleague Fabio Paratici. Marotta left the club a few months later, and Inter have since replaced Juventus as the real force in Italian football. The prospect of Marotta signing Ronaldo for Inter — regardless of the new ownership's strategy for the Milanese club — is unlikely. James Horncastle Ronaldo and City manager Pep Guardiola nearly joined forces in 2021 before he decided to return to neighbours United from Juventus at the eleventh hour. A deal was broadly agreed then, but long phone conversations with former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and ex-Old Trafford team-mate Rio Ferdinand convinced Ronaldo how ruinous switching to the other side of Manchester would be for his legacy. At the time, City were also looking at Harry Kane to fill the centre-forward void left by the departure during the same window of Sergio Aguero. There is no such vacancy now that they have Erling Haaland, who has committed himself to the club for the next decade. City also added Omar Marmoush to their attacking ranks in January and are attempting to bring down the average age of the squad. Ronaldo is into his fifth decade, his powers are understandably waning, and he is unlikely to be able to play on one of the wings anymore. That said, the way Guardiola has incorporated Haaland into his team by allowing him not to get involved in any build-up play is a dilution of his football idealism that was not known four years ago. It would have been fun to see Guardiola work with Ronaldo, having played such an important role in Messi's first few years at Barcelona, but the chances of it happening are virtually zero. Jordan Campbell Since his departure from Madrid to join Juventus, Ronaldo has explored the possibility of moving back to the Bernabeu on several occasions. The last opportunity was two years ago, when he was on his way out of United. According to senior sources at Madrid, his agent at the time, Jorge Mendes, offered him to them several times during the summer of 2023, with very advantageous financial conditions. Advertisement The club's stance has always been clear in these situations, as it was during this season when the possibility of Sergio Ramos returning also came up: they have total gratitude for both players' time at the club, but they believe it should be left in the past. Madrid are committed to their project, which is now focused on new blood, without focusing on the economic elements. Mario Cortegana and Guillermo Rai There is zero chance. Bayern's forward line will be led by Kane this summer in the States, and Ronaldo would offer nothing beyond unhelpful media attention. The German champions are paying no attention to his availability at all. Sebastian Stafford-Bloor The French club have not made any moves in terms of Ronaldo, and has no plans to do so. Their total focus is on the Champions League final showdown with Inter on Saturday night, which also shows why bringing him in is not among their plans. Their overall project as a club has pivoted since manager Luis Enrique's 2024 arrival to build a team based on their Spanish coach and young talent, moving away from the collection of the world's most famous stars previously in the line-up. The success of this season reinforces this idea and has led to renewing the contracts in recent months of the aforementioned Luis Enrique and sporting director Luis Campos, who is always in close contact with club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi. Mario Cortegana In Serhou Guirassy, Dortmund believe they have one of the in-form forwards in European football and they will head to the U.S. fully confident in their ability to score plenty of goals in this tournament. There's no conversation to be had about signing Ronaldo. Sebastian Stafford-Bloor Ronaldo will not be joining Atletico for the Club World Cup. The Spanish club are taking the tournament very seriously, and coach Diego Simeone's team will be playing their usual high-intensity, hard-working style, and have top internationals such as Julian Alvarez, Alexander Sorloth and Antoine Griezmann to lead their attack. Advertisement Adding the 40-year-old former Madrid player for their U.S. challenge would just not make sense. Dermot Corrigan Porto have no interest in signing Ronaldo, who came through the academy at one of their great domestic rivals, Lisbon's Sporting CP. They are, however, focusing their efforts on another (far younger) forward from the Saudi Pro League: Gabri Veiga. The 23-year-old made a surprise move from Celta Vigo to Al Ahli two years ago and is a key target for them this summer. James Horncastle Ronaldo supported Benfica as a young boy, but it would be a colossal surprise if they were to approach him now. He came through the youth ranks at their local Lisbon rivals, Sporting, and it would need a huge amount of PR massaging to make a cross-city move look like anything other than a betrayal, even at this late stage of his career. He also once stuck a middle finger up at Benfica fans while playing for United, so the appetite from their supporters for his signing might also be limited. Jack Lang In recent seasons, the Mexicans have been known for signing La Liga stars such as Sergio Canales and especially Sergio Ramos. For that reason, it might seem logical that they would be looking to do the same with Ronaldo. However, very senior sources at Monterrey played down this option ahead of the Club World Cup: 'We haven't moved on anything at all. But there is so much noise that, if he wants to come and he comes for free, then we will think about it.' Guillermo Rai A source close to Ronaldo told The Athletic last week that it would not make sense for Al Nassr to renew his contract and then move him out on loan to a team playing in the Club World Cup. That said, a renewal is not out of the question. However, a source at the Riyadh club suggested it depended in part on the outcome of their season — and this came to a negative end, with Al Nassr finishing third in the Saudi Pro League, having lost in the Asian Champions League's semi-finals. Guillermo Rai
USA Today
7 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
When is the FIFA Club World Cup? Dates, times, schedule for 2025 tournament
When is the FIFA Club World Cup? Dates, times, schedule for 2025 tournament Show Caption Hide Caption FIFA Club World Cup will set stage for big things in United States The FIFA Club World Cup is set to take the global stage and two legendary managers explain how it will have an impact on fans and the 2026 World Cup. Sports Seriously Many of the world's best professional soccer clubs are about to face one another on American soil, and these won't be the standard exhibition matches fans in the United States have had to settle for in the past when the top teams come to play here. The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is set to begin in full next month at stadiums throughout the USA for the first time, with 64 matches on the docket to decide the tournament winner. There is an expanded field of 32 club teams representing 20 different countries this year. Some of the sport's biggest stars and tradition-rich clubs are slated to participate, including Real Madrid, Inter Milan, and Lionel Messi and Inter Miami. The action officially gets underway on Saturday, May 31 when LAFC of Major League Soccer faces Club América of Mexico in a play-in game to determine the final team in the field. There's also the added intrigue of Cristiano Ronaldo potentially switching clubs in time for the start of the tournament. The event has existed in various forms since 2000, but the format now resembles what will be used in 2026 when the World Cup returns stateside for the first time in 30 years. Club teams have been placed into eight groups of four and will play three round-robin games, with the top two teams in each group then advancing to the knockout stage featuring the round of 16, quarterfinals and semifinals. The bracket concludes with the FIFA Club World Cup finals at MetLife Stadium outside New York on July 13. The new 2025 group stage and bracket has 12 clubs from Europe, six from South America, four from Asia, four from Africa, four from North America, four from Central America and the Caribbean, one from Oceania and two from the United States. The Seattle Sounders and Inter Miami of Major League Soccer each qualified for this year's tournament. Here's more information on the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, including the groups for round-robin play and a complete event schedule: Watch every Club World Cup game FREE with DAZN BACKGROUND: FIFA Club World Cup host cities to receive $1M each for future soccer projects When is the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup? Group Stage : June 14-June 26 : June 14-June 26 Round of 16 : June 28-July 1 : June 28-July 1 Quarterfinals : July 4-5 : July 4-5 Semifinals : July 8-9 : July 8-9 Finals: July 13 What teams are in FIFA Club World Cup? There are 32 teams in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup that have been separated into eight groups of four for the round-robin group stage in June. Here's how the field breaks down Group A Al Ahly FC (Egypt) FC Porto (Portugal) SE Palmeiras (Brazil) Inter Miami (United States) Group B Paris Saint-Germain (France) Atlético de Madrid (Spain) Botafogo (Brazil) Seattle Sounders FC (United States) Group C FC Bayern München (Germany) Auckland City FC (New Zealand) CA Boca Juniors (Argentina) SL Benfica (Portugal) Group D Espérance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia) CR Flamengo (Brazil) Chelsea FC (England) LAFC (United States)/Club América (Mexico) Group E CA River Plate (Argentina) Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan) CF Monterrey (Mexico) Inter Milan (Italy) Group F Fluminense FC (Brazil) Borussia Dortmund (Germany) Ulsan HD (South Korea) Mamelodi Sundowns FC (South Africa) Group G Manchester City (England) Wydad AC (Morocco) Al Ain FC (United Arab Emirates) Juventus FC (Italy) Group H Real Madrid (Spain) Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia) CF Pachuca (Mexico) FC Salzburg (Austria) How to watch FIFA World Cup 2025: TV, streaming options Every match during the 2025 FIFA World Cup will be live streamed for free on which is the exclusive global broadcaster of the event. FIFA Club World Cup 2025 match schedule PLAY IN GAME Saturday, May 31 Group D: LAFC vs. Club America, 10:30 p.m. ET (Los Angeles) GROUP STAGE Saturday, June 14 Group A: Al Ahly vs. Inter Miami, 8 p.m. ET (Miami) Sunday, June 15 Group C: Bayern Munich vs. Auckland City, 12 p.m. ET (Cincinnati) Bayern Munich vs. Auckland City, 12 p.m. ET (Cincinnati) Group B: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Atlético Madrid, 3 p.m. ET (Pasadena, California) Paris Saint-Germain vs. Atlético Madrid, 3 p.m. ET (Pasadena, California) Group A: SE Palmeiras vs. FC Porto, 6 p.m. ET (East Rutherford, New Jersey) SE Palmeiras vs. FC Porto, 6 p.m. ET (East Rutherford, New Jersey) Group B: Botafogo vs. Seattle Sounders, 10 p.m. ET (Seattle) Monday, June 16 Group D: Chelsea vs. LAFC/Club América, 3 p.m. ET (Atlanta) Chelsea vs. LAFC/Club América, 3 p.m. ET (Atlanta) Group C: Boca Juniors vs. Benfica, 6 p.m. ET (Miami) Boca Juniors vs. Benfica, 6 p.m. ET (Miami) Group D: Flamengo vs. Espérance de Tunis, 9 p.m. ET (Philadelphia) Tuesday, June 17 Group F: Fluminense vs. Borussia Dortmund, 12 p.m. ET (East Rutherford, New Jersey) Fluminense vs. Borussia Dortmund, 12 p.m. ET (East Rutherford, New Jersey) Group E: River Plate vs. Urawa Red Diamonds, 3 p.m. ET (Seattle) River Plate vs. Urawa Red Diamonds, 3 p.m. ET (Seattle) Group F: Ulsan HD vs. Mamelodi Sundowns, 6 p.m. ET (Orlando, Florida) Ulsan HD vs. Mamelodi Sundowns, 6 p.m. ET (Orlando, Florida) Group E: Monterrey vs. Inter Milan, 9 p.m. ET (Pasadena, California) Wednesday, June 18 Group G: Manchester City vs. Wydad AC, 12 p.m. ET (Philadelphia) Manchester City vs. Wydad AC, 12 p.m. ET (Philadelphia) Group H: Real Madrid vs. Al Hilal, 3 p.m. ET (Miami) Real Madrid vs. Al Hilal, 3 p.m. ET (Miami) Group H: Pachuca vs. FC Salzburg, 6 p.m. ET (Cincinnati) Pachuca vs. FC Salzburg, 6 p.m. ET (Cincinnati) Group G: Al Ain vs. Juventus, 9 p.m. (Washington, D.C.) Thursday, June 19 Group A: Palmeiras vs. Al Ahly, 12 p.m. ET, (East Rutherford, New Jersey) Palmeiras vs. Al Ahly, 12 p.m. ET, (East Rutherford, New Jersey) Group A: Inter Miami vs. Porto, 3 p.m. ET, (Atlanta) Inter Miami vs. Porto, 3 p.m. ET, (Atlanta) Group B: Seattle Sounders vs. Atlético Madrid, 6 p.m. ET (Seattle) Seattle Sounders vs. Atlético Madrid, 6 p.m. ET (Seattle) Group B: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Botafogo, 9 p.m. ET (Pasadena, California) Friday, June 20 Group C: Benfica vs. Auckland City, 12 p.m. ET (Orlando, Florida) Benfica vs. Auckland City, 12 p.m. ET (Orlando, Florida) Group D: Flamengo vs. Chelsea, 2 p.m. ET (Philadelphia) Flamengo vs. Chelsea, 2 p.m. ET (Philadelphia) Group D : LAFC/Club América vs. Espérance de Tunis, 6 p.m. ET (Nashville, Tennessee) : LAFC/Club América vs. Espérance de Tunis, 6 p.m. ET (Nashville, Tennessee) Group C: Bayern Munich vs. Boca Juniors, 9 p.m. ET (Miami) Saturday, June 21 Group F: Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Borussia Dortmund, 12 p.m. ET (Cincinnati) Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Borussia Dortmund, 12 p.m. ET (Cincinnati) Group E: Inter Milan vs. Urawa Red Diamonds, 3 p.m. ET (Seattle) Inter Milan vs. Urawa Red Diamonds, 3 p.m. ET (Seattle) Group F: Fluminense vs. Ulsan HD, 6 p.m. ET (East Rutherford, New Jersey) Fluminense vs. Ulsan HD, 6 p.m. ET (East Rutherford, New Jersey) Group E: River Plate vs. Monterrey, 9 p.m. ET (Pasadena, California) Sunday, June 22 Group G: Juventus vs. Wydad AC, 12 p.m. ET (Philadelphia) Juventus vs. Wydad AC, 12 p.m. ET (Philadelphia) Group H: Real Madrid vs. Pachuca, 3 p.m. ET (Charlotte, North Carolina) Real Madrid vs. Pachuca, 3 p.m. ET (Charlotte, North Carolina) Group H: FC Salzburg vs. Al Hilal, 6 p.m. ET (Washington, D.C.) FC Salzburg vs. Al Hilal, 6 p.m. ET (Washington, D.C.) Group G: Manchester City vs. Al Ain, 9 p.m. ET (Atlanta) Monday, June 23 Group B: Atlético Madrid vs. Botafogo, 3 p.m. ET (Pasadena, California) Atlético Madrid vs. Botafogo, 3 p.m. ET (Pasadena, California) Group B : Seattle Sounders vs. Paris Saint-Germain, 3 p.m. ET (Seattle) : Seattle Sounders vs. Paris Saint-Germain, 3 p.m. ET (Seattle) Group A: Inter Miami vs. Palmeiras, 9 p.m. ET (Miami) Inter Miami vs. Palmeiras, 9 p.m. ET (Miami) Group A: Porto vs. Al Ahly, 9 p.m. ET (East Rutherford, New Jersey) Tuesday, June 24 Group C: Benfica vs. Bayern Munich, 3 p.m. ET (Charlotte) Benfica vs. Bayern Munich, 3 p.m. ET (Charlotte) Group C: Auckland City vs. Boca Juniors, 3 p.m. ET (Nashville) Auckland City vs. Boca Juniors, 3 p.m. ET (Nashville) Group D: Espérance de Tunis vs. Chelsea, 9 p.m. ET (Philadelphia) Espérance de Tunis vs. Chelsea, 9 p.m. ET (Philadelphia) Group D: LAFC/Club América vs. Flamengo, 9 p.m. ET (Orlando) Wednesday, June 25 Group F: Borussia Dortmund vs. Ulsan HD, 3 p.m. ET (Cincinnati) Borussia Dortmund vs. Ulsan HD, 3 p.m. ET (Cincinnati) Group F: Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Fluminense, 3 p.m. ET (Miami) Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Fluminense, 3 p.m. ET (Miami) Group E: Inter Milan vs. River Plate, 9 p.m. ET (Seattle) Inter Milan vs. River Plate, 9 p.m. ET (Seattle) Group E: Urawa Red Diamonds vs. Monterrey, 9 p.m. ET (Pasadena) Thursday, June 26 Group G: Wydad AC vs. Al Ain, 3 p.m. ET (Washington) Wydad AC vs. Al Ain, 3 p.m. ET (Washington) Group G: Juventus vs. Manchester City, 3 p.m. ET (Orlando) Juventus vs. Manchester City, 3 p.m. ET (Orlando) Group H: Al Hilal vs. Pachuca, 9 p.m. ET (Nashville) Al Hilal vs. Pachuca, 9 p.m. ET (Nashville) Group H: FC Salzburg vs. Real Madrid, 9 p.m. ET (Philadelphia) FIFA Club World Cup Round of 16 Saturday, June 28 Match 49: Winners of Group A vs. Group B runner-up (Philadelphia) Match 50: Winners of Group C vs. Group D runner-up (Charlotte) Sunday, June 29 Match 51: Winners of Group B vs. Group A runner-up (Atlanta) Match 52: Winners of Group D vs. Group C runner-up (Miami) Monday, June 30 Match 53: Winners of Group E vs. Group F runner-up (Charlotte) Match 54: Winners of Group G vs. Group H runner-up (Orlando) Tuesday, July 1 Match 55: Winners of Group F vs. Group E runner-up (Atlanta) Match 56: Winners of Group H vs. Group G runner-up (Miami) FIFA Club World Cup Quarterfinals Friday, July 4 Match 57: Winners of Match 49 vs. Winners of Match 50 (Philadelphia) Match 58: Winners of Match 53 vs. Winners of Match 54 (Orlando) Saturday, July 5 Match 59: Winners of Match 51 vs. Winners of Match 52 (Atlanta) Match 60: Winners of Match 55 vs. Winners of Match 56 (East Rutherford) FIFA Club World Cup Semifinals Tuesday, July 8 Match 61: Winners of Match 57 vs. Winners of Match 58 (East Rutherford) Wednesday, July 9 Match 62: Winners of Match 59 vs. Winners of Match 60 (East Rutherford) FIFA Club World Cup Final Sunday, July 13 Match 63: Winners of Match 61 vs. Winners of Match 62 (East Rutherford) Watch the FIFA Club World Cup FREE with DAZN
BBC News
9 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Arsenal begin talks over Sesko - Saturday's gossip
Arsenal begin talks over signing Benjamin Sesko, Manchester United are open to offers for Kobbie Mainoo even if Bruno Fernandes leaves the club, Al-Hilal could target Cristiano have begun talks with RB Leipzig in an attempt to sign 21-year-old Slovenia forward Benjamin Sesko, who has a release clause worth over 80m euros (£67.4m). (Sky Germany), externalManchester United are still open to offers for England's Kobbie Mainoo, 20, even if fellow midfielder and Portugal international Bruno Fernandes, 30, leaves Old Trafford. (I Paper), externalSaudi side Al-Hilal are also expected to appoint Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi as their new head coach following Saturday's Champions League final. (Sky Sports), externalAl-Hilal have held talks about signing 40-year-old Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who could be a free agent next month if he does not sign a new deal with fellow Saudi club Al-Nassr. (Sky Sports), externalRonaldo, however, has reached a agreement to extend his stay with Al-Nassr. (Foot Mercato - in French), externalAl-Hilal are in talks with AC Milan over a deal for 27-year-old France left-back Theo Hernandez, who is a leading summer target for the Saudi Pro League side. (Fabrizio Romano), externalOfficials from Real Betis will meet with their counterparts from Manchester United next week to discuss the future of 26-year-old Brazil winger Antony with the Red Devils unlikely to let him leave on loan again. (Marca - in Spanish) , externalFrench forward Christopher Nkunku will leave Chelsea this summer, while Tottenham have made an enquiry over the 27-year-old's availability. (Talksport), externalParis St-Germain have joined Manchester United and Chelsea in the race to sign highly-rated Argentine attacking midfielder Franco Mastantuono, 17, from River Plate. (Sky Sports), externalGermany winger Leroy Sane, 29, has been offered improved terms to remain at Bayern Munich. (Sky Germany), externalManchester United and Aston Villa are interested in Lille's 23-year-old French goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier. (Caughtoffside), external
Daily Mirror
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
EA FC 25 MLS TOTS and Saudi Pro League TOTS revealed as Messi and Ronaldo star
Three more EA FC 25 TOTS promo squads are now available in Ultimate Team packs, featuring some of the best players from the MLS, Saudi Pro League, and Rest of the World. The TOTS promo continues in EA FC 25 Ultimate Team this week, with EA Sports releasing the EA FC 25 MLS TOTS and the EA FC 25 Saudi Pro League TOTS with some big names included. We're now in the penultimate week of the EA FC 25 TOTS promo in Ultimate Team, with EA Sports releasing three more TOTS squads ahead of the Ultimate TOTS release next week. Alongside the Rest of the World TOTS, EA has released the EA FC 25 MLS TOTS and Saudi Pro League TOTS, and as expected, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi headline the squads as the highest-rated players. It seems EA has juiced-up some of these TOTS items as well, with some incredible MLS and Saudi Pro League TOTS cards available to earn. The EA FC 25 MLS TOTS, Saudi Pro League TOTS and Rest of the World TOTS squads are now available in Ultimate Team packs until Friday, June 6 at 10am PDT / 1 pm EDT / 6 pm BST, when the highly anticipated Ultimate TOTS squad will take its place. EA FC 25 MLS, Saudi Pro League and Rest of the World TOTS revealed A total of 42 TOTS players are available in Ultimate Team packs, with the likes of Messi, Ronaldo, Luis Suarez, Karim Benzema, N'Golo Kante, and Ko Seung Beom some of the standout inclusions. Here are the TOTS squads in full, with all of these players now available in Ultimate Team packs, along with official ratings: EA FC 25 Saudi Pro League TOTS ST: Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr) - 97 OVR* CDM: N'Golo Kante (Al Ittihad) - 96 OVR* LM: Salem Al Dawsari (Al Hilal) - 96 OVR ST: Karim Benzema (Al Ittihad) - 96 OVR CB: Ibanez (Al Ahli) - 95 OVR* RM: Moussa Diaby (Al Ittihad) - 95 OVR CM: Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Al Hilal) - 95 OVR RB: Joao Cancelo (Al Hilal) - 94 OVR CB: Mohamed Simakan (Al Nassr) - 92 OVR LB: Nawaf Boushal (Al Nassr) - 91 OVR GK: Koen Casteels (Al Quadisiyah) - 91 OVR ST: Macros Leonardo (Al Hilal) - 94 OVR (TOTS Highlights) LM: Daniel Podence (Al Shabab) - 93 OVR (TOTS Highlights) ST: Abdullah Al Salem (Al Khaleej) - 92 OVR (TOTS Highlights) *Four PlayStyle Plus' EA FC 25 MLS TOTS RW: Lionel Messi (Inter Miami) - 97 OVR* ST: Luis Suarez (Inter Miami) - 96 OVR* CAM: Evander (Cincinnati) - 96 OVR* ST: Christian Benteke (DC United) - 96 OVR CB: Steven Moreira (Columbus Crew) - 96 OVR* LB: Jordi Alba (Inter Miami) - 95 OVR CAM: Nico Forsberg (New York Red Bulls) - 95 OVR CM: Riqui Puig (LA Galaxy) - 95 OVR GK: Kristijan Kahlina (Charlotte) - 94 OVR CB: Jackson Ragen (Seattle Sounders) - 94 OVR LW: Ryan Gauld (Vancouver Whitecaps) - 92 OVR GK: Brad Guzan (Atlanta United) - 93 OVR (TOTS Highlights) LM: Luca Orellano (Cincinnati) - 92 OVR (TOTS Highlights) RW: Gabriel Pec (LA Galaxy) - 91 OVR (TOTS Highlights) *Four PlayStyle Plus' EA FC 25 Rest of the World TOTS CM: Ko Seung Beom (Ulsan Hyundai) - 96 OVR* CAM: Leonardo Fernandez (Penarol) - 96 OVR* RW: Wu Lei (Shanghai Port) - 95 OVR LW: Armand Lauriente (Sassuolo) - 95 OVR LW: Jean-Luc Dompe (Hamburg) - 95 OVR CB: Valentin Gomez (Velez Starsfield) - 95 OVR CAM: Martin Baturina (Dinamo Zagreb) - 94 OVR LB: Francis De Vries (Aukland) - 93 OVR ST: Eli Junior Kroupi (Lorient) - 92 OVR GK: Marvin Schwabe (Koln) - 92 OVR CB: Bigas (Elche) - 92 OVR CAM: Juan Fernando Quintero (America de Cali) - 95 OVR (TOTS Highlights) LM: Santiago Montiel (Independiente) - 94 OVR (TOTS Highlights) CB: Alberto (Mohun Bagan SG) - 91 OVR (TOTS Highlights) *Four PlayStyle Plus' More of these players will be released as SBCs and Objectives, while some new Evolutions are also available now in Ultimate Team.
Daily Mail
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Jamie Carragher accuses IShowSpeed of 'using' Cristiano Ronaldo before the former Liverpool star and the YouTuber go comically head to head on the pitch
Sparks flew when YouTube star IShowSpeed spent the day with CBS Sports pundits Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards recently. Speed, whose real name is Darren Jason Watkins Jr, is a 20-year-old American content creator with almost 40 million subscribers on YouTube. Much of his content to date has centred on his obsession with Cristiano Ronaldo, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner and the world's most-followed person on Instagram. Richards and Carragher quizzed Speed about his love for Ronaldo while they shared a car ride together, which was streamed live on Twitch. 'What's the obsession with Ronaldo? We never actually address this on CBS,' asked Richards. 'I know you love him, I respect that. But why do you love him so much?' Speed responded by describing Ronaldo as 'The GOAT', meaning greatest of all time. Jamie Carragher tried pressing Speed by saying he is using Ronaldo to get his numbers up 😭 — Speedy Updates (@SpeedUpdates1) May 30, 2025 He is a big fan of Cristiano Ronaldo, who won the UEFA Champions League on five occasions He said: 'He is literally No 1 in the football world. He is literally No 1 in the world. Ronaldo's the GOAT.' But a sceptical Carragher asked Speed: 'Were you just using him to try and get your numbers up?' Speed replied instantly with a defiant 'no', but Carragher hit back: 'I think you were. 'He was massive on social media. You come in when you were 15 to start to get going, you jump on Ronaldo, you do his celebrations...' At this point, Richards was in fits of laughter. However, the car then briefly fell silent after Speed created an awkward moment by asking Carragher: 'Jamie, have you ever lifted a trophy a day in your life?' Speed repeated his question to Carragher, who in turn asked the American: 'Lifted a what?' Seemingly unaware of Carragher's list of honours, Speed added: 'A UCL trophy. Have you ever lifted a UCL trophy?' Carragher, who was part of the Liverpool team that won the UEFA Champions League in 2005 after fighting back from 3-0 down to AC Milan in the final, responded with a question of his own: 'What do you think?' Shaking his head, Speed answered: 'No, you have not.' Jamie's still got it 😉 @ishowspeedsui tries to beat @Carra23 1V1 ⚽️ — CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) May 30, 2025 Somewhat smugly, Carragher then looked down the lens of the camera and said: 'That'll go down well on your stream. I was only part of the greatest final of all time.' Doubting what he had just been told, Speed pulled out his phone and said: 'Let me look this up on Google', as Carragher and Richards giggled beside him. Later in the stream, Speed and Carragher went head to head on an indoor pitch. Their one-on-one battle turned out to be just as amusing as their earlier chat. Speed tried to dribble past ex-defender Carragher but a heavy touch took the ball into the corner, where he was tackled. Now in possession but unable to beat his opponent for pace, Carragher tried to use his strength to get the better of Speed. However, despite plenty of pushing and shoving, Carragher also succeeded only in getting to the corner of the pitch and losing the ball. Speed then had another go at using his pace to skin Carragher, but lost both the ball and one of his shoes. He then accused Carragher of being too rough. 'He hit me in the face', said a flagging Speed. However, this either never happened or was not caught on camera. In addition to winning the Champions League in 2005, Carragher lifted the FA Cup twice during his Liverpool career. He also won two League Cups, two Community Shields, two UEFA Super Cups and one UEFA Cup (now the Europa League).
