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Manchester United are keen on signing Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams, but they may have to do battle for his signature with one of their Premier League rivals…

What's the latest Man United transfer news?

As a result of his public fallout with Erik ten Hag, Jadon Sancho will look to leave Man United in the January transfer window, with the winger expected to leave on loan initially, before making a permanent exit from Old Trafford next summer.

Sancho is not in the manager's plans at the moment, with the 23-year-old not being named in the squad for the recent trip to the Emirates Stadium, while Antony has been given a leave of absence, amid off-field allegations.

Having recently left PSV Eindhoven by mutual consent, Anwar El Ghazi has now emerged as a target for the Red Devils, with the Dutchman available on a free transfer, but he is not the only player on Ten Hag's shortlist.

According to reports from Spain (via The Hard Tackle), Man United are looking for a right-winger who can "stand out in the short and long term", and Williams fits the bill, but he is a "highly sought after" asset ahead of next summer's transfer window.

Not only are United keen, but Barcelona and Liverpool are also interested, with Jurgen Klopp eyeing a right-winger who can take the place of Mohamed Salah, who is being tempted by a move to Saudi Arabia.

The Athletic Bilbao winger's contract is set to expire at the end of the ongoing campaign, at which point three of Europe's top clubs are set to do battle for his signature.

The report makes it clear that Man United's interest stems from the uncertainty surrounding the futures of Antony and Sancho, and Ten Hag's poor relationship with the latter player could open the door to Williams' arrival.

What position does Nico Williams play?

The 21-year-old is capable of playing on either flank, but he has predominantly featured on the right wing during his time with Athletic Bilbao, weighing in with 17 goals and 20 assists in 71 appearances in that area of the pitch.

Scout Antonio Mango has previously explained why the Spaniard prefers playing on that side, saying:

"Nico is best suited on the right because he likes to cut inside a lot, looking to either carve a shot out for himself, dribble past opponents or cross into the box. Nico excels is his close ball-control dribbling, he ghosts past opposition as if they weren’t there.

Mango has also lauded the Bilbao starlet as "extremely dangerous", which is demonstrated by the fact he ranks in the 92nd percentile for successful take-ons per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

The Pamplona-born winger has made a flying start to the current season, recording four assists in his opening four La Liga games, and it is no wonder so many top clubs are queuing up for his signature next summer.

It is exciting news that Man United are one of the teams in the race for Williams, and they should continue to monitor his performances between now and the end of the season.

USMNT goalkeeper Matt Turner says Gio Reyna has "grown up a ton" since his fallout with Gregg Berhalter at the 2022 World Cup.

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• Turner hailed Reyna's signing
• Joined Nottingham Forest on loan from Dortmund
• Says he has matured a lot

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Nottingham Forest goalkeeper hailed his club's decision to sign compatriot Reyna on loan from Borussia Dortmund in the January transfer window as he feels that the youngster could prove to be a real "asset". He also claimed that the 21-year-old winger has grown as an individual since his fallout with national team coach Gregg Berhalter during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

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• WHAT MATT TURNER SAID

  Speaking to , Turner said: "He's grown up a ton right before my eyes. The best compliment I can give him is that right now I see a consistent approach for him every single day. He wants to be on the ball and he wants to make an impact on the game with the ball at his feet. I can see him being a really strong asset."

  The USMNT shot-stopper added: "Our coach's message has been to play a bit more, and Gio's that type of player. Once he establishes a better connection with some of the players and gets more familiar with their movements and how they want the ball, I can see him being a really strong asset."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The youngster missed several matches for Dortmund in the first half of the season due to injuries and had managed to clock just 360 minutes on the pitch for the German club. If he can adapt to the conditions in England, he could be a big help to Forest, who are currently just two points above the relegation zone.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR NOTTINGHAM FOREST?

  Nuno Espirito Santo's side will be next seen in action on Wednesday as they take on Bristol City in a FA Cup fourth-round replay, but Reyna is ineligible to play because he wasn't registered in time to feature in the competition.

Jurgen Klopp joked that young full-back Conor Bradley would likely "fall asleep in the dressing room" after his team's 2-1 win against Fulham.

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Bradley impressed in Liverpool winFull-back is only 20 years oldKlopp delighted with his progressWHAT HAPPENED?

The 20-year-old put in an impressive display as the Reds came from behind to win the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg at Anfield. The German manager was delighted with the right-back's performance and praised his character.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT KLOPP SAID

"He will probably fall asleep in the dressing room," Klopp told . "Wonderful, what a boy, what a character. Exceptional. What a boy. Wonderful character, a real talent, top potential. He is in the right team, everyone loves him and respects him and wants him to succeed."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Bradley made his senior debut for the Merseyside club last season and was kept out of action for the beginning of the current campaign through injury. Since his return to the fold in November, though, he has featured five times, including in the recent FA Cup win against Arsenal.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR CONOR BRADLEY?

Despite making nine first-team appearances for Liverpool, Bradley is still waiting on the first Premier League game of his career. He will have to wait a while before he can get a run out in the top flight, though, with Liverpool next in action on January 21 when they take on Bournemouth.

The New South Wales Supreme Court found insufficient evidence following allegations that the batsman had exposed himself to a massage therapist during the 2015 World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Oct-2017

AFP

Chris Gayle prevailed in his defamation case against Fairfax Media, after a four-person jury in the New South Wales Supreme Court found that there was insufficient evidence to prove he exposed himself to a massage therapist in a Sydney dressing room during the 2015 World Cup.After deliberating for a little less than two hours, the jury concluded that Fairfax Media – which publishes , and the – had not justified its January 2016 report of the allegation on either the basis of truth or of qualified privilege, which weighs up the public interest value of published information and whether or not the media outlet acted reasonably.The massage therapist who made the allegation, Leanne Russell, testified in court last week that she cried uncontrollably after Gayle pulled down his towel to expose himself while saying “is this what you’re looking for?” during a training session at Drummoyne Oval. Both Gayle and his team-mate Dwayne Smith gave evidence denying that the episode took place.Russell had contacted the sports editor of the , Chloe Saltau, to tell her story after she saw the infamous interview of Gayle by the broadcaster Mel McLaughlin in January 2016. Russell also said that the incident with Gayle had followed another, when Smith had sent her a text message saying “sexy” while she had been giving him a massage.Speaking for Gayle, barrister Bruce McClintock said Russell had been “bitter” and “vengeful” in targeting Gayle. Russell, who now works as an executive assistant for the AFL, stated in her evidence that she had wanted to take a stand for women in sport. “I was sick of being treated that way,” Russell said in evidence. “I was someone who had forged my career in sport. I would never be as successful as I would be if I was a man.”Russell had made a verbal complaint at the time to the West Indies team manager Richie Richardson, who had then sent an email to the team requesting them to “please at all times, treat her in a respectable and professional way”. In his evidence, Gayle had insisted the incident “did not happen”.After the verdict was read out, Gayle spoke of his relief outside court. “I’m a good man,” he said. “I’m not guilty.”Following the verdict, Fairfax Media indicated concerns with the conduct of the case and that the company would be considering an appeal. “Fairfax Media is concerned with the conduct of the trial to the extent that on Friday it sought an order that the Jury be discharged and a new trial ordered,” a spokesperson said.”The Judge [Justice Lucy McCallum] accepted that the Jury had been misled in a way that prejudiced Fairfax, but declined to discharge the Jury. Fairfax believes that it did not get a fair trial. It is seriously considering its appeal rights.”

Gloucestershire’s website pronounced that Gareth Roderick was out for the season. With wickets falling at Bristol, it proved to be far from the case

ECB Reporters Network15-Sep-2017Not even a badly damaged finger could prevent Gareth Roderick from keeping Kent at bay on the final day of Gloucestershire’s Specsavers’ County Championship game in Bristol.The day began with Gloucestershire’s official website claiming Roderick would miss the remainder of the season after suffering a significant finger injury whilst keeping wicket on day three.However, when the host county found themselves in a spot of bother in mid-afternoon, Roderick reached for his pads, gloves and bat and duly held up Kent’s push for victory.By the time captain Phil Mustard declared, bringing the match to an earlier than scheduled end, Roderick was 78 not out, Gloucestershire were safe and Kent were left to wonder what might have been.It had been anything but a successful start to the day for Gloucestershire. Kent, desperate for early wickets, left an indelible mark on Gloucestershire’s top order, thanks to veteran all-rounder Darren Stevens. The 41-year-old sent back Chris Dent (41) with the very first ball of the day and then trapped captain Mustard lbw, three balls later. When James Bracey departed in the same manner, Gloucestershire were 91 for 3. With the news of Roderick’s likely no-show, that, effectively, was 91 for 4. Or so we thought.First innings batting hero Cameron Bancroft, and George Hankins, provided some respite and took the hosts to 146 before the latter edged Mitch Claydon to Sam Billings and though Bancroft and Jack Taylor survived to lunch and beyond, there was further trouble ahead.Bancroft departed for 72, at 186 for 5 and Taylor, who was dropped at second slip on 9, at 163 for 4, followed the Australian back to the pavilion a dozen runs later when Matt Coles had him caught behind by Billings for 27. It got worse, for Gloucestershire, before it improved, with Kieran Noema-Barnett, driving Stevens to mid off where sub fielder Imran Qayyun took a comfortable catch.From that juncture, the pressure fell on the shoulders of Roderick. With Josh Shaw providing solid support, the 26-year-old looked in precious little trouble or discomfort as Kent struggled for the break through.By the time Stevens helped himself to a fifth wicket in the innings, that of Shaw, for 2, Gloucestershire were just about home and dry at 249 for 8.Roderick passed his 50 off 76 balls, with eight fours, and continued to help himself before the players shook hands with 26 overs still remaining.

Celtic are thought to be interested in a move for Dinamo Zagreb goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic, according to Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph.

What’s the latest Celtic transfer news?

The Hoops have been working hard behind the scenes ahead of Brendan Rodgers’ first season back as manager, with two new players already signed at Parkhead.

Norwegian midfielder Odin Thiago Holm has arrived from Valerenga and winger Marco Tilio from Melbourne City, with the pair both agreeing to five-year deals in Glasgow. More new faces could soon be on the way, especially after Celtic lost Jota, who has signed for Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad in a deal worth £25m.

An attacking player who could come in for the Portuguese winger is Gangwon FC forward Yang Hyun-jun, with a fee of just over £2m now agreed between the two clubs. Another South Korean player who could follow Yang to Glasgow is Busan I-Park midfielder Kwon Hyeok-kyu. The Hoops have been tracking the player for some time and even made an offer in the winter window, but it looks as if they could now get their man after making an improved bid.

Celtic also still have their eyes on the European market, and by the looks of things, Livakovic could be the latest player the Hoops make a move for.

Joseph took to Twitter on Friday evening to share a further transfer update from Parkhead, this time on a new goalkeeper. The club are thought to be eyeing Livakovic, who is into the final 12 months of his Dinamo Zagreb deal.

“Celtic are in the market for a goalkeeper this summer. It’s understood one target being monitored closely is Croatia & Dinamo Zagreb No1 Dominik Livakovic, who has a year left on his contract.

“Fiorentina’s interest has cooled recently. Villarreal & Fenerbahce are also keen.”

However, the Hoops may need to be quick if they are to sign the shot-stopper, with Fabrizio Romano since claiming that Fenerbahce are close to a move and have agreed on personal terms.

Who is Dominik Livakovic?

Livakovic, on £15,000-a-week, is 28 years of age and has been with Dinamo Zagreb since 2015. The Croatia international is valued at €12m by Transfermarkt and has made 283 appearances for Zagreb, keeping an impressive 131 clean sheets.

The club captain has won eight major honours during his time with Zagreb and he has also played in two World Cups, helping Croatia to the final against France back in 2018.

He also starred in a penalty shootout in Qatar last year against Brazil, where he was praised by some major figures in the game, including former Bayern Munich chief Oliver Kahn, who called him a “hero”.

"The man who stopped Brazil will always be a hero to me,

"Livakovic is worthy of praise. Such a goalkeeper must play at a top club. I have no doubt that this will be the case in the new season, but at the same time, he is not within the scope of our interests."

Should Livakovic move to Celtic Park, he would bring plenty of experience at the highest level to Rodgers' side, and at the age of 28, you’d like to think he has plenty of years left in the tank, so could be a long-term replacement for Joe Hart, who turned 36 in April.

Prices to watch Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi in action continue to soar, but Don Garber has explained why MLS will not change its ways.

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• Argentine superstar chasing American dream
• Made immediate impact on and off the pitch
• Teams charging more to see all-time great

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Elite level competition in the United States now has a new superstar on show, with eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi deciding to go chasing the American dream in 2023. He has made an immediate impact in Florida on and off the field, with A-list guests and neutral supporters clamouring to catch a glimpse of the all-time great.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Inter Miami have raised their season card prices for 2024 – and have still sold out – while Columbus Crew have announced that single-ticket prices for Messi’s visit next season will start at nearly $400 and the New York Red Bulls have released a ticket package that does not include a meeting with rivals from the Sunshine State.

• WHAT GARBER SAID ABOUT MLS

  MLS commissioner Garber has no issue with the pricing plans being put in place, telling reporters when asked about why supporters are being asked to dig so deep in order to watch Messi take to the field: “In our business, the concept of selling mini-packs that have certain teams that a home fan might want to see and pricing those differently — that variable pricing is a part of pro sports. Every other league does it, so I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t be appropriate for Major League Soccer to do that. As to whether or not fans are being priced out of experiencing a Lionel Messi game, I don’t believe that’s true. In the actual market where teams play, teams are selling tickets and those tickets are still reasonable. We can’t control what happens on the secondary market. And as you know, the secondary market pricing has been very high. I think it speaks to the unique experience of watching Lionel Messi live. But I know that our tickets are among the most affordable in all of professional sports, and I’m pretty proud of that.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?

  Messi inspired Inter Miami to a historic Leagues Cup triumph within weeks of his arrival in the States and will be back to chase down more major honours in 2024 – with pre-season friendly dates against El Salvador and a Hong Kong Select XI already being lined up.

Arsenal, Manchester United, and Chelsea will still feel like "they can win the signature of Lavia" as the race to land the Southampton midfielder is still "pretty open", claims transfer insider Dean Jones.

Arsenal transfer news – what's the latest on Romeo Lavia

The summer window has kicked off in some style in Islington as the Gunners have already confirmed the £65m purchase of Chelsea's Kai Havertz, and the deal to bring Declan Rice to the Emirates is also nearing completion.

Alongside these established names, the club has been linked to Southampton's exciting young prospect and full Belgian international, Romeo Lavia.

According to a report from the Independent, Arsenal first turned their attention towards the £45m player after concluding that any deal to bring in Brighton & Hove Albion's Moises Caicedo would be too difficult to achieve alongside their other targets.

However, the race has become a lot more complicated as Chelsea and Manchester United are said to be directly challenging the Gunners for his signature, with Liverpool 'monitoring' developments for now.

Where there is some doubt as to where Lavia would fit in at Arsenal, there is less about any potential move to the Red Devils.

At the moment, Erik ten Hag's choices in defensive midfield are the imperious Casemiro and the hard-working but under equipped Scott McTominay. If United could bring the 19-year-old to Old Trafford, he could make for the perfect understudy to the 30-year-old Brazilian, eventually stepping in to replace him a few seasons from now.

Chelsea on the other hand have just sold a huge portion of their midfield with N'Golo Kante moving to Saudi Arabia, Mateo Kovacic to Manchester City and the aforementioned Havertz to Arsenal deal, so a move for the Brussels-gem would make perfect sense, filling a current gap in the team and potentially staying with the club for the next decade.

What has transfer insider Dean Jones said about the race to sign Romeo Lavia?

Jones was confident that no club had the upper hand regarding the young Belgian at the moment and that all three teams will feel relatively good about their chances.

Speaking to Football FanCast, he said: "I honestly think it's pretty open race at the moment. I wouldn't say that Arsenal are placed any better than Chelsea any better than Man United. I think that all of those clubs will feel that they can still win the signature of Lavia."

Do Arsenal need to sign Romeo Lavia?

The sides in this transfer saga could clearly use Lavia both now and in the future, but what about Mikel Arteta's side?

Well, it's a little more complicated; as things stand, the club have Thomas Partey and Mohammed Elneny in that defensive midfield position and will soon add Rice, the club's most expensive transfer ever.

From that, it looks hard to see where the "monster" – as dubbed by football writer Benjy Nurick – would fit into Arteta's immediate plans.

However, if the recent report from the Telegraph claiming that the club will cash in on Ghanaian international Partey is true, there could well be a way into the team for the ex-Manchester City wonderkid.

However, with Rice likely to take Partey's place as the clubs go to defensive midfielder anyway, Lavia would still be firmly behind a player only five years his senior.

While he would certainly be a fantastic rotation option, the player might view himself as something other than just a backup.

Whoever ends up landing the Southampton starlet will have an unbelievable prospect on their books, but it looks like some teams need his services more than others.

See who the fastest players are on EA Sports FC 24!

Everyone loves watching players get burnt for pace in football and with the launch of EA Sports FC 24, E-sports fans can enjoy doing that in the game. From known superstars to hidden gems, there are plenty of players packing some serious pace.

It is the first title since EA Sports' split with FIFA, but the game has retained all the players as well as the iconic Ultimate Team and classic Career Mode. The game releases in September giving fans plenty to play around under a new name and look to the game.

HereGOALbrings you a list of the quickest players in the game!

Getty ImagesKylian Mbappe | PSG | Pace 97

Attribute Rating

PAC97SHO90PAS80DRI92DEF36PHY78

French World Cup winning superstar, Kylian Mbappe, is the fastest player in the game. With a pace rating of 97, the 24-year-old forward can go past any player with ease and is difficult to deal with. He is also the best rated player in the game alongside Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne.

AdvertisementGettyKarim Adeyemi | Dortmund | Pace 96

Attribute Rating

PAC96SHO77PAS71DRI81DEF34PHY68

Dortmund youngster, Karim Adeyemi, is given a pace rating of 96 in the game. The striker is a menacing presence for the backline with his speed and goalscoring instincts.

Getty ImagesAlphonso Davies | Bayern Munich | Pace 96

Attribute Rating

PAC96SHO66PAS78DRI84DEF74PHY77

The Canadian international and Bayern Munich left-back is joint second for the pace rating in the game. With 96 pace, the fullback can run tirelessly on the flanks and create chances for his teammates.

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Vinicius Jr | Real Madrid | Pace 95

Attribute Rating

PAC95SHO82PAS78DRI90DEF29PHY68

Real Madrid and Brazilian winger, Vinicius Jr, is one of the most threatening players to come up against. With 95 pace rating and 90 dribbling, the 23-year-old is a specialist at beating players in 1v1 situations.

Giles Clarke, president of the England and Wales Cricket Board and chairman of the ICC’s Pakistan Task Force, has cautioned that bringing international cricket back to Pakistan will be an arduous process requiring “a lot of time and hard work”.Clarke arrived in Lahore on Saturday – his first visit to the country as head of the Pakistan Task Force – on a fact-finding mission to inspect security arrangements that can be put in place for visiting teams. During his visit, Clarke met with senior officials of the Punjab government, including the chief minister and the Home Secretary.Addressing a press conference at the National Cricket Academy at the Gaddafi Stadium, Clarke praised Punjab’s government for “significant investment” in safety and security arrangements for potential touring aides. He was quick to point out, however, that these observations were not to serve as a replacement for expert advice.”I have to receive a proper report from my experts,” Clarke said. “But speaking as a non-expert, I was deeply impressed by the size of the investment, and the passion of everyone I’ve met from the chief minister downwards, the desire and determination to see international cricket return to Lahore was absolutely there. It is a goal of the ICC that every Full Member plays international bilateral cricket in their own country. But for us to do that, we need everyone to be safe and secure.”Clarke referred to a bomb blast in a crowded park in Lahore last March that killed over 70 people. The PCB was in talks with the MCC at the time for the latter to send a cricket team to Lahore, but the terror attack put an end to that.”We don’t want to get it wrong,” Clarke said. “We all know one terrible incident can push things backwards again. What happened here in one of Lahore’s parks did make it impossible for us to send a team here last year. So we’re hoping to move forward, but this isn’t an easy road.”There’s a considerable amount of perception that needs to be changed [around Pakistan being an unsafe country] and information that needs to be shared. But I am most impressed by the efforts of the authorities to make Lahore a safe city.”Clarke, who has been on the Pakistan Task Force since it was set up in the aftermath of the Lahore terror attacks on the Sri Lanka team in March 2009, praised Zimbabwe for coming to Pakistan in 2015 to play two T20s and three ODIs, and said it was a “very well organised” tour. “We want to build on that and move forward in a sensible and measured fashion.” Even that tour, however, was the target of an attempted attack.Clarke didn’t comment on a recent statement by the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) that “an acceptable level of participant safety and security cannot be expected or guaranteed” in Pakistan, saying he hadn’t discussed that statement with FICA, or read it in full. “I was far more interested in coming here for myself before I opened that conversation,” he said.That statement had come on the back of the PCB announcing that the final of the second edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) would take place in Lahore, whether or not international players travelled to Pakistan. Clarke expressed strong support for the PCB’s endeavours to hold the final of “their own domestic competition” in Pakistan. “I completely understand that desire, and will support their efforts to do that.”