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AC Milan's new coach Massimiliano Allegri has held talks with Marseille midfielder Adrien Rabiot over a possible summer transfer.

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Allegri shows interest in RabiotHas spoken directly with midfielderMilan also scouting other optionsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Allegri wants to bring reinforcements to strengthen his midfield as Tijjani Reijnders nears his exit from the club. As per , the Italian coach wants to reunite with Rabiot, having previously worked with him at Juventus. Rabiot, who left Juventus to join Marseille last summer, recently confirmed that he is in regular contact with the recently-appointed Milan boss, saying: "I actually speak to Allegri often. Giovanni Rossi, [Marseille coach Roberto] De Zerbi's advisor, also works with him and when he calls him he tells me: 'Come and I'll put you through to your dad'. I can talk to Allegri about everything and not just football. I really appreciate him as a person. He has a winning mentality. And it's clear, if he calls me I'll always be available to talk to him."

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While Rabiot may appear open to a reunion, Milan's absence from the Champions League and Rabiot's current wages at Marseille may be significant hurdles. Milan's sporting director, Igli Tare, is keeping his options open, holding Nicolo Rovella and Hans Nicolussi Caviglia of Juventus and Samuele Ricci of Torino in mind as alternative options.

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Luka Modric is reportedly close to signing for the Italian side, following positive talks between the Croatian and Tare. A deal is said to be nearing completion, with only a few personal issues remaining. The 39-year-old midfielder is keen to continue competing at the highest level of European football.

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR AC MILAN?

Reijnders is reportedly on the verge of leaving for Manchester City, with a deal valued at €55 million (£46m/$63) plus an additional €15m(£13m/$17m) in bonuses. Tare's next task will be to secure a favorable transfer deal for Mike Maignan, who has only a year left on his contract. Chelsea have reportedly approached Milan, but there seems to be a significant gap between Chelsea's offer and Milan's expectations. It will be a busy transfer season for Tare and the Milan camp, with a lot of exciting possibilities on the horizon.

She has just under a week to be fit for the Test against Australia

S Sudarshanan16-Dec-20231:15

Satheesh Shubha: ‘Getting India call-up was like living a dream’

Shubha Satheesh has fractured and dislocated her left ring finger, which forced her to miss the second and third days of the one-off women’s Test against England in Navi Mumbai, Harmanpreet Kaur confirmed after India wrapped up a massive 347-run win.Harmanpreet also said that Shubha had picked up the injury while warming up prior to the start of play on Friday’s second day. She was seen with the ring finger of her left hand in a splint in the dugout when India bowled on Friday.She now faces a race to be fit for the Australia Test match starting at the Wankhede Stadium next Thursday.Related

• The Deepti Sharma show wipes England out in seven sessions

• Muzumdar: Deepti is the 'Ben Stokes of the team'

• Shubha and Rodrigues give the silent treatment to England

Shubha scored 69 in India’s first innings – the top score in India’s 428 all out – in what was her international debut, but didn’t bat in India’s 186 for 6 declared in the second innings or field in either of England’s innings.”Shubha gave us a very good start. [Sending her at No. 3] was our coach’s decision. He saw how she was batting and how she was taking the game ahead,” Harmanpreet said. “So he said if we can send her one down, she can give us a solid start, the way we expected.”It has been an eventful few weeks for 24-year-old Shubha. Days after receiving her maiden India call-up for the Tests against England and Australia, she was picked by Royal Challengers Bangalore in the auction for WPL 2024.”I can call it as just my time,” she said on Thursday. “I see only good side of it right now and it feels amazing – one after another good news coming up. Feels amazing to be part of.”

A big-name attacker is seemingly open to the idea of signing for Tottenham Hotspur, with there being a willingness on his side to make the move to north London behind-the-scenes.

Tottenham targeting new forward for Ange this summer

Spurs secured a dramatic, deadline-busting deal for Bayern Munich sensation Mathys Tel near the very end of the winter transfer window – which includes an option to buy the Frenchman for around £45 million – but it is far from a foregone conclusion that he’ll stay beyond this season.

Tottenham make out-of-window offer to sign £144k-per-week ex-Chelsea star

The Lilywhites are moving ahead of this summer.

ByEmilio Galantini Feb 18, 2025

The Lilywhites keeping hold of Tel will depend on the teenager’s final decision, even if he has already agreed terms on a six-year contract if he is to remain (The Athletic), so it is perhaps wise for Spurs to identify attacking alternatives ahead of next campaign.

Tottenham are among the clubs displaying interest in Lille star Jonathan David, who has been a consistently prolific marksman in France and is set to be available on a free transfer this summer when his contract expires.

However, given the Canada international will be one of the bargains of the summer window, following a record of 104 goals across 218 appearances for Lille in all competitions, the competition for his signature will be fierce.

It is already believed that Barcelona are out in pole position to sign David from Lille, with the 25-year-old making no secret of the fact he’s a boyhood fan of the La Liga heavyweights.

Ipswich Town (away)

February 22nd

Man City (home)

February 26th

Bournemouth (home)

March 9th

Fulham (away)

March 16th

Chelsea (away)

April 2nd

“(Barcelona) was always the team I grew up supporting,” he told The Athletic. “When you grow up supporting a team, it’s your dream to play for them.”

Bearing this in mind, Spurs do have other options, albeit potentially much more expensive. Tottenham’s all-time top goalscorer and England legend Harry Kane has been linked with a sensational return to N17, with The Telegraph reporting that they have a first-option agreement in potential talks for the £400,000-per-week Bayern Munich superstar.

However, there is no fixed fee in this arrangement, meaning they’d have to negotiate a price or trigger his release clause (The Telegraph). They’d also have to convince Kane himself, but reliable journalist Ben Jacobs has some encouraging news on that front.

Harry Kane privately refusing to rule out returning to Tottenham

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jacobs says that Kane is privately refusing to rule out re-joining Tottenham, in what could be a boost for Ange Postecoglou.

“I think if Kane returns to the Premier League, there is a willingness to go back to Spurs. That’s not been ruled out by the player,” said Jacobs.

“We have to wait and see if there’s an appetite for Tottenham to do that deal, especially with Dominic Solanke.”

The 31-year-old may be approaching his twilight years, but Kane’s exceptional goalscoring record has not faltered in the slightest. This season, the prolific marksman boasts 29 goals and 10 assists across all competitions, adding to his total Bayern tally of 73 strikes in 76 outings.

Luis Enrique's men once again showcased their strength in every area of the pitch by silencing the Emirates on Tuesday

Ousmane Dembele's early goal proved decisive, but it was really Gigi Donnarumma and Joao Neves that Paris Saint-Germain had to thank for earning them a 1-0 over Arsenal in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.

There were less than four minutes on the clock when Dembele silenced the Emirates by sending the ball bouncing past David Raya after being picked out on the edge of the area by Khvicha Kvartskhelia – the 27th pass in a stunning team move.

Of course, from the Gunners' perspective, it was a desperately poor goal to give away, with Declan Rice twice at fault for getting caught in no man's land, but the home side could – and definitely would – have drawn level had it not been for Donnarumma, who made two sensational stops either side of half-time.

In the end, though, Arsenal were lucky to only lose by a solitary goal, with substitutes Bradley Barcola and Goncalo Ramos both missing gilt-edged opportunities to pile more misery on Mikel Arteta's men.

Below, GOAL rates all of the PSG players on show as the prodigiously gifted Neves laid the foundations for a massive away win by showing Rice what a complete midfielder really looks like…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Gigi Donnarumma (8/10):

  Very little to do during the opening half-hour but made a big save from Gabriel Martinelli just before the break and then an even better one in the second half with his fingertips when Leandro Trossard seemed certain to score.

  Achraf Hakimi (7/10):

  As usual, a great attacking outlet down the right wing, but got caught a little too far forward on a couple of occasions, which resulted in him picking up a booking for killing an Arsenal counter-attack.

  Marquinhos (8/10):

  Typically composed on the ball and in defence, making some key clearances when PSG came under real pressure towards the end of the first half. A stunning pass from inside his own half should also have led to Ramos doubling the visitors' lead.

  Willian Pacho (7/10):

  Passing was good, but very lucky to get away with getting his pocket picked at one point after switching off deep inside his own half.

  Nuno Mendes (7.5/10):

  Had the unenviable task of trying to contain Saka but kept the winger quiet for pretty much the majority of the game by winning duel after duel (10 out of 11 to be precise). Is there a better left-back in the world right now?

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  Midfield

  Joao Neves (8/10):

  Such an incredibly composed and talented footballer that it's difficult to believe he's still only 20. Neves was pinpoint with his passing, while he also made one sensational goal-saving challenge on Merino and another perfectly-timed tackle on Saka that perfectly illustrated his all-round excellence.

  Vitinha (7.5/10):

  What a player the former Wolves man has become! Vitinha barely misplaced a single pass and did a fine job of protecting the back four while also keeping the ball moving.

  Fabian Ruiz (7.5/10):

  The Spaniard is such a class act. He always seems to to have time on the ball and is always available to take the pressure off his team-mates. Also worth noting that only Neves won more tackles than Ruiz.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Attack

  Desire Doue (7/10):

  Never afraid to show off his freakishly fast feet, with his dribbling skills posing a constant problem for Arsenal's defenders, while he also worked admirably hard off the ball before being subbed.

  Ousmane Dembele (7/10):

  Broke the deadlock with his first effort on goal, which wasn't the cleanest strike, but what it lacked in aesthetic beauty it made up for in efficacy. Funnily enough, Dembele wasn't that much of a threat thereafter and was replaced in the 71st minute after creating just one chance for his side.

  Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (7.5/10):

  Teed up Dembele for the opener and continued to turn Timber inside-out during an energetic opening quarter. Wasn't quite as menacing for the remainder of the game but still provoked panic in the Arsenal defence whenever he picked up possession and his work-rate was mightily impressive.

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  Subs & Manager

  Bradley Barcola (6/10):

  Came on for Dembele for the final 20 minutes but made an absolute mess of a glorious chance to make the game safe by dragging his shot horribly wide of the goal after being put straight through by Ramos.

  Goncalo Ramos (6.5/10):

  Replaced Doue with a quarter of an hour remaining and went up top, with Barcola moving out to the right wing, but he was also guilty of a poor finish himself, after striking the crossbar with an embarrassingly hopeful toe-punt.

  Warren Zaire-Emery (N/A):

  Only introduced in the 90th minute.

  Luis Enrique (8/10):

  Kept faith with the same side that suffered a first Ligue 1 defeat of the season on Friday and was rewarded for doing so. PSG weren't at their sparkling best in attack and the Spaniard's one regret will be that his subs didn't kill off the game – and indeed the tie – but he'll be enormously proud of their defensive discipline from start to finish.

Sri Lanka went down by an innings and 222 runs, their worst-ever defeat at home

Andrew Fidel Fernando27-Jul-2023

Noman Ali ran through the Sri Lankan batting in the second session on day four•AFP/Getty Images

Noman Ali claimed seven wickets with guileful, accurate left-arm spin, then Naseem Shah’s sublime reverse-swing spell in the Colombo heat closed out the match, as Pakistan completed about a domineering a victory on Sri Lankan soil as has been achieved in the last several years.Pakistan’s bowling was spellbinding, but the numbers of this victory themselves are epic. Pakistan won by an innings and 222 runs, which is Sri Lanka’s worst-ever defeat at home. They did it inside four days, despite more than a day’s play having effectively been lost to rain and bad light. Noman’s figures for the second innings were 7 for 70. And Naseem bowled an unbroken 7.4 over spell that was pure fire and reverse swing to shut the door on the opposition.It was Noman’s flight, dip, and changes of pace that made him an especial threat. Sri Lanka had started their second innings nicely, their openers making 69 together. But the moment Noman came into the attack he produced a spectacular delivery to dismiss Nishan Madushka for 33, and would then go on to scythe through the batting order. The ball to Madushka was bowled from around the wicket, drifted in, dipped, pitched on middle and leg, then leapt off the surface to beat the batter’s outside edge and clip off stump. That was in the last half hour before lunch.After the break, Noman was unstoppable. Dimuth Karunaratne was caught at short leg by Imam-ul-Haq – another sharp take at that position for Pakistan, who have been spectacular with their close catching all series. Kusal Mendis then attempted to hit Noman inside out and spooned a catch to cover instead, having failed to get to the pitch of the ball. Dinesh Chandimal was out cheaply gloving an attempted lap sweep, and even Dhananjaya de Silva – who had had a good series – fell cheaply, holing out to long on to complete Noman’s five-wicket haul.Angelo Mathews, who hit an unbeaten half century as the devastation unfolded at the other end, was himself struggling against Noman, particularly early in his innings. He struck some big boundaries, sure, but in between were nervy defensive strokes. He eventually gained confidence. But none of the Sri Lanka batters were comfortable against Noman, as he got plenty to bite off the surface, kept testing them on a length, and bowled few loose deliveries.When he took his sixth and seventh wickets – having Sadeera Samarawickrama caught at point after getting the ball to bounce more than expected, before having Ramesh Mendis stumped – there was still the chance he might take all ten wickets in an innings.But then Naseem was putting in a heroic spell at the other end. It is difficult to overstate just how much he was getting the old the ball to swing, particularly into the right-hander. He’d cover the ball as he ran in, to conceal the shiny side, and by extension, keep the batter unaware as to which direction it would move. And he was bowling serious pace – sometimes touching the mid 140kph range.In one over to Ramesh Mendis the 62nd of the innings – he struck the batter on the pads three times in successive balls. On the first occasion Pakistan reviewed a not-out decision which was upheld because the ball was swinging down leg. On the next two, Ramesh reviewed out decisions, and they both turned out to be missing leg as well. The ball was curving fast and late.Eventually, Naseem would get some reward. He bowled an especially long spell, partly, you suspect, because he did not want to give the ball up. He bowled Prabath Jayasuriya who left a ball that cannoned into his off stump (further proof of how far this ball was moving laterally), then made an eruption out of Asitha Fernando and Dilshan Madushanka’s stumps as well.Mathews’ half-century always looked like it was coming in a losing effort, so far behind were Sri Lanka. And although there has been rain around, Babar Azam’s decision to have Pakistan bat two further overs early in the day ostensibly to let Mohammad Rizwan complete an eighth Test half century, did not hinder them at all, so good were his bowlers, and so readily did Sri Lanka’s batting succumb.

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