Only a few weeks after hanging his boots up, football icon Andres Iniesta has dived into the world of investment, buying Danish club Helsingor.
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Iniesta recently retired from footballCompleted takeover of Danish side HelsingorExcited for alliance with Scandinavian clubFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
More and more famous faces are making their mark in the world of football by investing in clubs and Iniesta is the latest to open his wallet, buying Danish third-tier side Helsingor. He will officially be a co-owner of the club after his sports management company NSN entered into an agreement with Swiss investment group Stoneweg to complete a takeover.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT INIESTA SAID
Speaking after the announcement was made, Iniesta said: "After playing as a professional, it motivates me a lot to start this new phase of my life, bringing my experience to a club like FC Helsingor, the first project in an exciting alliance between NSN and Stoneweg. It's a fantastic opportunity to get to know football in a different way".
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Investment is the perfect next step for the Spaniard following his retirement. At the same time, the 40-year-old is undertaking a coaching course with a view to becoming a manager in the future. Similar to what Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have done with Wrexham, Iniesta will be keen to move Helsingor up the divisions in Denmark in the coming years.
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(C)Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR HELSINGOR?
With Iniesta now at the helm, Helsingor have a strong Catalonian presence within the club to lead them forward. Sporting director Quim Ramon previously worked for Barcelona's academy while head coach Pep Alomar was a youth manager at the club.
Sunderland are considering a loan move for a Premier League striker who only joined his current club earlier in this transfer window.
The Black Cats got their Championship campaign underway last weekend in the best possible way, as they claimed all three points by beating Cardiff City 2-0. It was Regis Le Bris’ first game in charge of the club, and the hope is that the result could be the start of what turns out to be a successful season on Wearside.
They will need to sign more attacking reinforcements before the summer window draws to a close however, with their interest in Tottenham starlet Dane Scarlett coming to nothing after the 20 year-old signed a loan deal with Oxford United on Monday evening.
Le Bris and Co reportedly want to add two strikers before the deadline – a youngster and an experienced head – and it appears they have now identified a new target to fit the former category.
Sunderland plotting double striker signing including "brilliant" 20 y/o ace
The Black Cats are desperate to reinforce the front line.
ByHenry Jackson Aug 12, 2024 Sunderland transfer news
It has been a rather low-key transfer window for Sunderland so far, as the club has made just four new additions. Those signings have all come as free agents, and they include players such as Alan Browne, Ian Poveda, and Simon Moore. It now appears as though the Black Cats are ready to add to those four new faces, as they eye a deal for a Premier League striker.
According to Sky Sports’ Keith Downie, AFC Bournemouth striker Daniel Jebbison is one of a handful of strikers Sunderland are considering as they try to add a new forward to their squad. Jebbison only joined the Cherries in this transfer window in a deal that cost the Premier League side £1.5 million in training fees.
Downie states that despite only just joining Bournemouth, Jebbison will be loaned out this summer, and Sunderland, who are keen to sign a forward, see the young player as someone who can add pace and power to their attack. He goes on to add that the Black Cats are exploring their options but have yet to make an approach for the player.
Daniel Jebbison’s record in the Championship
The 21-year-old came to light during his time in Sheffield United’s academy, impressing in their academy teams before joining Burton Albion on loan in the 2021/22 campaign. That was the forward’s first real taste of regular first-team football, and it was an opportunity he grabbed, as he scored seven goals in 20 League One games.
That loan allowed him to return to Bramall Lane and fight for a place in their starting XI. However, while he did feature more for the Yorkshire side, he was still unable to be a regular contributor. He played eight times for Sheffield United in the 2021/22 Championship season, followed by 16 times in the next campaign, as the Blades sealed promotion to the top flight.
Apps
24
Goals
1
Assists
1
Stats as per Transfermarkt
Overall, Jebbison has played 24 times in the Championship in his career, and he has managed just one goal and one assist to his name so far.
If Sunderland does secure a deal to sign Jebbison on loan for this campaign, then the Black Cats and Le Bris will be hoping his record improves in front of goal in the second tier, although the arrival of a second new forward with more experience should lighten the pressure on the youngster's shoulders.
Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund has responded to a cheeky request to "go easy" on Everton this weekend.
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Hojlund in fine formScored brace against Bodo/GlimtUnited face Everton on SundayFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Hojlund has apparently promised to do "everything he can to score goals" this weekend after Everton loanee Jesper Lindstrom jokingly asked him to go easy on the Toffees this weekend. The Denmark striker scored twice in midweek against Bodo/Glimt, and Lindstrom messaged his countryman after the game, begging him to spare Everton a similar performance.
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Hojlund has only scored one Premier League goal this season, but Everton are in beleaguered form, winning just one of their last five games, and sit only two points clear of the relegation zone. Lindstrom, who is on loan at Goodison Park from Napoli, has made eight league appearances for the Toffees this term.
WHAT LINDSTROM SAID
Lindstrom said: "I texted him after the game (against Bodo/Glimt) to congratulate him on his two goals but told him not to score this weekend.
"His reply was to tell me he would do his best to score goals. I knew him from when he was about 10 years old. He didn't seem much when he was young. His Danish team didn't believe in him and that's why he left for a club in Austria where he smashed it and then he went to Italy and smashed it there.
"There is a good reason why Rasmus is in Manchester – he's a good player. He has qualities – like you saw on Thursday with some good finishes."
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Hojlund will hope to add to his Premier League goal tally against the Toffees this weekend, while Sean Dyche's side aim to put some space between themselves and the drop zone.
“I’m proud to have been involved in both the women’s and men’s programs…it has been a fantastic experience and opportunity.”
ESPNcricinfo staff24-Mar-2021Lachlan Stevens will step down as the Melbourne Renegades WBBL and Victoria women’s coach at the end of the season with the WNCL final against Queensland his final match.Stevens has been in the joint role for one season having taken over from Tim Coyle (WBBL) and David Hemp (Victoria). He is returning to his native Queensland for personal reasons.Stevens has held numerous roles in Victoria cricket and has also been part of three Sheffield Shield titles, a domestic one-day title and the Renegades’ 2018-19 BBL title.”I’d like to thank everyone at Cricket Victoria and the Melbourne Renegades – the players, my fellow coaches, support staff – everyone who has made this such an enjoyable place to do what we do,” Stevens said. “I’m proud to have been involved in both the women’s and men’s programs – from the inception of WBBL through to Shield titles with the men’s team. It has been a fantastic experience and opportunity.”Cricket Victoria general manager Shaun Graf said: “Lachlan’s transition between our programs over the last five years is testament to his ability to build great relationships and get the best out of cricketers – regardless of what stage they are at in their careers.”He’s a coach of outstanding character, a terrific mentor and a great exponent of skill acquisition for young cricketers.”Melbourne Renegades general manager David Lever lauded Stevens’ role amid the increasing professionalism of the women’s game. “He’s taken first time professional cricketers and guided them all the way through to the national team. Lachlan has led with integrity, empathy and grace mixed with immense tactical and technical cricketing knowledge.”Cricket Victoria and the Melbourne Renegades will commence the process for securing a new head coach shortly.
Cricket Victoria has advertised for a new general manager for the T20 team with incumbent David Lever understood to be in the running
Daniel Brettig13-Apr-2021A correction has been made to one of the more baffling team structures in the Big Bash League, with Cricket Victoria advertising for a new general manager of the Melbourne Renegades who will report directly to the state association’s chief executive, Andrew Ingleton.This decision, revealed when the job was advertised, ends a period in which the Renegades’ incumbent general manager, David Lever, was reporting to CV’s head of commercial, Nick Cummins, who also happened to be working as the general manager of the Melbourne Stars.Lever’s role had emerged after Cummins was initially placed in charge of both the Stars and the Renegades for the 2019-20 season prior to the onset of Covid-19, another model that created more problems than it solved. Ingleton and the CV board will hope this is a case of third time lucky, after the state had abolished the two independent boards of the Stars and Renegades and also dispensed with their chief executives, Clint Cooper and Stuart Coventry, in 2019.The situation where the general manager of one of Melbourne’s BBL clubs was reporting to the manager of another rather underlined the perception of the Renegades as subservient to the Stars in decision-making, while also creating a host of potential conflicts in a sport that has enough of them without their structural enforcement.After a grim season for both the men’s and women’s Renegades teams, the two head coaching positions are also vacant, after Michael Klinger left the men’s program for a managerial role with Cricket NSW and the women’s coach Lachlan Stevens elected to return home to Queensland after some years based in Melbourne.Lever, who was being quoted as general manager of the Renegades as recently as last week when he announced the re-signing of the wicketkeeper batsman Sam Harper, is understood to be a candidate for the new, more elevated role.”Based in CV’s Head Office in St Kilda, and reporting to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) this position will play a key role within CV by providing operational and strategic support across the Melbourne Renegades business model,” the job advertisement states.”The General Manager Melbourne Renegades will be a key driver in further developing the Melbourne Renegades to lead the competition in terms of viewership, attendance, membership and commercial support. Critical to this role will be your demonstrated ability to maximise performance in all aspects of the club, on and off the field.”Aims for the job include to “provide strategic direction and day to day leadership for the Melbourne Renegades”, to “motivate, lead and inspire the full time and seasonal staff of Melbourne Renegades to achieve success”, and to “lead the club positively in all operational aspects to deliver optimal outcomes”.
Manchester City will be looking to improve on a 2023/24 season that brought them just one trophy. Coming off the back of a historic treble campaign in 2022/23, the Cityzens will no doubt have been hoping to go back to back and win a double treble, although it was not to be.
Pep Guardiola’s side did win the Premier League for the fourth consecutive time, setting the record for the most Premier League titles won in a row. However, they were eliminated from the Champions League at the quarter-final stage and fell at the final hurdle in the FA Cup, tasting defeat at Wembley against Manchester United.
City bounced back last Saturday, however, and overcame their Wembley demons to beat their bitter cross-city rivals in the Community Shield – winning their first piece of silverware this season. Now, the Cityzens face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge for their top-flight opener on Sunday afternoon, looking to get off to the perfect start as they aim for five consecutive league titles.
To help them do so, Guardiola's side might well dip into the transfer market again before the deadline of the 30th of August. They have recently been linked to one player who could add quality to their side as they push for more silverware.
Man City target La Liga attacker
The player in question here is Real Madrid and Brazil international attacker Rodrygo. The 23-year-old Brazilian impressed last season once again for Los Blancos, but the signing of Kylian Mbappe has thrown his future at the club up in the air.
As reported by Football Transfers earlier this week, the 23-year-old attacker is ‘greatly admired by the City brass’, with the report confirming that talks between the club and the player’s entourage have taken place to sound out a potential move.
In terms of a price, the Brazilian star is valued at an incredible £149.5m. That is a value that would make the 23-year-old City’s most expensive player, obliterating the £100m they spent on Jack Grealish back in the summer of 2021 from Premier League rivals Aston Villa.
Why Rodrygo would be a good signing
As you would perhaps expect from a player of Rodrygo’s calibre, he was superb for Los Blancos during their double-winning 2023/24 campaign. He played 51 games in all competitions, scoring 17 goals and grabbing nine assists. It really is no surprise that he was described as one of "the best players in the world" by manager Carlo Ancelotti
That included 15 goals and assists in 35 La Liga games, and eight goals and assists in 13 Champions League games. He made some huge contributions to Carlo Ancelotti’s side as they won both competitions in incredible fashion.
Real Madrid forward Rodrygo.
Indeed, the Brazilian could be the replacement for another South American at the Etihad Stadium, Julian Alvarez. The Argentine was a treble-winner with the Cityzens two seasons ago but struggled to start ahead of Erling Haaland in his natural centre-forward role, and has since departed the club for £81.5m to Atletico Madrid.
He was crucial for Guardiola’s side last term, scoring 19 goals and grabbing 13 assists in all competitions. His versatility was also key, and whilst he did not always start at centre-forward, his versatility meant he slotted in out wide and as a number 10, too.
With that being said, City might not have to look any further than Real Madrid’s number 11 if they are eyeing up a perfect versatile replacement for the World Cup Winner. The former Santos attacker has played in five different positions for Madrid and predominantly featured in three of those.
Position
Games
Goals
Assists
Right-winger
111
26
26
Centre-forward
65
22
8
Left-winger
30
6
6
Second striker
1
0
0
Attacking midfielder
1
0
0
This deal would be ridiculously expensive for the Cityzens to get over the line, a record-breaking addition to their squad. Not only is the fee extortionate, but his wages would be, too. The Brazilian currently earns £205k-per-week at the Santiago Bernabeu as per Capology. However, Rodrygo possesses supreme quality; he is a superb link-up player, quick and direct on the ball and a good finisher.
Football talent scout Jacek Kulig called the 23-year-old a “future icon”, and he could be just that in the sky blue of City if he joined. Alvarez is a tough player to replace, but the Cityzens may well have their answer in the form of Rodrygo, who could be the man to help them win a treble once again.
Pep could cash in on Grealish with Man City swoop for £60m PL star
The Cityzens forward has been linked with a move away from The Etihad this summer.
Michail Antonio's former coach Martin Allen paid an emotional tribute to the West Ham forward after his horrific car accident.
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Antonio's ex-coach pays tribute West Ham forward in car crashUnderwent surgery on lower-limb fractureFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The West Ham star was involved in a horrific car accident on Saturday after his Ferrari FF collided with a tree. The player was airlifted to hospital after being cut free from the wreckage and underwent surgery. The 34-year-old will miss the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign and is expected to take at least a year to fully recover.
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Amid uncertainty over Antonio's future in professional football, his former coach Martin Allen paid an emotional tribute to the player. Allen managed the Jamaica international during the player's brief loan spell at Cheltenham Town in 2009, where he made eight appearances before returning to Reading at the end of the 2008-09 season.
WHAT MARTIN ALLEN SAID
Taking to X, the 59-year-old coach said: "Michail Antonio has been awesome for West Ham over these last few years. I took him on loan and used to give him lifts home to London after the matches home and away to see his family. He’s a diamond bloke and after wiping away a few tears I hope he makes a full recovery."
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The Hammers, who have struggled in the 2024-25 campaign under Julen Lopetegui's tutelage, will be in action on Monday evening in the Premier League as they take on Wolves at London Stadium.
Aston Villa have won the race and are closing in on a deal for a £35 million international defender, according to a new report.
Villa’s success in the 2023/24 Premier League campaign saw them qualify for the Champions League, and as a result, the Midlands side have been busy this summer as Unai Emery and Monchi put together a very competitive squad.
Aston Villa "really looking" at signing £30m+ versatile defender this week
Aston Villa could be busy before the close of the transfer window.
1 ByBrett Worthington Aug 27, 2024 Aston Villa’s transfer plans
It has been a mixed start for the club in this new season, as Saturday saw Villa lose their first home game of the season against Arsenal. However, Emery will be keen to ensure it doesn’t affect their overall season, with him hoping his new signings come good the more games they play together.
Despite already adding eight players to the squad over these past few months, Villa’s transfer business doesn’t appear to be coming to an end anytime soon, as the club have their eye on a few players before Friday’s 11pm deadline.
Amadou Onana
Everton
Ian Maatsen
Chelsea
Cameron Archer (now sold)
Sheffield United
Jaden Philogene
Hull City
Samuel Iling-Junior (now loaned)
Juventus
Lewis Dobbin (now loaned)
Everton
Enzo Barrenechea
Juventus
Ross Barkley
Luton Town
It appears that Villa are in the market for a new defender, with the club only adding Ian Maatsen in that area of the pitch. One player that the Premier League side seems keen on is Liverpool versatile defender Joe Gomez. Gomez is said to be down the pecking order at Anfield, and Liverpool will not step in his way should a suitable offer arrive. Villa are said to be looking at signing the 27-year-old, with the Merseyside club said to be wanting around £30 million for his services.
Liverpool defender Joe Gomez
As well as looking at a deal for Gomez, Aston Villa were also looking into signing Chelsea winger Raheem Sterling, with the club said to have held talks with the winger over a potential move. Sterling is said to be surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge, with him training alone, and while there may have been interest, it is said that Villa are now not interested in signing the England international in this transfer window. However, a new player may not be far away from arriving at Villa Park, as a deal is said to have been agreed.
Aston Villa agree a £35 million deal for Lutsharel Geertruida
According to HITC, Aston Villa have agreed a deal in principle worth £35 million to sign Feyenoord defender Lutsharel Geertruida. The report states that Villa have struck an agreement with the Dutch side that will see them sign a defender, who can operate as a right-back and a centre-back.
The deal agreed is said to be worth £35 million, and as well as agreeing a transfer fee, the Midlands side are also said to have agreed personal terms with the player. The defender is now set to fly into the UK and complete his move, with Villa keen for him to undergo his medical on Wednesday.
Geertruida has gained a very good reputation playing for Feyenoord, as he’s shown great versatility, operating in different positions in defence as well as in defensive midfield. The Dutchman has been described as a “leader” by football analyst Ben Mattinson on X in the past, with him adding that he is also “technically secure” and “aerially strong”.
The visitors made a very positive declaration on the final day but the pitch did not deteriorate as expected
Alan Gardner06-Jun-2021New Zealand were left to rue a day lost to rain as their attempts to engineer victory came up short at Lord’s, but captain Kane Williamson praised the “superb cricket” played by his team after they controlled large stretches of the first Test against England.Powered by Devon Conway’s double hundred on debut – described by Williamson as an “amazing innings” – and a Tim Southee six-for, New Zealand came into the fifth day sitting on a 165-run lead but with a tricky calculation about how to set up a contest. An attacking declaration after rain brought about an early lunch left them with potentially 75 overs in which to try and take ten wickets, only for a pitch that had only undergone four days of wear to neuter chances of a result for either side.”As we know in Test cricket you have your ebbs and blow but coming into day [five] and having a bit of work to do in that morning session to give ourselves a chance, I thought the guys played some superb cricket throughout to give us that potential opportunity,” Williamson said. “Unfortunately it wasn’t to be today, losing a day to weather doesn’t help the cause but I thought the efforts were certainly there.”We made the decision based on what gave us potentially the best chance to win the game, or enough overs [to take the wickets]. We knew losing a day was going to be tough but we wanted to give it a crack. Unfortunately towards the end things fizzled out a bit, we were expecting the pitch to deteriorate a bit more and it did show signs on day four in particular that that was going to happen, but it sort of flattened out.”Related
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A Lord's celebration marred by England's lack of will to win
Conway, the oldest man to score a double ton on debut
England hold out for draw with Dom Sibley's unbeaten fifty
England would have needed to score at more than 3.5 runs an over to achieve their chase but they took a safety-first approach and ultimately were content to bat out two sessions for a draw – a measure, perhaps, of how dominant New Zealand had been. And even after an 80-run partnership between Dom Sibley and Joe Root seemed to have made the game safe, Williamson’s bowlers kept the pressure on deep into the final hour.”We declared for a reason and that was to try and push for a victory,” Williamson said. “Although it seemed unlikely for a period, if one spun out of the rough or you were able to open up an end, then things could happen reasonably quickly, and we were holding on to that hope for as long as we could. But clearly things became quite docile out there.”It’s always tough to know how an opposition will look to attack a chase, obviously all three results still possible. If we were in that positon, you do want to get a really good base and try to take the game to a deep stage where you might have a smaller chase of less overs but throw all your resource at it. Clearly there was a lot of work to do to get to that, a lot of overs left and I think both sides were expecting the pitch to deteriorate more.”It kind of ebbed and flowed, and scoring wasn’t quick throughout. We felt if we could pick up wickets throughout that would give us the best opportunity and life could be quite difficult, but that wasn’t the case. Things didn’t perhaps unfold for either side.”In keeping with New Zealand’s respectful off-field demeanour, Williamson played down any suggestion the tourists would carry an advantage with them to Edgbaston, and focused on the need to “start again” and adjust to the conditions in Birmingham.New Zealand, especially Ross Taylor, batted positively on the final morning•PA Photos/Getty ImagesAfter Conway’s stunning introduction to Test cricket, New Zealand have seemingly ticked off another selection issue as they build towards the World Test Championship final against India later this month. The seam attack also functioned well, with Southee producing another performance worthy of the honours board, Kyle Jamieson impressive in adapting to opening the bowling with the Dukes ball – as well as handling the Lord’s slope – and Neil Wagner giving a reminder of his skill as a swing bowler, besides his more muscular qualities.The arrival of Trent Boult in the UK will only strengthen that area of the side, although the focus will be on building up the left-armer’s workload following a break from the game back home, rather than rushing him back into the side for Edgbaston.One area which may be up for discussion is Mitchell Santner’s role, although Williamson described the spinning allrounder as “a really important” in helping to balance the side. Santner has only played two Test matches in the last 18 months and, having had to deal with a cut to his spinning finger sustained during a warm-up match, produced a slightly scattergun showing with the ball on the final day at Lord’s – although, as Williamson noted, had BJ Watling managed to complete a stumping of Rory Burns off Santner’s bowling on the fourth afternoon, it might have been enough to swing the game New Zealand’s way.”It was important for Mitch to get out there and bowl and get comfortable and he created a few opportunities, certainly in that first innings, which were potentially game-changing, and we know he can bat really well as well. It would have been nice if things showed a bit more deterioration on the pitch, and from a straighter line, but it was a pretty good surface with a bit in it for everybody.”
Mikel Arteta has explained that Arsenal's injury worries have cost Raheem Sterling minutes this season, but says the winger is "desperate" to play.
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Sterling on loan at Arsenal from ChelseaHas made just two Premier League startsArteta explains continued absenceFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Sterling moved to across London in the summer, joining the Gunners from Chelsea on a season-long loan. However, the former Manchester City star has struggled for minutes under Mikel Arteta and has managed just four starts in all competitions, two of which have come against Bolton Wanderers and Preston North End in the Carabao Cup.
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Arsenal have struggled with injuries this season and currently have five players out, all of whom are defenders. Takehiro Tomiyasu, Gabriel, Ben White, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Riccardo Calafiori are all receiving medical treatment, and Arteta has explained that he has been forced to react to those setbacks with in-game tactical adjustments that have left Sterling out in the cold. Arteta insists, however, that he hopes to give Sterling more minutes as the season progresses.
WHAT ARTETA SAID
Arteta told reporters: “There’s been moments. It’s been tough and very difficult for me as well to accept that I haven’t given him more.
“When he hasn’t started the games, 90 per cent of the subs that I make is related to saving minutes or because of injuries or avoiding injuries. It’s not tactical reasons. I would like him to play much more as I think he can impact the team in a very good way. He’s very good in the dressing room and is absolutely desperate to play.
“He had this very important role, impacting every game, and suddenly you are in this position for a while. Not just here but at Chelsea as well. So it’s always very difficult and I feel a lot of sympathy for players when they are in this moment. Hopefully we can change it.”
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Arsenal, who are currently third in the Premier League table, six points behind leaders Liverpool, face Everton at the Emirates on Saturday.