Al Hilal have completed the signing of midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, as the Saudi Arabian top-flight continues to add high-profile stars to its ranks.
The Serbia international, 28, joins the Saudi Pro League club from Lazio on a three-year deal, with the transfer fee rumoured to be $44 million. Milinkovic-Savic had one year remaining on his contract with the Serie A side.
At Hilal, Milinkovic-Savic will team up with fellow new signings Kalidou Koulibaly and Ruben Neves, who both moved to the Riyadh club earlier this month.
Record 18-time Saudi champions, Hilal have also made a move for Milinkovic-Savic's international teammate Aleksander Mitrovic, although Fulham are thought to have turned down a $33m bid for the striker. Hilal are expected to return with another proposal as they focus on acquiring a top-level frontman to bolster the squad.
Last week, Lazio team owner Claudio Lotito told online outlet Tag24 that Milinkovic-Savic had pleaded for "a change of scenery" after eight years in Rome. Lotito said Lazio had received an offer which was "a little bit less than €50 million".
"When someone leaves to go to Saudi Arabia their motivation is money, but you need to ask him why he wants to leave," Lotito said. "I tried my best to keep him here but when he asks to go for his own personal reasons what can I do? We were willing to extend his deal and increase his salary.
"At the end of the day it's the player who decides what to do with his life. He phoned me begging me to let him go."
Milinkovic-Savic scored 69 goals in 341 appearances for Lazio since his 2015 move, helping the team capture the 2019 Italian Cup and two Italian Super Cups. As captain last season, he was integral to Lazio’s second-placed finish in the league.
The addition of Milinkovic-Savic represents another significant coup for the Saudi Pro League, with the kingdom embarking on an aggressive recruitment drive this summer.
Current Ballon d’Or holder Karim Benzema has joined champions Al Ittihad, closely followed to the Jeddah club by former Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante and Diogo Jota from Celtic.
Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr have added to the squad Croatia international Marcelo Brozovic from Inter Milan, and Al Ahli have signed Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and ex-Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino.
Alongside Hilal’s reappointment as manager of Jorge Jesus, Al Ettifaq have also installed Steven Gerrard as head coach, while Al Fateh last week confirmed Slaven Bilic as their new manager.
Top Saudi Pro League signings so far
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
HIV on the rise in the region
A 2019 United Nations special analysis on Aids reveals 37 per cent of new HIV infections in the Mena region are from people injecting drugs.
New HIV infections have also risen by 29 per cent in western Europe and Asia, and by 7 per cent in Latin America, but declined elsewhere.
Egypt has shown the highest increase in recorded cases of HIV since 2010, up by 196 per cent.
Access to HIV testing, treatment and care in the region is well below the global average.
Few statistics have been published on the number of cases in the UAE, although a UNAIDS report said 1.5 per cent of the prison population has the virus.
Joy%20Ride%20
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The Freedom Artist
By Ben Okri (Head of Zeus)
The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S
Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE SQUAD
UAE team
1. Chris Jones-Griffiths 2. Gio Fourie 3. Craig Nutt 4. Daniel Perry 5. Isaac Porter 6. Matt Mills 7. Hamish Anderson 8. Jaen Botes 9. Barry Dwyer 10. Luke Stevenson (captain) 11. Sean Carey 12. Andrew Powell 13. Saki Naisau 14. Thinus Steyn 15. Matt Richards
Replacements
16. Lukas Waddington 17. Murray Reason 18. Ahmed Moosa 19. Stephen Ferguson 20. Sean Stevens 21. Ed Armitage 22. Kini Natuna 23. Majid Al Balooshi
Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
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Sri Lanka Test squad:
Dimuth Karunaratne (stand-in captain), Niroshan Dickwella (vice captain), Lahiru Thirimanne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Janith Perera, Milinda Siriwardana, Dhananjaya de Silva, Oshada Fernando, Angelo Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Chamika Karunaratne, Mohamed Shiraz, Lakshan Sandakan and Lasith Embuldeniya.
Brief scores
Barcelona 2
Pique 36', Alena 87'
Villarreal 0
Liverpool's all-time goalscorers
Ian Rush 346
Roger Hunt 285
Mohamed Salah 250
Gordon Hodgson 241
Billy Liddell 228
Prop idols
Girls full-contact rugby may be in its infancy in the Middle East, but there are already a number of role models for players to look up to.
Sophie Shams (Dubai Exiles mini, England sevens international)
An Emirati student who is blazing a trail in rugby. She first learnt the game at Dubai Exiles and captained her JESS Primary school team. After going to study geophysics at university in the UK, she scored a sensational try in a cup final at Twickenham. She has played for England sevens, and is now contracted to top Premiership club Saracens.
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Seren Gough-Walters (Sharjah Wanderers mini, Wales rugby league international)
Few players anywhere will have taken a more circuitous route to playing rugby on Sky Sports. Gough-Walters was born in Al Wasl Hospital in Dubai, raised in Sharjah, did not take up rugby seriously till she was 15, has a master’s in global governance and ethics, and once worked as an immigration officer at the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi. In the summer of 2021 she played for Wales against England in rugby league, in a match that was broadcast live on TV.
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Erin King (Dubai Hurricanes mini, Ireland sevens international)
Aged five, Australia-born King went to Dubai Hurricanes training at The Sevens with her brothers. She immediately struck up a deep affection for rugby. She returned to the city at the end of last year to play at the Dubai Rugby Sevens in the colours of Ireland in the Women’s World Series tournament on Pitch 1.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Other simple ideas for sushi rice dishes
Cheat’s nigiri
This is easier to make than sushi rolls. With damp hands, form the cooled rice into small tablet shapes. Place slices of fresh, raw salmon, mackerel or trout (or smoked salmon) lightly touched with wasabi, then press, wasabi side-down, onto the rice. Serve with soy sauce and pickled ginger.
Easy omurice
This fusion dish combines Asian fried rice with a western omelette. To make, fry cooked and cooled sushi rice with chopped vegetables such as carrot and onion and lashings of sweet-tangy ketchup, then wrap in a soft egg omelette.
Deconstructed sushi salad platter
This makes a great, fuss-free sharing meal. Arrange sushi rice on a platter or board, then fill the space with all your favourite sushi ingredients (edamame beans, cooked prawns or tuna, tempura veggies, pickled ginger and chilli tofu), with a dressing or dipping sauce on the side.
Our Time Has Come
Alyssa Ayres, Oxford University Press
