Franck Kessie, right, is set to move from Barcelona to Al Ahli in Saudi Arabia. Getty
Franck Kessie, right, is set to move from Barcelona to Al Ahli in Saudi Arabia. Getty
Franck Kessie, right, is set to move from Barcelona to Al Ahli in Saudi Arabia. Getty
Franck Kessie, right, is set to move from Barcelona to Al Ahli in Saudi Arabia. Getty

Al Ahli near Franck Kessie deal with Barca, Chelsea set to sign Robert Sanchez


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The summer transfer window enters its final month with still plenty of signings to be made.

Here we bring you the best transfer gossip and the likelihood of those transfer stories materialising.

Arsenal have submitted a bid of £20m plus add-ons for Brentford goalkeeper David Raya, according to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano. He reports that Raya – also wanted by Bayern Munich – has agreed personal terms with the Gunners and is pushing for the Bees to let him move across London. Brentford were hoping to recoup double the amount Arsenal have offered, but with Raya’s existing contract set to finish at the end of the season, they may have to accept a lower figure.

Al Ahli look to have beaten Juventus to the chase for the signature of Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie. That’s according to Fabrizio Romano who says that the Saudi club have offered £15m, and that Kessie is keen on the move. Juve had led the chase for the 26-year-old in recent weeks, but have apparently lost to Al Ahli, who have offered Kessie a three-year deal. The two clubs are said to be very close to an agreement.

Chelsea look close to signing Brighton & Hove Albion’s Spanish goalkeeper Robert Sanchez for a deal believed to be worth £25m, according to the Daily Mail. Twenty-five-year-old Sanchez looks set to undergo a medical this week before moving to west Lomdon at the weekend. The Blues are also hoping they can sign the Seagulls’ highly rated midfielder Moises Caicedo, but Brighton are adamant that the 21-year-old won’t be leaving the south coast this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur are hoping to strengthen their backline with the signing of defender Edmond Tapsoba from Bayer Leverkusen. That’s according to Sport1 journalist Patrick Berger, who reports that the north London club are willing to offer €45m plus add-ons for the talented centre-back. Leverkusen are reluctant to let the 24-year-old leave, and so it may take an improved offer to even get them to the negotiating table. Tottenham are also looking to sign Wolfsburg defender Micky van der Ven in what could be a new-look defence.

Fulham attacking midfielder Willian could join Al Shabab just two weeks after agreeing a new deal in west London. The Telegraph is reporting that the Brazilian is believed to have agreed terms with the Saudi club, and alerted boss Marco Silva of his plans to leave, despite only just having agreed to stay at the club for a further year. Fulham, understandably, are reluctant to let the 34-year leave Craven Cottage.

West Ham United are interested in signing striker Hugo Ekitike from Paris Saint-Germain, according to The Mirror. The Hammers are on the verge of letting Gianluca Scamacca leave for Inter Milan and so are on the lookout for a replacement, and Ekitike looks surplus to requirements following PSG’s impending capture of Goncalo Ramos from Benfica. Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United are also interested in Ekitike, along with several other clubs across Europe, including Bayer Leverkusen and Juventus.

Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva is hoping boss Pep Guardiola keeps good on a promise to let him leave the Etihad should a good offer come along, with Barcelona set to try and lure the Portuguese star to Camp Nou. Mundo Deportivo believe that Barca are looking to use some of the funds from the sale of Ousmane Dembele to PSG to reunite Silva with Ilkay Gundogan. City, though, are reluctant to allow another midfielder to leave having already lost their former skipper, and Riyad Mahrez to Saudi Arabia.

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20SCE%20Studio%20Cambridge%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sony%20Computer%20Entertainment%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsole%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PlayStation%2C%20PlayStation%204%20and%205%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
If%20you%20go
%3Cp%3EThere%20are%20regular%20flights%20from%20Dubai%20to%20Kathmandu.%20Fares%20with%20Air%20Arabia%20and%20flydubai%20start%20at%20Dh1%2C265.%3Cbr%3EIn%20Kathmandu%2C%20rooms%20at%20the%20Oasis%20Kathmandu%20Hotel%20start%20at%20Dh195%20and%20Dh120%20at%20Hotel%20Ganesh%20Himal.%3Cbr%3EThird%20Rock%20Adventures%20offers%20professionally%20run%20group%20and%20individual%20treks%20and%20tours%20using%20highly%20experienced%20guides%20throughout%20Nepal%2C%20Bhutan%20and%20other%20parts%20of%20the%20Himalayas.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
ELIO

Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett

Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5

Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?

Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
 

Company profile

Name:​ One Good Thing ​

Founders:​ Bridgett Lau and Micheal Cooke​

Based in:​ Dubai​​ 

Sector:​ e-commerce​

Size: 5​ employees

Stage: ​Looking for seed funding

Investors:​ ​Self-funded and seeking external investors

FINAL RESULT

Sharjah Wanderers 20 Dubai Tigers 25 (After extra-time)

Wanderers
Tries: Gormley, Penalty
cons: Flaherty
Pens: Flaherty 2

Tigers
Tries: O’Donnell, Gibbons, Kelly
Cons: Caldwell 2
Pens: Caldwell, Cross

The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo

The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
​​​​​​​Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km

How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
  1. Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
  2. Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
  3. Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
  4. Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
  5. Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
  6. The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
  7. Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269

*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year

The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Power: 510hp at 9,000rpm
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Price: From Dh801,800
Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request

The lowdown

Rating: 4/5

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%3Cp%3EHigh%20fever%20(40%C2%B0C%2F104%C2%B0F)%3Cbr%3ESevere%20headache%3Cbr%3EPain%20behind%20the%20eyes%3Cbr%3EMuscle%20and%20joint%20pains%3Cbr%3ENausea%3Cbr%3EVomiting%3Cbr%3ESwollen%20glands%3Cbr%3ERash%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

Available: Now

Director: Laxman Utekar

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

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Match info

Wolves 0

Arsenal 2 (Saka 43', Lacazette 85')

Man of the match: Shkodran Mustafi (Arsenal)

The%20specs
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Company%C2%A0profile
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BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES

Friday (UAE kick-off times)

Borussia Dortmund v Paderborn (11.30pm)

Saturday 

Bayer Leverkusen v SC Freiburg (6.30pm)

Werder Bremen v Schalke (6.30pm)

Union Berlin v Borussia Monchengladbach (6.30pm)

Eintracht Frankfurt v Wolfsburg (6.30pm)

Fortuna Dusseldof v  Bayern Munich (6.30pm)

RB Leipzig v Cologne (9.30pm)

Sunday

Augsburg v Hertha Berlin (6.30pm)

Hoffenheim v Mainz (9pm)

 

 

 

 

 

Euro 2020

Group A: Italy, Switzerland, Wales, Turkey 

Group B: Belgium, Russia, Denmark, Finland

Group C: Netherlands, Ukraine, Austria, 
Georgia/Kosovo/Belarus/North Macedonia

Group D: England, Croatia, Czech Republic, 
Scotland/Israel/Norway/Serbia

Group E: Spain, Poland, Sweden, 
N.Ireland/Bosnia/Slovakia/Ireland

Group F: Germany, France, Portugal, 
Iceland/Romania/Bulgaria/Hungary

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE DETAILS

Kaala

Dir: Pa. Ranjith

Starring: Rajinikanth, Huma Qureshi, Easwari Rao, Nana Patekar  

Rating: 1.5/5 

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Xpanceo

Started: 2018

Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov

Based: Dubai, UAE

Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality

Funding: $40 million

Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)

Updated: August 16, 2023, 12:09 PM`