The transfer rumour mill remains in full swing with daily stories of players coming and going.
With just days remaining, we bring you the best transfer gossip and the likelihood of those transfer stories materialising.
Just the final details remain in Manchester City wingback Joao Cancelo’s potential move to Barcelona, according to Fabrizio Romano. Barca have been looking to land the 29-year-old Portugal international this summer, having identified him as a key reinforcement to manager Xavi Hernandez’s side. He spent the second half of last season on loan at Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, where he picked up his second league winners medal of the 2022-23 campaign.
Qatari club Al Arabi have joined the race to sign Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti, according to L’Equipe. They are the latest side to be keen on the 30-year-old Italy international, but it is reported that clubs in Saudi Arabia, who are able to offer him a stronger financial package, remain in the lead for his signature. Verratti has been uninvolved in PSG’s league campaign so far, with the French club looking to sell him.
Aymeric Laporte is set to join Al Nassr, reports The Guardian. Agreement has reportedly been reached between Manchester City and the Saudi Pro League side, with the 29-year-old Spain defender also agreeing personal terms on a proposed three-year contract in Saudi Arabia where he will reinforce a side that landed Sadio Mane this summer.
Top Saudi Pro League signings
A proposal to terminate the contract of midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum has been turned down by PSG, writes L’Equipe. The Dutch star, who was on loan at Roma last season, is said to have requested that the Ligue 1 club allow him to leave on a free transfer, but they are demanding a fee of €6million to part ways with him.
Saudi Arabia is a potential destination for Alexis Sanchez, reports Italian journalist Rudy Galetti. Sanchez is a free agent after a spell with Marseille last season, but his representatives remain in talks to secure the 34-year-old Chilean forward a move. It is reported that he is open to returning to Inter, while Real Betis are also in contact over a potential switch to La Liga.
West Ham’s first bid for Belgium international winger Jeremy Doku has been rejected by Rennes, reveals Foot Mercato. The French club are understood to be looking for an offer of €55million for the 21-year-old, who has also been on the radar of Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur. Talks are set to continue this week, as the Hammers try to make progress towards a deal.
Qosty Byogaani
Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny
Four stars
What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
RACECARD%20
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Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Disability on screen
Empire — neuromuscular disease myasthenia gravis; bipolar disorder; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Rosewood and Transparent — heart issues
24: Legacy — PTSD;
Superstore and NCIS: New Orleans — wheelchair-bound
Taken and This Is Us — cancer
Trial & Error — cognitive disorder prosopagnosia (facial blindness and dyslexia)
Grey’s Anatomy — prosthetic leg
Scorpion — obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety
Switched at Birth — deafness
One Mississippi, Wentworth and Transparent — double mastectomy
Dragons — double amputee
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
The view from The National
Afghanistan fixtures
- v Australia, today
- v Sri Lanka, Tuesday
- v New Zealand, Saturday,
- v South Africa, June 15
- v England, June 18
- v India, June 22
- v Bangladesh, June 24
- v Pakistan, June 29
- v West Indies, July 4
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
What it means to be a conservationist
Who is Enric Sala?
Enric Sala is an expert on marine conservation and is currently the National Geographic Society's Explorer-in-Residence. His love of the sea started with his childhood in Spain, inspired by the example of the legendary diver Jacques Cousteau. He has been a university professor of Oceanography in the US, as well as working at the Spanish National Council for Scientific Research and is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Biodiversity and the Bio-Economy. He has dedicated his life to protecting life in the oceans. Enric describes himself as a flexitarian who only eats meat occasionally.
What is biodiversity?
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, all life on earth – including in its forests and oceans – forms a “rich tapestry of interconnecting and interdependent forces”. Biodiversity on earth today is the product of four billion years of evolution and consists of many millions of distinct biological species. The term ‘biodiversity’ is relatively new, popularised since the 1980s and coinciding with an understanding of the growing threats to the natural world including habitat loss, pollution and climate change. The loss of biodiversity itself is dangerous because it contributes to clean, consistent water flows, food security, protection from floods and storms and a stable climate. The natural world can be an ally in combating global climate change but to do so it must be protected. Nations are working to achieve this, including setting targets to be reached by 2020 for the protection of the natural state of 17 per cent of the land and 10 per cent of the oceans. However, these are well short of what is needed, according to experts, with half the land needed to be in a natural state to help avert disaster.