Mark Hughes has added Moussa Dembele, the Belgian international striker, to his ranks, but is still on the look-out for more reinforcements before the close of the transfer window.
The Cottagers pipped Birmingham to the signing of the 23-year-old on a three-year contract from the Dutch side AZ Alkmaar on Wednesday. "I'm glad that we have finalised the deal with Moussa and I'd like to welcome him to the club," Hughes told the club's official website. "It's important that we go into the season with some additions to the squad that will enable us to compete at a consistently high level throughout the season."
Roy Hodgson, the manager, recently attempted to go back to Liverpool's past in an attempt to improve the immediate future prospects, according to reports from Germany. The Bayer Leverkusen hierarchy were quoted as saying Sami Hyypia, the defender, had asked if he could be released from his contract to return to Liverpool. Hyypia, a legend of the recent past at Anfield, is 36 now, but had apparently harboured hopes of a return to his former club he served for a decade between 1999-2009. The request was given short-shrift, however, as Leverkusen already have him lined up for a coaching role at the club.
Most clubs would be spitting feathers if their new £16 million (Dh92m) left-back suffered an injury less than halfway through his club debut. But for City, the loss of Aleksandar Kolarov for a fortnight due to an ankle problem sustained against Tottenham Hotspur is little more than a petty annoyance. Wayne Bridge, the former England full-back, is also absent with a toe injury, but there is still plenty of choice for cover. Joleon Lescott and Pablo Zabaleta are both vying to fill the left-back berth, while Jerome Boateng, another summer import at Eastlands, will also be available for Monday's meeting with Liverpool.
Sir Alex Ferguson tends to know a thing or two about coaxing the best from his players, and he was at it again with misfiring Wayne Rooney this week. The England striker has been on an uncharacteristic barren run of late, yet Ferguson remains unconcerned by his lack of form. He believes the 24-year-old striker, who swept all before him before suffering an ankle injury last season, is still improving, and has three years before he will reach his peak. England fans may need some persuading given Rooney's indifference at the World Cup, but Ferguson still rates his man as one of the best strikers in the world.
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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RESULTS
2pm: Maiden Dh 60,000 (Dirt) 1,400m. Winner: Masaali, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer).
2.30pm: Handicap Dh 76,000 (D) 1,400m. Winner: Almoreb, Dane O’Neill, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
3pm: Handicap Dh 64,000 (D) 1,200m. Winner: Imprison, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly.
3.30pm: Shadwell Farm Conditions Dh 100,000 (D) 1,000m. Winner: Raahy, Adrie de Vries, Jaber Ramadhan.
4pm: Maiden Dh 60,000 (D) 1,000m. Winner: Cross The Ocean, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
4.30pm: Handicap 64,000 (D) 1,950m. Winner: Sa’Ada, Fernando Jara, Ahmad bin Harmash.
Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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MATCH INFO
Chelsea 1
Alonso (62')
Huddersfield Town 1
Depoitre (50')