Transfer Talk: Thibaut Courtois to have Chelsea medical



Thibaut Courtois, Genk's teenage goalkeeper, will undergo a medical ahead of his transfer to Chelsea, Andre Villas-Boas, the manager, said yesterday.

Corinthians deny they agree to new Tevez deal

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini says club agrees to new offer for Argentina striker, but the Brazilian club's president says no such proposal was accepted.

The talent and the turbulence of Tevez's time in England. Read article

Brazil join Argentina on casualty list as Copa America favourites. Read article

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Villas-Boas said Chelsea came to an agreement with the Belgian club on Sunday for the 19-year-old player. The fee has not been disclosed but is reported to be about £8 million (Dh47.2m).

After arriving in Malaysia for the start of Chelsea's pre-season tour, Villas-Boas said Courtois would not be joining the squad in Asia.

The former Porto manager, meanwhile, said he is hopeful of guiding Chelsea to the Champions League title. Acknowledging the pressure to win silverware, he said: "Any person that sits in the manager's job at Chelsea is expected to win and I don't run away from that."

Aston Villa have confirmed the signing of goalkeeper Shay Given from Manchester City on a five-year deal, in a statement on their website.

The Midlands club had been on the lookout for a new, experienced goalkeeper since Brad Friedel left the club earlier this summer when he joined Tottenham Hotspur on a free transfer.

Given, the 35-year-old Republic of Ireland international, was forced to watch from the sidelines last year as Joe Hart established himself as the No 1 goalkeeper at Eastlands.

Given, the former Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United player, becomes new Villa manager Alex McLeish’s first signing.

Summer signing Yohan Cabaye has become the third Newcastle player to be denied an entry visa for the club's pre-season tour of the United States.

The 25-year-old Frenchman, a £4.8m arrival from Lille, did not join the rest of the party when they headed across the Atlantic on Sunday and, like Joey Barton and Nile Ranger, is to miss out on the trip.

Cabaye's absence is understood to relate to a minor issue which has now been resolved. Barton's application was rejected because of his spell in prison for assault, while Ranger, was convicted for his part in a street robbery as a 15 year old.

Arsenal have completed the signing of Gervinho, the Ivory Coast striker, from French club Lille. The 24 year old had his move approved by the English Football Association and Premier League yesterday and he has signed for an undisclosed fee.

Gervinho told the club's website that his arrival at Arsenal was "one of the most beautiful days of my life".

Meanwhile, Denilson, the Brazilian midfielder who struggled to hold down a first-team place last season, is set to return home on loan, Arsene Wenger, the manager, said.

The 23 year old, who did not play in Arsenal's last nine matches of the season, is going back to Brazil although Wenger did not say what club he would be joining.

Antonio Amaya has left Wigan Athletic after signing a three-year contract with Spanish side Real Betis. The 28-year-old centre-back arrived at the DW Stadium in the summer of 2009 but failed to make a Premier League appearance.

Amaya was loaned back to Rayo Vallecano, from where he was signed, last season and has now made a permanent switch to Betis.

Jonathan Greening has left Fulham to join Championship side Nottingham Forest for an undisclosed fee.

The former Manchester United player has signed a three-year contract at the City Ground where he is reunited with Steve McClaren, the former England manager, whom he played under at Middlesbrough.

Greening, 32, moved to Fulham from West Bromwich Albion last summer after a successful season-long loan at the London club. However, his first-team appearances were restricted under Mark Hughes and he started only six Premier League games last season.

Paul Lambert cannot be bothered with the pundits who already have Norwich City relegated before they have even kicked off their battle to stay in the Premier League.

"As long as the lads, the club, the fans are right, that's all I need on my side," Lambert told BBC Radio.

"I think the players know how big a task it is and how big the league is, and we will do everything we can to stay in it."

Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

Army of the Dead

Director: Zack Snyder

Stars: Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera

Three stars

Spider-Man: No Way Home

Director: Jon Watts

Stars: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon 

Rating:*****

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
TOURNAMENT INFO

Opening fixtures:
Friday, Oct 5

8pm: Kabul Zwanan v Paktia Panthers

Saturday, Oct 6
4pm: Nangarhar Leopards v Kandahar Knights
8pm: Kabul Zwanan v Balkh Legends

Tickets
Tickets can be bought online at https://www.q-tickets.com/apl/eventlist and at the ticket office at the stadium.

TV info
The tournament will be broadcast live in the UAE on OSN Sports.

The Birkin bag is made by Hermès. 
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.

Company profile

Company name: Dharma

Date started: 2018

Founders: Charaf El Mansouri, Nisma Benani, Leah Howe

Based: Abu Dhabi

Sector: TravelTech

Funding stage: Pre-series A 

Investors: Convivialite Ventures, BY Partners, Shorooq Partners, L& Ventures, Flat6Labs

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
The specs

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Transmission: ten-speed

Power: 420bhp

Torque: 624Nm

Price: Dh325,125

On sale: Now

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Revibe%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hamza%20Iraqui%20and%20Abdessamad%20Ben%20Zakour%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Refurbished%20electronics%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410m%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Resonance%20and%20various%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A