All posts by h716a5.icu

Manchester United could now be set for something of a surprise departure this summer, if the latest reports out of France are anything to go by.

Red Devils hoping for improvement

After a tricky 2023/24 Premier League campaign was saved by an FA Cup win over Manchester City, Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag will be hoping for much better from his side this time around.

Man Utd could land Mazraoui upgrade by signing "breathless" talent

Manchester United eyeing new right back acquisition.

ByConnor Holden Jul 29, 2024

They have already added two new faces in the form of Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro, with the pair arriving from Bologna and Lille respectively in a total outlay in excess of £85m. There is still plenty more to be done though, with a new right back, another centre-back and a defensive midfielder all thought to be on the Red Devils' wishlist before the transfer window slams shut in a month's time.

It is also likely that plenty of players will leave following the news that almost anyone is set to be up for sale this summer for the right price. That could see some surprising departures.

Man Utd high earner agrees terms to leave

That comes amid reports that Jadon Sancho has agreed personal terms over a potential move to French giants PSG this summer. Though on loan for the second half of last season following a public fallout with Ten Hag, it was thought that the pair had repaired their relationship ahead of the new season, with Sancho starting the most recent pre-season friendly against Arsenal.

Ten Hag himself revealed that he hoped Sancho would be able to stay and contribute: "We spoke well. Everyone can make a mistake. If the player reflects on this well, you draw a line and move on.

"This club needs good players, and one thing is certain: Jadon Sancho is a very good player. I hope that we will still click and that he will contribute to our success."

But now, in something of a twist, it seems like a departure could once again be on the cards for the 24-year-old winger amid renewed interest from PSG.

As per Sports Zone, there is an "agreement in principle" between the player and PSG for a move to the Parc des Princes. Though it is added that the winger is not the priority option, he could soon rocket up the pecking order should Nico Williams opt not to move to Paris.

It is added that Manchester United would demand slightly over £50m for him to depart, with Sancho still having two years left to run on his £250,000 per week deal at Old Trafford, a figure that puts him among the highest earners at the club.

Manchester United highest earners

Player

Weekly wage

Casemiro

£350,000

Marcus Rashford

£300,000

Jadon Sancho

£250,000

Mason Mount

£250,000

Bruno Fernandes

£240,000

With United well stocked in wide areas already and Sancho yet to truly impress at the club, a sale could well prove a tempting option for the club should a reasonable offer be made as Sir Jim Ratcliffe looks to trim the wage bill.

Zimbabwe are chasing a series win (one-off Tests excluded) for the first time since 2004

Firdose Moonda09-Mar-2021Big picture Afghanistan and Zimbabwe have had nearly five days to plan for the second Test after the opener in Abu Dhabi ended inside two days.Zimbabwe are on the brink of a series win, and not just a one-off triumph, for the first time since beating Bangladesh in 2004. For Afghanistan, who’ve only so far featured in standalone Tests, it’s a chance to prove they’re no pushovers.The break has brought good news for them, too. Legspinning allrounder Rashid Khan has recovered from the finger injury he sustained in the PSL and is expected to slot back into the XI. Therein lies Zimbabwe’s biggest challenge.They struggled against the left-arm spin of Amir Hamza, who took a career-best six for 75 in the first Test. Rashid, who will take the ball away from the right-handers, will pose more questions. Zimbabwe will need to get used to the pace at which he bowls, which is a shade quicker than traditional spinners, and familiarise themselves with his ripping googlies.Considering two key batsmen Brendan Taylor and Craig Ervine are missing, Zimbabwe acquainted themselves superbly to tough conditions. They will want to use the second Test as an opportunity to further strengthen their positions.Afghanistan, too, have to focus on batting if they are to put up a fight to save the series. Their lack of experience in long-format cricket was apparent in the first Test and they will want to show more application.Although there is no shame in matches ending in fewer than five days – look no further than India and England two-day and three-day encounters – both Afghanistan and Zimbabwe will be eager to display their credentials in going the distance as this series is decided.Form guide (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Afghanistan LLWW
Zimbabwe WLDLLIn the spotlight Ibrahim Zadran was far and away Afghanistan’s best batsman in the first Test. He stood out for his ability to leave the ball in the opening stages of his innings. He scored 40% of Afghanistan’s total runs to take his Test average above 42. He needs support from the other end, but the early indications are that his technical game and temperament bode well for Afghanistan’s Test future.The much anticipated debut of Wesley Madhevere in the first Test turned out to be a first-ball duck after he was out lbw to Hamza. With no DRS, Madhevere could not challenge the decision even though it looked like the impact could have been outside the line. There was no second innings for Madhevere to make a better first impression and he’ll be hoping to spend more time in the middle in his second match.Team news Rashid Khan should slot straight back into the XI while Afghanistan may also look to add to their fast bowling stocks if conditions are similar to the first Test. Left-armers Fazalhaq Farooqi or Sayed Shirzad may be considered.Afghanistan (possible): 1 Ibrahim Zadran, 2 Abdul Malik, 3 Rahmat Shah, 4 Munir Ahmad 5 Hashmatullah Shahidi 6 Afsar Zazai (wk) 7 Asghar Afghan (capt), 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Amir Hamza, 10 Yamin Ahmadzai, 11 Zahir Khan/Fazalhaq FarooqiAfter their dominant performance in the first Test, Zimbabwe have few reasons to make changes. They may consider swapping out one of their seamers for a specialist spinner if conditions necessitate it, and have left-arm spinner Wellington Masakadza or legspinner Brandon Mavuta to choose from.Zimbabwe (possible): 1 Prince Masvaure, 2 Kevin Kasuza, 3 Tarisai Musakanda, 4 Sean Williams (capt), 5 Wesley Madhevere, 6 Sikandar Raza, 7 Ryan Burl, 8 Regis Chakabva (wk), 9 Donald Tiripano, 10 Blessing Muzarabani, 11 Victor NyauchiPitch and conditions The Abu Dhabi surface proved surprisingly seamer friendly in the first Test with a green grass covering and good bounce, but also took turn early on. Sean Williams described it as being a “carpet on one side and a dustbowl on the other.” Blessing Muzarabani’s observations of the second Test strip is that it has less grass on it but he still expects good bounce. It’s heating up in the Emirates with temperatures into the 30s and Friday set to be a scorcher at 36 degrees.Stats and trivia Zimbabwe have only won four Tests away from home, one in Pakistan, two in Bangladesh in separate series, and the previous one in Abu Dhabi.This is the first Test series in the UAE that does not feature Pakistan, who played home Tests in the Middle East since 2010.Quotes “There’s no pressure. We did well in the first game and we are looking forward to the second one. It’s the most important game because we have to want the series. We have to be patient, it’s not going to be easy like the last game. We really hope to win the series. It will give us confidence.”

South Africa’s Sune Luus and Nadine de Klerk also gain following 2-1 series win in India

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Mar-2021India Women’s T20I opener Shafali Verma has consolidated her position at the top of the batting rankings table in the format. Verma’s 30-ball 60 in the third T20I against South Africa last week helped her gain another 26 points to further strengthen her grip on the top spot. That has put Verma on a tally of 776 rating points, 35 ahead of the second-placed Beth Mooney. Verma’s opening partner Smriti Mandhana has also gained one place to sixth position following her unbeaten 48 off 28 balls in the same match which India went on to win by nine wickets for a consolation win in the series.Among India’s bowlers, left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad’s match-winning performance of 3 for 9 has lifted her 12 places to a career-best No. 13.South Africa, who won the series 2-1 following their 4-1 ODI series win, had their own share of gains from the tour. Their captain Sune Luus rose one place to be No. 37 among batters, pacer Tumi Sekhukhune gained seven spots to be No. 42 in the bowlers’ charts.Australia and New Zealand players also saw some gains following the first T20I between the sides in Hamilton on Sunday. Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner’s unbeaten 73 helped her gain five places to reach a career-best No. 11 in the allrounders’ list, while her team-mate Georgia Wareham jumped two places to be placed at No. 10 among bowlers. Despite New Zealand’s six-wicket loss, Amy Satterthwaite, who hit a 31-ball 40, climbed a spot to be No. 27 among batters.

La Liga president Javier Tebas has accussed Florentino Perez of lying and said the Real Madrid chief is 'out of touch with reality'.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Perez takes on La Liga's 2021 CVC dealTebas counters with a multi-post rantAccuses Perez of being 'out of touch with reality'Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

Real Madrid president Perez has been very vocal about his disappointment with the deal that saw La Liga sell 10 per cent share of its TV revenues to a private equity firm in 2021. Perez attacked the Spanish top division once more last week, saying that the deal was "an expropriation" of the club intended to "steal" its assets. He then confirmed plans to propose a corporate structure at another assembly to ensure that Madrid's members are its true owners, which should safeguard its La Liga revenue.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Following Perez's explosive comments towards La Liga, president Tebas took to X to tear down the Real Madrid chief's comments as he challenged the claims, and said: "That 'messianic' character of the saviour of football that, paradoxically, no one in the sector supports. According to him, everything is wrong and only his ideas are correct."

In conclusion of his multi-tweet rant on X, Perez concluded by saying: "Perez cannot fool La Liga clubs, although it seems that he can fool others, including certain sectors of the political class. We will continue to expose his lies, phantom amendments and half-truths. The only thing that is evident is his clear influence in certain political circles, something that he tells without even blushing."

However, the La Liga president was not done with just the comments on X as he made comments about the issue before the AFE Awards.

gettyWHAT TEBAS SAID

Speaking to the media, Tebas said: “Florentino was more active. Sometimes he is out of touch with reality. He said things that are not true, like the phantom amendment. The television issue is not what he said, nor is the issue of piracy. I hope that what his club, of which I am a fan, talks about is true. If it weren't, I would be worried.

"I don't know what he intends to do, but I think it's wrong that the excuse is CVC… It took him a while to think of the excuse. There must be other reasons… The marketing is not true. There must be other reasons that he is hiding from the social mass."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

WHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?

Tebas also reflected on the statements regarding the ownership of Real Madrid members being at risk, and said: “I don't know what they want to do, but I do know that the excuse for changing the structure of Real Madrid is neither serious nor true, whether it is CVC or the Sports Law."

Leeds United have agreed to the terms set by a club to sign a "remarkable" attacker on loan, with the decision now up to the player, according to Sky Sports.

Leeds transfer rumours

The Whites are gearing up for their Championship opener against Portsmouth on Saturday lunchtime, with Daniel Farke and his side looking to go one better than last season.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Farke was quizzed on the club’s transfer plans for the remainder of the campaign, saying: “Two or three positions we have to strengthen a bit more. So far, so good, but we’re not the finished product yet.”

He then added: “You can never have enough. Every manager wants more. I would have loved to keep Summerville, Gray and to add even more quality but to be honest, that’s not the point. I know we’re in great talks, I totally believe in our owners, they are ambitious and back us. We have to stick to the rules, in the years before we had some tricky decisions in transfer sums and salaries.”

Alongside Rowe: Leeds keen on £6.8m star who could be their next Gruev

Daniel Farke could dip his toe back into the German market to capture this gem for Leeds United.

ByKelan Sarson Aug 8, 2024

A replacement for Crysencio Summerville appears to be at the top of the to-do list at Elland Road, and there have been two players heavily linked – Norwich City’s Jonathan Rowe and Crystal Palace’s Jesurun Rak-Sakyi. A verbal £7m offer was made for Rowe, whereas Rak-Sakyi would be coming in on loan.

Recent reports stated that the player had reached a full agreement to join rivals Sheffield United on loan, dealing Leeds a blow in the process. However, that doesn’t appear to be the case just yet, with Leeds and the 49ers Enterprises seemingly still in the race.

Leeds agree terms for Jesurun Rak-Sakyi loan

Sky Sports reporters Lyall Thomas, Tim Thornton and Michael Bridge provided an update on the situation regarding Rak-Sakyi within Sky Sports’ transfer centre on Thursday evening. They claim that Sheffield United are leading the race ahead of Leeds and Hull, however, the player is yet to decide and the Whites have “agreed to the terms of the loan with Crystal Palace”.

“Sheffield United are believed to be the frontrunners for the signing of Jesurun Rak-Sakyi on loan. The Yorkshire club have agreed to the terms of the loan with Crystal Palace – but so have Leeds and Hull. There is still work to do on the transfer and the player is yet to make a final decision. But he could be registered at a Championship club in time to feature on the first day of the EFL season.”

Rak-Sakyi, hailed as “remarkable” by former Palace boss Roy Hodgson, scored two goals in his only pre-season outing for the Eagles against Crawley Town last month.

Capable of playing on the right or left wing, the 21-year-old could be a shrewd addition for the campaign to rival the likes of Wilfried Gnonto, Dan James and Georginio Rutter, making this one to watch.

Punjab Kings suffered a six-wicket defeat in Mumbai, their 196 target proving insufficient

Hemant Brar18-Apr-20213:05

Ian Bishop: ‘Shikhar Dhawan just looks like a man on top of his game’

Shikhar Dhawan’s 49-ball 92 outshone Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul’s half-centuries as the Delhi Capitals beat the Punjab Kings by six wickets in a run-fest at the Wankhede Stadium.After being sent in, Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul gave the Kings a blazing start of 122 in 12.4 overs. Agarwal was the aggressor, hitting seven fours and four sixes in his 36-ball 69, while Rahul played second fiddle with 61 off 51 deliveries.The Kings posted a formidable 195 for 4 but Dhawan and Shaw laid the platform for the Capitals’ chase with a start of 59 in 5.3 overs.After that it was the Dhawan show. Targeting primarily the leg side, the opener struck 13 fours and two sixes and kept the Capitals on par with the required rate. For the second time in three games he had a chance to score a hundred. He failed once again but his knock had put the Capitals ahead. So much that when Marcus Stoinis hit the winning boundary, there were still ten balls left.Related

Fearless Shikhar Dhawan adds a new dimension to his batting

KL Rahul feels changing wet ball during second innings 'will really be fair'

Talking Points: Is KL Rahul being too conservative at the top?

Match highlights: Delhi Capitals vs Punjab Kings

Agarwal, Rahul provide dream start
Chris Woakes conceded only five in the opening over but a 20-run second over opened the floodgates for the Kings. That over, left-arm seamer Lukman Meriwala’s first in the IPL, featured a dropped catch, a misfield, a no-ball, three fours and a six. By the end of the fifth over, Agarwal and Rahul had added 50, of which the latter’s contribution was a run-a-ball 18.Kagiso Rabada was introduced into the attack in the sixth over; Rahul greeted him with a four through point but largely looked subdued. Agarwal, meanwhile, was batting on a different plane. With a four off Avesh Khan, he raced away to his fifty in just 25 balls.The harshest punishment was perhaps meted out to arguably the best bowlers in the Capitals’ side. On the first ball of the 11th over, Agarwal cleared his front leg and launched Rabada over long-off. Rabada responded with a bouncer but erred down the leg side. Agarwal swivelled and pulled it over fine leg for another six. A ball later, Rahul too joined in with a six over deep square leg.Meriwala eventually broke the stand when Agarwal holed out to sweeper cover trying to reach out for a wide delivery.Shikhar Dhawan’s half-century powered the Delhi Capitals chase•BCCI/IPLGifts aplenty for birthday boy Rahul
It was Rahul’s 29th birthday and it looked like the Capitals’ fielders didn’t want to spoil his day. Smith dropped him in the second over, Shaw failed to hold on to a screamer in the 12th and Stoinis grassed a regulation chance in the 15th. Rahul was on 9, 42, and 50 respectively; Meriwala the unlucky bowler on the first occasion, Avesh on the next two.Stoinis eventually made amends when he caught him off Rabada in the 16th over.Hooda, Shahrukh take Kings close to 200
Deepak Hooda continued his good form with an unbeaten 22 not out off 13 balls. Coming in at No. 4, he smashed Rabada for six off the first ball he faced. Later, he went down on one knee to carve Avesh over the extra-cover boundary for another.Chris Gayle and Nicholas Pooran fell in search of quick runs, leaving the Kings 179 for 4 after 19 overs. Shahrukh Khan, though, muscled Woakes for two fours and a six in the final over to take the side close to 200.Dhawan-Shaw onslaught
Chasing 196, Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw didn’t waste any time and gave their side an even better start than the Kings had got. Rahul tried four different bowlers in the first four overs – Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami, Jalaj Saxena, and Jhye Richardson – and each one of them went for at least ten in their respective overs.When Shami returned in the fifth over, Dhawan creamed him for three fours. By the end of the fifth over, the Capitals were for 57 for no loss.Dhawan continues the carnage
The Capitals openers were running away with the game, just like they had done against the Chennai Super Kings while chasing 189, but Shaw ended up miscuing a pull against Arshdeep and fell for a 17-ball 32. Steven Smith laboured for a 12-ball 9 before his ugly swat against Riley Meredith was caught at third man.Dhawan, though, kept batting in the same vein. Having reached his fifty in 31 balls, he stepped out against Shami and hit him for a six over long-on.But it was the 14th over, bowled by Meredith, that turned the game decisively in the Capitals’ favour. Dhawan started the over by hitting the first three balls for fours. The next delivery went for five wides down the leg side. By the time the over ended, Dhawan had moved into the 90s and the Capitals needed 53 off 36 balls with eight wickets in hand.Stoinis sees the Capitals home
Dhawan fell eight short of a hundred when he was bowled while trying to swipe Jhye Richardson fine. From the other end, Arshdeep bowled a quiet over to make it 36 needed from 24 balls. But Stoinis quelled any hopes the Kings may have developed by hitting two fours and a six off Shami in 17th over. He also hit the winning runs, dispatching Meredith to the midwicket boundary for four to finish with an unbeaten 27 off 13 balls.

Sporting CP's form has suddenly dipped after Ruben Amorim left them for Manchester United last month.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Amorim left Sporting CP in NovemberLost three games in a row sinceFans demand sacking of PereiraFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

Amorim, who joined the Portuguese giants in 2020, parted company in November as he replaced Erik ten Hag at Manchester United. Sporting CP had a dream start to the 2024-25 campaign under Amorim and were on an eight-match winning streak by the time he left. Joao Pereira replaced him at the helm and guided the team to a 6-0 win over Amarante in his first game, but things have gone south since then as they have now lost three matches in a row.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Sporting's 1-0 loss to Moreirense on Thursday marked their third consecutive loss across all competitions. This is the first time since the 2019-20 season that the Liga Portugal club have embarked on such a streak – they lost to PSV Eindhoven first in the Champions League, followed by back-to-back defeats against Famalicao and Rio Ave in the league at the time.

DID YOU KNOW?

Pereira has been in charge of Sporting for less than a month and has managed just four matches. However, according to , fans have already grown impatient and travelling supporters on Thursday waved white handkerchiefs in the stands demanding the sacking of the 40-year-old.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

AFPWHAT NEXT FOR SPORTING CP?

The Lions will aim to get back to winning ways on Tuesday as they take on Club Brugge in the Champions League, with pressure increasingly growing on Amorim's successor.

Arsenal started the new season rather triumphantly, dispatching Wolves 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium.

It was Kai Havertz, a man who is turning into one of the best forwards in the league who got the club’s account underway before a fizzing effort from Bukayo Saka sealed the points.

There is much optimism about this season and rightly so considering how close Mikel Arteta’s side came last season.

In 2022/23 they were five points off Manchester City and last term they were just two. So, if the progress continues this feels like their best shot at winning the Premier League for the first time in 20 years.

They could still strengthen too. Riccardo Calafiori has signed on the dotted line and it’s thought that Mikel Merino is now at long last closing in on his move to north London.

There could also be a few departures too. Eddie Nketiah continues to be linked with a move away but two interested parties have now already strengthened their forward line. Marseille weren’t willing to meet Arsenal’s asking price so signed Elye Wahi instead while Bournemouth were also casting their eye over the forward before signing Evanilson from Porto.

There might also be a departure for Jakub Kiwior who was left out of the squad on Saturday afternoon.

What the future holds for Jakub Kiwior

The Poland international was signed rather out of the blue from Spezia for a fee of £20m during the 2023 winter window but has struggled to ever nail down a regular spot in the side.

A centre-back by trade, the impeccable form of William Saliba and Gabriel has meant he’s never had a look in that third of the pitch.

Saliba vs Gabriel in 2023/24

Consequently, he’s largely been utilised at left-back, a position he actually performed admirably in last season, favoured over Oleksandr Zinchenko at a crucial stage of the season.

The Pole started a run of six league games between February and March, impressing as Arsenal stuck six past West Ham, five past Burnley, four past Newcastle and another half a dozen past Sheffield United. During that period he assisted two goals and scored once.

That being said, the £58k-per-week defender has been bumped further down the pecking order at the start of the new campaign.

Jurrien Timber – who spent much of last season out with an ACL injury – came off the bench against Wolves to replace Zinchenko at left back and the addition of Calafiori, who plays in both of Kiwior’s positions won’t be helpful.

As such the 24-year-old wasn’t even included in the squad for the visit of Gary O’Neil’s side on Saturday. That’s hardly a shocking piece of news but it does not bode well for his involvement this season.

It wouldn’t even be too far-fetched to suggest he might not play for the club again. Indeed, he is reportedly wanted by a whole host of Italian clubs, including Inter and Juventus.

So, there is the potential for Kiwior to leave before the window is done and it wouldn’t be a great surprise if he did. Minutes will be hard to come by and Arsenal aren’t in need of his versatility anymore.

Timber’s return and Calafiori’s arrival have put the final nail in his coffin, as too has the emergence of Ethan Nwaneri.

He might not play in the same position but you sense Arsenal would get far more from including the teenager on the bench than Kiwior, as they did this weekend.

He was one of the main winners of Arsenal’s pre-season tour. Kiwior certainly was not. It’s time for him to pack his bags and head off on his merry way back to Italy.

Fewer touches than Raya: Arsenal must instantly drop 6/10 star after Wolves

Arsenal opened their account for the season with a win over Wolves.

ByMatt Dawson Aug 17, 2024

Arsenal have been dealt an injury blow which could result in a fourth player missing their all-important clash against arch rivals Tottenham, which is coming up right after the international break.

Arsenal held to 1-1 Brighton draw as Tottenham and Man City await

Mikel Arteta was a frustrated figure on the Emirates Stadium touchline last Saturday, with Arsenal held to a 1-1 draw at home to Brighton on a less-than ideal afternoon in north London.

Why Arteta personally pulled plug on Arsenal signing £330k-per-week striker

The Spaniard intervened on his side doing a summer deal.

ByEmilio Galantini Sep 3, 2024

Despite makeshift striker Kai Havertz opening the scoring with an excellent lobbed finish over the helpless Bart Verbruggen, Arteta's men couldn't press home their advantage, and watched star midfielder Declan Rice get sent off for two bookable offenses.

Brighton striker Joao Pedro equalised for Fabian Hurzeler's side just before the hour mark, compounding Arsenal and Arteta's misery, with the Premier League title hopefuls dropping their first points of the new campaign.

"It was a very emotional afternoon, for sure," said Arteta after Arsenal's 1-1 draw to Brighton. "We started the game really well, created three or four chances that we didn’t convert. After that we had a period with some issues, particularly with the ball and we lacked some dominance in that period.

"We then score a really good goal in a moment when we take advantage of the opponent. Then we go in at half-time, come back and we were really strong.

Tottenham (away)

September 15

Man City (away)

September 22

Leicester City (home)

September 28

Southampton (home)

October 5

Bournemouth (away)

October 19

"Then the referee makes a decision that changes the course of the game. With 10 men, the team reacted unbelievably well, the stadium reacts unbelievably well and we should have won the game."

Arteta will be disappointed to drop points at home to Brighton, with that result hardly coming as the best warm-up for two of their biggest games of the season in Spurs and Man City.

Arsenal suffer Mikel Merino injury blow as fourth potential player misses Tottenham

The Daily Mail have shared more bad news for Arsenal, concerning new summer arrival Mikel Merino. Merino put pen to paper on a £32 million move to Arsenal after weeks of talks, but the Spain international will have to wait a long time to make his debut after shoulder injury in training.

The 28-year-old fractured his deltoid during his very first session at London Colney, following a collision with star defender Gabriel Magalhaes. The Mail and reliable journalist Sami Mokbel now provide an update, and they write that Merino is set to miss nearly two months after his injury at Arsenal's training complex.

Merino is set to miss their match against Tottenham as a result, joining Rice (suspension) on the sidelines for Arsenal's encounter. As well as Merino and Rice, both Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney are doubts for the derby, with no return date confirmed yet for the pair.

Arteta could therefore be without four senior players to face Ange Postecoglou's side, but there's some good news about Gabriel Jesus and Jurrien Timber, who could yet play a part and make their return.

Former Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has rejected the chance to return to Norwegian side Molde for a third spell in charge.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Solskjaer out of work since 2021Was wanted back at MoldeNot interested in taking the jobFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Solskjaer has been out of work since being sacked by Manchester United in November 2021. He has now rejected the chance to return to management with Molde. The president of the Norwegian side, Leif-Arne Langøy, contacted the former Red Devil after sacking Erling Moe but received no response at all, according to VG. Molde parted company with Moe after defeat to Fredrikstad in the cup final meant the club will not play European football next season.

AdvertisementGetty THE BIGGER PICTURE

Solskjaer has been linked with several club and international jobs this year but is yet to take up a new appointment. He has reportedly been in talks with Sweden and Canada and is thought to have narrowly missed out on the Leicester job, when Enzo Maresca departed for Chelsea. Solskjaer's former United team-mate Ruud van Nistelrooy has since taken on the job after Steve Cooper was sacked after only five months at the King Power.

WHAT SOLSKJAER HAS SAID

Solskjaer has spoken about his future and revealed he would be keen on taking the Norway job. He told Norwegian radio NRK podcast Bakrommet: "I am a proud Norwegian. If the question comes up, when Stale finds out that he doesn't want it anymore, I'm happy to enter into a conversation. I would say 'yes' any day of the week. It feels wrong to sit and talk about jobs that other people have. But of course, I would say yes. No, I'm not [waiting for the job]. Firstly, nothing is better than Norway qualifying for a [major] tournament. If we manage to do it now and qualify for the World Cup in 2026, it's time. That's what we all hope for. And we hope we do it as soon as possible, while Stale is there."

The 51-year-old also opened on up what else could tempt him back into management: "It must be something exciting enough, together with the right people. But I feel so well now that there must be something that triggers me enough for me to choose to travel from Nordmore [in Norway]. I think that a national team could suit me, but then it can't be on the other side of the globe. I had two options, but it would have taken half a day to travel, and there is a time difference in the picture, so I opted out. Even if I could then take part in the championship."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

AFPWHAT NEXT FOR SOLSKJAER?

Solskjaer is clearly in no rush to return to management but may well be an option for Norway when current boss Stale Solbakken steps down after the 2026 World Cup campaign. In the meantime the United legend is likely to be keeping a close eye on former side Manchester United to see how the Red Devils fare under new boss Ruben Amorim.