Tag Futebol

Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney caught up with Taylor Swift's boyfriend and NFL star Travis Kelce to chat about football.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

McElhenney talks Wrexham with Travis KelceNFL star learns about cup competitionsCelebrities have been regularly spotted at WrexhamWHAT HAPPENED?

Celebrity sightings have become commonplace at Wrexham since Hollywood duo McElhenney and Reynolds took over the club in 2021. Hugh Jackman, Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd are just some of the stars who have been spotted watching the Welsh side and they could soon be joined by more A-listers as McElhenney has been chatting about his team to NFL stars Travis and Jason Kelce on their New Heights podcast.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT MCELHENNEY SAID

Travis was particularly interested to learn about cup competitions, which allowed McElhenney to open up on his experiences with Wrexham since taking over.

"That's a fascinating part of the sport. Some people really care a lot, other people don't care at all. You have fanbases that are sort of torn," he explained. "I do find it's a win-win because if you advance and continue to win through the tournament people get excited and if you lose, nobody cares.

"And in fact, the NFC championship last year which we came to, we watched the Wrexham game in the parking lot with the tailgate before the game and we drew that game against a team that was three leagues higher than us.

"I've become so annoying with that – I've been correcting people on the word 'soccer' versus football. People just want to smack me."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

McElhenney's other love is the Philadelphia Eagles and he joined Kelce's girfriend Taylor Swift to see the NFL star take on the the New York Jets with The Chiefs last month. Could Swift now be tempted head to Wrexham? Kelce certainly seemed impressed by McElhenney's commitment to Wrexham. "I love it though, you're all in. That's how you know you're doing the right thing. You're all in, baby," he said.

Reynolds and McElhenney have previously said they would love to see Swift perform at Wrexham's stadium after hosting two gigs by the Kings of Leon last summer.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

Wrexham are back in action at the weekend and will be hoping to secure a place in the third round of the FA Cup when they take on National League South side Yeovil Town at the SToK Racecourse. The Welsh side made it to the fourth round last season before being knocked out in a replay against Sheffield United.

Manchester United loanee Facundo Pellistri scored his first goal for Granada against Barcelona – matching a unique record in the process.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Granada draw 3-3 against Barcelona Man Utd loanee Pellistri scores and assistsMatches Eto'o record from 2000 WHAT HAPPENED?

Pellistri made his loan move from the Red Devils to Granada on the final day of the January transfer window, and he justified his signing with a goal and assist in just his second game in La Liga. The 22-year-old teed up Ricard Sanchez for the first goal and scored the second with an instinctive finish at Marc-Andre ter Stegen's far post.

AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Pellistri's contributions helped Granada take home a point from the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys as the game ended 3-3. Pellistri also became the youngest player (22 years and 53 days old) to score and assist in a La Liga game against Barcelona since Samuel Eto'o did so for Mallorca against the Catalan side in 2000, as per OptaJose.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR PELLISTRI?

The Uruguayan player will likely be in action with Granada again when they take on Almeria in a bottom-of-the-table clash on Sunday, February 18. Pellistri will hope that United boss Erik ten Hag has been watching his fast start to life in La Liga, as he will surely still have ambitions to return to Old Trafford and make the first-team grade.

The legspinner followed his 3 for 7 on debut with 4 for 14, which handed Pakistan a 2-0 lead in the four-T20 series

The Report by Danyal Rasool30-Mar-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details Eighteen-year-old legspinner Shadab Khan wrecked West Indies again•Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images

In a nutshell
It’s becoming a bit of a jinx, this match-up. Whatever the situation, however favourable the circumstances, West Indies just cannot seem to get over the line against Pakistan. It was no different today as a thrilling final over from Hasan Ali that swung one way and then the other saw
Pakistan cling on to a three-run win at the Queen’s Park Oval. It was a game they had no business laying claim to for much of a contest that was worlds removed from the cakewalk the visitors enjoyed in Barbados.West Indies’ chase of 133 began with a somewhat clumsy run-out after a collision between Evin Lewis and Shadab Khan, but Marlon Samuels looked in no mood to hang around as he took the attack to Pakistan’s bowlers. Imad Wasim came in for particularly severe treatment as one over went for 19. Only a magical spell from legspinner Shadab Khan dragged Pakistan back into the game, crucially dismissing Samuels with the last ball. From thereon, it was always going to be close, and even though two boundaries in the final over looked to have put the West Indies on course, Hasan held his nerve to maintain Pakistan’s grip over their hosts.West Indies will rue a particularly wretched fielding performance, with several balls going through fielders’ legs and plenty more fumbled. It
detracted from an organised bowling display that had Pakistan on the back foot from the start, with Samuel Badree dismissing Kamran Akmal for a duck in the first over. No batsman could build on a start, and at one point it looked like the visitors might even fail to reach
three figures as they slid to 95 for 8. Late blows from Shadab and Wahab Riaz then ensured they would have just enough to bowl at.Where the game was won
West Indies were their own worst enemy at times, with sloppy fielding gifting Pakistan at least 15 runs. But what they might really rue
is giving Pakistan the opportunity to bowl at a competitive total after reducing them to 95 for 8. Shadab and Wahab each played vital cameos in a 36-run stand off just 19 balls. It took Pakistan to 132, a total that had looked ambitious for much of the innings as their batsmen struggled to get any sort of momentum.The men who won it
Shadab appears to outdo himself every time he steps onto the field, each game replacing the preceding one as the highlight of his career.
Tonight, his effort was a legspin masterclass, with the teenager at times the only person standing between West Indies and victory. No batsman could pick his variations, with a pair falling to the legbreak, and two more dismissed after failing to read the googly.His final over to Marlon Samuels was T20 cricket at its nuanced best. Samuels recognised all he needed to do was see out the over, while nothing less than his wicket would do for Pakistan. It appeared the West Indian had succeeded, before Shadab deceived him off the last ball of his spell with a devilish wrong’un. Samuels could merely edge it to the wicketkeeper, and from that point on, the match began to slip away from the hosts.Moment of the match
The first four overs of the West Indies innings were ungainly, with batsmen and fielders unable to help themselves colliding into each
other; no less than three times did players come together. The first, between Lewis and Shadab, resulted in the batsman being run-out, but the final one was altogether nastier. Samuels defended to point and scampered off for a quick single. Ahmed Shehzad ran in to effect a run out, and found himself in the path of Chadwick Walton. This resulted in a horrible collision, with Walton’s knee thumping into Shehzad’s upper back and neck, requiring an ambulance to come out on the field and stretcher Shehzad off. It looked worse, but the Pakistan opener was back on the field a few overs later.Where they stand
Pakistan now cannot lose the four-match series, having taken a 2-0 lead. The third T20I will be played on April 1, at the same venue.

Everton are in the market to make much-needed improvements to their attacking threat this summer and now a new update has emerged on the club's pursuit of a potential transfer target.

What's the latest on Everton's interest in Jack Harrison?

According to one journalist, Everton are in talks with Leeds United over a potential deal to sign Jack Harrison.

As per the report, the Toffees are interested in the midfielder who has a £16m release clause and the player would be very much open to a move to Merseyside due to having family connections in the North West.

Would Jack Harrison be a good fit for Everton?

After losing both Richarlison and Anthony Gordon over the last 12 months, Everton's presence in front of goal has been significantly weakened after scoring just 34 league goals last season, having further suffered due to Dominic Calvert-Lewin's constant injury issues.

Sean Dyche will surely be making it a top priority to improve the attacking presence in the team to ensure that his team don't fall into another Premier League relegation battle next season or worse, fall into the Championship.

As a result, the signing of Harrison would be a major coup for the club as the Premier League-proven attacker could not only provide a real threat in front of goal but could even be Everton's next Steven Pienaar.

The former Toffees talisman tallied up 229 appearances, 26 goals and 48 assists in his selfless versatile role at Goodison Park; predominantly deployed in an attacking left midfield position in a time when strikers would often be deployed alone in the final third, he played 37 times in a left-winger role and was also found occasionally in right or attacking midfield positions too.

Now Harrison could emulate Pienaar's strong presence across the Everton attacking threat as, just like the retired South African, the Leeds left-winger also offers huge versatility in his positioning and has often been deployed in a left midfield role, on the right flank and in a central attacking midfield role too.

Over 206 appearances for the West Yorkshire outfit, the 26-year-old whiz – hailed "phenomenal" by YouTuber Conor McGilligan – has scored 34 goals and registered 32 assists, again similarly to Pienaar offers a great balance of both goal-scoring ability and a keen eye for providing goal-creating opportunities for his teammates.

With that being said, if the powerbrokers at Goodison Park can strike up a deal for Harrison this summer it would be a great statement of their ambitious intent to form a much stronger attacking presence against opponents next season.

Liverpool would only consider selling Mohamed Salah for “over £150m ($189m)”, says Jamie Carragher, with interest being shown from Saudi Arabia.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Egyptian linked with move to the Middle EastTalk of record-breaking contract offerReds understandably reluctant to sell WHAT HAPPENED?

The Egyptian superstar finds himself at the centre of a big-money transfer saga as the summer window in England begins to wind down. There has been talk of the 31-year-old forward being presented with a contract offer from Al-Ittihad that would lift him above Cristiano Ronaldo when it comes to the highest-paid players on the planet.

AdvertisementGettyImageTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Liverpool, with manager Jurgen Klopp leading the way, have been quick to play down the exit talk, with Carragher claiming that an eye-watering bid would need to be tabled in order for a sale to be considered. The Reds legend has told : “I think it’d have to be over £150 million. I’m not saying he’s worth that right now at his age but I don’t think £100m; you’re not replacing Mo Salah for £100m. If they offered a crazy figure but as I said it is so late in the window. If it was earlier – maybe they might think about it because that is the model that they’ve had in the past but I don’t think Mo Salah is going anywhere.”

AND WHAT'S MORE

Salah is tied to a contract at Anfield through to 2025, with Carragher adding on his immediate future: “I don’t think Mo Salah will go. One because it’s so late in the window. I don’t necessarily thing Mo Salah will want to go and what I mean by that is that Salah will be a little bit like Ronaldo. I can see Mo Salah playing until he’s in his late 30s so I think he might think, ‘I’ve got another three or four years’. Well he’s got another two years on his contract [at Liverpool] so I don’t know if he’ll stay after that but he’ll want to score as many goals as he can, win the biggest honours, break records. I think there’s time for him to go to an MLS, Saudi Arabia, maybe somewhere else in the future in his late 30s because I think he looks after himself. He’s such a professional and I think there’s still a lot more years in Mo Salah right now. But if you actually think of the model of FSG and the reason why Liverpool have had so much success, when someone made a crazy offer for Philippe Coutinho five or six years ago – Barcelona paid £130m. They [Liverpool] didn’t try and replace Philippe Coutinho, they bought Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker and then Liverpool went on to win the lot. So in some ways it is the model of the ownership. You’ve bought Salah, you’ve had great years from him he’s over 30 now and someone made a ridiculous offer from him and it was earlier in the window.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Salah has scored 187 goals for Liverpool through 308 appearances, with several records broken while helping the Reds to Premier League, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Community Shield triumphs.

Middle-order batsman Ajinkya Rahane has been ruled out of the fourth and fifth Tests against England with a finger injury

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Dec-20161:01

Quick Facts: Manish Pandey

Middle-order batsman Ajinkya Rahane has been ruled out of the fourth and fifth Tests against England with a finger injury, while fast bowler Mohammed Shami is an uncertain starter for the Mumbai Test, beginning Thursday.Karnataka batsman Manish Pandey replaced Rahane in the squad, while Shardul Thakur was brought in as back-up for Shami, who has a sore knee. Bhuvneshwar Kumar is likely to be the first-choice replacement in the XI for Shami, while Karun Nair is likely to take Rahane’s place.Pandey and Thakur had to be pulled out of ongoing Ranji Trophy matches and flown to Mumbai. Pandey was playing against Maharashtra in Mohali, and Thakur against Punjab in Rajkot.The BCCI said Rahane had suffered “an avulsion fracture on his right index finger” after getting hit by a ball during a practice session on the eve of the Mumbai Test. He managed only 63 runs in five innings in this series. The board also said that Shami’s fitness was being monitored and a decision on his inclusion in the XI would be taken on the morning of the match.Shami has had trouble with his leg since the start of the series, when he was seen clutching his hamstring on the first day in Rajkot. The team management, however, said he was merely suffering from cramp and he continued to play the remainder of that Test and those that followed in Visakhapatnam and Mohali. Shami was especially potent with reverse-swing, taking 10 wickets at an average of 25.20.If Shami doesn’t make it, India are almost certain to play Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who took a five-wicket haul in the last Test he played. That was why Kohli wasn’t too worried about Shami’s availability.”If you see, whoever has stepped in has given match-winning performances,” he said. “You speak about Bhuvi, he has come in at St Lucia once and in Kolkata once, and both times he has picked up five wickets, and he has been the match-winner for us. I am not worried because the guys sitting outside are waiting for opportunities. It is not like that they are not looking forward to playing, which is I think a great sign for the team and that is why whoever has played at any stage has given those performances for us. As I said they are pretty keen to step on to the field to grab the opportunity with both hands.”Pandey, Rahane’s replacement in the squad, had himself hurt his finger while playing a Ranji Trophy game in November. He returned to action last week, making 75 and 58 against Saurashtra. Thakur, meanwhile, has been a more consistent presence this season, claiming 13 wickets in six matches, including a six-wicket haul against Bengal last week. He had been picked in the 17-man squad for the four-Test tour of the West Indies in July-August, but did not get a game.

Newcastle United are interested in striking a deal to sign Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher this summer, according to reports.

Where is Conor Gallagher now?

The Premier League starlet is an academy graduate at Stamford Bridge having worked his way up through the several youth ranks to become a regular first-team feature, making 42 senior appearances to date, but his future is very much in the air heading into the upcoming transfer window.

The England international has been limited to just 15 starts in the top-flight this season, with 17 of his outings being as a substitute after coming off the bench, so he is clearly low down in the pecking order with his lack of game time under Graham Potter and Frank Lampard.

Speaking to CaughtOffside in April, Fabrizio Romano revealed that the Blues will consider any offers that arrive at their door for the 23-year-old and the journalist name-checked the Magpies and Liverpool as two potential destinations. It seems Eddie Howe is ready to capitalise on the situation by bringing him to St. James' Park.

Is Gallagher joining Newcastle?

According to the Daily Mail, Newcastle are "keen" to reach an agreement for Gallagher ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, with the manager hoping to "bolster" his central ranks. PIF deployed chiefs to watch RB Leipzig's Dominik Szoboszlai last weekend, but it's stated that the boss would "prefer" a player with experience in the top-flight, matching the profile of his target in SW6.

The Epsom-born talent could be one of the "simplest" deals to get over the line considering how out of favour he is, with Todd Boehly happy to "listen" to bids before the imminent summer arrival of Mauricio Pochettino.

If Gallagher is to leave Chelsea, he will be hoping to settle down and make a new permanent home for himself having had four loan spells throughout his career, and being a long-term target of Howe, Newcastle should consider tabling a proposal to bring the central midfielder to the northeast.

The World Cup participant, who currently earns £50k-per-week, has posted 68 goal contributions (36 goals and 32 assists) in 252 appearances since first bursting onto the scene where after developing his game over the years, has been dubbed a “warrior” by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Ranking in the 93rd percentile amongst midfelders for number of touches in the opposition’s penalty area shows that he’s always getting himself into the right positions in the final third. Gallagher additionally has the flexibility to operate in six various roles, including five in the centre and even out wide on the right wing, so as well as him being a cheaper target compared to the likes of Leicester City's James Maddison, he could also prove to be the more efficient choice for the long-term future of the club.

West Ham United are searching for a new manager to take over at the end of the season, and Xabi Alonso is now a strong candidate for the job, according to a recent report from The Sun.

What's the latest West Ham manager news?

West Ham have identified a number of options to replace David Moyes, recently making an approach for Lille boss Paulo Fonseca, as they view him as the "perfect successor" to their current manager.

Reims boss Will Still is firmly in the running to take over at the London Stadium, having been a boyhood fan of the Irons, while Vincent Kompany has also entered the frame, in light of his fantastic spell as manager of Burnley, leading them to promotion.

The same report details the Hammers are set to replace Moyes at the end of the season, despite the fact the club are in the Europa Conference League semi-final, and he will still have one year left on his contract,.

The West Ham hierarchy seem to be adding a number of names to their shortlist, as The Sun report Alonso is now emerging as a strong candidate to come in at the end of the season, should they part ways with Moyes.

It is claimed the Scot has no intention of leaving the club, but the Bayer Leverkusen boss will be in the frame if he does, after putting himself on the club's radar by transforming the German club this season.

The 41-year-old is developing the reputation of a young and progressive coach, which has attracted the attention of the Hammers, despite his lack of experience.

Should West Ham appoint Xabi Alonso?

It is true the Spaniard does not have a greal deal of experience as a manager, however Jose Mourinho has tipped him to be a "very good coach", as a result of working under the likes of Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti and Rafa Benitez as a player.

In his first season as manager of Leverkusen, the Tolosa-born tactician is proving Mourinho's prediction right, with his side currently in a good position to qualify for Europe next season, and into the final four of the Europa League.

Hailed as "fantastic" by journalist Josh Bunting, Alonso could be a very exciting appointment for West Ham, with some members of the media tipping him to be a "generational" coach, having transformed Leverkusen from being relegation-threatened to European contenders.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy is struggling behind the scenes as a result of recent changes to key figures in the club's board over the last two years.

Is it time for ENIC to sell?

Spurs are certainly enduring some major struggles both on and off the field in north London with their hopes of Champions League football taking a significant hit over recent weeks.

Adding to their issues has been the recent parting of ways with Antonio Conte and more recently the stepping down of their director of football, Fabio Paratici.

Frustrations among sections of the Spurs fanbase are seemingly growing with their chairman as some chant for him to leave the club along with Joe Lewis.

And speaking on Matt Hayes' YouTube channel, journalist Matt Law has suggested he's heard Levy is stretched across different issues behind the scenes with less experienced figures now in high-ranking positions:

(14:00) "Look, in terms of him isolating himself. There's been a massive change of heads of department over the last two years and going back from that, and it feels like he has less and less experienced people to lean on in these situations and to take charge of different departments and things.

"And I've had it said to me, that his he's stretched all over the place because of this and he's listening to so many different voices and the decision-making has become muddled. Now that's just what's been said to me."

Where do Spurs go from here?

There have been reports suggesting ENIC could look to sell with a number of potential investors – including one from Qatar – believed to have shown an interest in recent months.

However, there have also been claims that if a potential takeover was to happen, Levy could look to remain involved with the club.

And it seems the uncertainty has trickled through the club with Tottenham currently having no permanent manager in charge of the men's nor the women's team.

The club are also now without a director of football after Paratici stepped down on the back of his upgrade worldwide ban from football.

And now four years on from being opened to the Spurs faithful, the club have not been able to secure a sponsorship deal for the naming right of their state-of-the-art stadium.

Their issues do not end there with the future of their all-time record goalscorer, Harry Kane, also in doubt going into the summer transfer window.

Perhaps what is also an issue for Spurs fans is their chairman is very rarely heard from apart from the occasional written club statements.

And at a time when the club is facing many uncertainties, perhaps it could settle some concerns if the chairman was to speak about the steps he is putting in place to rectify the issues.

There is a big game at Goodison Park for Spurs on Monday night and there is certainly potential for the travelling Spurs fans to voice their frustrations with the current issues at the club.

An update has emerged on Aston Villa and their interest in signing Athletic Bilbao enforcer Inigo Martinez in the summer transfer window…

What’s the latest on Inigo Martinez to Aston Villa?

According to the printed edition of Sport (via Sport Witness), the Villans are one of the eye clubs eyeing up a deal to sign the central defender at the end of the season.

The report claims that Villa and Atletico Madrid have both made contract offers to the Spaniard, who is set to be a free agent in the summer, as Johan Lange attempts to secure a swoop for the gem.

However, LaLiga giants Barcelona are also said to be keen on the centre-back and Martinez is waiting to see if Xavi’s team decide to come in with a proposal before responding to any other clubs.

What would Inigo Martinez bring to Aston Villa?

The Athletic Bilbao defender is a vastly experienced player who could bring knowledge and quality to Unai Emery’s squad in the 2023/24 campaign.

Villa could replicate the coup they landed by bringing Ashley Young to the club on a free transfer last season by securing a move for Martinez, as the former England international came in as a veteran and has used his experience to help the team.

Prior to re-joining the Villans in the summer of 2021, the ex-Inter full-back had played a whopping 623 career club matches and has gone on to play 46 times for the team in his current spell.

The 37-year-old, who has been capped 39 times by England, has showcased his quality in the Premier League this season with an average Sofascore rating of 6.93 across 18 appearances, which places him third in the squad.

Martinez, meanwhile, has played 441 club career games, which includes experience in the Europa League and the Champions League, and has been capped 19 times by Spain at international level.

The 31-year-old has used his know-how to be an excellent option for Bilbao in LaLiga this season. He has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.93 across ten appearances in the division and won 63% of his physical contests.

These statistics show that the £85k-per-week enforcer, who journalist Josh Bunting once hailed as “commanding”, is a strong defender who can deliver consistently solid displays in a major European league.

A Sofascore rating of 6.93 would place him level with Young in third place in the Villa squad this season and this indicates that the Spanish international would be a fantastic addition to the team if he can replicate his form in England.

Therefore, Lange could repeat the coup they landed with the ex-Manchester United right-back by beating off competition from the likes of Barcelona and Atletico to sign an experienced, solid, option in Martinez for nothing this summer.