Celtic could be closing in on their first summer signing, with one report now saying they’ve had a bid accepted for a long-term target.

Celtic want new goalkeeper

The Hoops and Brendan Rodgers are yet to make a summer signing following a Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup double last season, but a new goalkeeper to replace Joe Hart appears to be at the top of the list.

Alongside a shot-stopper, a winger and striker are also wanted at Parkhead, but when it comes to ‘keepers, there hasn’t been a shortage of targets.

Celtic hold talks to sign prolific teenage forward

He scored 16 goals in 17 starts last season.

By
Charlie Smith

Jun 25, 2024

Liverpool’s Caoimhin Kelleher, Trabzonspor star Ugurcan Cakir, Sunderland’s Anthony Patterson, Werder Bremen colossus Michael Zetterer, Southampton’s Alex McCarthy, Koen Casteels of Wolfsburg and Dominik Livakovic are just some of the goalkeepers that have been linked with the Hoops.

Rumours have intensified over a move for Fenerbahce’s Livakovic who has been starting at Euro 2024 for Croatia, with a €9million (£7.6m) bid submitted to bring him to Scotland.

Celtic have Livakovic bid accepted

According to Turkish outlet Fotomac, Celtic’s offer for Livakovic has been accepted, with the player wanting to leave Fenerbahce this summer.

The €9m figure was mentioned again, and it is stated that an ‘official announcement will be made shortly’. Fenerbahce will reportedly replace Livakovic with Mattia Perin from Juventus, with Livakovic on course to become one of Celtic’s most expensive signings of all time, should a deal go through.

Celtic's 5 most expensive signings of all time	Signed from	Fee
Jota	Benfica	€16.2m
Odsonne Edouard	PSG	€10.3m
Chris Sutton	Chelsea	€9.5m
John Hartson	Coventry	€9m
Eyal Brkovic	West Ham	€8.8m

It looks as if Celtic could be about to seal a marque goalkeeper signing, and Croatian football expert Richard Wilson has explained to The Herald what he could bring to Scotland, highlighting his reflex saves as his main strength.

“His main strength would be his reflex saves, and he has that knack of getting to shots that 90 percent of goalkeepers can’t get to. It’s such a small difference between a good goalkeeper and a great goalkeeper at that level, and his reflexes have been shown to be among the true elite.”

Wilson then said a move to Celtic could be a “statement signing” for the Hoops.

“For Celtic to land a goalkeeper of his stature would be a statement signing, absolutely. Fenerbahce paid the best part of 7m Euros for him last summer, and they will make a profit on that, but if you compare Livakovic’s stature to Joe Hart’s, well, Joe Hart hasn’t been in World Cup semi-finals for instance.

“He’s one of the few goalkeepers that Celtic could get with a trophy cabinet of that size. It makes sense to me though because Celtic have been in for him before, so it is a renewal of interest.”

It could be just a matter of time until Celtic get their man, making this one to watch over the coming weeks.

Erik ten Hag has criticised the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) for the late penalty call that helped West Ham secure a 2-1 over Manchester United.

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• Man Utd lose 2-1 to West Ham
• Hammers score injury-time penalty
• Ten Hag slams VAR for 'unfair' decision

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  West Ham's Jarrod Bowen was on target from 12-yards in the second minute of injury time as the Hammers won 2-1 against Manchester United. Matthijs de Ligt was ruled to have fouled Danny Ings inside the area, even though it appeared as though the striker just ran into the Dutchman, and West Ham was given a late penalty after a lengthy VAR check. Referee David Coote had been called to the monitor to assess the incident and gave West Ham the penalty. Ten Hag has now bemoaned the decision made by the VAR to hand United their fourth Premier League loss of the season.

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  WHAT TEN HAG SAID

  Speaking to BBC MOTD, Ten Hag said: "Three times this season we feel injustice. We have to score, we created so many chances. We should've been two or three up. Second half we were forcing it but we allowed them into the game. When you are losing 1-0 you need big personality and character of the team and showed resilience to get back into it. Unfair and unjust the way we conceded the penalty."

  When asked about the penalty incident, Ten Hag said: "It was so difficult to see. Before the season there was the instruction about VAR only interfering in clear and obvious mistakes. That is definitely not a clear and obvious mistake from the on field referee.

  "More frustrations but I can do nothing with that. They don't collect points and that's what we have to do. We have to look in the mirror, we don't score in a good game from our side. Create loads of chances and concede none but when you lose in this way it's a bad feeling."

  When asked if he had spoken to the officials, he said: "I spoke with them. But the decision is made. There's no way back and that's football. That's a third time I have felt injustice in the season and it has a big impact on our team and on our scores and where we are in the table. It's not right."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Manchester United were the better side in the first half at the London Stadium and could have easily had a three-goal lead heading into the break. However, their poor finishing meant that they stumbled yet again as West Ham fought back admirably. Ten Hag added in his post-match press conference: "We create so many chances, the first half is exactly how I want to see my team playing. So dominant. Six or seven 100% chances we should score. When you don't you have to keep calm. That is a point of improvement but I had not so many criticisms of my team."

• WHAT NEXT FOR TEN HAG?

  The Dutchman's job remains under threat, and the loss will surely have put further pressure on the Manchester United board to dismiss him. The Red Devils will be in action next when they take on Leicester City in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, October 30.

From Madan, India The end of an era is near

Cricinfo25-Feb-2013Madan, India
The end of an era is near. Warne bid adieu after whitewashing England, Kumble walked off in less triumphant fashion and only Murali soldiers on, moving further adrift of his one-time rival spin exponents with every passing tournament. Warne and Murali’s precocious talent was anything but un-noticed and juicy anecdotes of their heroics will be recounted for years to come; here is a small but hopefully significant effort to ensure the third musketeer’s legend does not fade away in a hurry. And Murali fans may please forgive me if I made it sound like he has already retired; it is purely unintentional and I look forward to much more from the wonderful Murali-Mendis combine!Going through the slew of glowing tributes that have been paid to the great man in the last 24 hours or more, one aspect of Kumble-appreciation remains unchanged: harping on his inability to turn the ball big invariably manifests itself, sometimes as criticism, mostly as some kind of dubious strength. It is suggested that his not being able to turn the ball big made him work harder on his accuracy and so on and so forth. All true but that is to miss the point.Kumble’s very style of bowling revolves around NOT turning the ball big; it is not highly relevant whether it was motivated by a relative inability or was by design. I have not played cricket at any serious competitive level but through years of watching the game intently – and also watching the master in action through the years – I have stumbled upon what I think is a good example to demonstrate not only the effectiveness of Kumble’s style but also how incredibly difficult it is to emulate it.Hold the ball seam-up and aim to hit the middle stump off a full length at moderate pace. Two, repeat One. Three, get the ball to bounce a few centimeters closer to the offside than where it pitched previously. Four, now repeat One through to Three with leg-breaks! As hard as turning the ball a long way is, it is even harder to achieve pinpoint precision and near-absolute control over how you want to bowl the ball. This is exactly what Kumble achieved and repeated over 18 years and over long spells, relentlessly building pressure on those at the receiving end.For, while Kumble knew exactly what he wanted to do, the batsman would have no way of reading his mind. He might be able to pick him off the hand and spot the googly before it was bowled, but how would he be able to foresee extremely subtle variations in line, length and pace? Combine this with fastish pace and the ability to generate disconcerting bounce almost at will, seemingly like a fast bowler bending his back and it is easy to see what a hard time batsmen must have had at the crease when facing Kumble.This is why, for all the video-analysis that batsmen must surely have done to deconstruct Kumble and for all the fool-proof theories that were thought up time and again to counter Kumble – the most popular being to play him like a medium-pacer – he was as effective and successful as he had always been right up to the India-Australia series played in Australia earlier this year. And that’s not all. He combined an indefatigable body with a brilliant cricketing brain and used his lethal accuracy to work batsmen into an inextricable position which would seal their doom before long.The flipper would trap them plumb when they launched into an extravagant sweep and a startlingly slow, flighted one would catch them groping from too far back inside the crease. To this fan of chess, Kumble’s bowling was the closest you could get to a marriage of chess and cricket. Ironically, it was his fast-bowling contemporary and towering legend Glenn McGrath who came closest to emulating Kumble’s approach, although in his own inimitable way. This unfortunately feeds the cliche but it is also interesting to note the similarity in the approach of two of the most effective bowlers of their time.Before I conclude my humble tribute, perhaps the greatest testimonial one can offer to Kumble’s achievements is the way the masses, as opposed to the purists, viewed him. The masses did not fail to perceive the ‘lack’ of spectacular turn in his bowling but on the other hand, they, unlike purists, were obsessed with results rather than aesthetics. Therefore, Kumble’s effectiveness was not lost on them, which was largely glossed over by purists until his 24 wicket haul in Australia in 2003-04 forced them to sit up and take notice.Much like the hope of a Sachin special would be expressed when India faced a daunting target, the hope that Kumble would run through the opposition would be expressed when India had to defend a low total on a crumbling wicket. Long before Kumble’s indispensability to the Indian cricket team was recognized by experts as equal to or more than Sachin’s, the Indian cricket-loving public had already understood how crucial he was to the team’s fortunes though they may not have spelt it out in write-ups with copious words.Like the man himself has put it so eloquently, it’s all about wickets at the end of the day and in the wicket-taking sweepstakes, Kumble towers over all but two bowlers in the history of Test cricket.

يخوض فريق برشلونة الإسباني مباراته في إياب دور الـ16 من دوري أبطال أوروبا، مساء يوم الثلاثاء، وذلك ضد خصمه فريق بنفيكا البرتغالي.

ويستضيف ملعب “مونتجويك” مباراة الفريقين في إطار تلك المرحلة من البطولة، موسم 2024/25.

اقرأ أيضًا | موعد والقناة الناقلة لمباراة برشلونة وبنفيكا اليوم في دوري أبطال أوروبا.. والمعلق

وحقق برشلونة فوزًا، بـ10 لاعبين، على بنفيكا في مباراة الذهاب الأسبوع الماضي، بهدف دون رد.

ويسعى برشلونة إلى تحقيق نتيجة إيجابية من أجل الحصول على بطاقة التأهل إلى دور ربع نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وسبق أن أجرى الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم، يويفا، مراسم قرعة مرحلتي ربع ونصف نهائي البطولة، حيث يعلم كل فريق مساره حتى النهائي.

وحسب القرعة، فإن المتأهل من برشلونة وبنفيكا سيلتقي مع المتأهل من صدام بوروسيا دورتموند وليل في دور الـ8.

طالع | تشكيل برشلونة أمام بنفيكا في دوري أبطال أوروبا.. موقف ليفاندوفسكي تشكيل برشلونة المتوقع أمام بنفيكا اليوم في دوري أبطال أوروبا

حراسة المرمى: تشيزني.

خط الدفاع: كوندي، أراوخو، إينيجو مارتينيز، بالدي.

خط الوسط: داني أولمو، فرينكي دي يونج، بيدري.

خط الوسط الهجومي: لامين يامال، رافينها.

خط الهجوم: روبرت ليفاندوفسكي.

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.

Tabraiz Shamsi replaces the Nepal legspinner in the Oval Invincibles squad

Matt Roller21-Jul-2021Sandeep Lamichhane has urged the ECB to give him “a clear answer” after visa issues ruled him out of the Oval Incincibles’ side for the inaugural season of the Hundred.In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Lamichhane said he was “extremely gutted” to miss the tournament – having previously been ruled out of the Vitality Blast at short notice because of similar reasons – and said that he had “followed all the instructions given to me by ECB officials”.ESPNcricinfo revealed on Monday that Lamichhane had been told that his £60,000 contract with Invincibles was in doubt despite the fact that he was close to completing his mandatory ten-day quarantine in London following his arrival from Nepal, and the ECB confirmed on Wednesday that he had been replaced in the squad by Tabraiz Shamsi.Related

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The Hundred timeline: How the ECB's new format came about

“When I applied for the Tier 5 visa, I was told that one Certificate of Sponsorship [COS] would be enough for my gig at Vitality Blast and the Hundred,” Lamichhane said. “Due to COVID-19 situation, there was a delay in my visa and Worcestershire pulled out but it was again communicated to me by officials that as long as I come into the UK before July 10, I would be okay as my COS was still active.”I came in the UK by July 9, had no issues whatsoever at the immigration and moved into the government managed quarantine facility to complete my quarantine. On July 18, two days before my quarantine completion, I was told by ECB that may visa is not valid and I have to leave the country ASAP. I have been asking what went wrong but apparently no-one at the ECB have the correct answer. I can totally understand that things can go south at any time, however I at least deserve a clear answer on why my valid visa is not valid anymore.”I left a lot to be part of this exciting tournament and totally pray and wish the best for all teams out there. I always got love from the lovely people of UK and I would urge ECB to look into the matter so that no-one else has to go through this ordeal. I can also feel for my people who were so looking forward to my participation in this amazing tournament. There will be better days ahead.”It is understood that while Lamichhane was able to enter the UK through a valid visa, that visa did not entitle him to play in the Hundred. He worked with the ECB to try and rectify the issue, but was told that the timeframe to re-apply would be too long for him to play in the competition.An ECB spokesperson told ESPNcricinfo: “We are really disappointed that Sandeep isn’t able to play in the first edition of the Hundred due to visa issues. We hope cricket fans will be able to see him in action in the competition in the future.”Shamsi, Lamichhane’s replacement, is the No. 1 T20I bowler in the world in the ICC’s rankings, and is expected to be available for six group games following South Africa’s series in Ireland. The Invincibles will field only two overseas player in the opening men’s match – Sunil Narine and Colin Ingram – with Middlesex’s Nathan Sowter likely to play in Lamichhane’s absence.Benjamin replaces injured Hose at Phoenix
Elsewhere, Birmingham Phoenix have suffered a late withdrawal from their men’s squad, with Adam Hose missing the tournament because of a foot injury. He has been replaced by the 22-year-old Warwickshire wicketkeeper-batter Chris Benjamin, who made 60 not out off 34 balls on his T20 debut for Birmingham Bears on Sunday and provides keeping back-up to Chris Cooke. The Phoenix expect Tom Abell, who has missed the last month with a hamstring injury, to play “a big part” in the tournament, though his availability for their opening game is unconfirmed.Daniel Vettori, the Phoenix men’s coach, said: “We’ve had a lot of good reports about Chris from our local contacts at Warwickshire and he played a fantastic innings on Sunday, which was even more impressive given that it was his senior debut. Whilst he is still very young, we want to build a squad that can grow together and consistently challenge for the Hundred title year after year.” Vettori’s backroom staff has also been boosted by the addition of Ian Bell as an additional assistant coach.Jamie Overton and Richard Gleeson’s withdrawals through injury have been confirmed, with Dan Douthwaite and Calvin Harrison signed by Manchester Originals as replacements. Brad Wheal, the Hampshire seamer, is a temporary replacement for Mark Wood at London Spirit. In the women’s competition, Hannah Baker has replaced Bethan Ellis at Welsh Fire and Northern Superchargers have signed Liz Russell as a temporary replacement for Helen Fenby.

Bangladesh bowling coach extends support to the beleaguered Liton Das, expects Mustafizur Rahman to have an impact soon

Mohammad Isam26-Oct-2021Ottis Gibson has urged the Bangladesh bowlers not to panic if – and possibly when – they come under the cosh from England’s big hitters during Wednesday’s T20 World Cup match in Abu Dhabi, explaining that the opponents’ aggressive style would offer chances for his side to pick up wickets.Related

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“We have to be on our A game if we want to challenge them and ultimately win the game,” Gibson, the team’s bowling coach, said. “We know that England are a very powerful batting line-up. The key is to be accurate with what we deliver, and back ourselves. We know they will come out hard, but they also give you chances.”The message is not to panic. Understand that you will get hit off a good ball. That’s their mentality. But they also give you opportunity to take wickets. We must be calm to execute our skills and plans, and considered about every ball we bowl.”England beat West Indies convincingly in their opening game but lost four wickets on their way to chasing down the paltry 56-run target in Dubai. Bangladesh have never faced England in T20Is, so they will bank a lot on Gibson’s knowledge of the opposition from his time working with them. But on the subject of “chances”, it is hard to forget how Bangladesh’s last match panned out, when Liton Das dropped Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Charith Asalanka at a crucial stage of the game.Bangladesh have dropped six catches in the tournament so far, but Gibson tried to play down the misses. “One or two catches get dropped in every cricket match. Obviously when the catches play a part in the result, it is highlighted more but we do a lot of catching practice,” he said. “When the guys are out in the middle under pressure, mistakes like catches going down happen. I won’t say it is a concern.”Gibson said that the coaching staff had been fully supportive of Liton, who has also been in the middle of a lean run with the bat, and was also fined for an argument with Lahiru Kumara during the game.”He is one of our best fielders. The fact that a couple of catches went down doesn’t diminish what he contributes to the team. Of course, anybody can drop a catch. It is highlighted because those catches, you can argue, contributed to the result,” Gibson said. “He has been one of our key players for a while. The reality is that any other fielder in that position could have dropped those catches as well. We remind him of his quality, and that he is a key player for us. We support the player, whether it is Liton Das or any other player.”Bangladesh also haven’t got the best from Mustafizur Rahman, who took a four-wicket haul against Oman, but has looked off-colour at times.”Fizz is a key bowler for us in any conditions. His cutters are more effective in Bangladesh but one thing I like about him is his ability to adjust to conditions very quickly,” Gibson said. “He is key especially in the backend of the innings, but he can also swing the ball back in now. We have worked very hard on it. He is a weapon for us with both the new and old ball.”

Stumps It is difficult to take issue with a day of Test match cricket when you win the toss, field first and bowl the opposition out within the day for 217, but West Indies will realise they might have easily have had a much firmer grasp on this Test match by now. It was an 85-run partnership between Fawad Alam, who top scored with 56, and Faheem Ashraf – two men who have spent varying periods of time out of this Test side for similarly unsatisfactory reasons – that appeared to have pulled Pakistan back to parity.But a self-destructive run-out with an hour to play allowed West Indies back in, and their quartet of quicks flicked the switch back, romping through the lower order to skittle Pakistan. They might, however, have done their job a bit too well at the end, because it forced the hosts into batting for an awkward four-over period. During that time, Mohammad Abbas prised out Kieran Powell and Nkrumah Bonner for ducks with characteristically glorious seam bowling, leaving West Indies wobbling at 2 for 2 overnight.The first two sessions set up the day for a grand finale, and much of the moving happened in those final two and a half hours. Alam and Ashraf were still getting their feet under the table in a budding little partnership of 23 as they walked out after tea, but a counterattacking knock from the allrounder saw Pakistan hurtle past 150. On a day when the run rate barely tiptoed past 2.25, 52 runs came off the first ten overs in that last session.Ashraf might be at pains to insist he is a bowling allrounder, but he averages over 50 with the bat since his return to the side in December last year. The belligerent pull in front of square and the elegant drive in front of cover were both in full flow, and when West Indies turned to their spinners to give the pacers a break, the runs flowed even more steadily. It appeared Ashraf had helped bail Pakistan out of a tight spot once more, but as the 100-run stand approached, the visitors offered West Indies a gift all wrapped up with a bow on it.Alam and Ashraf set off for an unnecessary single, chancing the arm of Roston Chase, whose shy caught Ashraf short of his crease. The wicket gave West Indies a second wind, and despite a brief cameo from Hasan Ali, the fast bowlers found the quality that had subdued Pakistan for much of the first two sessions, and blew through Alam and the tail. The last three fell without a run being scored after Jayden Seales had Hasan hole out on the onside, while Jason Holder broke through Alam’s defences and had Abbas edge one for a golden duck.Once Pakistan were put in to bat on a morning when showers were forecast, they began stodgily as a potent new ball pairing of Kemar Roach and Seales prowled. Abid Ali and Imran Butt were viewed as the Achilles heel of the visiting side’s batting line-up, and both fell cheaply, leaving the rebuild to Pakistan’s two best batters: Azhar Ali and Babar Azam.Fawad Alam and Faheem Ashraf shared a half-century stand•AFP/Getty Images

Roach and Seales – who now have two wickets each – found prodigious movement with the new ball, which they were careful not to waste. Captain Brathwaite had said yesterday his side had plans against each Pakistan player, and the way they went about dismantling the openers’ techniques suggested he had a point. Both were discomfited by deliveries that kept seaming back in of a length, and when the change-up from Roach targeted Butt’s stumps on the full, he was never in position to play the expansive drive he attempted. He found his off stump uprooted, and it had been coming.Abid had come off the back of an unbeaten double hundred against Zimbabwe, but against sterner opposition previously, his record remains remarkably mediocre. He got off to a streaky start with a thick outside edge that evaded the slips bringing him his first runs, but ever since, scoring opportunities were rarer than a dry day this series. Seales set him up with short deliveries through the over before pitching one up, and the Pakistan opener obliged by nicking it through to Joshua da Silva.Pakistan might have been content to lose just the two openers in the shortened first session, but in an extended second session in hot, humid conditions, West Indies ripped the spine out of the middle order. Their quartet of fast bowlers rose to the occasion, bowling expertly in partnerships – much more so than Pakistan batted in them.Azhar and Azam were removed within five deliveries of each other. Azhar in particular struggled dismally throughout an uncomfortable sojourn out in the middle, surviving no fewer than four reviews before finally nicking off to Holder. The next delivery Azam faced, he found Roach had beaten him on the inside edge, and when West Indies reviewed for a possible feather through to the keeper, Hawkeye supported their claim. All of a sudden, what had been a “nearly” session for Brathwaite’s side was transforming into a dominant one.It wasn’t ill-deserved, either. For the first 45 overs, the hosts stuck with the four pace bowlers, allowing them limited rest in oppressively humid conditions. Not for any extended period, though, was there a discernible let-up in intensity, a dropping of the shoulders or the pernicious creep-in of bad body language. The balls kept landing in the right areas, the pace didn’t fall away and Pakistan continued to be asked questions.Mohammad Rizwan would be the man to answer them, because Rizwan, apparently, does every job Pakistan require nowadays. His first ball was clipped away to midwicket for a boundary, and it soon became evident that that was how the wicketkeeper-batter would play. Seales was pulled away for four the first ball he bowled, and two further boundaries off the same bowler saw the run rate trend upwards.Rizwan fell shortly after, but it was during the Alam-Ashraf partnership, and the manic final hour which saw seven wickets fall that swung the game this way and that before leaving it finely poised overnight.

Barcelona's return their newly renovated Spotify Camp Nou has reportedly been delayed until February due to UEFA regulations.

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Barcelona's Camp Nou return delayed till FebruaryUEFA regulations postpone return dateWill become the fifth-largest stadium in the worldFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱GettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Following their record-breaking La Liga title win in the 2022-23 season, Barcelona announced that their home stadium Spotify Camp Nou would be undergoing a massive renovation. The Catalan club also announced that they would not return to the stadium in Les Corts until the 2024-25 season and would play at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in Montjuic, just outside the main city. Delays had hit the stadium last year, and Barcelona had announced their plans to return to the stadium by November end. However, the club has now informed their season ticket holders that the return has been pushed to February.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The club asserted that a UEFA regulation that forbade teams from switching stadiums during the first round of the Champions League was a significant contributing element. Barcelona will host Atalanta on January 29 in the last round of the new Champions League group stage. Barcelona cited the expense of simultaneously maintaining two locations as justification for delaying their domestic return to Camp Nou.

WHAT BARCELONA'S STATEMENT READ

In a statement to season ticket holders, Barcelona said: "Due to UEFA regulations preventing a change of stadium in the initial phase of the Champions League and the logistical difficulties and cost of maintaining two large capacity venues operational at the same time, the Club has decided to continue playing its home games at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys until the end of the initial phase of the Champions League.

"Therefore, the games against Valencia and Alaves in weeks 21 and 22 of La Liga, as well as the game in week eight of the Champions League against Atalanta will be played at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys."

Getty Images SportDID YOU KNOW?

As per the Daily Mail, Barcelona's renovation of the Spotify Camp Nou cost the club £1.25 billion ($1.58bn). The overhaul of the stadium will give Camp Nou a capacity of 105,000, making it the fifth-largest sports stadium in the world after Narendra Modi Stadium in India, Rungrado 1st of May Stadium in North Korea, Michigan Stadium and Beaver Stadium in the United States.

With Julen Lopetegui's first summer in charge at the London Stadium now well underway, West Ham United's new boss appears to have his eye on a number of new attacking players.

Hammers hope to bring in attacking reinforcements

With forward players the priority for the Hammers this summer, the club have already got one new player over the line in the form of Luis Guilherme. The Brazilian winger arrived at the London Stadium in a £25million move from Palmeiras.

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The Hammers are now looking to follow up the signing of Guilherme by bringing in a new centre forward. Recent rumours have seen West Ham linked with a move for Everton's Dominic Calvert-Lewin who could be sold this summer in order to satisfy the Toffees' ongoing financial struggles.

Another name in West Ham's sights is Eddie Nketiah who is said to be surplus to requirements at Arsenal this summer. The Hammers are said to be readying a move for the striker who could be available for as little as £25million during the transfer window.

With forward players high on the Hammers' shopping list, the club are now in talks to sign a sought-after talent from the Championship.

West Ham submit proposal for Leeds United star

As first reported on the X account of Fabrizio Romano, West Ham have submitted an initial proposal to sign Crysencio Summerville from Leeds United. Romano claims that talks have taken place on the player's side, however, an agreement is still some way from being reached.

The Dutch winger is in demand this summer after contributing 19 goals and nine assists in the regular Championship season last time out. Whilst Leeds fell at the final hurdle in their quest for Premier League football last term, Summerville could soon be playing his football in England's top flight next season.

Recent rumours have seen Newcastle United, Chelsea and Aston Villa all linked with a move for the 22-year-old with the Hammers now throwing their hat in the ring to bring the player to East London. This race for Summerville's signature is to be expected after the winger's exploits in West Yorkshire saw him earn the Championship's Player of the Season award.

Non-penalty goals

0.39

88th percentile

Assists

0.23

85th percentile

Shot-creating actions

6.10

99th percentile

Successful take-ons

2.52

91st percentile

Progressive carries

5.04

93rd percentile

Touches

6.59

97th percentile

Speaking on Summerville's displays in the second tier, Leeds boss Daniel Farke was quick to praise the player's performances telling the press:

"He is playing an outstanding season in terms of performances, end product and also his willingness to work for the team, to be there and deliver on a daily basis even in training, otherwise you can’t deliver consistency in this league.”

With a number of Premier League sides showing an interest in signing Summerville this summer, it could be a fight for the Hammers to get a deal over the line. Despite this, the Dutchman is no doubt a player who could be a quality addition to Lopetegui's side.

Crystal Palace and sporting director Dougie Freedman have now made contact with the agents of a £25m-rated forward to replace Michael Olise.

Crystal Palace transfer latest

The Eagles haven’t wasted any time in making preparations ahead of Oliver Glasner’s first full season at Selhurst Park, making centre-back Chadi Riad the first signing of the Glasner era. Speaking after completing his move earlier this month, the Morocco international said:

“I’m really happy to join Crystal Palace. I was interested in coming here because of the history of the club, and the league in which it plays. They have been telling me how they played this year and I think it complements perfectly the way I play. The club has high-level players who are young and I have come here to follow their same trajectory, to grow as they have grown.”

Next on course to arrive in London is Daichi Kamada, with the Japanese attacking midfielder set to be announced at the beginning of July. He was a free agent after leaving Lazio and has reportedly penned a two-year deal with Palace.

Alongside the incomings, there looks set to be at least one big outgoing, with Olise appearing to be close to a move to Bayern Munich. A deal worth more than £50m has been agreed with the Bundesliga giants, now managed by Vincent Kompany, with Palace in line to make a huge profit on the 22-year-old.

A replacement will be needed for the talented Olise, and it looks as if Palace have made the first move in acquiring one specific forward.

Crystal Palace make Antonio Nusa contact

According to journalist Sacha Tavolieri, Crystal Palace, and by extension Freedman, have been in contact with the representatives of Club Brugge forward Antonio Nusa over the last 48 hours.

Nusa is thought to be “top of the list at Crystal Palace” and is valued at €30m (£25m), with Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen also eyeing the situation.

This isn’t the first time the 19-year-old has been linked with a move to the Premier League, with a move to Tottenham falling through back in January. Brentford have also been name-checked as suitors for Nusa in 2024, but it appears as if Palace could be the side that secure his services this summer.

Primarily a left-winger who can also play on the right or as a second striker, Nusa is a Norway international and has made 82 senior appearances for his current club, scoring seven times and providing five assists.

That isn’t exactly a prolific return, but he has come in for plenty of praise from Norway teammate and Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard, who said previously:

“Fantastic! He is an incredibly exciting player. You see it every time he gets the ball, it’s exciting. He is still young and will get even better. It was cool to see him. He deserved to get the chance that he takes to such an extent. Incredibly cool.”