علق أحمد أشرف استشاري القلب والقسطرة وطب القلب الرياضي، على قرار اتحاد الكرة بشأن إقامة مباريات بطولة الدوري المصري في الرابعة عصراً.
وقال أحمد أشرف في تصريحات عبر قناة “أون تايم سبورتس”: “لا أجد مبرراً للعب المباريات الساعة الرابعة عصراً في هذا الطقس، الأمر قد يتسبب ليس فقط في ضربة شمس، بل للوفاة، والجماهير نفسها لو تعرضت لدرجة حرارة عالية سيتسبب هذا في مشاكل كبيرة نحن في غنى عنها”.
وأضاف: “أتمنى من الرابطة والمسؤولين أن يتخذوا قرارا حاسما في هذا الأمر، ولا بد أن يتم أخذ محاذير طبية، وإيقاف اللعب كل 15 دقيقة أو 30 دقيقة لتناول اللاعبين للمياه، والتنسيق مع استشاري التغذية في كل فريق، لكي يعطي اللاعبين بعض المشروبات تعوض ما فقدوه من السوائل”.
طالع أيضاً.. تقارير سعودية: أستون فيلا يرغب في ضم لاعب الهلال المتألق
وأوضح: “على اللاعب إذا شعر بأي عرض من الأعراض أن يطلب التدخل الطبي حتى لا يتعرض لأي مشكلة”.
وعن إصابة أحمد رفعت قال: “حالته تتحسن، وإن شاء الله قريبًا يُطمئن الجماهير على حالته بنفسه”.
وأتم: “ما زال الوقت مُبكرًا للحديث عن عودته للعب كرة القدم، تتابعه لجنة طبية، ونحن في مرحلة الإعداد للتأهيل، والإجابة على هذا السؤال ليست في الوقت الحالي”.
Chelsea's 2024 transfer plans are already taking real shape as a report shares some promising news on their bid to sign a striker for Mauricio Pochettino.
Who have Chelsea signed this season?
The Blues, lead by owner Todd Boehy, alongside co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, oversaw a summer transfer window of serious spending.
Indeed, Chelsea showcased true ambition with the additions of Christopher Nkunku, Axel Disasi, Nicolas Jackson, Lesley Ugochukwu, Robert Sanchez, Romeo Lavia, Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer, Djordje Petrovic, Angelo and Deivid Washington – who all joined the club for around £397 million.
To fund this business, many former squad members had to make way, with Kalidou Koulibaly, N'Golo Kante, Edouard Mendy, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Cesar Azpilicueta, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ethan Ampadu and Callum Hudson-Odoi all departing Stamford Bridge.
Pochettino's reign has well and truly begun with the aforementioned arrivals, though it hasn't exactly been the greatest of starts for the Argentine.
Losing to both West Ham and, most recently, Nottingham Forest; Chelsea's only win of the season to date has been a 3-0 victory over newly-promoted Luton Town.
The west Londoners also dropped points at home to Liverpool on the opening day, with defender Ben Chilwell saying there is still a lot of work to do.
"Very frustrating result and everyone is very disappointed in the changing room right now," explained Chilwell after their recent 1-0 loss to Forest at home.
"If you look at the stats we dominated the game, had the possession, but the most important stat is the goals. We lost in that department and lost the game, that is the black and white of it and we need to improve."
Will Chelsea sign a striker?
One position they didn't exactly shore up with a superstar was their striking position, despite links with the likes of Harry Kane and Napoli star Victor Osimhen.
The latter player, who has been in scintillating form for the past two years, has been repeatedly mentioned as a Chelsea transfer target by various sections of the media.
Osimhen is truly one of Europe's most deadly strikers right now, having scored 26 goals in 30 Serie A starts last season. The Nigeria international has continued in that vain this term; already bagging three goals in his first league games.
His signing would be a truly exciting one from Chelsea's perspective, and there has been a very promising bit of news concerning his possible arrival.
This comes courtesy of Football Transfers, who say Pochettino and co are "leading the race" to sign Osimhen over Premier League rivals Arsenal.
As they enter pole position for the 24-year-old, FT sources indicate that there is a "possibility that a deal may already have been agreed upon" with the player.
Presumably referring to personal terms, it appears Chelsea have taken quite the leap forward for Osimhen's signing just under two weeks after the summer window shut.
We believe the African superstar would be near-perfect to lead Pochettino's line, especially going by his imperious goal record and praise from Gianfranco Zola, who called him "devastating".
While relegation from the Premier League can result in a hangover, especially at the start of the season, Leicester City have got over theirs pretty quickly.
The Foxes are enjoying life back in the Championship and are the only club in the division to have a 100% record intact following victories over Coventry City, Huddersfield Town, Cardiff City and Rotherham United.
A key pattern has formed across their opening four matches and that is their ability to grind out results despite not being at their best.
Leicester have won each of their matches so far by a one-goal margin but given the quality at their disposal, perhaps it's only a matter of time before their attack explodes into life, and Hull City will be hoping it isn't against them on Saturday.
What's the latest Leicester team news?
Having made an impact in City's last two wins as a substitute, on loan Chelsea midfielder Cesare Casadei was rewarded with his first start of the season against Tranmere in the cup, and he certainly stamped his mark on proceedings.
The 20-year-old put in an impressive display, showcasing his ability to unlock defences by providing the assist for Wilfred Ndidi's second-half strike.
Leicester manager Enzo Maresca.
This performance has earmarked him as a potential starter against Hull as Leicester rested a whole host of key personnel on Tuesday night, including Kasey McAteer, Jannik Vestegaard, Mads Hermansen and Kelechi Iheanacho.
While Enzo Maresca is likely to shuffle that quartet back into the starting XI against Hull, the performance of defensive midfielder Hamza Choudhury has provided Maresca with a selection headache.
After anchoring the midfield with Harry Winks for the most part and excelling in the areas he is known for, making slide tackles, intercepting play between the lines and blocking shots, Choudhury could have forced his way into Maresca's reckoning.
Will Hamza Choudhury start against Hull City?
During Leicester's final three campaigns in the Premier League, Choudhury only managed 16 appearances and last season he enjoyed a productive loan spell at Watford, featuring 36 times in the Championship.
The 25-year-old, who was once described as "outstanding" by former manager Brendan Rodgers, still has a lot to give at this level and under the guidance of the Italian, can quickly become an important figure at the heart of the Foxes midfield.
With regular opportunities, the tackling machine and excellent interceptor can offer Leicester something different to the technically astute Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Harry Winks and Casadei.
Former Watford loanee Hamza Choudhury.
More importantly, however, he could come into the team at the expense of the aforementioned Ndidi, who would no doubt have been distracted by recent speculation surrounding a potential move to Nottingham Forest before the transfer deadline last night.
During his spell at the Hornets last season, Choudhury excelled at the base of their midfield, as Ndidi has throughout the years for the Foxes, and he reined in the plaudits for his ability to sniff out danger, stop the opposition in their tracks and manoeuvre possession to the explosive Joao Pedro and Ismaila Sarr.
When compared to his positional peers in the 2022/23 Championship season, Choudhury excelled defensively, ranking in the top 1% for interceptions per 90 (2.40), top 3% for tackles per 90 (3.20) and the top 11% for shots blocked (0.53) while his ability to progress possession shouldn't be understated, finishing in the top 13% for pass completion (82.9%), as per FBref.
While these stats are perhaps an inclination that Watford faced more attacks than Leicester would, there is no doubt that Maresca's side have been missing the bite of Choudhury in their midfield.
The former England U21 international would help reinforce their engine room with more steel and provide the Foxes with an opportunity to keep more clean sheets, having conceded in three of their four league matches so far.
For all of their technicians and attacking flair, it's just as important to have a player who can complement their attacking prowess with an ability to win the ball back and give it to those players higher up the pitch.
This was a point that has been echoed previously by current Hull manager Liam Rosenior. During his time working as a pundit for Sky Sports, he covered the England U21's European Championships in 2019 and heaped praise on Choudhury during this tournament.
He said: "He's been absolutely outstanding at this all season, he's someone who I first really enjoyed watching at Burton on loan and I didn't know if he was going to break into Leicester's team but credit to Claude Peul, credit Brendan Rodgers, I love seeing young players get chances and he is so important to this England team because they have nobody else there to win the ball back."
"You look at Manchester City when Fernandinho is out of the team, they're not the same team. Those ball-winning midfield players who can dictate the ball and make passes into forward areas are crucial. Choudhury has that role."
If Choudhury can reach the ceiling that his formative years promised, then Leicester can quickly forget about Ndidi and unleash their midfield beast onto the rest of the Championship.
Liverpool have now turned to Crystal Palace midfielder Cheick Doucoure as their main midfield target in the No.6 role this summer, but it will take a lot of money to sign him.
What's happening with Liverpool's midfield?
The Reds' summer started in positive fashion when it came to midfield reinforcements, with Alexis Mac Allister arriving from Brighton, and Dominik Szoboszlai coming in from RB Leipzig.
Since then, however, things have gone badly in the middle of the park, with Fabinho and Jordan Henderson allowed to leave for Saudi Arabia, but no replacements coming in yet. Not only that, but they have had to sit and watch both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia choose Chelsea over them in recent days, which has been a bitter pill to swallow.
Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…
There is now a genuinely desperate need for Liverpool to sign at least one new defensive midfield before Saturday's Premier League clash with Bournemouth at Anfield, and it looks as though their new biggest target has been found, following an important new update.
According to The Independent's reliable Miguel Delaney, it is Doucoure who Liverpool are now looking at as their primary No.6 target this summer:
"Liverpool are stepping up their efforts to sign Crystal Palace midfielder Cheick Doucoure. Jurgen Klopp has insisted on a number six to bolster his squad after missing out on Moises Caicedo to Chelsea, with Romeo Lavia set to follow the Ecuadorian to Stamford Bridge.
"The Anfield club have had to search for alternative options, with Doucoure likely to be cheaper than both previous targets. Doucoure’s final price could come in at under £60 million, although Palace are wary of losing too many players this summer."
While the disappointment of failing to sign Caicedo and Lavia has been clear among the Liverpool fanbase, it is encouraging to see the club acting fast to sign an alternative as soon as possible.
Doucoure is someone who could end up being an inspired choice if the move is completed, having caught the eye for Palace in his first season at the club, starting 34 Premier League games and averaging 2.3 tackles per match. Compatriot Seko Fofana has called him "incredibly complete" and he won Palace's Player of the Season award last term.
In last Saturday's 1-0 win away to Sheffield United on the opening day of the new campaign, the Malian completed three key passes and won two tackles, highlighting the quality of his all-round game and the positive attributes he could bring to a Liverpool side so badly in need of fresh legs in the No.6 position.
If the Reds can sign Doucoure, potentially bring in another midfielder and also sign a left-sided centre-back, it will complete a good summer overall, despite the various negatives that have arrived along the way.
Sunday's 1-1 draw away to Chelsea showed just how much Liverpool need an expert sitting midfielder, with Alexis Mac Allister doing well there but far more effective higher up the pitch, and if that isn't addressed sooner rather than later, Jurgen Klopp's men could quickly find themselves losing early ground on the top teams around them battling for European football.
Journalist Rudy Galetti has shared news on Arsenal and their links to high-earning Man City defender Joao Cancelo, who is also a target for Barcelona.
Who will Arsenal sign next?
Brentford goalkeeper David Raya, after drawn out talks with the Bees over a deal, is next on the list to join Arsenal after both sides agreed a season-long loan deal with the option to buy.
Indeed, sporting director Edu Gaspar appears to have struck a fantastic agreement for the north Londoners, as manager Mikel Arteta will be getting his hands on a brilliant shot-stopper for an initial £3 million loan fee.
Arsenal's option to buy at the end of the new season is rumoured to be set at £27 million, which comes as a big coup for the club, with Raya joining winger Kai Havertz, defender Jurrien Timber and club-record signing Declan Rice.
The Gunners' total window outlay exceeds £200 million, and they may need to balance the books if any other new signings are on the agenda before September 1.
Folarin Balogun, who continues to attract interest from the likes of Inter Milan and Monaco, comes as one potentially high-profile departure while Nicolas Pepe is thought to have agreed a move to Turkey.
Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE..
It will be interesting to see if Arsenal do generate enough money through player sales to go back into the market, with there being a belief they're still keen on Cancelo from Man City.
That is according to journalist Galetti, who has shared an update on the £250,000-per-week defender.
The reporter claims Arsenal are still keen on Cancelo, with Barcelona putting the player at the very top of their transfer wishlist for Xavi.
However, if they're to move for the former Bayern Munich loanee, Arsenal will need to offload players first – otherwise we can consider their summer business "done".
"On paper, Arsenal are still interested in him," wrote Galetti for Tribal Football.
"But, without important exits in that role, the incoming market of the Gunners – apart from the goalkeeper issue – has to be considered completed. Barcelona, at the same time, remain attentive to the Portuguese player: the Spanish club put Joao at the top of the list as a new possible right-back, as Xavi appreciates him a lot."
What's been said about Joao Cancelo?
joao-cancelo
The 29-year-old was once an untouchable member of Pep Guardiola's starting eleven at City, having played a key role in multiple title wins.
Eastlands legend Paul Dickov, speaking back in 2021 during the peak years of Cancelo's career at the club, called him the "best full back" in world football.
"He’s been outstanding. He’s assisting and scoring goals himself and for me he’s the best full-back, in terms of creating stuff, and how important he is to the team,” Dickov said.
"We’ve got some of the best players in the world in their positions and to not be relying on one player is remarkable. With the ability to finish too, that's unique."
If Arsenal were to move for the right-back, depending on outgoings, Arteta could potentially help to reignite that past form – though it remains to be seen if they'll step up their interest.
كشف حسام البدري المدير الفني الأسبق لـ منتخب مصر عن تلقيه عرضًا لتدريب الزمالك في وقت سابق، موضحًا موقفه من العودة للعمل في الأهلي في المستقبل.
وقال حسام البدري في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة “إم بي سي مصر”: “عليّ أن أصمت لأن الزمالك نادي كبير، ولكن سأقول إن تدريب القطبين يكون لـ أولاد النادي، وطبعًا الاحتراف موجود ولكني أهلاوي ومرتبط بالقلعة الحمراء وجمهورها”.
وتابع: “هناك مدربون زملكاوية متميزين للغاية، ولكن هناك فترة طويلة عشناها داخل الأندية، وتلقيت عرضًا من الزمالك في وقت سابق أثناء تواجد مرتضى منصور”.
واستطرد: “وقت تلقي العرض أكدت على كلامي هذا، وأن كل نادي أولى بـ أبناءه، في أغلب الأوقات الماضية كنت مرتبطًا بـ تواجدي مع أندية خارجية في الجزائر وتونس ولا أقول للأهلي لا”.
وأكمل: “من الصعب أن أتواجد في منصب المدرب العام بالأهلي، ولكني لا أتأخر عنه حال تلقى أي عرض، وبالتأكيد ستكون هناك منطقية في العرض المقدم”.
حسام البدري: أنا أفضل من حسام حسن.. وعلاقتي بـ محمد صلاح كانت مميزة
وأوضح: “علاقتي مع محمود الخطيب مستمرة وهناك تواصل دائم بيني وبينه، هو رمز للأهلي ورئيس للنادي، وجميع اللاعبين القدامي يتواصلون معه”.
وزاد: “كولر يقدم أداءً جيدًا مع الأهلي ولكن أحيانًا لديه مشكلة في التغييرات واختيار بعض العناصر خاصة في مركز المهاجم”.
وواصل: “في مباراة مازيمبي وجدنا أداءً جيدًا من وسام أبو علي، والأخير يشبه في أسلوبه وليد أزارو مهاجم الأهلي الأسبق ولديه ملامح متشابهة في السرعة والقوة، والمهاجم الفلسطيني لديه ميزات جيدة للغاية”.
وأردف: “هناك أيضًا أحمد عبد القادر، هو لاعب مميز وجيد، ولكن يجب أن نعطي للمدرب مساحة لأن كل لاعب له أسلوب مختلف في التعامل معه”.
واختتم: “إذا كنت أمتلك عبد الله السعيد وإمام عاشور ولدي مباراة مهمة على ملعبي فسأدفع بـ عبد الله لأنه يجيد اللعب في مركز صانع الألعاب وهو أفضل من أفشة”.
Newcastle United are closing in on a deal for Harvey Barnes after reaching an agreement for Allan Saint-Maximin to leave, and now a new update has emerged on the club's next potential transfer target.
Are Newcastle signing Jesper Lindstrom?
According to German news outlet Frankfurter Rundschau (via Sport Witness), Newcastle are one of the clubs interested in signing Eintracht Frankfurt's Jesper Lindstrom this summer.
As per the report, the Magpies are claimed to be particularly keen on the player, but are competing with Juventus and Arsenal to secure the services of Lindstrom.
It is noted that the Bundesliga club will command a fee of up to €35m (£30m) to part ways with their versatile winger and Newcastle are expected to step up their interest after the sale of Saint-Maximin is completed.
Who is Jesper Lindstrom?
The 23-year-old has been plying his trade with Eintracht Frankfurt and has already been a huge success on the European stage following a Europa League win in 2022, as well as tallying up nine caps and one goal for the Denmark national team.
Lindstrom offers wide versatility in his positioning but is predominantly deployed as an attacking midfielder, where he has had a huge impact at Frankfurt, however, has also made appearances on the left wing, central midfield and in a second striker role too.
Over 77 appearances for his German club, the Danish dynamo – once hailed as "outstanding" by teammate Kevin Trapp – has scored 14 goals and registered 13 assists, with a goal contribution every 185 minutes so far.
As a result, the signing of Lindstrom could be a great opportunity for Eddie Howe to add a player with a wealth of experience and success in European tournaments, as well as bolster the attacking options available next season.
Beyond his goal-scoring abilities, Lindstrom is a huge creative presence; ranking in the top 20% of his positional peers in the Bundesliga last season for progressive carries, tackles won in the defensive third and successful take-ons that have led to goals, displaying strong ball-winning attributes.
Should Newcastle make a concrete move for Lindstrom this summer he could be the perfect partner for Barnes, who is thought to be the direct successor for Saint-Maximin. Indeed, his ball-carrying capabilities and chance creation in the final third could be extremely useful to the Leicester City winger.
Whilst Barnes is a prolific finisher in front of goal, scoring 13 times last campaign, his weakness lies in his ball retention and ball-winning efforts, with the Foxes goal-scorer ranking in the bottom 25% of his positional peers for pass completion, successful take-ons, tackles and interceptions, as per FBref.
Utilising Lindstrom's clear strengths in all that Barnes lacks in his game would provide the Magpies with a full-proof attacking threat and will allow their new potential new signing to focus on what he does best – scoring goals.
With that being said, it would be interesting to see if Newcastle do make a concrete move for Lindstrom this summer, as he would definitely bring something different to the current attacking personnel that Howe has at St James' Park.
The Anil Kumble-led panel believe teams should not lose a review if an lbw appeal returns an umpire’s call verdict
ESPNcricinfo staff25-May-2017
Teams can look forward to not losing their reviews for lbw if DRS returns an umpire’s call verdict•Getty Images
An umpire’s call finding on a review may soon cost teams a review. The ICC cricket committee, headed by India coach Anil Kumble, recommended on Thursday that teams do not lose reviews in those instances where an umpire’s call comes into play. And if the ICC chief executives’ committee approves it, the change could come into effect this October.Currently, sides are allowed two unsuccessful reviews in the first 80 overs of a Test innings, and one per innings in ODIs. If a review is successful, they do not lose it.The ICC cricket committee
Anil Kumble, chairman
Andrew Strauss, past player representative
Mahela Jayawardene, past player representative
Rahul Dravid, current player representative
Former FICA head Tim May, current player representative
Darren Lehmann, Full Member coach representative
Kevin O’Brien, Associate representative
Clare Connor, Women’s cricket representative
Former WI batsman Adrian Griffiths
NZC CEO David White, Full Member representative
Shaun Pollock, Media representative
Richard Kettleborough, Umpires representative
Ranjan Madugalle, Referees’ representative
John Stephenson, MCC Head of Cricket
Statistician David Kendix, who formulates the ICC’s rankings
LBW decisions, in particular, will be affected. The benefit of doubt in a DRS call goes to the on-field umpire’s original call. Therefore, if they give a batsman out leg-before and it is challenged, then the third umpire has to uphold the on-field judgment if projections show half the ball hitting a zone that stretches from the outside edge of the off stump to the outside edge of the leg stump. This is the margin of error afforded to the “umpire’s call”.Now, after a two-day meeting, former international captains Kumble, Rahul Dravid, Mahela Jayawardene, current Australia coach Darren Lehmann, ECB director of cricket Andrew Strauss, umpire Richard Kettleborough among others are agreed that if an lbw review comes back with a verdict of umpire’s call, the team that called the review should not be penalised.If this system is put in place, however, sides will not have their reviews topped up at 80 overs, as currently happens.There were several other recommendations made by the group that met in London on May 23 and 24. If the ICC’s chief executives committee approves them, they could become laws starting October 1.DRS in T20 InternationalsCurrently there is no provision for the system, but several players, including most recently England’s Joe Root, have advocated for the move considering one decision can change the course of a match in the shortest format. Earlier this year, the Pakistan Super League used DRS for three matches, thought to be the first time DRS had been used in T20s at franchise or international level. The ICC had been hopeful of bringing the system to T20Is in October 2017.Concussion substitutes The committee wanted the ICC’s member countries to run a two-year trial on the use of concussion substitutes. Australia had experimented with it in their last domestic season and had been lobbying the ICC to include it in international cricket as well. Tony Irish, the head of the Federation of Cricketers’ Association, has been vocal in this regard as well, saying “We see this as an important health and safety issue for players and believe that cricket is behind other sports in dealing with it.”Red cards for players The MCC in March had proposed the move to regulate behavior at the lower levels of cricket and the ICC cricket committee was in favour of bringing it to internationals as well. They wanted umpires to be empowered to force players off the field “in response to the most serious incidents of player misconduct, such as violence on the field.”Monitoring no-balls The third umpire should be deputised to call no-balls off the instant replays. The ICC cricket committee came to this conclusion after reviewing footage from a trial held in England during their ODI series against Pakistan last year.Run-outs proposal As it stands now, a batsman is dismissed if, after dragging his bat past the crease, it pops up at the point where the bails are broken. But the committee said once the bat is in and grounded, the batsman is safe, even if it bounces up later.Finally, the committee was unanimous in wanting a Test championship, supported the push to include cricket in the Olympics and restricting the edges and the depth of bats to bring better balance in the game.
The Committee of Administrators has stated in its report that the BCCI and state associations have not adhered to any of the steps they were supposed to implement by the two set of deadlines set by the Lodha Committee
ESPNcricinfo staff05-Mar-2017
The CoA scrutinised the BCCI CEO’s report about the Lodha Committee’s recommendations, and submitted its observations to the Supreme Court•AFP
The Committee of Administrators (CoA) submitted its first status report to the Supreme Court on Saturday, saying the BCCI and the state associations have not yet complied with even one of the steps that had to be implemented to meet the timelines set by the Lodha Committee.The CoA, appointed by the Supreme Court in January, recorded in its report the two sets of timelines set by the Lodha Committee, the status for the same submitted by BCCI CEO Rahul Johri on February 10, and its own observations on the implementation of recommendations. Against each of the 15 steps set for the board, the CoA remarked, “Step not complied with”. The Supreme Court will hear the matter for these on Monday.The state associations have been asked to hold fresh elections, and among them, only Vidarbha, Tripura and Hyderabad have done so. On the status of other recommendations, Johri stated the appointment of an ethics officer and ombudsman could happen only once newly elected members from the state associations take part in a BCCI meeting to form an apex council. Johri stated that the appointment of the ethics officer and the scope of the ombudsman’s role will be an amendment to the BCCI constitution, which needs to be passed by a 3/4th majority resolution.The first set of timelines ranged from September 30, 2016 to October 15, 2016 and included recommendations on the adoption of a new memorandum and rules and regulations by the BCCI, the amendment of constitutions by state associations, amendments to certain IPL codes of conduct, and the implementation of the one-state-one-vote policy to be followed by Gujarat and Maharashtra, which have more than one state association.In the status for these submitted by Johri, the CEO said the new memorandum and rules and regulations were “not implemented” because the “BCCI members in their meeting need to accept this with 3/4th majority as per present rules”. Even though the state associations, barring Tripura and Vidarbha, had not amended their constitutions, Johri stated certain state units had declared they would do so and had communicated directly with the Lodha Committee.Regarding the amendments to IPL rules – including the code of conduct for players and team officials, the anti-corruption code, anti-racism code, and the operational rules – Johri said the amendments were agreed upon during the BCCI’s special general meeting in September last year, but the minutes of the meeting were yet to be approved. Amendments to certain rules in the IPL were also dependent on the appointment of a disciplinary committee by the ethics officer, ombudsman and CEO. Regarding the one-state-one-vote policy, the status merely said “yet to be formulated”, without any explanation. The deadline for each of the above steps was September 30, 2016.The second set of deadlines ranged from November 15 to December 30 and featured recommendations on elections for state associations, elections to the apex council of BCCI, the board’s annual general meeting, and appointments of the ethics officer and ombudsman, creation of IPL governing council and the appointment of the management under the new rules.Johri stated that elections to the apex council and the appointment of the ethics officer and ombudsman could happen only once state bodies had amended their constitutions and held fresh elections, after which elected members would represent their respective state associations in a BCCI meeting to then form the apex council.
Newcastle United have already completed their first summer signing with Sandro Tonali joining the club ahead of next season and now a new update has emerged on the club's next potential transfer target.
Will Newcastle sign Goncalo Inacio?
According to Football Insider, Newcastle remain keen on signing Sporting CP defender Goncalo Inacio this summer.
As per the report, the Magpies are hoping they can seal the deal for a cut-price fee instead of paying the talented centre-back's €60m (£51m) release clause.
It is claimed that Eddie Howe is keen to bolster key areas of his squad this summer to ensure Newcastle can compete in Europe and it is believed that Inacio is seen as a long-term investment for the club.
How good is Goncalo Inacio?
There is no doubt that Howe will be wanting to strengthen his squad ahead of the club's long-awaited return to Champions League football, and the acquisition of Tonali is a testament to the coach's desire to add some much-needed European experience.
Indeed, the likes of Sven Botman, Kieran Trippier, Alexander Isak and Bruno Guimaraes have all earned opportunities to play on the elite European stage before their time at St James' Park, however, it would be advantageous to add more experience in key roles.
As a result, the signing of Inacio could not only be a great chance to add another player with Champions League experience but also offers Howe a youthful prospect he can develop and polish to become his next defensive prodigy.
Fabian Schar is now 31 years old and potentially reaching the latter stages of his career, so identifying a worthy successor in his role and a player who can form a successful centre-back partnership with Botman will be a priority for Howe in the not-so-distant future.
As per FBref, Inacio – hailed a "sensation" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig – ranks in the top 5% of his positional peers across the men's next eight leagues for shot-creating actions, successful take-ons, progressive carries, progressive passes, pass completion and assists, demonstrating that he is a confident ball-winner with no trouble providing attacking opportunities to his teammates.
Despite being only 21 years old, the Portuguese youngster has already tallied up 122 appearances for Sporting as a first-team regular and due to his impressive development has more recently earned a spot in his national team, with Roberto Martinez handing his debut to the defender in the UEFA Euro qualifying fixtures back in March 2023.
The left-footed Sporting star boasts several similarities to Botman in his style of play and when comparing their output last season the pair came close in a number of key attributes including aerial duels won (60.2% v 65.2%), tackles won (23 v 24), successful take-ons (85% v 100%) and pass completion (89.6% v 86.5%).
With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for Howe to bolster his defensive options this summer and bringing in a player like Inacio who has similar qualities to Botman could double up their threatening presence when playing out from the back and ultimately make the side unstoppable in their pursuit for success.