Wolverhampton Wanderers are now expected to make an offer for an “unstoppable” striker imminently, but a deal could amount to €50m (£43m), according to a report.

Wolves remain keen on strengthening attacking options

Despite already adding the likes of Jhon Arias, Fer Lopez and Jorgen Strand Larsen to his squad permanently this summer, Vitor Pereira remains keen on bringing in another centre-forward, which could raise concerns about the Norwegian striker’s future.

However, reporter Liam Keen has been quick to point out the Old Gold retain their hardline stance, despite interest from one of their Premier League rivals, saying: “Wolves wanting to sign a striker does not mean they will sell Jorgen Strand Larsen, however.

“The Norwegian is wanted by Newcastle but Wolves’ stance remains that he is not for sale.”

"We’ll see…" – Wolves hold talks over deal for Spain international

He was wanted by Premier League clubs in January.

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Henry Jackson

Aug 9, 2025

The 25-year-old was a reliable source of goals for Pereira’s side last season, finding the back of the net 14 times in 35 Premier League outings, so it is good news that there are no plans to cash-in this summer.

However, another striker could also be on his way to Molineux, with it recently being revealed Wolves are now looking at a move for FC Nantes’ Matthis Abline, and there has now been a new update on their pursuit of the Frenchman.

According to a report from Le Parisien (via Sport Witness), Wolverhampton Wanderers are now expected to make an offer for Abline imminently, but it could be a costly operation, with the French side holding out for a fee of €50m (£43m).

There may also be competition for the centre-forward’s signature, with FC Paris also keen, although the newly-promoted Ligue 1 side do not plan to offer more than €20m – €25m (£17m – £22m).

Paris’ unwillingness to shell out the full asking price should be encouraging for Wolves, although it is also unclear whether they are willing to pay £43m to get a deal done.

"Unstoppable" Abline could excel at Molineux

Journalist Andres Onrubia Ramos spoke very highly of the 22-year-old forward, saying: “It’s unbelievable that a striker with Abline’s talent isn’t in a European top flight. He’s one of the few things that’s redeemable from France’s U21 match against Portugal so far.

“His technique is extremely refined, he’s unstoppable when he gets going, and he can play as a number 9 and on the right.”

Not only that, but the France U21 international enjoyed his best campaign to date in the 2024-25 season, picking up 11 goals and two assists in 36 matches for Nantes in all competitions, which indicates he could be capable of kicking on at Molineux.

That said, given that Pereira already has Larsen at his disposal, signing a new striker shouldn’t be a priority, and it may now be time to strengthen at centre-back, considering the Old Gold shipped a whopping 69 Premier League goals last season.

MatériaMais Notícias

Oito jogadores investigados na Operação Penalidade Máxima foram alvos de um pedido de suspensão preventiva da Procuradoria-Geral do STJD, segundo informações do portal “ge”. A solicitação da punição, que é de 30 dias, agora está nas mãos de Otávio Noronha, presidente do Superior Tribunal de Justiça Despotiva.

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A procuradoria do STJD pediu a suspensão preventiva de Eduardo Bauermann (Santos), Moraes (Aparecidense, ex-Juventude), Gabriel Tota (do Ypiranga-RS, ex-Juventude), Paulo Miranda (Náutico, ex-Juventude), Igor Cariús (Sport, ex-Cuiabá), Matheus Gomes (ex-Sergipe), Fernando Neto (São Bernardo, ex-Operário-PR) e Kevin Lomonaco (Red Bull Bragantino). Ao todo, seis jogadores dessa lista foram denunciados pelo Ministério Público de Goiás.

Lomonaco e Moraes assumiram a culpa, fizeram acordo com o MP-GO, viraram testemunhas e não foram denunciados. Porém, eles foram inseridos na denúncia da procuradoria do STJD.

+ Todos os jogos do Brasileirão você encontra no Prime Video. Assine já e acompanhe o seu time do coração!

Os jogadores foram denunciados no Superior Tribunal de Justiça Despotiva pelos artigos 243 e 243 A do Código Brasileiro de Justiça Desportiva, que fala em “atuar, deliberadamente, de modo prejudicial à equipe que defende e “atuar, de forma contrária à ética desportiva, com o fim de influenciar o resultado de partida, prova ou equivalente”.

Assim, os acusados podem pegar uma suspensão de até 720 dias, além de multa de até R$ 100 mil. Caso algum deles seja reincidente, a punição pode ser o banimento do futebol.

ENTENDA O CASO

A investigação sobre suspeita de manipulação de resultados visando lucro em apostas esportivas teve início em novembro do ano passado. O mandatário do Vila Nova, Jorge Hugo Bravo, descobriu que jogadores do clube vinham sendo aliciados por um grupo de apostadores antes da partida contra o Sport pela Série B. O dirigente juntou provas da tentativa de manipulação e procurou os promotores que combatem o crime organizado no estado.

A investigação iniciada pelo MP-GO listou pelo menos 13 partidas com suspeita de esquema de manipulação. Segundo o site do órgão, oito jogos seriam da Série A do Campeonato Brasileiro de 2022, além de um da Série B e quatro em estaduais neste ano.

Liverpool and Everton played out an eventful Merseyside derby at Anfield on Saturday, with the hosts taking maximum points from a 2-1 victory. In the process, Toffees' boss David Moyes set an unwanted Premier League record, as Idrissa Gueye's 58th minute strike was not enough to salvage a point after first half goals from Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike.

• Liverpool make it five wins out of five

  Liverpool didn't require late fireworks to secure a win in Saturday's Merseyside derby against Everton, with Arne Slot's side maintaining their perfect start to the Premier League. The visitors threatened to ruin the afternoon for the Reds following a second-half strike from Gueye, but that was all Moyes' men managed to manufacture. As a result, the veteran Scot unwittingly set an unwanted record.

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  Winless at Anfield

  Following the defeat, Moyes set a Premier League record for the most games at a single stadium without securing a win, with a total of 21 matches. Of those 21 visits to Anfield, the former Manchester United and West Ham boss has lost 15 times, while the other six finished all square. 

  It was also the first time in 88 years that Liverpool managed to record a streak of five successive home wins against their cross-city rivals. 

• Alexander Isak in Ekitike's shadow

  Securing a move to Liverpool after a British record transfer fee of £125 million (€145m/$169m), many expected Alexander Isak to dethrone Ekitike as the team's first-choice No.9. However, the young French forward's showing on Saturday proved that he won't give up his slot all that easily. 

  In what was a big surprise, head coach Slot decided to bench the two record-breaking signings in Isak and Florian Wirtz, with Ekitike getting the nod. The ex-Frankfurt man repaid Slot's faith and scored his team's second goal, taking his Premier League tally to three goals in five games.

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  Who are Liverpool's next opponents?

  Slot's troops will lock horns with Southampton in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday, before their trip to Selhurst Park in a match against Crystal Palace four days later.

Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva has been linked with a free transfer to Juventus at the end of the season. The Portuguese international could follow in the footsteps of his former team-mate Kevin De Bruyne, who joined Serie A side Napoli on a free transfer in the summer. However, Silva is keeping his options open, with the possibility of a return to Portugal also on the table, and has yet to make a decision on his future.

Juventus’ interest in Silva

According to , Juventus are exploring a move for the Manchester City star on a free transfer in the summer of 2026. The Bianconeri have reportedly contacted the midfielder’s entourage to discuss the possibility of a switch to Turin, with his contract set to expire at the end of the season.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSilva's excellent City career

The Portuguese midfielder joined City from Monaco in the summer of 2017. A key figure in Pep Guardiola’s squad, Silva has scored 72 goals and registered 74 assists in 411 appearances. During his time at the club, he played a pivotal role in securing City’s maiden Champions League triumph in 2023 as well as six Premier League titles. Recognising his influence, Guardiola appointed Silva as club captain following the departure of Kevin De Bruyne.

Alternative options for SIlva

Juventus are not Silva’s only option, as City are working to tie down their captain with a contract extension. Should they fail to reach an agreement, Portuguese side Benfica are prepared to welcome him back, with the midfielder having come through their academy before his move to Monaco.

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Getty Images SportSilva's Napoli challenge

Silva is in no rush to decide his future, as his immediate focus remains on City’s Champions League clash with Napoli later today, with Guardiola's side aiming to secure their second title in the competition.

With less than two weeks until the end of the summer transfer window, Celtic have now reportedly reached an agreement in principle to sign an attacking target for Brendan Rodgers.

Celtic still chasing reinforcements

Even after another flawless start to the Scottish Premiership campaign, defending champions Celtic are still on the hunt for reinforcements this month. The Bhoys will be well aware of just how important it is to build whilst on top and even though the likes of Benjamin Nygren represent that ambition, there’s still room for more fresh faces.

One of the players who has found himself on Celtic’s radar as of late is Jamie Vardy. The former Leicester City forward thrived under Rodgers at the King Power and could now reunite with his old manager now that he has left the Foxes as a free agent.

Even at 38 years old, Vardy would still have plenty to offer the current Celtic side both on and off the pitch. Just last season, the Premier League veteran scored 10 goals in all competitions as a struggling Leicester side suffered relegation. Any concerns that he wouldn’t be able to leave his mark on the Scottish Premiership should, therefore, be put to rest.

Vardy’s not the only target on Celtic’s radar, however, and it looks as though they’re now edging closer and closer to finally welcoming a long-term target.

Celtic reach agreement in principle for Balikwisha

According to Sacha Tavolieri, Celtic have now reached an agreement in principle to sign Michel-Ange Balikwisha from Royal Antwerp. As ever with the winger, though, the deal is far from simple. As per Tavolieri, even though that agreement has been reached and a medical was scheduled, there remains internal issues that need solving before Balikwisha can become a Celtic player at long last.

It’s somewhat of a groundhog day for Celtic fans, who were denied the chance to welcome Balikwisha last season when he suffered an untimely injury.

Related Idah upgrade: Rodgers would love Celtic to sign "world class" star for free

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Posts ByBen Gray Aug 19, 2025

Now, one year on, it looks as though there are other issues standing in the way of any deal becoming official. Whether that finally changes in the next 11 days is the big question.

Cricket Australia calls the rating a “step in the right direction” for surfaces at the venue

Andrew McGlashan08-Jan-2025

It was the third-shortest Test (with a result) in Sydney in terms of balls bowled•Getty Images

The SCG pitch for the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against India, which was dominated by pace bowlers who gained lavish seam movement and some uneven bounce, has been rated “satisfactory” by the ICC match referee, and Cricket Australia has termed it a “step in the right direction” for surfaces at the venue.The groundsman used a new variety of grass for this season’s Test pitch, having trialled it during last summer’s Sheffield Shield, and it resulted in the third-shortest Sydney Test of all time – with an outright result – based on deliveries bowled. Only two half-centuries were scored, one from debutant Beau Webster and the other a stunning 33-ball counterattack by Rishabh Pant.Australia opener Usman Khawaja called the pitch a “stinker” after the game, but his captain Pat Cummins said he would rather conditions tilt towards helping the bowlers, even though his team only needed a draw to win the series, while India coach Gautam Gambhir went further and said such pitches were important for the future of Test cricket.Related

Stats: Third-shortest Test in Sydney

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However, former Australia captain Michael Clarke was highly critical of the surface. “The SCG is my favourite ground in the world, it is my home ground, and I hate saying this out loud, but that’s the worst pitch I’ve ever seen in Sydney,” he told ESPN’s . “I didn’t think it was a good cricket wicket, balls not just going up off the surface but shooting low at the end of day two.”This is the second season in a row that the SCG has been rated satisfactory after receiving the same mark for the Pakistan Test a year ago.”We don’t look to prepare wickets that favour the home side or suit our situation in a series,” Peter Roach, Cricket Australia’s head of cricket operations and scheduling, said. “What we seek is a good contest between bat and ball and pitches that are likely to produce a result.”The SCG has been striving to bring out their unique characteristics of early pace and bounce before the pitch wears and spins. This year was a step in the right direction to achieving this which provided an exciting finish to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series and bodes well for the Ashes summer in 2025-26.”The pitch ratings system was revamped in 2023 to reduce the number of categories from six to four: very good, satisfactory, unsatisfactory, and unfit. Venues are given demerit points if they receive unsatisfactory or unfit ratings.The SCG has previously been criticised for pitches not offering enough assistance for bowlers, which, coupled with poor weather, led to four draws in five seasons between 2018-19 and 2022-23.”The ground staff have done an incredible job in terms of creating a wicket with something in it,” Australia coach Andrew McDonald said after day two. “Traditionally here it’s quite benign and we’ve had a lot of draws, so a lot of people have been talking about the draws, so you’re damned if you do it and damned if you don’t. I think he’s trying to produce an even contest between bat and ball. It’s made for interesting cricket.”The other four pitches in the series – at Perth’s Optus Stadium, Adelaide Oval, the Gabba and MCG – all received “very good” ratings.

South Africa have already booked their place in the World Test Championship final, but will be looking to keep their impressive record against Pakistan intact

Danyal Rasool02-Jan-2025Big pictureThe attempt to give this Test series context may ironically have stripped some from this Test match, especially as far as South Africa are concerned. The hosts have already qualified for the World Test Championship final after beating Pakistan by two wickets in Centurion, and as such, don’t necessarily have a bigger picture to play for. However, they have won eight consecutive Test matches at home against Pakistan, and never not won a home series against them since the turn of the century, and in that bilateral context, there remains plenty to play for.In the days since South Africa qualified, there has been some attention towards the perceived softer nature of their draw en route to the World Test Championship, one that their coach Shukri Conrad made “no apologies” for. But with no Test cricket between this Test and the WTC final, South Africa will want to storm into the final in style, and extend a winning run that already stretches to six games.Pakistan’s WTC hopes had long ago gone up in smoke, but they need to break out of a habit of letting slip winning positions, a habit in this particular cycle. As a result, they have now lost seven of the last nine Tests, and all of the last eight in South Africa. Centurion was the closest they came to breaking that hoodoo, at one stage two wickets away from a stunning win with South Africa still 49 runs away from victory. But, as has been the case with Pakistan too often, they struggled to finish off the tail with the ball, and watched another one slide through their fingers.Newlands arguably plays slightly more to their strengths, lacking the express pace South Africa possess. It is a surface that both captains expect to take a bit more spin than Centurion, and should revert back to its natural characteristics after a freak Test last year against India that ended in a day and a half. Both sides are expected to field a spinner, while Pakistan’s seam and swing bowlers may find more joy, especially in the early stages of the Test before the surface flattens out. With just two Test wins in South Africa across three decades of playing here, a victory here – and a drawn series – will go down as their most impressive away Test series result in years.Related

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Pakistan bring in 2025 with rigorous training session under Table Mountain

Form guide (last five completed matches, most recent first)South Africa: WWWWWPakistan: LWWLLIn the spotlightWith spin likely to play a more significant role at Newlands than it did in Centurion, Keshav Maharaj returns to the side. But for all of Newlands supposed accommodation for slower bowling, the left-arm orthodox spinner has a surprisingly indifferent record in Cape Town, managing just 9 wickets in 6 matches at an average in excess of 52. That’s almost double his average of 30.44 in South Africa in general, and Maharaj is returning from an adductor strain that ruled him out of the ODI series. Whether he can begin to turn his Newlands record around may be an intriguing plot point as the Test develops.It’s not a vintage age for openers in Test cricket, and particularly not Pakistani openers. Until the final Test, they hadn’t produced a partnership over 15 all year, but offered faint glimpses of turning that around with the new pairing of Saim Ayub and Shan Masood, putting up 36 and 49. But neither opener managed to kick on in either innings, something Masood brought up as a point of frustration in Centurion. Against the kind of world-class new ball bowling attack South Africa possess at home, runs for the first wicket are not exactly easy, but Pakistan desperately need them all the same.Pakistan let another game slip through their fingers, during the first Test•AFP/Getty ImagesTeam newsSouth Africa have rung the changes after the first Test, with Maharaj, Wiaan Mulder and debutant fast bowler Kwena Maphaka coming into the side. Opener Tony de Zorzi has a thigh strain, while fast bowling allrounder Corbin Bosch and Dane Paterson also drop to the bench.South Africa: Ryan Rickleton 2 Aiden Markram, 3 Wiaan Mulder (capt), 4 Tristan Stubbs 5 Temba Bavuma (capt) 6 David Bedingham, 7 Kyle Verreynne (wk), 8 Marco Jansen, 9 Keshav Maharaj 10 Kagiso Rabada 11 Kwena MaphakaPakistan have not yet named an eleven, unsure about playing Noman Ali or simply making do with Salman Ali Agha as lead spinner.Pakistan: 1 Shan Masood (capt) 2 Saim Ayub 3 Babar Azam 4 Kamran Ghulam 5 Saud Shakeel 6 Mohammad Rizwan (wk) 7 Salman Ali Agha 8 Aamer Jamal/Noman Ali 9 Naseem Shah 10 Mohammad Abbas 11 Khurram ShahzadPitch and conditions”I don’t think I’m allowed to speak about the wicket,” Temba Bavuma joked during the press conference following the ultra-short Test here last year. There’s less grass on it than Centurion, though, with spin coming into it later in the Test.Stats and trivia Keshav Maharaj is seven wickets away from becoming the first South African spinner to take 200 Test wickets. Among current batters in the Pakistan side, none have truly imperious records in South Africa. Babar Azam’s 275 at 34.37 makes him the most prolific, while no active Pakistani has a hundred in this country.Quotes”The series is still on the line. So, as much as we’ve ticked off that box of being in the final, we’d still like to be clinical in the series. We’re eyeing two nil. Our focus, our motivation is still there. I think also as a team, as much as we won last week, we accept that we weren’t at our best, betting and bowling. So, in terms of improving in those areas, we’d like to see ourselves being a lot better than we were last week.”
South African captain Temba Bavuma feels there’s still plenty to improve from his side

A “fantastic” Liverpool player appears to be edging closer to sealing a move away from the club before the summer transfer window slams shut.

Isak and Guehi getting closer to Liverpool

The Reds’ summer got off to such an exciting start, not least because Florian Wirtz joined in a record-breaking move from Bayer Leverkusen, but there has been a feeling that the Premier League champions need to sign both Alexander Isak and Marc Guehi to make it a truly memorable window.

While there is work to do in that respect, it increasingly looks as though the Premier League pair could both be heading to Anfield, with positive progress made.

Firstly, Newcastle United are signing VfB Stuttgart striker Nick Woltemade, as well as retaining an interest in Brentford’s Yoane Wissa, meaning a second offer for Isak from Liverpool is more likely to be accepted.

Meanwhile, the Reds have reportedly submitted a £40m offer for Guehi, following his appearance for Crystal Palace in the UEFA Europa Conference League on Thursday evening, with the England international considered an ideal centre-back addition.

"Fantastic" Liverpool ace close to leaving

Now, according to various reports, Kostas Tsimikas is now close to sealing a loan move from Liverpool to Roma, with the transfer seemingly in its final stages and “one step away”. This comes after Gazzetta dello Sport [via Sport Witness] reported that the Greek was pushing for a move away from Anfield this summer.

This feels like a good outcome for all parties for now, prior to a likely permanent exit next summer, with Tsimikas unlikely to play much for Liverpool this season.

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2022

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Milos Kerkez’s arrival has pushed him further down the left-back pecking order, so barring injury woes in that position, opportunities will be limited.

Tsimikas has been a good servant for Liverpool, making himself a hero by scoring the winning penalty in the 2022 FA Cup final shootout victory over Chelsea, and being called “fantastic” by journalist Ian Doyle, but he has never quite felt like a genuinely excellent option.

Liverpool "ready" to complete record-breaking double deal for Isak and England star

Liverpool have to wait for two deals to be completed first.

ByCallum Kemp Aug 28, 2025

That’s not to say he hasn’t performed well at times, keeping the pressure on Andy Robertson, but his time at Anfield should be reaching its natural conclusion.

Rangers have had a torrid start to life under Russell Martin as they are winless in the Scottish Premiership, and their dreams of Champions League qualification were ruthlessly put to the sword by Club Brugge in a 9-1 defeat on aggregate.

Rangers have only recorded wins in the League Cup and in their failed Champions League qualification campaign during Martin’s tenure, ramping up the pressure on a managerial selection many fans disdained from day one.

It’s not just early days for Martin, it’s also early days for Rangers’ new owners, Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises. And with the frustration mounting around Ibrox, The I Paper’s chief football correspondent, Daniel Storey, has highlighted how the new men in charge face something of a time bomb as tensions continue to bubble:

Three out of work managers Rangers could sign

There are options available should Rangers decide to make a change after witnessing the fan sentiment first hand on Sunday. They wouldn’t be the first club to take drastic measures, as the likes of José Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjær, and Erik ten Hag have all been sacked in the opening month of the season

Mourinho could actually be a contender to replace Martin if the owners did decide to act. He has previously expressed that he doesn’t want his next club to be in the Champions League, which Martin has seen too, and has also spoken positively about the Gers in the past: “Why not in the future? People can say the Scottish league is a league of two teams, but it is a league of passion. Passion in football is everything.”

Another candidate is the former Borussia Dortmund manager Edin Terzić. The German manager had previously been linked with the club when they sacked Philippe Clement, and is still available as a free agent.

Possibly the most exciting manager available however is legendary Spanish World Cup winning midfielder Xavi, who has been out of work since leaving Barcelona last year.

Back in 2022, when he was still in charge in Catalonia, he saw Rangers as one of their biggest threats in the Europa League, heaping praise on the atmosphere at Ibrox: “People will say Barcelona are favourites because of history, and they are used to seeing us play in the Champions League – but this is not the Champions League… As somebody who has played in Glasgow, nobody is going to get an easy time against Rangers.”

Rangers face stick or twist decision

While there’s currently no shortage of available managers and talented tacticians like Xavi and Mourinho are tempting, it would be an awfully big gamble to get rid of Martin at such an early stage.

Martin’s tenure at Southampton was often criticised because his playing style didn’t suit the Premier League. He favoured high possession football, which worked well in the Championship, but not so much when the Saints were promoted and his squad struggled against the tougher opposition.

Given the gap in quality between the squads of the big two and the rest in Scotland, the 39 year-old should be able instil that Championship dominance once again, but the difficulty for Rangers’ new owners will be balancing their patience with the fans’ justified desire for change.

Former Manchester United star and France's World Cup-winning defender Laurent Blanc has been relieved of his duties as head coach of Saudi Pro League giants Al-Ittihad. The decision came only a day after the reigning Saudi champions suffered a 2-0 defeat against Cristiano Ronaldo-led Al-Nassr. It was Al-Ittihad's third defeat in the 2025-26 campaign, which led to Blanc's sacking.

• Blanc lasted just over a year at Al-Ittihad

  Blanc, who had formerly managed French giants like Bordeaux, Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon, joined Al-Ittihad in the summer of 2024. In his maiden season in Saudi Arabia, Blanc guided the Karim Benzema-led club to a domestic double as Al-Ittihad won the Saudi Pro League and the King's Cup. However, his honeymoon period got over quickly as the club went down 2-1 against Al-Nassr in the Saudi Super Cup semi-final last month. They lost two more matches in September, including a defeat in their AFC Champions League opener against Al Wahda and then went down 2-0 against Al-Nassr on Friday.    

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  Blanc sacked after Al-Nassr loss

  A day after Al-Nassr beat Al-Ittihad 2-0 courtesy of goals from Sadio Mane and Cristiano Ronaldo, the Saudi champions decided to part ways with their head coach, as they formally announced Blanc's departure on social media. Their statement read: "Al-Ittihad announces the termination of its contractual relationship with the first team’s head coach, Mr Laurent Blanc and his coaching staff." 

• 'I am surprised'

  After the loss against Al-Nassr, Blanc was asked about his future at Al-Ittihad, to which he had replied: "This is our first loss in a long time. We have achieved 17 wins and one draw in our last 18 home matches. So, I am surprised by this question, and we must review the results.   

  "I’m having defensive problems that I’ve discussed before. I don’t have many solutions, as they depend on the available players. Currently, I only have Ahmed Sharahili and Yassin [Al Jaber]. Injuries are part of football, but the pressure of matches [every three days] has made the situation more difficult, and most of the injuries have been in the back line."

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  Xavi could replace Blanc

  According to journalist Matteo Moretto, Al-Ittihad management are considering replacing Blanc with former Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez and they reached out to the Spaniard to enquire about his availability.