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Sacred cow: Ball makers break taboos for India's favourite sport
Sacred cow: Ball makers break taboos for India's favourite sport
Stitching together cricket balls is a wearisome task for leatherworker Bunty Sagar, whose labours are frowned upon by many fellow Indians even if he...
2023-09-27 09:52
Kylian Mbappe’s Al Hilal transfer could spark chain reaction affecting every top club in Europe
Kylian Mbappe’s Al Hilal transfer could spark chain reaction affecting every top club in Europe
As eye-watering as the Al Hilal offer to Paris Saint-Germain for Kylian Mbappe may be, it is itself not a blind bid. The Saudi Pro League club have for weeks been sounding out what it would actually take to bring him over. The Al Hilal president Fahad bin Nafel has been talking about the star to anyone who will listen - including in negotiations for other targets. The Mbappe camp have let a few conditions be known, but they are still considering everything. The 24-year-old himself is said to still be almost single-minded about joining Real Madrid next summer and countenancing nothing else, but there may be a few complications before then. That is the case with the entire transfer market right now, and this is finally a situation that brings the two major factors driving - or, really, halting - it together. One is Saudi Arabian money, which has caused everyone to rethink their plans. The other is the striker market, which currently has a lot of interlinked interests. The feeling is that one big deal will release everything, but the two biggest are log-jammed. It only adds to the intrigue that they are log-jammed for totally opposite reasons. Tottenham Hotspur do not want to sell Harry Kane. PSG are now desperate to sell Mbappe. The potential chain reaction, according to those working on many of the deals, goes like this. If PSG do sell Mbappe, they will go even bigger for Kane. “Whatever they were going to offer the player before, they’d double it,” in the words of one involved figure. Such a bid would almost certainly meet the £100m valuation that Daniel Levy is understood to see as a minimum to even consider a sale, but would also force a response from Bayern Munich. The German club are extremely confident they can get the player and that he wants to come, although one source quipped that “they have no experience of dealing with Daniel”. While PSG are among the few parties that believe the Qatari project can themselves get a deal for Kane done, the general feeling is he will not go there and has little interest, but that he would instead see Manchester United as a first priority. They are currently negotiating for Atalanta’s Rasmus Hojlund and pressing on with that. If it did come to a situation where Spurs were willing to sell Kane and openly negotiating with rival clubs, however, United would have to consider acting. It is even believed that the Old Trafford hierarchy would be prepared to set aside separate funds for the England international, such is the value of the signing. The thinking within the market, meanwhile, is that nothing else happens until the Kane decision is made. After that, if PSG do not get him, they will press ahead for Randal Kolo Muani or Dusan Vlahovic. If Vlahovic goes, Juventus will finally make a concrete move for Romelu Lukaku, who himself has an offer from Al Hilal. Which brings us full circle. There may now be another layer with Mbappe. PSG have been sounding out most of Europe’s major clubs, with the response so far mixed. Manchester United are currently not interested this summer, and do not expect that to change. Barcelona and Chelsea have at least explored the possibility. The latter might appeal to Mbappe, especially due to a good relationship with Mauricio Pochettino, but it is understood that his first preference in the Premier League would actually be Arsenal. That is down to reasons like the romance of Thierry Henry's history there, as well as the idea of making history himself and delivering a first title in 20 years. As one figure close to the player’s camp said amid the flurry of activity on Friday, “if ever there was a window for that, it’s now”. Mikel Arteta is another who doesn’t have that kind of budget, though, as he now needs to make sales to bring in another midfielder and potentially a right-back. It is one of the ironies of Mbappe’s situation, and another sign of the direction the game is headed. The 24-year-old is so good, and his horizons as a footballer so vast, that he actually has very limited options. There are only about three or four clubs that could afford him. Lionel Messi found the same in 2021 and this summer. Long gone are the days when an upwardly mobile side in Serie A or La Liga might offer an exciting possibility, as was the case with even Ronaldo before the turn of the millennium. As it is, most major clubs are reluctant to move for other reasons beyond the budget. They think Mbappe only wants the traditional kingpins of European football: Real Madrid. Both the Spanish club and the player are currently willing to hold their nerve. That has increased pressure on PSG but numerous sources insist there is even more to it than just seeing such an asset go for free next summer, and to a club they have an increasingly tense relationship with. There is constant talk of a “loyalty bonus”, with Mbappe set to earn £35m if he is still at Parc des Princes on 31 July. This would of course bring further Financial Fair Play costs for PSG, and that for a player of immense value they will get no money for anyway. Spurs may similarly see their megastar walk away for nothing and have so far come at it from the opposite perspective, although there are murmurs that is changing. Monday brought reports that club owner Joe Lewis has told Levy to sell if Kane will not sign a new deal. The industry view has long been this by far makes the most sense, especially as the club will have to adjust for a future without the striker sooner rather than later. A new tactical approach under Ange Postecoglou even offers something different. For now, everyone is monitoring what everyone else does, without making a decisive move. That’s the nature of the market. A further aspect is that there are almost as many political complications within the Saudi Pro League as there are with the two main summer sagas. While Al Hilal are giddy at the prospect of signing Mbappe, that excitement is not shared within the wider division and not just for reasons of competition. Most of that is due to this idea that the player could do a year in the Saudi Pro League before decamping to the Bernabeu. It is not as neat a compromise for everyone as is being claimed - before you even get to the idea of such a footballer playing in a developing division for a season. One argument put forward is that for all the immediate focus Mbappe would bring, it could actually be damaging to the reputation of the competition if he were to just leave so quickly. The point of the wider project is to build for the long term and gradually create a luxurious but sustainable home for those outside the Premier League. The state does not want it to be somewhere where players are just parked. An immediate departure for Madrid could also create a precedent where the higher-profile players arriving this summer could demand clauses allowing them to leave if Champions League clubs come in. Most of all, though, an immediate Mbappe departure would leave a vacuum. The league would suddenly feel that bit more hollow again, with a move to Madrid instead confirming football’s supposed natural order. The offer still stands, though. For now, it’s only adding to the stand-still in the wider market. Read More World-record bid made for Kylian Mbappe as PSG exit looms PSG attempting to hijack Bayern Munich’s bid to sign Harry Kane Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe plan revealed after PSG declare intent to sell forward
2023-07-25 00:56
Japan trials over-the-counter sales of 'morning-after' pill
Japan trials over-the-counter sales of 'morning-after' pill
Japan on Tuesday began trial sales of over-the-counter "morning-after" contraceptive pills, according to the country's pharmaceutical association, in a...
2023-11-28 12:52
BYU gets welcomed to Big 12 with massive Kansas hit, scoop-and-score
BYU gets welcomed to Big 12 with massive Kansas hit, scoop-and-score
BYU has officially had its welcome to the Big 12 moment, thanks to none other than Kansas. Although Lance Leipold certainly has Kansas football in a fantastic p
2023-09-24 06:53
George Alagiah: What are the signs of bowel cancer?
George Alagiah: What are the signs of bowel cancer?
BBC newsreader George Alagiah has died at 67 after being diagnosed with bowel cancer. Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK and leads to around 16,800 deaths every year. More than nine out of 10 cases of bowel cancer develop in older adults over the age of 50, and nearly six in 10 are in people aged 70 or older. Alagiah was first diagnosed with stage four (advanced) bowel cancer in 2014. By the age of 66, it had spread to his lungs, liver, spine and lymph nodes. The three main symptoms of bowel cancer are having persistent blood in the stools, an ongoing change in bowel habit (such as needing to go more often or suffering the runs) and persistent lower abdominal pain, bloating or discomfort. A loss of appetite may also occur, or somebody may suffer significant, unintentional weight loss. Several things are known to increase the risk of bowel cancer, though they cannot explain every case. These include a diet high in red or processed meats and low in fibre, being overweight or obese, not taking enough exercise and drinking too much alcohol. Being a smoker and having a family history of the disease can also push up the risk. Some people also have an increased risk of bowel cancer because they have another long-term condition, such as extensive ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease. Bowel cancer screening is currently widely offered to people aged 60 to 74 who are sent a home stool kit every two years. Those aged 75 and over can ask for a kit every two years by phoning the free bowel cancer screening helpline on 0800 707 60 60. Bowel cancer can be very difficult to treat in its later stages. But in the early stages, tumours can often be removed through surgery. The main treatments for bowel cancer include chemotherapy, radiotherapy and targeted drugs, which depend on the genetic make-up of the tumour. One in 15 men and one in 18 women will be diagnosed with bowel cancer during their lifetime. Expert predictions are that 53,646 cases of bowel cancer (29,356 in men and 24,290 in women) will be diagnosed in the UK in 2035. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Carol Vorderman says she no longer sunbathes after health scare Carol Vorderman: Why my skin cancer scare means I no longer sunbathe This is how often you should actually change your razor
2023-07-24 20:27
Walker and Turner lead the Phillies past the struggling Mets 5-1
Walker and Turner lead the Phillies past the struggling Mets 5-1
Taijuan Walker pitched six strong innings, Trea Turner had a pair of RBIs and the Philadelphia Phillies took advantage of two New York defensive miscues in a 5-1 victory over the Mets
2023-06-24 10:21
Deandre Ayton is embracing a fresh start with the Trail Blazers
Deandre Ayton is embracing a fresh start with the Trail Blazers
Deandre Ayton came to the Trail Blazers in a three-team trade that sent Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks
2023-10-07 01:58
Carly Pearce and her BF Riley King call it quits after 2 years, citing 'trust issues': Source
Carly Pearce and her BF Riley King call it quits after 2 years, citing 'trust issues': Source
'Yes, things didn’t work out. Carly and I have parted ways and I wish her nothing but the best in both her career and personal life,' said Riley King
2023-06-08 03:30
Romanian court eases geographical restrictions on divisive influencer Andrew Tate
Romanian court eases geographical restrictions on divisive influencer Andrew Tate
A court in Romania’s capital on Thursday has eased geographical restrictions on Andrew Tate, the divisive social media influencer who is charged with rape, human trafficking and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women
2023-09-28 23:16
Why did Dwayne Johnson donate seven-figure sum to SAG-AFTRA? Union leadership hails The Rock's generosity amid ongoing strike
Why did Dwayne Johnson donate seven-figure sum to SAG-AFTRA? Union leadership hails The Rock's generosity amid ongoing strike
The SAG-AFTRA Foundation's Emergency Financial Assistance Program is actively helping actors in need during the strike
2023-07-25 15:49
Pokemon GO: A Radiant World Research Tasks and Rewards
Pokemon GO: A Radiant World Research Tasks and Rewards
Player who purchased a Pokemon GO Fest ticket will have access to A Radiant World, a Special Research in Pokemon GO. How can players complete this research task?
2023-04-10 15:38
Why did the Maui fire spread so fast? Drought, nonnative species and climate change among possible reasons
Why did the Maui fire spread so fast? Drought, nonnative species and climate change among possible reasons
Drought conditions are becoming more extreme and common in Hawaii and other Pacific islands.
2023-08-10 06:51