Al-Nassr keen on Casemiro – Friday’s gossip

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Real Madrid is interested in Micky van de Ven, Al-Nasr is interested in Casemiro, Manchester United is interested in Dusan Vlahovic, and Real Madrid is interested in Casemiro.

Since Casemiro’s contract at Manchester United expires this summer, Al-Nassr are interested in signing the 33-year-old. (Mundo Deportivo, Spanish)

Dusan Vlahovic, 25, a striker from Serbia, is up for signing at Manchester United from Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. (Teamtalk’s La Gazzetta dello Sport)

Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven, 24, is wanted by Real Madrid, who are interested in paying around £70 million for the Dutch international. (Fichajes – Spanish)

Lionel Messi, 38, who was the first player to join the MLS in 2023, is close to signing a new multi-year deal with Inter Miami. (ESPN)

Federico Chiesa, 27, could leave Anfield in the January transfer window to return to his native country. (Teamtalk)

Although Dutch international Youri Baas, 22, is out of contract until 2028, Arne Slot wants to sign him at Anfield. (Fichajes – Spanish)

In the event that West Ham decides to change their management, Croatian Slaven Bilic is a potential replacement for Englishman Graham Potter. (Talksport)

At West Ham, former Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo and Englishman Sean Dyche are both thought to be candidates to replace Potter. (Guardian)

Conor Gallagher, 25, and Atletico Madrid are two of the Premier League clubs that Tottenham are interested in. (TBR Football)

Thomas Kristensen, 23, a Danish international who was wanted by Aston Villa in the previous transfer window, is wanted by AC Milan. (In Italian, La Gazzetta dello Sport)

With Benjamin Sesko, 22, as their first-choice option, Manchester United will allow the Netherlands’ Joshua Zirkzee, 24, to leave the team. (Teamtalk)

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European journey just beginning for ‘history makers’ Man Utd

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Manchester United’s journey is just beginning.

They have played four qualifying matches to become the Women’s Champions League’s main draw for the first time, but they don’t want to stop there.

Elisabeth Terland’s hat-trick helped Marc Skinner’s side defeat Brann 3-1 on Thursday night, but they will need to move up a gear when they face the elite of Europe in the new-look competition.

It presents a new challenge for United to evaluate their squad depth, Skinner’s rotation, how they handle long distance trips and competing with better-quality opponents.

“We create history, and that’s really important,” she said. I told the players that we couldn’t just enter the draw and calculate the numbers, Skinner said.

“We are very excited to play against Europe’s best teams,” says the team. You must perform against them if you want to go there.

“The squad needs to be strengthened,” he said.

Fridolina Rolfo Images courtesy of Getty

Manchester United, which underwent only a minor overhaul of its women’s team in 2018, placed third in the Women’s Super League (WSL) last year before reaching the Champions League qualifying round in 2023. Paris St-Germain beaten by United.

Although PSV, Hammarby, and Brann were perceived as easier opponents this year, United still needed to overcome a 1-0 deficit in the third qualifying round against Norwegian side Brann.

In the main draw on Friday (11:00 BST), they will face WSL champion Chelsea and European champion Arsenal, and Skinner hopes nobody will want to face United.

If you play against us, the team will likely think, “Hmm, that’s tricky for us,” he continued.

To enter the main draw, I simply believe it was now or never. It was necessary for us to do it. We had the necessary quality, in my opinion.

I want to go through it,” she said. I want to take on the best teams in the European championships.

United have so far managed their busy schedule, winning two of their opening WSL games and advancing through four European qualifying matches.

Skinner hopes that the challenges of playing in the Champions League will be overcome by Fridolina Rolfo and Julia Zigiotti, who have both managed for the United States and have long-distance travel.

Before joining United in August, Rolfo won two European titles with Barcelona, including three Champions League titles.

However, Skinner claims United will need to shop again in January to advance in the market despite the improvement.

“We’re looking forward to it despite being a whole new challenge. As we added that, “we have the players who have that experience,” Skinner said.

There is no denying that we need a bigger squad. But I am at this moment in no way able to stop it. It is being welcomed by the players.

One of the best finishers I’ve worked with, I must say.

United have a player who appears prepared for the Champions League at Terland.

She scored with both feet and a header to complete a flawless hat-trick at Leigh Sports Village on Thursday.

She is one of the best finishers I’ve ever worked with. We simply placed her in appropriate spaces, “said Skinner.

The keeper doesn’t notice the first goal before it disappears into the net because it’s a snapshot. She fires quickly and has a very short backlift, which surprises everyone.

She has a brilliant mind in the box. She thinks constantly, which is precisely what she does.

Skinner claimed that when she returned to Norway after losing their first-leg match against Brann, Terland played for Brann between 2021 and 2022.

But she reacted decisively and silencing a small group of Brann fans who were traveling with her ruthless second-leg performance.

She seemed angry, I believe. Perhaps she needs to wind up a little bit. She responded, “I’m really proud of her tonight,” Skinner said.

To accept those goals demonstrates her level of play. Although it may have had an impact on her a little bit too much, responding to it as she has has demonstrates to you that she can overcome psychological strains.

Ellen White, Jen Beattie and Ben Haines
The Women’s Football Weekly podcast returns for another season featuring Ben Haines, Ellen White, and Jen Beattie. On the Women’s Football Weekly feed, you can find interviews and additional content from the Women’s Super League and beyond as well as new episodes that are available every Tuesday on BBC Sounds.

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Hull KR see off Wire to win League Leaders’ Shield

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Betfred Super League

Hull KR (16) 28

Attempts: May 2, Booth 2, and Martin 4

Warrington Wolves (20) 20

Rovers from Hull and Kingston won the historic League Leaders’ Shield against a valiant Warrington Wolves side thanks to Arthur Mourgue’s brilliant solo effort.

The Robins had a chance to win the matchup, and they did, as a pair of doubles and tries from Tyrone May and Noah Booth added 10 points as they built a 10-point lead at halftime.

With Sam Stone, Adam Holroyd, and Thewlis’ second try breaking the silence in the crowd, Warrington, who had only won one of their previous eight games and had fielded a young team, did a fantastic job of regaining control of the match.

Only seven of the team that featured that day were on display at Craven Park after they also defeated Warrington in a dramatic late comeback to win that trophy.

Due to injury and suspension, head coach Sam Burgess was forced to select a young team, and he also had to sever some players from the squad that was scheduled to face the Leeds Rhinos in the Reserves Grand Final over the weekend.

That hardly gave the traveling support any confidence, or any Wigan fans who were used to believe that a Rovers error would give them a shot at beating Leeds on Friday night in the league standings.

With a fantastic start, Warrington’s winger Thewlis caught Marc Sneyd’s high bomb and scored, with Robins’ youngster Booth unable to hold a fight for the ball.

As a result, it seemed irrelevant as May jumped out with a score before Booth, then 20, made it seven tries in six starts since returning from loan at Hunslet with a double before the break.

Ewan Irwin, 17, making his first start for Warrington, gave Sam Stone a delicate grubber kick to take home half-time.

Josh Thewlis probably scored his second goal from Matt Dufty’s superb flick pass after Holroyd crashed through the line to level the score.

The home fans were worried about a repeat of Wakefield Trinity’s title game last week, but Mourgue won the game by running in a try from deep in his own half. Rhyse Martin’s conversion put them back ahead.

Mourgue, Davies, Hiku, Gildart, Booth, Lewis, May, Sue, Litten, Waerea-Hargreaves, Hadley, Batchelor, Minchella, and others in Hull KR.

Luckley, Whitbread, Martin, and Broadbent are the exchanges.

Warrington Wolves: Taylor-Wray, Josh Thewlis, King, Dufty, Jake Thewlis, Irwin, Sneyd, Philbin, Walker, Thomas, Stone, Holroyd, Matterson, and Josh Thewlis.

Powell, Green, Wood, and McKinney make changes.

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