Josh Brownhill, a former Burnley captain, is reportedly joining Saudi Pro League side Al-Shabab.
After leaving the Clarets at the end of last season, the midfielder is expected to agree to a two-year contract.
Wesley Hoedt and Yannick Carrasco, both of whom were previously for Southampton and Watford, will play for the club.
Al-Khaleej defeated Al-Shabab 4-1 in the first game of the Saudi Pro League. The team is currently led by former Real Sociedad boss Imanol Alguacil.
The 29-year-old has opted to move to Saudi after being impressed by the club’s project, despite being wanted by Brentford, Wolves, Leicester, and West Ham.
Ross Taylor, a legendary New Zealand player, is retiring at the age of 41 to play for Samoa in a T20 World Cup qualifying match.
The former Black Caps captain will compete in Oman’s regional qualifying event for the Asia-East Asia-Pacific championship on October 8 through the 17th. Her mother was born in Samoa.
In 2022, Taylor’s 16-year international career came to an end. He appeared in 112 Tests and 450 different games for New Zealand. The Kiwis have only Kane Williamson to have allowed more runs.
Taylor wrote on Instagram, “I’m proud to announce that I’ll be pulling on the blue and playing cricket for Samoa.”
It’s a great honor to represent my heritage, culture, villages, and family, “because this is more than just a return to the game I love.”
I’m looking forward to getting to play for the team, sharing my experiences both on and off the field.
In the T20 World Cup qualifier, Samoa joins Papua New Guinea, Japan, Oman, Nepal, Kuwait, Malaysia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
In February and March of next year, the tournament will be held in India and Sri Lanka for three spots.
A new popular celebrity relationship dubbed the “Cougar Curse” by a renowned expert who claims misaligned life stages and public scrutiny from the beginning doom them.
Shirley Ballas, 64, and her 51-year-old toyboy fiance Danny Taylor broke up earlier this year.
Celebrity pairings featuring older women and younger men – often dubbed “toyboy” relationships – make for glamorous headlines but a relationship expert has warned against the so-called “Cougar Curse”.
These relationships, from Shirley Ballas, 64, and Danny Taylor, 51, to Kerry Katona, 44, and Ryan Mahoney, 36, spell trouble according to Gemma Logan, a relationship expert at The Foxy Hen. She credits issues like misaligned life stages, emotional disconnects, and invasive public scrutiny for often derailing them.
“Celebrity toyboy relationships rarely last because they start with intensity but face challenges: life-stage differences, public scrutiny, energy mismatches, and emotional gaps,” Gemma told Fabulous. “Society often scrutinises older women dating younger men more harshly than the reverse,” she added.
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Kym Marsh was dating Samuel Thomas who was 19-years her junior(Image: @samuelthomasuk/Instagram)
Public reaction can be brutal to these kinds of relationships. Actress Kym Marsh faced scathing comments when her romance with a man 19 years her junior became public, receiving messages comparing him to her son.
She condemned the online trolling and called it a shame on society. Kerry Katona, Kelly Brook, Kym Marsh and Tamzin Outhwaite have all had toyboy romances that haven’t worked out.
Emotional compatibility is also a crucial factor. Kristina, who allegedly cheated on emotional neglect, said he “wasn’t there for me emotionally.”
Another common age-gap issue was the timing, according to Shirley Ballas’ celebrity. She acknowledged ignoring initial “red flags” and eventually realizing that she and her younger fiance were heading in different directions despite being protective of the relationship.
Additionally important are physical condition, nightlife habits, and career priorities. Gemma claims that younger partners bring excitement and novelty, but that a romance can become strained by inconsequentials in routines, lifestyle choices, and priorities over time.
Kelly Brook and Danny Cipriani dated from 2008 to 2010(Image: Getty Images)
The relationship either evolves or disintegrates as the novelty fades, she continued. Beyond deeper emotional and practical contradictions, the power of passion alone was insufficient.
Kelly Brook’s high-profile romance with former Wasps rugby ace Danny Cipriani, who was eight years her junior, admitted it was a “nice ego boost” to attract someone in their 20s.
Kelly stated in a 2010 interview with The Times: “It’s nice ego booster that someone in their 20s finds you attractive when you’re 30.
When you reach the age of 30, you realize that a young toyboy is a nice one. It is fantastic.
Not all age-gap relationships are destined to fail, though. After becoming official in 2014, Kris Jenner, 69, and Corey Gamble, 44, continue to excel.
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Rosie-Huntington-Whiteley, 37, and Jason Statham, 57, the actor, wed in 2016, and the couple have since welcomed their first child.
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Dylan Lawlor received praise from his peers, pundits, and fans after winning a man-of-the-match award on his debut abroad.
“Dylan Lawlor impressed me greatly. Following Wales’ 1-0 victory over Kazakhstan, Craig Bellamy gushed about him.
The 19-year-old’s first senior football appearance since February was her most recent magnificent achievement in a fast-paced career.
So Dylan Lawlor, who is he?
a rapid rise
Lawlor, a 7-year-old, was born in Caerphilly, South Wales, and began attending Cardiff City’s academy.
He has participated in his country’s youth squads throughout the age groups and was a key player in their 2021 Victory Shield victory.
Lawlor made his debut for Cardiff’s first team in the fifth round of the FA Cup against Aston Villa on February 28 after a meteoric rise in 2025. He had been drawing National League interest in January, but a minor injury prevented him from leaving. It might not have happened.
In Norwich City, the Bluebirds’ final Championship game of their illustrious 2024-25 season would see the centre-back feature from the bench after Cardiff lost 4-2 to confirm a 24th-place finish.
Under new boss Brian Barry-Murphy, the Irishman quickly adopted a new style upon his arrival in the Welsh capital, just like with many other of Cardiff’s young guns.
Prior to Barry-Murphy’s arrival, Lawlor made his Wales U21s debut against Norway and was later selected as cover for Neco Williams’ trip to Belgium.
Lawlor quickly became clear that the ex-Manchester City Elite Development Squad coach’s methods were effective and that he has since established himself as a key component of a team that is the early favorites to claim League One glory this term.
In five of those games, he has assisted his team to keep clean sheets in order to keep Cardiff top of the league table. He has started all six of his team’s league games this season.
Again, Lawlor’s representatives claimed he had transfer interests from clubs in England, Scotland, Denmark, Austria, and Spain, but this may not have been the case. According to reports, the Bluebirds rejected two “firm offers” for the youngster over the summer.
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A memorable debut
“We anticipated the squad withdrawals would be challenging.” When it came to Lawlor’s performance in Kazakhstan, “Dylan is a big plus from this week… we have gained a player.” Bellamy said.
What do the statistics say about the display of the teenager?
The best pass accuracy of any of Wales’ starters, according to WhoScored.com, came at the end of the match with a 97.6% pass accuracy.
The Cardiff ace also made one crucial pass, two interceptions, and five clearances, which is the most of any Wales player.
Joe Ledley, Ashley Williams, and Sam Vokes, Wales’ Euro 2016 stars, gave him glowing praise for it.
Williams, a former centre-back, stated on BBC Match of the Day Wales: “I think we’ll see a lot more of him in the next few games because he’s definitely a Craig Bellamy type of player.”
Lawlor’s “outstanding” positional play was praised by Ledley, who added, “I thought he was magnificent. He appeared to have been a member of the team for many years, in his own way.
Vokes continued, “He didn’t look fazed one bit.” It’s difficult for him to go out there on his debut at 19 years old, but he can hold his head high.
The Premier League is beckoning, right?
Picture agency Huw Evans
Iwan Roberts, the former Wales frontman, believes he has seen enough of the defender’s potential despite Lawlor making just 10 senior appearances for the club and country so far.
Roberts predicted that “He won’t be in League One for long.”
He will participate in the Premier League. His performances will have surprised people.
He never stops improving. A fantastic debut was made.
Although Lawlor may have a chance to impress in Tuesday night’s friendly against Canada in Swansea (19:45 BST), his final World Cup qualifiers against Belgium, Liechtenstein, and North Macedonia will undoubtedly be in his future plans after a brief stint playing the sport with Wales.
His main concern is, however, helping Cardiff reclaim the Championship on its first try this year.
Danny Gabbidon, a former Wales and Cardiff defender, believes Lawlor will only get better after his attention-grabbing performance in Wales.
You can see why Gabbidon said, “You look at what happened to Cardiff City last season, and it was a difficult time for the club, but sometimes there is a little sunshine after the rain, and a lot of young players have been giving the opportunity this season, and Dylan is one of them.”
You can tell from his performance against Kazakhstan that he is still young and that he is only going to get better, and that it just seems very easy and comfortable for them.
Germany vs. Northern Ireland: Fifa World Cup qualifier
Date: Sunday, September 7th, 2019 Kick-off: 19:45 BST
Northern Ireland has recently faced Germany as the only footballing superpower of its kind.
Since winning the four-time World Cup in 1996, when Germany’s star striker Jurgen Klinsmann remarked afterwards that it felt like visiting goalkeeper Tommy Wright had smacked planks across his goal in Nuremburg, they have played the four-time winners since a 1-1 draw.
They have lost nine times.
Yet it’s unusual for the hosts of Sunday to enter the game under such pressure during that 29-year period. Since reaching their Nations League quarter-final against Italy in the first leg in March, Julian Nagelsmann’s side has never won.
Although the shock defeat by Slovakia on Thursday night to begin their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign was rarely seen as a crisis despite the losses to France and Portugal.
Jamie Reid, a striker for Northern Ireland, said, “If anything, it’ll make the game much harder.” With a 3-1 win over Luxembourg, Reid’s team made their first start in Group A significantly better.
In contrast, Northern Ireland arrive in Cologne with confidence following a run of just four defeats in their previous 16 games, not just from their victory in Luxembourg, which represented their first competitive away victory since March 2023.
Their first qualifying event in almost two years came with a victory at the Stade de Luxembourg. In order to get his players used to facing the best in Europe, manager Michael O’Neill decided to hold away friendlies against nations like Spain, Sweden, and Denmark.
The former pair’s 5-1 scoreline was used to defeat all three of those games, but midfielder Shea Charles thinks the side’s wider form gives reason to believe in a test of this nature.
The Southampton midfielder who scored his first international goal on Thursday scored his first goal for the club, said, “It’s in our mind] those results when we go away to the big nations.
It’s very exciting, she said. They have been defeated, so they are going into the match with a strong desire to win. We need to step up and put up a strong fight against them.
O’Neill has targeted elite rivals in friendlies, but Premier League exposure has also helped his squad gain ground.
Conor Bradley has returned to Liverpool from a loan spell at Bolton Wanderers and has won the league title at Anfield since the end of the Euro 2024 qualifying campaign.
Trai Hume and Dan Ballard, both of whom missed Sunday’s game due to injury, were promoted to the top of the premier league last year, while Justin Devenny made his Crystal Palace debut.
Devenny, who scored the winning spot kick in the Community Shield penalty shoot-out against Liverpool last month, believes that playing his club football at such a high level will make him more able to face the toughest challenges in international football.
He stated, “Week in week out, I’m playing against the best players in the world.”
We have a job to do, they say.
Not all of the players in Northern Ireland are so familiar with the level of opposition that was anticipated on Sunday. O’Neill’s panel has been hit by injuries, and the selection of three players for the third-tier of England this year against Luxembourg on Thursday revealed three players making their money in the third-tier.
Reid of Stevenage was one of those players, but the 31-year-old claims there won’t be any sense of “starstruck” if he leads the line in Cologne against the anticipated centre-back duo of Antonio Rudiger from Real Madrid and Jonathan Tah from Bayern Munich.
“I played some good games for Spain and Scotland for Northern Ireland.” He claimed that this was yet another difficult test.
We can go into it with conviction, and it’s one we’ll look forward to. We won’t experience star gazing or anything similar.
We all have a job to do, and we’re all going to work toward it.
However, there is no denying that Germany’s recent problems have altered how it looked prior to the December draw.
A surprise result “must occur” in the group, Charles continued, “and the shock in Slovakia makes things” exciting.”
However, in terms of the table and the possibility of a backlash on Sunday, Northern Ireland would undoubtedly have preferred a victory from Germany.
They can, of course, add to their hosts’ recent woes on Sunday and, in O’Neill’s words, make a good trip into a great one.
The manager said, “Germany was going to be tough enough, but now they are going to be heavily criticized in the media.”
Despite Lucy Mecklenburgh’s marriage to Ryan Thomas’ brother, Scott Thomas, the pair’s romance has frequently been the subject of rumors.
Lucy Mecklenburgh found a light-hearted way to respond to people accusing her of cheating on her husband, Ryan Thomas, with his brother Scott. The family, including brothers Scott and Adam, are super close-knit and often discuss their hilarious moments with fans.
The Only Way Is Essex star Lucy, 34, previously revealed Ryan’s brother wolf-whistle when she’s trying on clothes. She shared: “This family’s weird. Not normal.” Ryan admitted he “loves it” when she made the admission but some fans were left convinced Scott ‘fancies Lucy’ as they reacted to the story.
The TV personality and Scott have now collaborated to make a hilarious video that responds to the romance rumors.
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Scott and Lucy filmed a skit addressing the rumours(Image: Instagram)
When your brother starts to become suspicious of all the rumors, Scott wrote in the caption.
Before he embraced her and said, “Thank you for dinner, Scott, you’re such a good cook, you’re so nice to see you, Scott,” he began to walk into the hallway with Lucy and Scott.
Lucy responded, “Aw, thanks, love.” Have you ever exercised? I’ve visited the gym a few times, but… “, Scott said. before being cut off by what everyone assumed was a puffer jacket that was hanging from the ceiling to reveal Ryan, who was leaning against the door and had his legs hidden behind it.
Ryan dropped down from his hiding spot on the door(Image: Instagram)
Before Scott yelled, “I’ll be going then,” Ryan looked on unimpressed toward both of them.
One enthralled fan wrote, “I’m trying so hard to figure out how he stayed up there for so long.” Fans were in stitches over the skit.
Ryan’s expression “just doesn’t change,” according to one person, and another added, “The best part is definitely Ryan jumping off the door… love this family keep the videos coming.”
Scott and Lucy recently admitted they are “so alike” and that they constantly speak on the phone. He said, “I would have thought that the fact that we were so open with each other was a clear sign that it’s not anything untoward,” in a statement made on his podcast with Ryan and Adam.
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Ryan responded, “I’ll be honest, I was a little uneasy with it,” before adding, “I actually don’t care and don’t see any of this, I love how close we are as a family, but get a bird mate”!
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