Manchester United agree to sign Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro
LONDON: Manchester United said on Friday they have agreed to sign Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro in a deal worth up to a reported £60 million ($70 million).
United manager Erik ten Hag has been desperate to land a defensive midfielder since taking charge at Old Trafford and has finally settled for Casemiro after failing to sign Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong.
Troubled United, who sit bottom of the Premier League after embarrassing defeats against Brighton and Brentford, are set to pay an initial £50 million.
The overall fee would rise by another £10 million if certain clauses in the contract are met.
Casemiro has been offered a four-year contract with the option of a further 12-month extension, with the transfer subject to the agreement of personal terms.
The 30-year-old joined Real from Sao Paulo in 2013 and has been a key figure in midfield for the Spanish club, winning five Champions League titles.
"Manchester United is delighted to announce that the club has reached agreement with Real Madrid for the transfer of Casemiro," a statement from United said.
"The transfer is subject to the agreement of personal terms, UK visa requirements and a medical."
Ten Hag refused to discuss the transfer at his press conference earlier on Friday, but Real boss Carlo Ancelotti was more forthcoming when speaking to the media in Spain.
"I've discussed it with him this morning. He wants to try a new challenge, a new opportunity," Ancelotti said.
"The club understand it. With all he's done for this club and the person he is, we have to respect it.
"If he doesn't stay, we'll have an enormous sense of gratitude to him for all he's done. We have replacements within the squad."
Real Madrid said they will hold a "tribute and farewell" to Casemiro on Monday which will be attended by the club's president, Florentino Perez.
In a statement, the Spanish giants called him "one of the most transcendental players in one of the most significant and successful periods in our history."
"Real Madrid are and always will be his home, and we wish him and all his family the best of luck in this new chapter of his life," it added.
Casemiro played alongside current United stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Raphael Varane in the Spanish capital.
His arrival will fill a void in Ten Hag's midfield after his prolonged pursuit of De Jong ended in failure.
Casemiro's wealth of experience and success at the highest level will make him a certain starter instead of either Fred or Scott McTominay in central midfield.
He is unlikely to be available for United's next match against arch rivals Liverpool at Old Trafford on Monday.
Instead, Casemiro's debut could come at Southampton in the Premier League on August 27.
After failed attempt to buy Chelsea, billionaire Jim Ratcliffe interested in buying Manchester United: Reports
As per multiple reports, British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, a long-standing Manchester United fan, is interested in buying the club if the owners, the American Glazer family, are willing to sell.
This is the second time in few months when Ratcliffe, head of chemical company INEOS, had shown interest in buying a Premier League club. He had previously wanted to purchase Chelsea from Roman Abramovich.
In May 2022, Chelsea Football Club was sold to a consortium led by an investment group led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital for $3.2 billion (2.5 billion pounds).
“If the club is for sale, Jim is definitely a potential buyer,” a spokesperson for Ratcliffe told the Times. “If something like this was possible, we would be interested in talking with a view to long-term ownership.”
The club’s owners, the American Glazer family, are under pressure with United sitting bottom of the Premier League after two games of the season.
Bloomberg reported they would consider selling a minority stake, opening the door for Ratcliffe.
It is unclear if the interest would result in any deals. The Glazer family is not ready to concede the controlling stake in Manchester United and has an expectation of valuing the club at more than double its current market cap of $2.2 billion, another source said.
The Glazers have been the target of intense criticism for their failure to invest in the team who have not won a trophy in five years. United’s net debt had grown 11% to about 496 million pounds ($598 million) by the end of March.
The owners have also been criticised for not improving the Old Trafford stadium, the biggest club ground in the country with a capacity of around 75,000 fans.
United finished sixth last season in their worst Premier League campaign with respect to points earned, failing to qualify for the lucrative European Champions League.
They won the last of their record 20 top-flight league titles in 2013, the year Alex Ferguson stepped down as manager after more than 26 years in charge.
The club hired manager Erik ten Hag from Ajax Amsterdam in a bid to turn around their fortunes but the Dutchman has not yet succeeded in imposing his playing style, with United losing their opening two games after conceding six goals.
United play their arch-rivals Liverpool, who scored nine times without reply in their two league meetings last season, at Old Trafford on Monday.
Odisha FC rode on a first-half brace by Jerry Mawihmingthanga to demolish NorthEast United FC 6-0 in their Durand Cup opener on Wednesday. Jerry opened the scoring in the 15th minute, producing a fine finish to a well worked out team move.
Eleven minutes later goalkeeper Lalthuammawia Ralte got into the act with an accurate throw-out across the field to find Nandhakumar Sekar on the left. The Salem-based player showed a bit of trickery to take out two defenders before nailing a shot in the top corner. Jerry got his second (37′), getting at the end of a Raynier, Pedro, Nadha move to put the game at rest.
In what turned out to be a clinical performance in the end, Josep Gombau’s side produced a late dazzle in the second half to complete the rout. Gombau brought out his substitutes and all three responded with goals.
Isak scored with a brilliant header off a Nandha corner in the 81st minute, and then, Diego Muricio found the net with a wonderful free-kick (87′).
The Imphal derby between Neroca FC (NFC) and TRAU FC (TFC) and the highly anticipated Durand Cup debut of Mumbai City FC (MCFC) will highlight Day 3 of the Durand Cup football tournament which is currently ongoing in the three cities of Kolkata, Guwahati and Imphal. This is also the first time that a Durand Cup game will be played in the state of Manipur which is considered to be a powerhouse of Indian football.
Under the tutelage of Des Buckingham, the “Big Boys” of Mumbai City FC are up against an Indian Navy football team in a Group B game at the VYBK. In an otherwise David versus Goliath contest, the Indian Navy side looks in a good position with a blend of talented and experienced players.
“We are playing against one of the best teams in Asia and one of the Durand cup favorites. Many big names in their squad.” The team’s confidence and quality came to the fore when he added, “We have analysed their last year ISL & AFC matches. According to that we have some plan. Looking for three points nothing less than that,” said Navy men’s coach VS Abhilash.
Abhilash’s reference to big names was not limited to Indians like Bipin Singh, Rahul Bheke, Rowlin Borges, Vikram Pratap Singh, Mandar Rao Desai and Lallianzuala Changte. It also included some of the foreign Big Guns like Soctsman Gary Stewart, Senegalese Mourtada Fall, Moroccan Ahmed Jahouh along with newcomers like Jorge Pereyra-Diaz and Rostyn John Griffiths from the A-league.
On the contrary, the sailors will be relying on the leadership of Dalraj Singh from deep defence, the sharpness of their Kerala centre-forward Sreyas VG upfront, the wing-play of Pintu Mahata and P.M. Britto. All these players have been performing exceptionally well in the top Indian leagues for quite some time now.
In his pre-match chat, Buckingham spoke about the importance of having a good start and said, “We’ve just had three weeks of a preparatory camp in Dubai before we’ve come here because we wanted to prepare as well as we can firstly for this tournament, and then secondly, for the ISL. But, I won’t disrespect this tournament and say we’re using it as a preparation for ISL because it is the oldest competition in Asia and it’s our first time competing. So of course, we want to try and do as well as we can. We must make sure that we get off to a good start and that’s making sure we only look at the first game within the group.”
“For me as a coach, for us as a playing group and as a club, we want to continue where we left off in the AFC Champions League last season, which is continuing to build our brand of football, continuing to give players opportunities to showcase what they can do, whether it’s on the Asian stage or here at the Durand Cup or whether it’s in preparation for the ISL. So for me, of course, it’s going to be our first competitive game against the Indian Navy, but it’s very much important that we try and pick up where we left off at the back end of last season,” he added.
Sunil Chhetri and Roy Krishna scored a goal each as a 10-man Bengaluru FC overcame some anxious second-half moments to down Jamshedpur FC 2-1 in the Durand Cup on Wednesday.
Eyeing the elusive Durand Cup title, the former I-League and Indian Super League champions began on a positive note with Chhetri finding the net in the 23rd minute from a Prabir Das corner. The much-anticipated pairing of Chhetri and Krishna then got going together to make it 2-0 with the former ATK Mohun Bagan star marksman opening his account in the 56th minute.
Having started from the bench, the marquee Fijian recruit scored just 11 minutes after coming on to the pitch, as he worked in tandem with talismanic skipper Chhetri.
Anticipating Krishna behind him, Chhetri made a perfect run into the Jamshedpur FC box, providing an inch-perfect backheel to the Fijian to do the needful and give them a 2-0 cushion inside the hour-mark. But the Blues were in for some jittery moments after their skipper left the field.
Bengaluru’s signing from East Bengal, Hira Mondal, who was already on a yellow card, once again caught the eyes of referee Rahul Kumar Gupta to get a second booking as Bengaluru was reduced to 10 players in the 59th minute.The Red Miners were quick to cash in on their numerical advantage to earn a free kick, resulting in their first goal of the Durand Cup.
Rishi utilized Phijam Vikash Singh’s freekick from the right to pull one back as they slowly started to build pressure on Bengaluru.
Under new coach Simon Grayson, Bengaluru FC bolstered their defense with five men at the back to hold off Jamshedpur FC’s late surge, as they looked most threatening from setpieces. Credit should also be given to their seasoned goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh who stood tall under the bar. With four minutes left on the clock, he palmed away a Rishi corner.
The suspended World Cup qualifying game between Brazil and Argentina will not be played, the two countries’ governing soccer bodies said after reaching a deal with FIFA to cancel the match.
Both teams agreed to pay a fine for not playing the qualifier, which was stopped shortly after kickoff last September when Brazilian health officials entered the field saying four Argentina players had broken COVID-19 protocols. FIFA had wanted the match to be played next month, even though it had been rendered essentially meaningless after both Brazil and Argentina qualified for the World Cup in Qatar despite playing a game less than other South American countries.
FIFA initially fined the soccer bodies of both countries and demanded the match be played. Brazil’s confederation and Argentina’s federation took the case to the Court for Arbitration of Sport, where all three parties agreed to the deal to cancel the game.
Brazil coach Tite and his Argentina counterpart Lionel Scaloni had argued that the risks of injuries and suspensions were too high for the game to be played ahead of the tournament in Qatar. The decision leaves both teams free to schedule September friendlies against different opponents instead.
In Qatar, Brazil is in Group G with Serbia, Switzerland and Cameroon. Argentina is in Group C with Mexico, Poland and Saudi Arabia.
For Gokulam Kerala, the anxious wait goes on. India’s champion women’s football team was originally supposed to be on a short flight to Qarshi from Tashkent in Uzbekistan and continue their preparation for their maiden Asian Women’s Club Championship campaign. Instead, they were forced to stay back in the Uzbek capital – the only team left behind- after being barred from competing in the championship as FIFA had suspended the All India Football Federation (AIFF) for third-party interference.
Kerala Blasters FC, the men’s team who were in Dubai to play three pre-season matches, were also hit. They issued a statement that their games have been cancelled. Gokulam Kerala also issued a statement on twitter, a letter addressed to the prime minister. “… Our Prime Minister’s dream is to make India a super power and become No.1 in the world. In a small way our club is spearheading the effort to bring women football in India … hence we again humbly request your good offices to intervene.
Gokulam’s hopes rested on the outcome of the Supreme Court hearing on Wednesday morning. However, the apex court adjourned the case until Monday, August 22, after the government said they, along with the Committee of Administrators, held a meeting with FIFA on Tuesday and there was ‘some breaking of ice’.
This, however, meant that India’s suspension would remain in force when the Asian Women’s Club Championship begins on August 20. And as a consequence, Gokulam’s participation remains up in the air after FIFA wrote to all its member associations, reminding them not to enter any ‘sporting contact with AIFF’ and its teams while it is suspended.
Desperate for a solution, the Gokulam Kerala team management reached out to the sports ministry on Wednesday afternoon, seeking their intervention. The ministry had already swung into action and had sent a letter to the Asian Football Confederation, requesting them to grant an exemption to Gokulam Kerala and allow them to compete in the Championship.
“Our request is that in the interest of the young women athletes who have already reached Uzbekistan from India before FIFA’s decision for suspension of AIFF was communicated, Sree Gokulam Kerala FC team may be permitted to take part in the AFC Women’s Club Championship 2022,” director, sports ministry, SPS Toman wrote in his letter.
The AFC has now offered the team an extension of 48 hours in Tashkent instead of asking them to return immediately. However, unless FIFA lifts its suspension or grants a special exemption, the uncertainty over their participation still persists.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday was informed that the Government held a meeting with FIFA officials over holding the U-17 Women’s World Cup and lifting suspension on the country’s top administrative organisation, the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the apex court that talks between the two parties were constructive. He also said that the Government will request FIFA/AFC to allow Gokulam Kerala to participate in the AFC Women’s Championship and ATK Mohun Bagan in AFC Cup.
The matter will be heard again next week.
The 131st edition of the Durand
The number of teams participating has gone up from 16 to a total of 20, spread across four groups. All 11 Indian Super League clubs will be featuring in the competition. In addition, five I-League clubs and four teams from the Armed Forces will be taking part. Mumbai City FC, Odisha FC and NorthEast United will be making their competition debut. Winners of the 2019 Durand Cup, Gokulam Kerala FC will not be participating though.
Group A:
FC Goa
Mohammedan Sporting
Bengaluru FC
Jamshedpur FC
Indian Air Force
Group B:
East Bengal
ATK Mohun Bagan,
Mumbai City FC
Rajasthan United FC
Indian Navy
Group C:
Neroca FC
Trau FC
Hyderabad FC Chennaiyin FC
Army Red
Group D:
Odisha FC
NorthEast United FC
Kerala Blasters
Sudeva Delhi FC
Army Green
Venues
The competition, for the first time in its history, is being played across multiple cities in West Bengal, Assam and Manipur. Below is the list of the venues hosting the 2022 Durand Cup.
- Salt Lake Stadium (Kolkata, West Bengal),
- Naihati Stadium (Naihati, West Bengal),
- Kishore Bharati Stadium (Kolkata, West Bengal),
- Khuman Lampak Stadium (Imphal, Manipur)
- Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium (Guwahati, Assam).
Matches
The Durand Cup 2022 shall be played from August 16 to September 18.
Cup, the oldest football tournament in Asia, kicked off on Tuesday with Mohammedan Sporting beating defending champions FC Goa 3-1. The competition also marks the beginning of the Indian domestic football season.
Founded in 1888 by the former Foreign Secretary of British India, Mortimer Durand, the Durand Cup was initially played only amongst the armed services but was later opened for professional football clubs across the country.
Mohun Bagan and East Bengal are the the joint-most successful teams in the history of the competition with 16 titles each to their name. FC Goa won the cup last year after a tense 1-0 win over Mohammedan Sporting in the final. Here’s all you need to know about the 2022 edition of the Durand Cup.
A SUSPENSION from international football, the appointment of a Committee of Administrators (CoA) to run the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), and uncertainty over hosting the hockey World Cup. Even as the dust settles over a successful Commonwealth Games campaign, Indian sport has been thrown into turmoil.
Late Monday night, football’s world governing body FIFA announced that it had suspended the All India Football Federation (AIFF) “with immediate effect due to flagrant violations of the FIFA Statutes”. FIFA cited “undue interference by third party”, referring to a Supreme Court-appointed CoA to run the daily affairs of the AIFF, as the reason for suspending India.
The IOA, too, is staring at a similar fate after the Delhi High Court on Tuesday named another CoA to run the federation. Last month, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had threatened to suspend the IOA for outside interference in its functioning as well as not conducting its elections in a timely manner.
The IOA is the fifth sports federation, after football, hockey, judo and table tennis, to be placed under a CoA. Former Supreme Court judge, Justice Anil Dave, and ex-chief election commissioner S Y Quraishi are administrators in three of the five CoAs: football, hockey and IOA.