Sports
Dembélé signs new contract with Barcelona through 2024
Ousmane Dembélé has agreed to sign a new contract with Barcelona through June 2024.
The deal on Thursday comes a day after club president Joan Laporta said Dembélé would stay on during the presentation of new signing Raphinha.
Dembélé, now 25, joined Barcelona in 2017 on a then club-record transfer from Borussia Dortmund that with variables was set to reach 147 million euros (then $173 million) as the club sought a young talent after the unwanted exit of Neymar.
Read: Barcelona reaches deal to sign Raphinha; Dembélé staying
After suffering serious injuries early in his stay at Barcelona, Dembélé consolidated himself as one of its most irreplaceable players thanks to his speed and playmaking.
The new contract concludes a drawn-out negotiation between player and club that appeared to have broken down in January when Dembélé rejected Barcelona's renewal offer, prompting the club to tell his agent to find the France winger a new club.
Dembélé continued to play well for coach Xavi Hernández and remained one of his most used players.
But with his contract expiring this summer, it appeared he would leave. Dembélé was linked to possible moves to England’s Premier League or to Paris Saint-Germain, the team of Neymar and former Barcelona great Lionel Messi. Now he will be considered one of Xavi’s pillars as the coach tries to build a winning side following a season without a title.
Also read: Barcelona edges Sevilla to move into 2nd in Spanish league
The forward has 32 goals and assisted on 34 more in 150 appearances for Barcelona.
As usual, Barcelona did not make his salary public. It is reported Dembélé had one of the highest wages on the squad under his previous contract. Barcelona has successfully convinced several players to take a wage cut as it tries to reduce its enormous debt.
Barça reaches deal with Man U for reluctant De Jong
Barcelona has reached an agreement with Manchester United for the potential transfer of Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong, who would still need to approve the move, a person at the Spanish club with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Thursday.
United has agreed to pay Barcelona 75 million euros ($75 million) plus another potential 10 million euros in variables for the 25-year-old De Jong, according to a club official who spoke under condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk publicly about the deal.
Read: Barcelona reaches deal to sign Raphinha; Dembélé staying
De Jong, who is under contact with Barcelona through June 2026, would still need to agree to the transfer to the English Premier League side. So far, he is reportedly reluctant to leave Camp Nou.
But the Barcelona official with knowledge of the agreement said coach Xavi Hernández has told De Jong that he will not be a key part of his squad. Barcelona would prefer for a definite deal to be reached immediately before the team leaves on Saturday for a preseason tour in the United States.
Barcelona has been working to reduce its payroll as it seeks to reduce its debt. De Jong’s salary, the club official said, was no longer in line with its new financial priorities.
De Jong has made 140 appearances, mostly as a regular starter, since Barcelona bought him from Ajax in 2019 for 75 million euros (then $85.5 million).
Bangladesh's Shohidul gets 10-month ban for failing dope test
Bangladesh's right-arm pacer Shohidul Islam has been suspended from all cricket-related activities for 10 months after pleading guilty to breaching Article 2.1 of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Anti-Doping Code.
On March 4, 2022, the 27-year-old fast bowler provided a urine sample as part of the ICC's out-of-competition testing programme in Dhaka, which was found to contain Clomifene.
Clomifene is classified as a specified substance under World Anti-Doping Agency's prohibited list and is prohibited both in-competition and out-of-competition.
Shohidul admitted the violation and accepted a 10-month suspension. The ban is backdated to May 28, 2022, the date of his acceptance of a voluntary provisional suspension. He will be eligible to return to cricket on March 28, 2023.
READ: Bangladesh's Shohidul gets 10-month ban for failing dope test
The ICC accepted that Shohidul had demonstrated no significant fault or negligence, having inadvertently ingested the prohibited substance which was contained in the medicine he had been legitimately prescribed for therapeutic reasons.
Shohidul was able to satisfy the ICC that he had no intention to enhance his sporting performance by using prohibited substances.
However, the 27-year-old accepted that he had failed to satisfy the high levels of personal responsibility incumbent upon him as an international cricketer subject to anti-doping rules.
Shohidul played a T20I for Bangladesh. He has been doing well in the domestic arena for the last few years. He picked up 93 wickets in first-class cricket.
Summer Football Transfer Window 2022: 13 most significant moves so far
Club football's European giants are currently busy preparing their respective squads for the 2022-2023 season. As a result, the summer football transfer window 2022 has already seen some big moves, with giants splashing money to bring in their desired players. More significant signings are anticipated in the coming days since the summer transfer window is still open but has one and a half months left to come to an end. Here are the top 13 biggest moves this window to date.
Big Signings in the Summer Football Transfer Window 2022
The big clubs in Europe are always keen to bolster their squads in every summer window in order to be competitive for the next season. So, this season is no exception. Teams like Real Madrid, Liverpool, Manchester City and a host of other European giants have already made their marquee signings this season. Let’s take a look at the top 13 major 2022 summer signings thus far.
Paul Pogba (Juventus)
French midfielder Paul Pogba becomes a free agent at the end of the 2021/2022 season. Manchester United couldn’t hold onto him. Pogba has picked Juventus as his new club. He played for Juventus from 2012 to 2016 and had a successful stint. Pogba is expected to do well again for Juventus.
Read Summer footballer transfer window 2022: 5 big moves can happen before deadline
Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
One of the most sought-after young prospects is Erling Haaland. Every major club in Europe wanted to sign him. But Haaland picked Manchester City over others as his new club. The City Football Group reportedly paid 65.5 million euros to bring him from Borussia Dortmund to Manchester.
Raheem Sterling (Chelsea)
Raheem Sterling had a fruitful seven years at Manchester City. The English international wanted more play time and urged a new challenge. Chelsea Football Club signed him for a reported 47.5 million pounds.
Angel Di Maria (Juventus)
Angel Di Maria left PSG after the end of the 2021–2022 season and became a free agent. Juventus signed him for a one-year deal. Di Maria will be an integral part of Juventus’s next season.
Read Pioneer U-15 Football League final Friday
Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal)
Gabriel Jesus’ departure from Manchester City was imminent after the arrival of Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez. London-based Arsenal bought him for 57 million euros. He will be the Gunners' main hitman for the 2022-2023 campaign.
Kalvin Phillips (Manchester City)
Manchester City needed a defensive midfielder after the departure of the Brazilian Fernandinho. They bought Kalvin Phillips from Leeds United for a reported 53.2 million euros. Phillips is an English international and will likely have a great impact on the team.
Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid)
Real Madrid bought French midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni from Monaco for a whopping 87.4 million euros. He is only 22 years old and is rated highly by the football pundits.
Read Blatter and Platini acquitted on charges of defrauding FIFA
Darwin Nunez (Liverpool)
Liverpool lost Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich. Therefore, they needed a marquee signing to replace Mane for the next season. Liverpool bought Uruguayan Darwin Nunez from Benfica for a whopping 81.9 million euros. Only time will tell whether Nunez can live up to the expectations.
Sadio Mane (Bayern Munich)
Bayern Munich signed Senegalese striker Sadio Mane from Liverpool for a reported fee of 34.9 million euros. Mane will surely make a difference for the German side next season as he will play the role of Robert Lewandowski.
Romelu Lukaku (Inter Milan)
Chelsea splashed 100 million pounds last season on Lukaku, but he was a complete failure at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea loaned him out to Inter Milan. It could be a great signing for both Lukaku and Inter Milan, as the striker had a successful stint last time at San Siro.
Read Barcelona reaches deal to sign Raphinha; Dembélé staying
Anotnio Rudiger (Real Madrid)
Antonio Rudiger had a brilliant outing with Chelsea in the 2021–2022 season. The Spanish giants, Real Madrid and Barcelona, wanted to sign him. But Rudiger picked Real Madrid as a free agent. He will bring a lot of stability to Madrid’s defense.
Raphinha (Barcelona)
Raphinha was a highly rated winger and a number of top European clubs wanted to sign him. However, Raphinha’s preferred destination was always Barcelona. The Catalan giants signed him for 60 million euros plus add-ons.
Richarlison (Tottenham Hotspur)
Tottenham Hotspur paid Everton football club a reported 63.4 million euros for Brazilian Richarlison. He will surely bolster Tottenham’s forward line next season.
Read Sterling bids farewell to City, edges closer to Chelsea
Bottom Line
The reigning English Premier League champions, Manchester City have done pretty good business in the summer football transfer window 2022 so far. They brought in one of the hottest young prospects in Europe, Erling Haaland at the beginning of the transfer window. Besides, their replacements for transferred players are pretty solid.
Elsewhere, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Barcelona, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, Inter Milan, Juventus, PSG, and Bayern Munich are some of the big clubs who have already made some big signings for next season. They will attempt to make more signings before the end of this year’s summer transfer window.
BAN vs WI 2022: Tamim equals Mashrafe’s record with ODI series win over Windies
The Tamim Iqbal-led Bangladesh national men’s cricket team sealed the 3-match ODI series against West Indies after winning the second match by 9 wickets on Wednesday (July 14) at the Providence Stadium in Guyana. Besides, captain Tamim Iqbal has also equaled Mashrafe Mortaza's record by winning the series. Now, Bangladesh's aim in the BAN vs WI 2022 ODI series is to whitewash the Caribbean side. The third match will be held on July 16 (Saturday) at the same venue.
West Indies vs Bangladesh Second ODI 2022: Match Report
Bangladesh chased down West Indies’ 108 runs in 20.4 overs, with captain Tamim Iqbal scoring the highest of 50* for his side. Bangladesh only lost Najmul Hossain Shanto’s (20) wicket, who opened the innings with Tamim in this encounter. Litton Das came out to bat at no.3 and remained unbeaten with 32*, securing Bangladesh’s 9-wicket victory in the match.
The Bangladesh skipper, Tamim Iqbal didn't think twice to bat first after winning the toss since it was anticipated that spinners would flourish on the Providence stadium pitch. Furthermore, it was taken into account that the Windies batters were inept against the Bangladesh spinners in the first game. Taskin Ahmed was even dropped by Bangladesh team management so that there would be room for another spinner in the playing XI.
Read Bangladesh bowl first in 2nd ODI vs West Indies
Mosaddek Hossain replaced Taskin Ahmed in the playing XI. Tamim fully utilized the right-hand spinner by handing him the new ball to bowl the first over. Mosaddek completed his 10 overs within the first 25 overs and even gave Bangladesh the first breakthrough in the 11th over. On the other hand, left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed put immense pressure on the West Indian batting line-up and eventually finished his spell with 10-4-19-3. Off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz was the most successful bowler, picking up 4 wickets for 29 runs.
Bangladesh’s spinners did all the damage in the West Indies innings as Mosaddek, Nasum, and Mehidy combined to bowl 28 overs out of 35. Shoriful bowled 3 overs and picked up a wicket, while Mustafizur bowled 4 overs. Keemo Paul was the top scorer for the West Indies with 25.
Tamim Iqbal Equals Mashrafe Mortaza's Record
Veteran opener Tamim Iqbal has been doing a brilliant job since becoming ODI captain of Bangladesh. Under his leadership, Bangladesh have won five straight ODI series. Prior to him, the Mashrafe-led Bangladesh ODI team had won five straight ODI series from 2015 to 2016. Therefore, Tamim Iqbal has equaled the record of Mashrafe Mortaza by winning five straight ODI series as a captain.
Read ENG vs IND 2nd ODI 2022: India eye series win at Lord’s
Bangladesh's longest streak of ODI series wins
Mashrafe-led Bangladesh ODI team
Series
Result
Year
Bangladesh vs Pakistan
Bangladesh win (3-0)
2015
Bangladesh vs India
Bangladesh win (2-1)
2015
Bangladesh vs South Africa
Bangladesh win (2-1)
2015
Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe
Bangladesh win (3-0)
2016
Bangladesh vs Afghanistan
Bangladesh win (2-1)
2016
Tamim-led Bangladesh ODI team
Series
Result
Year
Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh
Bangladesh win (2-1)
2021
Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe
Bangladesh win (3-0)
2021
Bangladesh vs Afghanistan
Bangladesh win (2-1)
2022
South Africa vs Bangladesh
Bangladesh win (2-1)
2022
West Indies vs Bangladesh
Bangladesh led the series 2-0 (3-match ODI series)
2022
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/
Read South Africa pulls out of scheduled ODI series in Australia
In addition, Tamim Iqbal has bettered Mashrafe Mortaza’s captaincy record by winning the second ODI of the WI vs BAN 2022 series. Tamim now surpasses Mashrafe in terms of winning percentage in ODI captaincy.
Bangladesh's top three ODI captains in terms of winning percentage (as on July 13, 2022)
Player
Match
Won
Lost
Percentage (%)
Tamim Iqbal
23
14
9
60.86%
Mashrafe Mortaza
88
50
36
58.13%
Shakib Al Hasan
50
23
26
46.93%
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/
Bottom Line
Bangladesh's comeback on the ongoing tour after disappointing performances in both the Test and T20I series is truly remarkable. The West Indian batters appear completely clueless against the Bangladeshi Spinners in the BAN vs WI 2022 ODI series. Bangladesh bowlers have dominated the Caribbean side and it will continue as the Providence Stadium in Guyana will host the third ODI as well. Besides, Tamim can improve his win/loss ratio as captain even further if he guides Bangladesh to whitewash the Caribbean team in the ongoing limited-overs series.
Read Bangladesh go 2-0 up to win ODI series against West Indies
Bangladesh go 2-0 up to win ODI series against West Indies
Left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed won the player of the match award in his second ODI match, as Bangladesh beat the West Indies by nine wickets to win the ODI series Wednesday at the Providence Stadium in Guyana.
Bangladesh won the first ODI at the same venue by six wickets.
"The dressing room wasn't the happiest (after the Tests and T20Is), but everyone was eager to win. It feels great to win, but there is still room for improvement. And we need to tick more boxes," Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal told the media.
Nasum bagged three wickets after Bangladesh chose to bowl first. The Tigers managed to restrict their hosts to 108/10 in 35 overs.
Nicholas Pooran, West Indian captain, made a golden duck.
Keemo Paul, the number eight batter, scored the most runs (25) for the hosts.
Read: Shakib to skip West Indies ODIs, Zimbabwe tour
In the absence of Shakib Al Hasan, right-arm all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz bowled superbly, picking up four wickets and conceding only 29 runs in eight overs.
In reply to the West Indies' 108, Bangladesh won the match in just 20.4 overs, with Tamim scoring an unbeaten 50, and Liton Das 32.
The visitors did not include Anamul Haque in the team. The right-handed batter did well in the 50-over format at the domestic level but failed to bring his form to the international format. He played five innings in the ongoing tour and managed to pass the 20-run mark only once.
Also read: ENG vs IND 2nd ODI 2022: India eye series win at Lord’s
The last ODI of this series will be played on July 16 at the same venue.
Ahead of the ODI series, Bangladesh lost both the Test and T20I series against the hosts.
South Africa pulls out of scheduled ODI series in Australia
Australia is likely to get the competition points from a cancelled three-game limited-overs international series after South Africa withdrew because of a crammed schedule and the launch of its domestic Twenty20 competition.
Cricket Australia on Wednesday said the scheduled ODIs in January in Hobart, Sydney and Perth against South Africa had been scrapped and dates and venues for other international matches were revised.
The ODI series was to be part of the International Cricket Council’s Super League which determines direct qualification for the 50-over World Cup in 2023.
“Given these games will not be played before the qualification cut-off date in May, (South Africa) has agreed that Australia will be awarded the competition points pending ICC approval,” Cricket Australia said in a statement.
Read: WI vs BAN ODI Series 2022: Bangladesh have highest winning percentage in Guyana
Cricket South Africa is set to launch at new domestic Twenty20 league in January and wanted its leading players available for the tournament.
Australia will host South Africa in a three-test series starting in Brisbane on Dec. 17 and scheduled to end in Sydney on Jan. 8.
Before then, Australia will host Zimbabwe, New Zealand, West Indies and England in white-ball series from late August ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup from Oct. 16-Nov. 13. The Australians will then play England in a three-game ODI series and West Indies in a two-test series in Perth and Adelaide.
Australia’s men’s team returned this week from a tour to Sri Lanka that included Twenty20 and one-day international series and two test matches.
Sterling bids farewell to City, edges closer to Chelsea
Raheem Sterling edged closer to a move to Chelsea as he bid farewell to Manchester City on Wednesday.
Sterling is on the cusp of completing a transfer of around 50 million pounds ($60 million) to City’s Premier League rival and he has reportedly flown out to Los Angeles to join up with Chelsea on its preseason tour and put pen to paper on a five-year deal.
The England attacking midfielder posted an emotional message on social media, along with a video of highlights of his time at City.
Read: Erling Haaland Transfer: Five Interesting Facts About Manchester City's New Signing
“Seven seasons, eleven major trophies, a lifetime of memories,” it read. “To the coaching staff who have played a massive role in my development over the years, to my teammates who have become more than just those I share a pitch with, to the backroom staff, to the office staff, to the fans who have tirelessly supported the team, and to everyone involved with Manchester City, my respect for you couldn’t be greater.
“What a ride it’s been.”
Sterling joined City from Liverpool in 2015 for a fee of nearly 50 million pounds, making him then the most expensive English player of all time.
The 27-year-old Sterling helped City to win four league titles and scored 131 goals in 339 games across all competitions. He was in-and-out of the team last season and did not start either leg of the Champions League semifinal loss to Real Madrid or the Premier League title-clincher against Aston Villa on the final day.
Also read: Manchester City vs Real Madrid 2022: Champions League Semi-Final Match Preview
“I am thankful for the ups and the downs,” Sterling added in his post. “As it’s the downs that have, at times, tested my strength and resolve, and enabled me to stand here in front of you as the best possible version of myself.
“I arrived in Manchester a 20-year-old, today, I leave as a man.”
Barcelona reaches deal to sign Raphinha; Dembélé staying
Barcelona announced Wednesday it has reached a deal to sign Leeds playmaker Raphinha and will also keep France forward Ousmane Dembélé at the club.
The agreement to sign Brazil international Raphinha was pending the 25-year-old winger passing a medical. Leeds also confirmed it had reached an agreement in principle with Barcelona.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta also said the club is keeping Dembélé, who is expected to have his contract extended until the end of 2024. Dembélé performed well this past season after refusing to leave on a loan.
Read: Barcelona stuns Madrid 4-0 at Bernabéu to end losing streak
Laporta did not answer questions on whether Barcelona was still trying to sign Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich. Laporta said recently that Barcelona had made an offer for the striker.
The Catalan club has been recovering after enduring a dire financial situation prompted by the pandemic with past club officials also blamed for poor administration.
Financial details of the Raphinha transfer were not immediately disclosed, but local media said Barcelona would pay nearly 60 million euros ($60 million) plus add-ons.
Barcelona called Raphinha a player who is “excellent in one on ones, with taking on defenders a key part of his game.” It called him a “difference-maker.”
Raphinha made his debut with Brazil's national team last year and is set to make the squad for the World Cup in Qatar later this year.
Read: Barcelona edges Sevilla to move into 2nd in Spanish league
Raphinha moved from Brazil to Europe early in his career, joining Portuguese club Vitória Guimarães before moving to Sporting Lisbon for 6.5 million euros in 2018.
He went to Rennes for 21 million euros in 2019, then joined Leeds a year later and quickly became a key player in Marcelo Bielsa's squad.
TRINCÃO TO SPORTING
Barcelona said it sent Portuguese forward Francisco Trincão on a one-year loan deal to Sporting Lisbon. The deal includes an option for Sporting to keep the 22-year-old player.
Trincão joined Barcelona from Braga in 2020 but struggled to make an impact, scoring three goals and earning two assists in 42 matches before being loaned to Wolverhampton last season.
Bangladesh bowl first in 2nd ODI vs West Indies
Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bowl first in the second ODI of the three-match series against the West Indies on Wednesday in Providence Stadium, Guyana.
The visitors overlooked Taskin Ahmed to pave the way for Mosaddek Hossain to the playing XI.
Bangladesh won the first match of the series, and they now got a chance to win the ODI series on Wednesday.
Ahead of the ODI series, Bangladesh played against the hosts in a two-match Test and three-match T20I series, and Bangladesh lost both series.
Read:WI vs BAN 2nd ODI 2022: Resurgent Bangladesh aim for series win
Bangladesh won five of their last six ODI series including the one against South Africa in South Africa.
For various reasons, the visitors are missing the service of Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim— Bangladesh’s two mainstays in the format. It came as a great chance for the Tigers to test their bench strength.
Anamul Haque has to wait for more to make a comeback to ODIs. The right-handed batter did well in the 50-over format at the domestic level but failed to bring his form to the international format. He played five innings in the ongoing tour and managed to pass the 20-run mark only once, which made the team management keep him out of the ODI setup in this series.
Bangladesh (Playing XI): Tamim Iqbal (c), Liton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mahmudullah Riyad, Afif Hossain, Nurul Hasan (w), Mosaddek Hossain, Mehidy Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam
West Indies (Playing XI): Kyle Mayers, Shai Hope (w), Shamarh Brooks, Brandon King, Nicholas Pooran(c), Rovman Powell, Keemo Paul, Romario Shepherd, Akeal Hosein, Gudakesh Motie, Alzarri Joseph