England allrounder to stay at Riverside at least until end of 2024

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Dec-2021

Ben Stokes will be remaining a Durham player at least until the end of 2024•Getty Images

Ben Stokes will remain a Durham player at least until the end of the 2024 season, after signing a new three-year contract extension with the club.Stokes, 30, recently returned to action with England in the first Ashes Test at Brisbane, after missing much of the 2021 season to manage his mental health in the wake of a badly broken finger.Much of Stokes’ rehabilitation work ahead of his comeback was done at the Riverside, where he made his County Championship debut against Essex in 2010. He has since gone on to play 64 first-class matches for the club, scoring 3611 runs, with a best of 185 against Lancashire.More recently, however, his demands as an England player across formats have limited his availability to Durham. He has so far played 72 Tests, scoring 4650 runs at 36.61 and taking 163 wickets, as well as 101 ODIs and 34 T20Is.”I am delighted to commit to a further three years with Durham,” Stokes said. “I have had some fantastic memories playing for the club over the years and I look forward to experiencing more of this in the future.”Durham’s Director of Cricket, Marcus North added: “Ben is one of the finest players in the world and while we may not see him as much as we would like, his influence around the club remains huge.”It’s fantastic to see Ben back fit and well following his time away from the game and now back playing for England in the Ashes. We are extremely happy that Ben has agreed his future to Durham for a further three years.”

Avram Glazer ended speculations about a potential sale of his stake in Manchester United with a firm response when asked about his future plans.

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• United in dire financial condition
• Spent £14.5m on compensation to football staff
• Yet, Glazer has no plans to sell the club

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  United released their quarterly financial report, which highlighted significant expenses related to managerial changes. The club has spent £14.5 million on severance costs following the departure of key football staff, including manager Erik ten Hag and sporting director Dan Ashworth. In fact, their dire financial situation has been laid before with the club’s total debt having now exceeded £1 billion, including £731 million in financial liabilities and an additional £300 million owed in transfer-related payments.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Glazer family’s reign at Old Trafford has been a source of frustration for United supporters ever since their controversial leveraged buyout in 2005. Many fans had hoped Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s investment would usher in a new dawn, but several measures taken by the INEOS chief, including increased ticket prices, have incensed the fans even more.

• WHAT GLAZER SAID

  While in Miami, Glazer was questioned by about whether he would consider selling United, to which he gave an emphatic one-word reply: “No.”

  He was also asked about Ratcliffe’s recent decisions, particularly the 250 staff layoffs that have taken place since he took control of the club’s football operations. Reports suggest that further job cuts could be on the horizon as Ratcliffe seeks to streamline the club’s operations. However, Glazer opted not to comment on the issue, instead stating that he was on his way to meet President Donald Trump.

  "I'm on my way to see the president right now," he said. "I don't think it's appropriate to talk about it right now."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

  While financial concerns dominate discussions off the pitch, United’s performances on it have been equally troubling. The Red Devils are currently enduring one of their worst Premier League campaigns in decades, languishing in 15th place in the table. The combination of poor results, instability within the club’s hierarchy, and financial uncertainty has left fans increasingly frustrated. The Red Devils face a tricky trip to Goodison Park next to take on Everton on Sunday in their next Premier League fixture.

MatériaMais Notícias

Everton Ribeiro e Willian Arão saíram do banco de reservas para garantirem a vitória do Flamengo sobre o Madureira, por 2 a 1 no Conselheiro Galvão, com um gol de cada. Na saída de campo, os dois meias admitiram as dificuldades do time, em especial por conta das condições do campo, mas ressaltaram a importância de somarem mais três pontos na tabela do Campeonato Carioca.

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-Jogo difícil, campo muito ruim, em péssimas condições. Sabíamos que seria difícil, mas temos que ganhar. Não adianta toda hora querer dar show, jogar bonito, tem que ganhar o jogo. Estou Feliz pelo gol e feliz por ajudar a equipe – afirmou Willian Arão, camisa 5 do Flamengo, em entrevista ao Cariocão Play.

Ainda não é assinante do Cariocão-2022? Acesse www.cariocaoplay.com.br, preencha o cadastro e ganhe 5% de desconto com o cupom especial do LANCE!: GE-JK-FF-ZSW

-Um jogo muito dificulta, o campo dificulta nosso estilo. A equipes dele é forte, veio com uma proposta e a fizeram bem. Mas mudamos a postura, a intensidade e conseguimos a vitória – disse Everton, mantendo o discurso.

Agora, o elenco do Flamengo se reapresenta nesta quinta, no Ninho do Urubu, visando a Supercopa do Brasil. No domingo, em Cuiabá, o Fla enfrenta o Atlético-MG pela primeira taça de 2022. A projeção é de mais um jogo difícil.

– Serámais um jogo difícil. Vamos nos preparar da melhor forma possível para fazer uma grande partida no domigno e levantar mais uma taça – disse Arão.

Top Premier League footballers have started spending on top security patrols following threats about criminal gangs using car transporters.

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Premier League stars spend on top security patrolsAlerts to threats about gangs targeting carsSerious security concerns in CheshireFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to , there has been a 'serious security issue' in Cheshire, where several top Premier League stars from the Manchester and Merseyside clubs reside. The report adds that ex-military operatives and teams of dog handlers have been deployed to patrol the 'high risk' places and alerts have been sent out to people who work with the footballers of clubs from that area. The stars are reportedly spending a hefty amount on their security.

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In the alerts sent out, it has been claimed that a gang has been using car transporters to steal multiple vehicles across the region. Premier League stars such as Jack Grealish, Victor Lindelof and Joao Cancelo have previously been the victim of raids at their homes.

WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

On the alarming situation, a spokesperson of the UK Football Policing Unit said: "Following a small number of high-profile footballer burglaries across the country, the UK Football Policing Unit (UKFPU) has been working closely with all football clubs and match officials around home security.

"As part of our work, the UKFPU has lead Operation Equalise, where through clubs and law enforcement we have been offering security advice through locally based design out crime officers. This national operation has provided greater cohesion and consistency to crime prevention and investigation, which has resulted in a decrease in the offences."

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

Clubs will be hoping the off-field distractions don't affect their players at a crucial time of the season. Liverpool are leading the title race with an eleven-point lead at the summer after their win over Manchester City last Sunday and with Arsenal dropping points against West Ham. The Reds will next face Newcastle on Wednesday at home.

A report has shared what Chelsea are ready to give Arsenal in talks over a permanent switch to the Emirates Stadium for loanee winger Raheem Sterling.

Sterling's mixed start after summer move to Arsenal

The former Man City star was sporting director Edu Gaspar’s biggest-name signing by some distance in the summer.

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Sterling, who boasts over 80 caps for England at international level, was a serial trophy winner during his time at City as well – and his experience on the most noteworthy stages of high-level football was seen as a real plus-point of his addition on deadline day.

Arsenal were offered a late summer chance to sign Sterling on a temporary deal from Chelsea after head coach Enzo Maresca deemed him surplus to requirements and not part of his long-term plans at Stamford Bridge.

Arsenal’s next five Premier League games	Date
Liverpool (home)	October 27
Newcastle United (away)	November 2
Chelsea (away)	November 10
Nottingham Forest (home)	November 23
West Ham United (away)	November 30

It was a chance they grabbed with both hands, as manager Mikel Arteta knows the player very well from their time together at Eastlands. Commenting on his decision to reunite with the £162,500-per-week winger, Arteta revealed that it took him “10 seconds” to green-light a deal for Sterling.

“The first call I had with him I knew in the first 10 seconds we have to bring him because he really wanted it,” said Arteta on Arsenal’s decision to sign Sterling.

“That was my only question mark: ‘What stage is he at in his career?’ After ten seconds I knew already before the next questions that we needed him here. What I see is hunger. He’s a player that wants to play every minute of every game. When that’s not the case, he’s not happy.

“He wants to play every single day and I see that. His commitment and the level of energy that he’s bringing to the team is a big boost.”

Fast-forwarding to now, Sterling has endured a slightly mixed start. He’s off the mark in terms of both goals and assists, but his only contributions in that regard came during a 5-1 win over Bolton Wanderers in the EFL Cup.

The former Liverpool forward is yet to bag a goal or assist in the league over his four appearances, having started just two top-flight matches with his other cameos coming off the bench.

What Chelsea are ready to give Arsenal in talks over Sterling deal

However, there is still plenty of time for Sterling to convince Arsenal chiefs to sign him permanently.

According to Football Transfers, Chelsea have already offered the north Londoners an opportunity to take him off their hands at the end of the season. As well as this, Chelsea are ready to give Arsenal a bargain price for Sterling.

It is believed the Blues are prepared to sell for around £25 million, which is far below Sterling’s estimated value of around £38 million. However, while this may seem generous, Edu is only willing to pay around £15 million as things stand – so this could lead to a stalemate in talks.

It is added that Arsenal are currently debating the possibility of striking a permanent move for Sterling internally, so there is still plenty of work to be done before he’s a Gunners player for years to come.

With one eye on the Scottish Premiership and another on the transfer market, Celtic could reportedly move to sign a Premier League midfielder worth just £15m for Brendan Rodgers in 2025.

Celtic transfer news

The Bhoys have barely missed a beat in the current campaign, despite losing star man Matt O’Riley to Brighton & Hove Albion in the summer. The Dane’s exit dealt the Scottish champions a major blow and forced them to bid farewell to yet another talent to the Premier League following the likes of Kieran Tierney a number of years ago.

Those at Celtic Park could yet fall victim to their own success once more in 2025 too, with Nicolas Kuhn recently linked to Premier League side Crystal Palace. A man in form, Kuhn would be following in O’Riley’s footsteps by starring at Celtic before swapping Scotland for England’s first tier.

It’s a trend that the Bhoys should be desperate to bring to an end and reverse by welcoming a Premier League talent of their own. According to Caught Offside, Celtic could now make a move to sign Wataru Endo from Liverpool in a deal worth €15-18m (£12-15m) next year. The Japan international reportedly wants out at Anfield amid his struggle for game time, potentially presenting Celtic with an ideal opportunity.

They’re not the only side reportedly interested, however. Fulham, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Ipswich Town are also eyeing a move for the Liverpool midfielder in a busy race for his signature, which looks destined to end in an Anfield departure.

Related Celtic hit with Doak repeat as English clubs race to sign "spectacular" gem

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Now 31 years old, Endo has fulfilled his role at Liverpool better than most expected and is now playing a lesser role thanks to the emergence of Ryan Gravenberch. If Celtic is to be next for the midfielder, then the Bhoys could be getting a player who may ease into the Scottish Premiership.

"Machine" Endo would be impressive coup

Although struggling for game time at Liverpool, Endo could slot straight into Celtic’s midfield alongside fellow Japan star Reo Hatate to take the Bhoys up yet another level at the heart of Rodgers’ side. If Rodgers did welcome Endo, meanwhile, then he will be signing a player who Jurgen Klopp loved in his final season at Liverpool.

Speaking to reporters after a young Liverpool side defeated Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final last season, Klopp said via Sqawka: “I’m pretty sure in three [or] four years Wataru will sign another long-term contract at Liverpool just because he might be 30 or 31 on his passport but he’s not.

“He’s a machine. He is footballing-wise exceptional. His defensive brain is outstanding. He gives us a lot of freedom for a lot of things. Yeah, top development. Very helpful, very helpful.”

For the price of £15m, Celtic may need to act quickly to win the race for Endo ahead of Premier League sides and, in doing so, reverse the trend of top talents swapping Scotland for England.

The FIFA Club World Cup, taking place in 2025, is the newest club competition that will take place in the United States next summer.

The event highlights the ever-growing nature of FIFA, with countries represented from each of the six international confederations: AFC, CAF, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, OFC and UEFA.

In December 2022, the FIFA Council approved the expansion of the FIFA Club World Cup from its current seven-team tournament to one comprising of 32 teams. Rather than being held every December, the tournament would now be held every four years, taking place in the summer months.

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In its current guise, the FIFA Club World Cup features just seven clubs, with the champions from UEFA and CONMEBOL receiving byes into the semi-finals. Manchester City won the 2023 edition after a 4-0 victory over Copa Libertadores winners Fluminense.

FIFA is expanding the tournament to increase interest and global appeal, with more teams taking part from previously neglected African and Asian confederations such as CAF and AFC, which will help to up its popularity and reach.

Club World Cup qualified teams

The qualification format is slightly more complicated compared to the previous editions of the tournament. Previously, a club secured a place in the Club World Cup if they won their federation’s continental championship.

With the expansion to 32 teams from 2025 onwards, there are several spots up for grabs in every international federation aside from OFC, with just one team making it via the ranking pathway.

Four teams from CAF, AFC and CONCACAF will qualify. If a team has won the continental championship more than once in the preceding four years, another team will qualify via the rankings.

Europe will have 12 qualifiers – four via the champions pathway and eight from the ranking pathway, with the latter taking overall performances in the Champions League into account. South America’s CONMEBOL federation has the second-highest number of entries. Six teams – four from the champions pathway and two from the rankings pathway – will qualify for the tournament.

Finally, one club from the host nation will take part, making up the 32 teams to fight it out for the title.

Team (country)

Nation

Federation

Method of qualification

Al Ahly

Egypt

CAF

CAF Champions League winner

Wydad

Morocco

CAF

CAF Champions League winner

ES Tunis

Tunisia

CAF

CAF ranking pathway

Mamelodi Sundowns

South Africa

CAF

CAF ranking pathway

Al-Hilal

Saudi Arabia

AFC

AFC Champions League winner

Urawa Red Diamonds

Japan

AFC

AFC Champions League winner

Al Ain

UAE

AFC

AFC Champions League winner

Ulsan HD FC

South Korea

AFC

AFC ranking pathway

Chelsea

England

UEFA

UEFA Champions League winner

Real Madrid

Spain

UEFA

UEFA Champions League winner

Manchester City

England

UEFA

UEFA Champions League winner

Bayern Munich

Germany

UEFA

UEFA ranking pathway

PSG

France

UEFA

UEFA ranking pathway

Inter

Italy

UEFA

UEFA ranking pathway

Porto

Portugal

UEFA

UEFA ranking pathway

Benfica

Portugal

UEFA

UEFA ranking pathway

Borussia Dortmund

Germany

UEFA

UEFA ranking pathway

Juventus

Italy

UEFA

UEFA ranking pathway

Atlético Madrid

Spain

UEFA

UEFA ranking pathway

RB Salzburg

Austria

UEFA

UEFA ranking pathway

Monterrey

Mexico

CONCACAF

CONCACAF Champions Cup

Seattle Sounders

United States

CONCACAF

CONCACAF Champions Cup

Club Leon

Mexico

CONCACAF

CONCACAF Champions Cup

Pachuca

Mexico

CONCACAF

CONCACAF Champions Cup

Auckland City

New Zealand

OFC

OFC rankings pathway

Palmeiras

Brazil

CONMEBOL

Copa Libertadores winner

Flamengo

Brazil

CONMEBOL

Copa Libertadores winner

Fluminense

Brazil

CONMEBOL

Copa Libertadores winner

River Plate

Argentina

CONMEBOL

CONMEBOL rankings pathway

Boca Juniors

Argentina

CONMEBOL

CONMEBOL rankings pathway

Inter Miami

United States

CONCACAF

Host nation slot

TBD

Brazil/Uruguay

CONMEBOL

2024 Copa Libertadores winner

Club World Cup format and draw details

The format of the Club World Cup will be the same format used in the World Cup between 1998 and 2022, with the exception of a third-place play-off.

Eight groups of four teams will compete in a round-robin phase. The top two finishers in each group will secure a place in the round of 16.

From the round of 16 to the final, a direct single-match knockout stage will take place, with there being no third-place playoff. The draw for the group stage took place in December 2024.

FIFA Club World Cup Current Champions Manchester CityFounded 2000Most Championships Real Madrid (5)

DAZN

Watch all FIFA Club World Cup games free on DAZN. The biggest clubs and the best players in the world compete in the FIFA Club World Cup.

Watch Every Game Live on DAZN Club World Cup host and venues

The United States was announced as the host nation in June 2023, with the tournament being held between 15th June and 13th July, during the traditional off-season for many countries.

12 venues will host 63 matches during the tournament. The final will be held at MetLife Stadium in New York, New Jersey. A full list of the venues can be seen in the table below.

Stadium

City and state

Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Atlanta, Georgia

TQL Stadium

Cincinnati, Ohio

Bank of America Stadium

Charlotte, North Carolina

Rose Bowl Stadium

Los Angeles, California

Hard Rock Stadium

Miami, Florida

GEODIS Park

Nashville, Tennessee

MetLife Stadium

New York, New Jersey

Camping World Stadium

Orlando, Florida

Inter&Co Stadium

Orlando, Florida

Lincoln Financial Field

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Lumen Field

Seattle, Washington

Audi Field

Washington, D.C.

Tournament controversy

While the event will give opportunities to teams who may never have had the chance to participate in the previous version of the tournament, the expansion has also garnered plenty of controversy.

One such complaint is the fact the event adds even more matches to the global footballing calendar than ever before. The recent expansion of the UEFA Champions League means the top teams are playing more continental fixtures compared to years gone by.

The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) says that the expansion is placing more stress on professionals as they are being pushed too hard.

Even the players are concerned over the way the game is going. “We have too many games, and it’s putting our careers and health at risk,” said Ballon d’Or winner Rodri in September, a week before the Spaniard tore his ACL, ruling him out for the rest of the season.

The midfielder played a staggering 50 games for Manchester City last term before featuring six times for his country as they won Euro 2024. Rodri would have only taken a couple of weeks off before going again in August, heightening his chances of injury.

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Another controversy surrounds the broadcast deals for the tournament. FIFA is yet to secure any media deals for the competition with less than 12 months until it begins, although the $4bn (£3.1bn) target set by the governing body appears to have put the majority of potential broadcasters off.

Apple had reportedly made a $1bn deal for the global rights, according to The Athletic. However, FIFA reverted to a traditional media rights sale.

Club World Cup 2029

The 2029 edition will be the second event to feature 32 teams, which will feature the winners of the four previous continental championships.

In terms of hosting, Australia and New Zealand are preparing a joint bid to host the 2029 tournament.

Furthermore, Spain, Portugal, and Morocco – who are all hosting the 2030 World Cup – are looking at a bid for the second edition of the FIFA Club World Cup in order to prepare for the 100th anniversary of the World Cup.

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Head coach worried about ability of players coming into side from domestic ranks

Matt Roller18-Jan-2022Phil Simmons has echoed his limited-overs captain Kieron Pollard’s analysis that West Indies “have a batting problem” but insists he is not worrying about his job as head coach after a shock 2-1 ODI series defeat at home to Ireland.West Indies were bowled out for 269, 229 and 212 in their three ODIs against Ireland at Sabina Park in Jamaica, with Pollard describing their scores in the last two games as “totally unacceptable”, adding that “overall, holistically, I think we have a batting problem”.Speaking from Barbados ahead of West Indies’ five-match T20I series against England, which starts on Saturday, Simmons said that his batters were failing to translate their progress in training into results on the pitch, but stressed that scapegoating players already in the squad would only serve to mask the systemic failings to develop them at a domestic level.Kensington Oval at 50% capacity

CWI have launched ticket sales for the T20I series against England with a strict 50% limit on capacity due to Covid-19 regulations in Barbados.

Only fully-vaccinated fans will be permitted entry, and those in the ‘party stand’ will also require negative antigen tests, while all fans will be encouraged to socially distance and wear masks.

Tickets are half-price for Barbados nationals and CWI said there was “a high chance” all games would sell out.

All five games will be played at Kensington Oval, with the first T20I on January 22.

“It’s there to see: our batting quality is not there,” Simmons said. “Everything comes from lower down: if you’re coming into our squad and you’re averaging 30s when you come to the top level, you’re not going to average 40 or 50.”The holistic approach means that all through the ranks, all the way from the Under-19s, we have to be looking at preparing people to play at the international level. Averaging 20s and 30s at the domestic level doesn’t prepare you for the international level.”How much the players are assessing the situation and playing the situation… it’s not really happening. Yes, [Sabina Park] was a difficult pitch to bat on for all three days at the start [of the innings], but we got through most of the difficult period and then things went astray. It’s about bad shot selection … that’s a huge part of the batting failure.”Simmons, who was re-appointed as head coach in October 2019 and oversaw West Indies’ failed defence of the T20 World Cup he won with them in 2016, insisted that he was only focused on improving the players at his disposal, not his future in the role.”If I start worrying about my job then I have problems,” he said. “I am worrying about the success of the team and I am worrying about how we get players to be playing their roles. That’s all I’m concerned about. You’re always under pressure as coaches when the team’s not doing well, in any sport you play, and when the team is doing well, the coaches are forgotten. That’s the nature of the job.”I enjoy it everyday. My role is seeing the players and working with them, trying to bring out different things in them. To be honest, when we practise, there’s a lot coming out, there’s a lot being shown. It’s just how they adjust and assess the situation when they cross the rope … because that’s where it’s falling down.Related

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“Every ball is a situation in the game and we’ve got to be able to assess that situation and know how to play. If you’re 20 for 3, you play differently to if you’re 40 for 0. These are the situations that we need to highlight and need to assess properly.”West Indies’ squad for the England T20Is contains only six players who made appearances during their Super 12s exit at the T20 World Cup, with a handful of young players including Dominic Drakes, Romario Shepherd and Odean Smith included. The trio all featured in December’s 3-0 series defeat in Pakistan – where the squad was depleted due to a Covid-19 outbreak – and Simmons said that he hoped they would continue to bring “energy” to the group.”There’s a lot of difference from the World Cup, as you saw in Pakistan,” he said. “Yes, we lost the three games, but there was a lot more energy, a lot more enthusiasm and that’s the same with this group for this series against England. There’s an influx of maybe six or seven guys who were not there against Ireland and there’s a lot of energy coming in.”It [would be] a difficult situation if we had the same team from the World Cup but we have a lot of new faces and a lot of guys who want to make an impression and be a part of the team going forward. From that point of view, it’s not as difficult as it might seem.”We as a cricketing nation always have players who have the ability to hit the ball over the fence and it’s something I don’t want to take away from my players, but I also want my players to be clinical. In situations where you don’t need to do that, well, we must be able to get ones, to get twos.”[I want them] to bowl yorkers at the end instead of missing them, and hitting them more consistently than we are right now. There’s a few things that we haven’t been doing properly and we’re working very hard on them. The important thing now is for the youngsters to come in and hone their skills and be able to execute them in the middle, not just in practice.”