أعلن محمد أبو العلا طبيب منتخب مصر، تشخيص إصابة عمر كمال عبد الواحد الظهير الأيمن للفراعنة وموقفه من بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا 2023.
وتعرض عمر كمال للإصابة في الدقيقة 78 من عمر مباراة مصر وتنزانيا الودية التي أقيمت اليوم الأحد، ولم يستطع استكمال اللقاء.
وتواجه منتخب مصر مع تنزانيا، على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي، في اللقاء الودي الأخير للفراعنة، قبل السفر إلى كوت ديفوار لخوض نهائيات كأس أمم إفريقيا.
طالع | فيتوريا يكشف سبب غياب محمد هاني عن مباراة مصر وتنزانيا.. ليست إصابة أو استبعاد فني
وقال أبو العلا في تصريحات للمركز الإعلامي للاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم: “إصابة عمر كمال عبد الواحد لاعب منتخب مصر عبارة عن تقلص عضلي”.
وأضاف: “عمر كمال سيكون جاهزًا للمشاركة في المباريات بصورة طبيعية ولمباراة موزمبيق في مستهل مشوار منتخب مصر في كأس أمم إفريقيا”.
ويغادر منتخب مصر يوم الثلاثاء المقبل إلى كوت ديفوار، ويفتتح مواجهاته أمام موزمبيق يوم الأحد الموافق 14 يناير في الجولة الأولى من مباريات كأس أمم إفريقيا 2023.
ويتواجد منتخب مصر في المجموعة الثانية لكأس أمم إفريقيا 2023 مع منتخبات الرأس الأخضر وموزمبيق وغانا. إصابة عمر كمال في مباراة مصر وتنزانيا
Arsenal remain interested in Moises Caicedo ahead of the summer transfer window…
What's the latest on Arsenal's interest in Moises Caicedo?
According to renowned transfer guru and journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Gunners are "still very keen" on the Brighton and Hove Albion star, having had a couple of bids rejected for him in January, with the Seagulls eventually tying him down to a new contract.
That clearly hasn't detracted interest from the north London giants though, having offered a whopping £70m only two months ago.
Brighton held firm over their £90m price tag, which is understandable given they are battling for a place in Europe next term, with Roberto De Zerbi's high-fliers sat seventh in the standings, tied on points with 2019/20 champions Liverpool.
Could Caicedo join Declan Rice at the Emirates?
Such attraction could lead to fears over the Gunners cooling their pursuit of West Ham United skipper Declan Rice, who according to some reports is Mikel Arteta's top target when the transfer window reopens for business at the end of the current campaign.
However, that may not be the case as there is a world where both Caicedo and the England international swap their current Premier League teams for the hallowed turf of the Emirates Stadium.
"Caicedo, Rice; Arsenal are in for both of those, we think, in the summer," claimed reporter Dharmesh Sheth on Sky Sports, less than 24 hours after deadline day (via The Sun).
If the Premier League leaders were to go on to clinch the title, then the financial gains from such an illustrious feat could well allow sporting director Edu Gaspar to make such an exciting double swoop and with both players 24 years old or under, they'd be signings that cement the long-term future of the Gunners' engine room.
In Rice, you're getting a forward-thinking, progressive powerhouse – ranking sixth for progressive passes per 90, third for progressive carries per 90 and second for recoveries per 90 compared to other central midfielders in the top-flight this term, via FBref.
England's Declan Rice celebrates after the match
Whilst Caicedo is behind the Hammers star in both regards, he does outrank him for tackles and interceptions per 90, offering more rigid defensive stability in the heart of the pitch, yet both are wonderfully avant-garde in nature as they are your typical modern-day athletic monsters, the type that can 'do it all'.
Once described as being "somewhat reminiscent of [N'Golo] Kante" by Ecuadorian football historian and statistician Enrico Castro-Montes – another player that could be described as the 'complete' midfielder – the 21-year-old dynamo could form a mouth-watering pivot alongside Rice, with current Arsenal captain and main creator Martin Odegaard playing further forward in the no.10 role.
Granit Xhaka, 30, and Thomas Partey, 29, are astute options for now but that won't be the case in two-to-three years, whereas the aforementioned duo will begin entering the peak years of their career.
The Brighton "machine" – as lauded by scout Jacek Kulig earlier in the season – would be a major statement of intent from Edu and co, particularly following a potential title triumph as both he and Rice would show that the Gunners aren't here to be one-season wonders – a la Leicester City – but instead, it could signal the beginning of a new and successful dawn in north London.
For Richarlison, this season has been nothing but a tail of woe.The Brazilian left Everton behind last summer in a seismic deal worth £60m, a fee that seemed excessive but certainly one he could pay back if he fired them towards the Champions League places.Tottenham Hotspur may be in contention to seal a top-four berth come the end of the campaign, but the fact is that Richarlison hasn’t helped one bit.It is now the middle of March and the 25-year-old is still yet to find the net in the Premier League for Spurs, while he has beaten the goalkeeper on just two occasions in all competitions.Combine that with only four assists and it has been a rough debut term in the English capital.What hasn’t helped, however, is a number of injuries with the Brazil international having missed two months of the season since joining.
Why was Richarlison crying?
A further spell on the sidelines could be on the cards for the winger, who sustained another injury in the thrilling 3-3 draw with Southampton on Saturday afternoon.
Richarlison crying against Southampton.
Richarlison had to be replaced after just five minutes of that encounter and hobbled from the field of play in floods of tears.
The last few weeks have been emotional for the former Everton man who criticised how poor his season had been before also pointing the finger at Antonio Conte.
The pair obviously have quite a frigid relationship and yet another fitness concern is unlikely to do him any favours.
Considering his poor campaign, people on social media were keen to get stuck into the ex-Watford attacker, with the best of the reaction below…
Ahead of Julen Lopetegui’s arrival at Wolves in November, Nelson Semedo didn’t look to have much of a future at Molineux.
How has Semedo played for Wolves?
The Portuguese right-back joined Wolves from Barcelona in a £28m deal back in 2020 but has struggled to justify his transfer fee in his three years in the Midlands.
In total, the 29-year-old has made 92 appearances for the Old Gold, contributing two goals and four assists, arguably failing to live up to his reputation as an attacking right-back, having notched double figures for assists in his time with Benfica and Barcelona.
The former Portugal international has struggled most with defending, with the Athletic’s Tim Spiers labelling him a “liability at the back” in 2021, which has certainly proven to be the case on a number of occasions.
Semedo’s performance against Brighton and Hove Albion earlier in the season, ahead of Lopetegui’s arrival, perhaps summed up his time in a Wolves shirt best, as he was tormented by Kaoru Mitoma throughout the game and received a first-half red card.
However, Lopetegui has clearly worked on Wolves’ defensive set-up as a whole and Semedo has clearly benefitted, with the defender’s vast improvement one of the key reasons that the Old Gold are now looking up the table rather than over their shoulder at the relegation battle.
The right-back was also nominated for the February player of the month award and earned plenty of praise from Lopetegui for his recent upturn in form.
The Spanish manager said: “He’s showing that he is a good player, above all. He loves football and works very hard every day. He is very focused now.
“I can only talk about my experience with him here and we are happy with him.”
Despite him averaging a disappointing 6.53 rating from WhoScored for his performances in the Premier League this season, Semedo has earned above a 7/10 rating in recent wins against Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, as well as a strong display in the 1-1 draw against high-flying Fulham.
Although his current contract is set to expire at the end of the season, it was reported recently that Wolves would activate the extension in his deal to ensure that he remains at Molineux for the 2023/24 campaign.
After his impressive displays under Lopetegui, fans will no doubt be looking forward to seeing how the Portuguese defender continues to improve under the Spanish manager next season, in what represents a huge turnaround for the right-back in the opinion of the fans.
Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt a major blow to their chances of achieving success in the 2022/23 campaign, as Rodrigo Bentancur has been ruled out until the end of the season.
The Uruguayan midfielder suffered a body blow in the 4-1 defeat to Leicester in the Premier League on Saturday, and it has now been confirmed that the dynamo is set for a significant spell on the sidelines.
The club’s official account tweeted: “We can confirm that Rodrigo Bentancur has ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and will be out of action for the remainder of the campaign. He will undergo surgery before beginning his rehabilitation with our medical staff.”
Only Harry Kane (7.39) has averaged a higher Sofascore rating than the former Juventus man (7.21) in the Premier League for Tottenham this season, which illustrates how important the 25-year-old has been to Antonio Conte’s team.
With Yves Bissouma also out injured after ankle surgery, the 53-year-old must find a regular partner for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the middle of the park for the coming months.
Who should replace Rodrigo Bentancur for Tottenham?
Conte could find his Bentancur replacement in the form of Spurs academy graduate Oliver Skipp, whose chances have been few and far between during the current campaign.
The £40k-per-week midfielder has only started three Premier League matches this season, after starting 14 in 2021/22, but he has the potential to be a combative warrior alongside the Denmark international.
During his time on loan at Norwich, his former manager Daniel Farke heaped praise on the youngster, saying: “Oliver is a perfect lad. So humble. He is a brilliant loan signing.
“A fantastic lad. He reminds me a little of Max Aarons in his first season, who also delivered with unbelievable consistency, with no mistakes, never injured, never ill.”
In that spell with the Canaries, Skipp played 45 Championship games and made 150 tackles and interceptions combined, along with a total of 57 blocks.
This means that the England under-21 international made 4.6 defensive actions per game for Norwich, which shows that he was putting himself in excellent positions to win back possession, or at least hamper opposition attacks.
Meanwhile, Bentancur has made 93 tackles, interceptions and blocks combined in the Premier League this season in 18 appearances, averaging 5.2 per outing.
These statistics indicate that Skipp has the potential to deliver a similar volume of defensive actions per game if Conte, who once hailed the talent’s “great passion”, can get him playing to the peak of his ability in the middle of the park.
Therefore, the Italian must unleash the 22-year-old in response to the Uruguay international’s injury, and then it will be up to the youngster to grasp his opportunity.
TalkSport transfer expert Alex Crook has claimed live on air that Southampton are desperate to recruit a striker on deadline day.
The Lowdown: Sainst need more firepower
It’s no surprise that Southampton would like to add more goals to their side given how poorly they’ve been performing in the final third, with James Ward-Prowse their top scorer with five strikes – two of them came in one game the other week at Goodison Park.
The Saints are set for a Carabao Cup semi-final today in which they find themselves trailing, which could have been avoided had they been more clinical in the final third, with Che Adams missing a glorious chance against Newcastle United.
Southampton are indeed looking to address the striker situation as they are said to be closing in on a move for the Braga striker Vitinha, having reportedly triggered his release clause – although they aren’t alone in their pursuit.
The Latest: New striker set to arrive
Crook has insisted live on air that the Saints are desperate to land a new striker given their woes in front of goal, which will please the Southampton faithful.
He said: “Southampton [are] desperate to get a number nine in between now and the window [closing].”
The Verdict: Southampton need a new attacker
Given that Southampton have only managed to score 17 times in the Premier League, it shows there is and always has been a need to recruit a new striker, so the fact it’s come down to deadline day is a worry.
Nathan Jones has been in place for the entire month, and had Sport Republic handed him a new striker near the beginning of the window, they could have potentially been out of the bottom three and leading their semi-final.
Their failure to recruit a new striker could prove pivotal and leaving it this late always brings about its own problems, as it’s being reported that Brighton are looking to hijack their deal for Vitinha at the last minute.
Fulham have made contact with Sheffield United over Sander Berge and are now in talks to sign the midfielder this week, according to reports.
The Lowdown: Midfield priority
Marco Silva is believed to have made the midfield a priority position to strengthen this month, and it sounds like the Norwegian has been identified as an ideal target.
The Blades talisman’s contract at Bramall Lane isn’t set to expire until June 2024, but with the Yorkshire outfit currently under financial restrictions, they could be tempted to cash in before the Tuesday deadline.
The Latest: Fulham make contact over Berge
According to 90min, Fulham have ‘reached out’ to Sheffield United to enquire about a potential deal for Berge worth up to £20m. The Cottagers are ‘keen to take advantage’ of his club’s transfer embargo but are set to face competition from Premier League rivals Newcastle United, who are also exploring a move.
Blades manager Paul Heckingbottom has confirmed claims that talks are being held with several potential suitors.
The Verdict: No-brainer
Berge has been dubbed an ‘orchestrator’ by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, and Fulham completing a deal for him before the deadline tomorrow night is a no-brainer of a decision to make.
The Adidas-sponsored player already has seven goal contributions to his name this season and currently ranks in the 95th percentile for dribbles completed per 90 minutes among positional peers in what FBref term ‘Men’s Next 8 Competitions’ over the past 12 months.
Standing at 6 foot 5, Berge would also be able to add a different dimension to the midfield with his height, making him an ideal reinforcement in the middle of the park at Craven Cottage.
Phil Hay has admitted Joe Gelhardt is attracting interest from the Championship and knows he could leave Leeds United this month.
The Lowdown: Unclear short-term future
Despite only starting five league games last season, Gelhardt still played a hugely important role in their season as he scored goals against Chelsea and Norwich City, as well as an important assist against Brighton.
However, Jesse Marsch clearly hasn’t been impressed enough by Gelhardt as he’s handed him a sole start in the league this season amid various fitness issues, and coupled with the potential arrival of Georginio Rutter, Gelhardt’s future is far from certain.
The young striker signed a long-term deal with Leeds not too long ago which tied down until the summer of 2027, so he may not be shipped out permanently just yet, although a loan move isn’t off the table, according to Hay.
The Latest: Gelhardt attracting Championship interest
Gelhardt is reportedly a target for Swansea City this month if Leeds manage to sign a striker, as Hay confirmed on The Phil Hay Show.
He said: “It definitely wouldn’t spell the end for Gelhardt at Leeds.
“Leeds see him as a pretty big part of what will happen further down the line and he has a pretty long contract here, I think it’s until 2027.
“There is fair substantial Championship interest in Gelhardt; Swansea, in particular, are one of the clubs who’ve been mentioned to me and would like to take him.
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“There’s been no decision on that because clearly, Leeds don’t have a striker in the door as it stands, but if a striker comes in and given the players who seem to be a little bit ahead of Gelhardt in the pecking order – Gnonto, in particular, but there’s Rodrigo in there as well and there is forever this perennial discussion about Bamford’s return and when he’ll be back and fit.
“To give Bamford the benefit of the doubt, if he does return and if he is fit, I think that squeezes Gelhardt out in the short term a little bit more again. So I suspect that if and when a new forward arrives, that is a discussion that is going to have to take place.”
The Verdict: Game time is the priority for Gelhardt
Given Gelhardt is at a tender age being just 20 years old he needs to be playing regularly because sitting on the bench and seeing his teammates such as Crsyencio Summerville, Wilfried Gnonto and Sam Greenwood getting regular minutes will just frustrate him.
Swansea would be an interesting move for Gelhardt as they are sitting just four points off the play-offs so it could be an interesting second half of the season they’ve also already scored 36 goals which is the fifth most in the entire division, so he’d get chances and he has the ability to finish them off having been labelled as ‘tremendous’ after his assist against Brighton last season.
A lot will depend if Leeds can push through their big money deal for Rutter with the French youngster said to be costing Marsch’s side around £35.3 million, which would make him the club’s record signing.
Leeds United’s rumoured move for RB Salzburg defender Max Wober looks increasingly likely, with his club now already looking at replacements.
The Lowdown: Wober heading to Leeds
Recent reports have suggested that the 24-year-old is closing in on a transfer to Elland Road, as Jesse Marsch makes significant inroads in the market.
Wober has stood out as an impressive performer for Salzburg so far this season, making three appearances in the Champions League and averaging three tackles per game in that competition, with Phil Hay reporting on Monday morning that a deal is indeed gathering pace.
A new update on the saga is another positive one from a Leeds perspective, suggesting that the move is edging closer all the time.
The Latest: Salzburg looking for replacements
According to Salzburger Nachrichten [via Sport Witness], Salzburg now think the move will definitely happen as they are already eyeing up replacements for him.
They see this as arguably the biggest indication yet that he will be a Whites player sooner rather than later.
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The Verdict: Strong signing by Whites
This feels like a matter of time until it happens and Wober could prove to be an inspired signing by Leeds, with so many positives standing out regarding the move.
Left-back is an area of weakness currently, with Junior Firpo rarely convincing in a Whites shirt, and two goals and six assists this season highlight Wober’s attacking quality.
Wober is also more than capable of thriving as a centre-back, however, meaning he can cover two positions and add even more depth to Marsch’s squad.
The fact that the Leeds boss has already worked with the 13-time capped Austria international at Salzburg is a added bonus, too, suggesting they know each other inside out.
Newcastle United are reportedly eyeing a wealth of youth talent this January.
What’s the latest?
As per The Athletic, the next target for the Tyneside outfit could be coming in from Argentina, in the form of 19-year-old Maximo Perrone.
The youngster has been starring in the Velez Sarsfield midfield since his debut in March 2022, and could now be set for a move to England to underpin the next generation at St James’ Park.
The Magpies are said to be tracking the teenage talent, with a budget in place to attain similar starlets in the way they have done with Garang Kuol.
Ditch Longstaff
One facet of which Eddie Howe cannot be faulted is his fostering of an immense team spirit since joining the club in November 2021.
Whilst others might mock the dressing room photos after each win, it clearly is part of the philosophy the 45-year-old is keen to implement on their way to the top.
As such, it has allowed even the most disregarded of players a resurgence, outlined to perfection in the revival of Miguel Almiron.
Having already scored eight this Premier League season, the Paraguayan has understandably stolen headlines.
However, going about his renaissance quietly in the background is Sean Longstaff, who deputised impressively in the absence of Bruno Guimaraes at the base of midfield.
Despite this, his average Sofascore rating of 6.69 suggests there are still big deficiencies in his game that can be improved upon.
That could be where Perrone steps in, to fulfil that role just outside the starting team before eventually forcing his way in.
The 5-foot-10 maestro has enjoyed a breakout year of sorts, featuring 33 times for his team whilst scoring three and assisting twice.
However, even in the youth setup, he had caught the eye of Gabriel Heinze. He noted of Perrone: “There is a boy in the academy team who is spectacular.”
For a debut season, a rating of 6.79 is certainly admirable. He has averaged 56.1 touches per game alongside an 88% pass accuracy, highlighting him as someone who demands the ball despite his youth.
He pairs this with 1.5 interceptions and 1.1 tackles per game, actually marking an increase on the 0.5 and 1.1 of Longstaff respectively.
Given the years Perrone has on the Newcastle-born midfielder and the lack of gulf in quality between them, there is surely belief that if a move materialises it will see the Argentinian propelled high up in the pecking order.