وصل الجنوب إفريقي بيتسو موسيماني، المدير الفني الجديد للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالأهلي، وجهازه المعاون، إلى القاهرة في الساعات الأولى من صباح اليوم الجمعة، استعدادًا لتولي مهمة القيادة الفنية للفريق خلال المرحلة المقبلة.

وكان مجلس إدارة الأهلي قد أعلن أمس الخميس برئاسة محمود الخطيب تعيين بيتسو موسيماني مديرًا فنيًّا للفريق الأول لكرة القدم لمدة موسمين مع جهازه المعاون.

طالع | موسيماني: تدريب الأهلي يشبه ريال مدريد وبرشلونة

وحرص  أمير توفيق، مدير التعاقدات بالنادي، وسمير عدلي، المدير الإداري للفريق، على استقبال موسيماني وجهازه المعاون والترحيب بهم وإنهاء كافة الإجراءات الخاصة بالخروج من المطار سريعًا.

وبات من المنتظر أن يقود موسيماني وجهازه المعاون الجديد مران الفريق مساء اليوم الجمعة، استعدادًا لمواجهة المقاولون العرب المقرر لها مساء بعد غدٍ الأحد، في إطار منافسات مسابقة الدوري الممتاز.

وصول موسيماني إلى القاهرة 

Is there a case for Celtic to bring in a new generation of players next season?

With legendary captain Scott Brown leaving the club for the A-League at the end of the season and striker Leigh Griffiths facing a prolonged spell away from football, it could be time for the Glasgow giants to freshen up their squad.

This should extend to giving Scott Sinclair his marching orders after three years at Celtic Park.

The English winger’s move in 2016 from Aston Villa was considered a major coup at the time and he more than delivered in his debut season in the Scottish Premiership. Sinclair’s 21 goals was complimented by a further eight assists for his team-mates as Celtic stormed to the title before adding two domestic cups in the same campaign.

Although Celtic won another treble last season, the former Aston Villa winger was equally as effective having been involved in 35 goals in 55 appearances. However, this year Sinclair has been very inconsistent and has relied on scoring in patches to hide the fact that his form has not been up to scratch.

In his last seven Scottish Premiership matches, he has only find the net on one occasion which is not good enough for a player of his calibre which therefore raises the question, should Celtic cut ties with the winger?

Loanees Timothy Weah and Oliver Burke have impressed since joining the club in January whilst James Forrest has been one of club’s standout players this season having recorded 33 goal contributions already this season.

With all three players playing in similar positions as Sinclair, Celtic should opt to sell the Englishman to bring in one of the loanees to compliment Forrest for the 2019/20 campaign.

When you factor in Daniel Arzani’s expected return to action at the start of next season from a serious knee injury suffered last October and combine it with the promise shown by 19-year-old winger Mikey Johnston this year, it is clear that someone may have to make way for the Hoops.

If Celtic do decide to part ways with Sinclair, there will be no shortage of interest for the star in England with a move to a Championship side being the most likely of destinations.

What do you think Celtic fans? Is it time to sell Sinclair? Or should you keep the ex-Manchester City star? Get in touch below.

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According to Miguel Almiron’s agent Daniel Campos (as per ABC Cardinal via the Daily Star),  Southampton were reportedly met with failure in their attempts to sign the attacker on a loan deal back in the January window, before they were beaten to the punch by Newcastle who signed him for a club-record fee.

What’s the word, then?

The Paraguay international signed for the Magpies on deadline day, but not before the Saints and even Arsenal had submitted offers to take the 25-year-old on loan.

Almiron has starred in his three appearances for Newcastle so far, with his debut from the bench ending with a draw, whilst his two starts have both ended with three points in the bag for Rafa Benitez’s side – his impact on the team has been immediate and very impressive.

A huge error by Southampton

The repercussions of missing out on Almiron could be huge for the South Coast side. Ralph Hasenhuttl seemed to have somewhat of a nightmare in the January window, as he failed to secure moves for the former Atlanta playmaker as well as Birmingham goal machine Che Adams.

Adams, who has scored 21 goals this term, would have been ideal for the goal-shy Saints, but the club never made a bid higher than the £8m offered towards the end of the window.

Southampton and Mark Hughes wasted a huge £16m on Mohamed Elyounoussi back in the summer, a man who has failed to be involved in a single goal in his 18 appearances this season, money which could have gone some way to securing both Almiron and Adams and make their battle against relegation a lot easier.

Hasenhuttl’s side lack a cutting edge and a creative source right now – Danny Ings is their top scorer with seven goals, but the next highest scorer is midfielder James Ward-Prowse with four.

Southampton sit in 17th place, just two points off the drop zone and with Manchester United and Tottenham up next with relegation a real possibility; they should be kicking themselves that they didn’t do more to secure at least one of Adams or Almiron in January.

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Loads of Celtic fans have been reflecting on the weekend’s cup action, and they’re completely split on the quarter-final performance of Nir Bitton.

Celtic cruised into the last four of the Scottish Cup all too easily on Saturday, as Neil Lennon’s return to Easter Road was a very comfortable one.

His side were rarely threatened in the first half by Paul Heckingbottom’s Hibs, and second half goals from James Forrest and Scott Brown were enough to progress.

Forrest’s goal was a moment of pure individual brilliance, skipping past a couple of defenders before rifling in from the edge of the box, and Brown’s effort wasn’t much worse, thundering his strike home after some good work by Odsonne Edouard.

The game was won and lost in midfield though, where Bitton was once again very busy.

The 19-cap Israeli international has started Celtic’s last three matches since returning from a knee injury, and while his dirty work in midfield helps other players to venture forward and attack, he is not everyone’s cup of tea.

Fans are completely split on the 6 ft 5 in midfielder’s all-action showing, and you can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

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Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Moussa Sissoko has revealed the reason behind his upturn in form at the club this season in an interview with Sky Sports.

Sissoko has been a key member of Mauricio Pochettino’s squad during the current campaign, making 29 appearances in all competitions.

What’s the word?

Sissoko’s form has been a major story of Spurs’ title challenge.

Tottenham are currently third in the Premier League table, five points behind both Manchester City and Liverpool.

Sissoko struggled for form last season and was regularly deployed on the right flank.

However, he has played mainly through the centre this term and the France international believes his positional switch has been key to his renaissance.

“I am very happy in that role,” he told Sky Sports. “We train a lot in that position, and was happy with it. I was feeling better and better in games. I got more confidence from the games.

“I feel it is my natural position, even though I was playing out wide for Newcastle. From when I started playing football, my position was as a central midfielder.

“It is where I feel more comfortable. For different reasons managers put me on the side. I feel more confident in the middle, and I know exactly what I have to do. For me it is easier.

“I hope to improve and be a better player, but for now I am happy. I just need to keep working on every training session.”

Lean into it

Spurs have done well to lean into Sissoko’s deficiencies.

He is not a right winger, his explosive runs rarely beat a full-back, but he has the ability to propel his side up the field when deployed the middle.

His ability to carry the ball on the transition has to be a key reason why Pochettino decided to make the positional change, and both parties are reaping the rewards.

Sissoko is now one of the first names on the team-sheet and the Argentine deserves a great deal of credit for turning the former Newcastle United man around.

Spurs have a key run of games coming up, where they face Burnley, Chelsea, Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund.

It is not hyperbole to suggest that the Frenchman’s form will be key to the club getting positive results in those encounters as they look to keep their title challenge going.

حقق منتخب مصر للشباب تحت 20 سنة بقيادة ربيع ياسين، الفوز على نادي الأميرية بنتيجة 2-0، في المباراة الودية التي أقيمت عصر اليوم.

وتواجه منتخب مصر للشباب أمام الأميرية على أرضية ملعب الفرعي لـ استاد القاهرة، ضمن استعدادات الفراعنة لتصفيات كأس الأمم الإفريقية.

وأحرز هدفي منتخب الشباب حسام أشرف ويوسف لبيب، ومنح المدير الفني لمنتخب الشباب الفرصة لجميع اللاعبين للمشاركة في المباراة على مدار الشوطين.

وبدأ المنتخب المباراة بتشكيل مكون من السيد عطية  لحراسة المرمي، مؤمن عوض وحسام عبد المجيد ومحمد سمير  ومحمد اشرف للدفاع، ياسين مرعي وعبد الرحمن عشري ويوسف حسن وحسام أشرف في خط الوسط، وأسامة فيصل وأحمد أشرف في خط الهجوم.

طالع | ربيع ياسين يوافق على منح الأهلي لاعبه قبل مواجهة إنبي

ومن المقرر أن يستأنف المنتخب تدريباته غدًا على الملعب الفرعي لاستاد القاهرة استعدادًا للمباراة الودية المقررة يوم الخميس المقبل أمام وادي دجلة.

ويستعد منتخب مصر للشباب لتصفيات بطولة شمال إفريقيا بتونس المؤهلة لكأس الأمم الإفريقية المقرر إقامتها بموريتانيا 2021.

West Ham, like almost every other Premier League team, desperately need to do some recruiting during the summer transfer window, if they want to push to where they think they belong in the league. Indeed, fans will have loved the taste of success the Manuel Pellegrini era has teased them with this season, but more is certainly needed. 

European qualification simply has to be the ambition this season but with that now being a longshot, the Hammers must look to buy some more quality to ensure it’s at least a better possibility next season. Indeed, Pellegrini is surely a manager the West Ham board can trust with a hefty budget as it has to be said that the Hammers do need a number of new players.

Starting with another midfielder due to the injury problems West Ham have sustained specifically in that position.

This season, Jack Wilshere, Carlos Sanchez and Manuel Lanzini have all suffered long-term lay-offs, so the ambitious East London side should look to sign a player like Napoli’s Amadou Diawara.

Diawara, (who is valued at £14.4 million on Transfermarkt) is a defensive-minded midfielder that has all the quality to be a top player in the game. Pellegrini has often utilised a midfield trio of Mark Noble, Declan Rice and Robert Snodgrass but with Amadou Diawara in the mix as well, he would bring an injection of pace and overall quality.

The 21-year-old – who was linked with a move to the London Stadium by Tuttomercato Web in January – has only been able to make 11 starts for Napoli this season, something that will disappoint the youngster, concerning how highly-rated he is.

Nevertheless, if he opted for a move to England, West Ham would be a terrific option for him considering how badly they need a midfielder like him. Around such a talent, the phasing out of Noble could begin, giving the Irons a long-term heir.

It may take a hefty sum for West Ham to try and push through a deal but Diawara has so much potential that definitely makes him worth investing in.

West Ham fans, would you back such a move? Do you think the hunt for a Mark Noble successor needs to start soon? Join the discussion by commenting below…

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Everton and Marco Silva should look to turn Yerry Mina into a centre-defensive midfielder, amid uncertainty about the futures of a number of their midfielders.

In need of defensive midfielders

Silva, formerly of Hull and Watford, prefers to set up in a 4-2-3-1 system and has done throughout the entirety of the season, using Idrissa Gueye and loan star Andre Gomes as the two defensive midfielders in that system in front of the back four.

However, both of those players have uncertain futures at Goodison Park. In Gueye’s case, the Senegalese midfielder handed in a transfer request back in January as he looked to force a move to Paris Saint-Germain, who bid £25m for his services.

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Furthermore, Gomes is on a loan deal from Barcelona which will expire in the summer. The Toffees’ chances of turning that deal into a permanent one look tough, as the Spanish champions are reportedly looking for around €40m for the Portuguese international.

It is also worth mentioning that, whilst he has recently been much more involved in proceedings, Morgan Schneiderlin has still only made nine Premier League appearances this season and will turn 30 in November.

How well is Mina suited to the role?

The Colombian international has made just 11 Premier League appearances since his £27m summer move from Barcelona, as he has struggled with injuries and found it difficult to dislodge the impressive pairing of Kurt Zouma and Michael Keane.

Mina is a dominant aerial presence, who is strong in the tackle but also a fine passer of the ball – Barcelona don’t just buy any old centre-back unless they’re decent in possession.

He recorded a passing success rate of 89.2% in his three games at the World Cup – along with scoring three goals – and has also recorded an 83.1% success rate with the Toffees so far this season – in La Liga with Barcelona last season, he amassed an impressive 92.6% percentage.

Mina is extremely tidy on the ball and composed in possession; Silva could potentially be onto a winner if he implemented this tactical switch, whilst saving his club a lot of money in finding a new midfielder.

أصدر نادي بايرن ميونخ الألماني، بيانًا رسميًا قبل قليل، أعلن من خلاله إعارة أحد لاعبيه لآيندهوفن الهولندي.

سوق الانتقالات الصيفي، انتهى في ألمانيا وأوروبا، أمس الإثنين، بينما سينتهي مساء اليوم في هولندا.

وقال بايرن في بيانه: “لقد توصلنا إلى اتفاق مع نادي آيندهوفن، بأن يحصل على خدمات لاعبنا أدريان فاين”.

وأضاف النادي في بيانه: “اللاعب صاحب الـ21 عامًا، سيعلب مع آيندهوفن لموسم واحد على سبيل الإعارة”.

ومن جانبه علق حسن صالح حميديتش، المدير الرياضي للبايرن على انتقال فاين لـ آيندهوفن وقال: “أدريان تطور بشكل جيد للغاية خلال الفترة الماضية”.

وأضاف: “الآن سيتخذ الخطوة التالية في مسيرته في دوري مُثير للغاية، ونحن مُقتنعون بأنه سيكون له دورًا في آيندهوفن”.

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For the past few years, the primary concern at Crystal Palace during the transfer windows has been to retain Wilfried Zaha’s services for another season.

Clubs have come calling and the Selhurst Park outfit have knocked them back time and time again, but a long-term contract signed in August 2018 will surely ensure that the Ivorian remains at the club for the remainder of his career unless a European giant is willing to table an extraordinary bid.

While Steve Parish and co can perhaps rest on their laurels in that case, there is another top talent on their books who they will be equally concerned about losing in the summer. Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been a revelation for the Croydon outfit since breaking through to the first team in February last year and has been linked with a number of top clubs including Arsenal and Manchester United.

For Palace fans, losing the combative right-back would be a disaster but what if a bid comes that the club simply cannot refuse? Football Fancast look at the potential consequences of Palace selling the talented youngster…

Zaha is definitely going nowhere

Palace are in no urgency to cash in on either of their prized assets but, should they accept a mouth-watering fee for Wan-Bissaka, then they will unlikely entertain the idea of selling Zaha – even if the fee would surpass Premier League records.

Losing one would be bad enough but losing both would be catastrophic and there would undoubtedly be outrage from the Selhurst Park faithful. Borussia Dortmund have made their interest in the electric winger clear and, having sold Christian Pulisic to Chelsea, they could come knocking in the summer as they look to reinforce their attack.

If Wan-Bissaka has already gone, though, then they will probably have the door slammed straight in their faces.

Club finally ends years of relegation battles

While the 20-year-old has shored up the Palace defence beyond belief, the potential fees being mentioned are pretty big and one has to imagine what that money could do to the team on the premise that it is put straight into Roy Hodgson’s budget.

Michy Batshuayi appears to have temporarily solved the Eagles’ striker deficiency although he will be returning to Chelsea in the summer as it stands. If Palace have £30m or £40m to splash on a top hitman then they would surely be able to challenge for the top ten on a more consistent basis rather than the constant cycle of disappointing relegation battles.

They have, of course, attempted to do so before but Christian Benteke is a confidence-void shell of the striker he was in the 2015/16 season when he scored 17 goals after making the switch from Liverpool.

The reality is that, with the quality they’ve got in all areas of the pitch, Palace shouldn’t be looking over their shoulder every campaign. But perhaps they need one final big-spending summer to take them to the next level.

Obviously signing a top quality right-back would help, too – Joel Ward might be decent at diving headers but he is streets away from Wan-Bissaka – while another winger to take the creative burden off of Zaha and Andros Townsend would be nice as well.

More youngsters through the academy

Wan-Bissaka is the only Palace star to come through the academy and shine since Zaha and considering the number 29 only got his chance through injuries and could therefore easily still be languishing in the Under-23’s, have Palace got any more on their books?

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Nya Kirby, for instance, has impressed on loan at Blackpool and has looked worthy of a shot in the first team for a little while now. More faith needs to be shown in the youngsters, particularly if Palace are to continue their frugal ways of recent windows, as sometimes it is clear that some fresh impetus is needed at Selhurst Park.

Perhaps the big cheeses at Palace will start combing the academy for more starlets if they are accept big bucks for Wan-Bissaka in the summer. Could the 20-year-old, in fact, be the first of many in the coming years to blow Selhurst Park away?