LONDON (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – Inter are working on a new deal for Denzel Dumfries in order to remove the €24 million release clause currently in his contract, but the agents of the 29-year-old Dutch wing-back, also through intermediaries, are exploring other options.

According to “TeamTalk,” several English clubs have been approached, including Liverpool, which had shown interest in the player in the past. That interest has not completely faded, but it has cooled somewhat, as the Reds feel covered in that position with Bradley and Frimpong.

Contacts have also been made with the two Manchester clubs, Chelsea, Tottenham, and Newcastle, although Dumfries’ wage demands currently appear to be the biggest obstacle to a move to the Premier League.

For this reason, a move to Saudi Arabia cannot be ruled out, as it could represent a valid alternative if a transfer to England does not materialize.

– Photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

NEWCASTLE (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – Per il Newcastle sarà sempre più difficile trattenere Sandro Tonali. Secondo “TeamTalk”, l’entourage del giocatore starebbe lavorando in vista dell’estate sondando il terreno fra i principali club inglesi ed europei. L’ultimo nell’ordine sarebbe il Real Madrid, con cui ci sarebbero stati dei contatti esplorativi. In Premier gli estimatori non mancano, a partire dal Manchester City che cerca rinforzi in mezzo al campo, ma anche United, Arsenal, Chelsea e Liverpool sono vigili. E fuori dall’Inghilterra, oltre al Real, anche Psg e Bayern sarebbero stati informati della possibilità che Tonali possa cambiare aria. Difficile un ritorno in serie A visto che i Magpies non si priveranno del giocatore per meno di 80 milioni di sterline, oltre 90 milioni di euro, un sacrificio che potrebbe essere necessario qualora non arrivasse la qualificazione alla prossima Champions.

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(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta has joined nine other countries in blaming Hezbollah for a surge in violence in Lebanon, as tensions escalate between Israel and the Iran-backed group.

In a joint statement issued through the EU’s diplomatic service, foreign ministers said responsibility for the latest escalation “lies with Hezbollah,” condemning its missile attacks on Israel and urging an immediate halt.

Three peacekeepers from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were killed in two separate explosions in recent days. A UN source said at least one blast may have been caused by an Israeli tank, a claim Israel denies. Malta has five soldiers deployed with UNIFIL alongside Irish forces.

The joint declaration was signed by Malta, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and the United Kingdom. Austria and Ireland did not endorse the statement.

EU ministers warned against further escalation, urging Israel to avoid a ground invasion and stressing that Lebanon’s territorial integrity must be respected.

They also called for renewed dialogue between Israel and Lebanon and backed efforts to strengthen Lebanese state institutions.

The ministers further condemned recent attacks on UN peacekeepers, urging all sides to ensure the safety of UNIFIL personnel in line with international law.

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Source: medNews

ZURICH (SWITZERLAND) (ITALPRESS) – Italy is the only national team among the world’s top 19 not to qualify for the World Cup. This was already known, but the new FIFA rankings bear witness to it, the first with the new system featuring real-time ranking updates. There have been many changes, some of them significant: France returns to the top spot (last seen in September 2018), moving up two spots and, with 1,877.32 points, leading the rankings ahead of European champions Spain and world champions Argentina, both of whom slipped one spot.

England is fourth, followed by Portugal, who move up to fifth, overtaking Ancelotti’s Brazil, now sixth. The Netherlands, Morocco, Belgium, and Germany round out the top ten. Croatia is eleventh, meaning Italy has moved up one spot, as has Colombia, which has slipped to 14th.

1. France 1877.32 points (+2)
2. Spain 1876.40 (-1)
3. Argentina 1874.81 (-1)
4. England 1825.97 (–)
5. Portugal 1763.83 (+1)
6. Brazil 1761.16 (-1)
7. Netherlands 1757.87 (–)
8. Morocco 1755.87 (–)
9. Belgium 1734.71 (–)
10. Germany 1730.37 (–)

12. Italy 1700.37 (+1)

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Source: medNews

BARCELONA (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – “I’m a Muslim, alhamdulillah.” Thus began Lamine Yamal’s post, which took to social media to express his outrage over yesterday’s 0-0 friendly match between Spain and Egypt, played at Espanyol’s stadium in Barcelona. “Yesterday at the stadium, the chant ‘whoever doesn’t jump is a Muslim’ was heard. I know it was aimed at the opposing team and wasn’t a personal attack on me, but as a Muslim, I still find it disrespectful and intolerable. I understand that not all fans are like that, but to those who chant these chants, using a religion to insult those on the pitch makes them appear ignorant and racist. You have to enjoy football and supporting the team, not disrespect people for who they are or what they believe in,” Yamal wrote, before closing his posts by thanking the Red Furies fans present at the stadium and saying he’ll see everyone at the World Cup. Meanwhile, the Catalan police have already opened an investigation into the incident, and the government has also rushed to condemn the racist chants. FIFA, too, has threatened to punish the Spanish Football Federation.

Espanyol also took a stand, “firmly condemning the behavior of some fans,” but at the same time expressing “deep disappointment at the gratuitous and widespread smear campaign targeting its fans in the last few hours.”

On its website, the Egyptian Football Federation “reiterates its total condemnation of the deplorable racist incident that occurred at the Barcelona stadium during our national team’s friendly match against Spain. We condemn the actions of some fans in the stands who chanted racist slogans and phrases. We also emphasize our complete rejection and condemnation of these events during the match and the disrespect for the national anthem, which is absolutely unacceptable behavior in football stadiums and a negative phenomenon that we must work together to eliminate.”

The “Pharaohs” leaders also thanked their Spanish counterparts and the Spanish Ministry of Sport for their solidarity and assured that “what happened to some fans will in no way undermine the solid relationship that unites the two Federations.”

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Source: medNews

BUENOS AIRES (ARGENTINA) (ITALPRESS) – The 5-0 win over Zambia at the “Bombonera” stadium is just a step toward the World Cup. Lionel Scaloni’s reigning world champions are well and awaiting the final decision from Leo Messi, the Albiceleste captain who has not yet resolved his doubts about his participation in the World Cup. The impression is that he will be there, this is certainly Scaloni’s hope, as is the general football world. “It would be a privilege if he decided to play in the World Cup. We all want him to enjoy it and we’ll do everything to make him feel good. He wants the same thing we want, and after winning the World Cup, he’s now more relaxed, he always wants to be there, but we’ll see what he decides, and in any case, we’ll be with him. He can reach the thousand-goal mark, we’ll see how long he’ll play,” says Scaloni.

“I have Italian grandparents and great-grandparents,” says Scaloni, who played for Lazio and Atalanta in our league. “I feel sorry for Italy, it’s sad they’re not there. I played there, they’re one of the powers of world football, and we Argentines aren’t happy that the Azzurri aren’t there. It’s a sad, unfair elimination, it’s the third World Cup without them, they ended their journey playing in Bosnia against a tough rival.”

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(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Prime Minister Robert Abela met Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden in Luxembourg to discuss strengthening bilateral relations and expanding cooperation across key sectors.

During the meeting, the two leaders explored areas of mutual interest including trade, investment, education, and culture, highlighting opportunities for closer collaboration.

Abela stressed the importance of deepening ties between Malta and Luxembourg, particularly by creating new avenues for business and investment. He pointed to the potential for increased cooperation in financial services, technology, and sustainability.

The discussions also covered broader European and international issues, with both leaders agreeing on the need to reinforce cooperation among European Union member states.

On the situation in the Middle East, Abela and Frieden underscored the urgency of de-escalation and the need for full respect of international law. They emphasised that lasting solutions must be grounded in dialogue.

Abela reaffirmed Malta’s commitment to maintaining strong relations with partner countries, noting that ongoing dialogue is essential to addressing shared challenges.

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(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS) – Congo and Iraq are the final two teams to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, which will feature 48 teams for the first time and will be held across Canada, Mexico, and United States from June 11 to July 19.

In their respective playoff finals, Congo defeated Jamaica 1-0 after extra time thanks to a decisive goal in the 100th minute by Burnley defender Axel Tuanzebe. Meanwhile, Iraq secured a 2-1 victory over Bolivia with goals from Ali Al-Hamadi (10’) and Aymen Hussein (53’), making Paniagua’s equalizer (38’) irrelevant.

THE 12 GROUPS

Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Czech Republic
Group B: Canada, Bosnia, Qatar, Switzerland
Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
Group D: United States, Paraguay, Australia, Turkey
Group E: Germany, Curaçao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador
Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia
Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
Group I: France, Senegal, Norway, Iraq
Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
Group K: Portugal, Uzbekistan, Colombia, Congo
Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama

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Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS) – FIFA will begin testing this weekend in the Canadian Premier League the new offside rule proposed by Arsène Wenger.

Under the proposed change, an attacker will be considered onside if any part of their body with which they can score is in line with the last defender. In practice, offside would only be called when there is “daylight”—a clear gap—between the attacker and the defender.

The rule has sparked significant debate, as it could give a substantial advantage to attackers and potentially push teams to defend deeper. For this reason, a compromise idea has also emerged: an attacker would be ruled offside only if their torso is beyond the last defender.

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Source: medNews

NEWCASTLE (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – Eddie Howe’s job is at risk, though not immediately. The manager who led Newcastle to the Champions League twice and won the League Cup last season, ending a 70-year wait, is going through a difficult period. The derby defeat to Sunderland left the team in 12th place, and European qualification appears difficult even though seventh place is only four points away.

“We’re not considering a change of manager at the moment,” said Newcastle’s CEO, David Hopkinson. “But I don’t have a position on his future. I can say that the derby defeat hurt. We take it very seriously. We don’t think it’s just three points. It had a huge impact.”

The director met with Howe. “Eddie is our manager. I expect a great end to the season, and we’ll talk about the future at the right time. Now we’re focused on this season.” Regarding the transfer market and rumours about players like Tonali, Hopkinson recalls Isak’s sale to Liverpool for £125 million last summer: “If a situation similar to Isak’s arises again, any player under contract will only leave on our terms.”

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews