The summer transfer window is entering its final few days in Europe as clubs aim to finalise last-minute deals before the September 1 deadline.
However, to add another layer of drama, the Saudi Pro League deadline is not until September 20, which could mean three weeks of nail-biting for some clubs hoping their top players are not targeted by Saudi sides.
Each day, we collect the best of the transfer speculation and assess the likelihood of these deals materialising.
Manchester City have made a transfer bid of €60m to sign Wolves midfielder Matheus Nunes, says Fabrizio Romano. Their latest proposal is the second approach that the Premier League champions have made to sign the 25-year-old Portugal international, who has already agreed personal terms over a potential switch to Etihad Stadium. Nunes was sent off in the second Premier League match of the season against Brighton.
Talks are ongoing between Sevilla and Barcelona over a move for centre-back Clement Lenglet, reports Marca. The Europa League holders are keen to sign the 28-year-old Frenchman on loan, but Barca would need to cover some part of his salary. Lenglet has been one of the players who Barca manager Xavi Hernandez has been looking to move on this summer, but it is reported that a permanent transfer looks unlikely.
Paris Saint-Germain are preparing to make an €80 million offer to sign Eintracht Frankfurt striker Randal Kolo Muani, says Sky Sports Germany’s Florian Plettenberg. The 24-year-old France international, who is yet to force a move, is said to be keen on making the switch to PSG, with belief that his last game for the club was Sunday's the Bundesliga clash against Mainz.
An agreement has been reached between Al Arabi and PSG for the signature of midfielder Marco Verratti, reports Foot Mercato. The Qatari club are reported to have taken the lead in the race for the 30-year-old Italy international, with Saudi side Al Ahli previously reported to be interested. Talks are now said to be ongoing between the Al Arabi and Verratti, whom they are hopeful of convincing to leave Europe.
Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad remain on the lookout for a defender, reports Italian journalist Rudy Galetti. Talks are continuing with free agent Sergio Ramos, who left Paris Saint-Germain in the summer, but there is belief that he is currently prioritising a move to Galatasaray, though he could still be open to moving to Saudi Arabia if the Turkish club fails to qualify for the Champions League.
Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich are considering a swap deal involving Ryan Gravenberch and Manchester United’s Scott McTominay, reports Bild. Gravenberch has been unable to make an impact in Germany since arriving from Ajax, and it is said that Thomas Tuchel is interested in landing the 26-year-old Scotland international on loan if an agreement over a player exchange can’t be reached.
Iran international striker Mehdi Taremi is prioritising a move to AC Milan, understands Calciomercato. Currently at FC Porto, the 31-year-old has been attracting interest from a number of clubs in Europe, and it looks as though the Rossoneri are leading the race for his signature. Taremi, who scored 22 goals in 33 league matches last season, is seen as a potential replacement for Divock Origi, who has failed to impress since joining the club from Liverpool.
All major transfers during the 2023 summer window
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Top tips
Create and maintain a strong bond between yourself and your child, through sensitivity, responsiveness, touch, talk and play. “The bond you have with your kids is the blueprint for the relationships they will have later on in life,” says Dr Sarah Rasmi, a psychologist.
Set a good example. Practise what you preach, so if you want to raise kind children, they need to see you being kind and hear you explaining to them what kindness is. So, “narrate your behaviour”.
Praise the positive rather than focusing on the negative. Catch them when they’re being good and acknowledge it.
Show empathy towards your child’s needs as well as your own. Take care of yourself so that you can be calm, loving and respectful, rather than angry and frustrated.
Be open to communication, goal-setting and problem-solving, says Dr Thoraiya Kanafani. “It is important to recognise that there is a fine line between positive parenting and becoming parents who overanalyse their children and provide more emotional context than what is in the child’s emotional development to understand.”
Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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%3Cp%3ETotal%20trade%20in%20goods%20and%20services%20(exports%20plus%20imports)%20between%20the%20UK%20and%20the%20UAE%20in%202022%20was%20%C2%A321.6%20billion%20(Dh98%20billion).%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThis%20is%20an%20increase%20of%2063.0%20per%20cent%20or%20%C2%A38.3%20billion%20in%20current%20prices%20from%20the%20four%20quarters%20to%20the%20end%20of%202021.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20UAE%20was%20the%20UK%E2%80%99s%2019th%20largest%20trading%20partner%20in%20the%20four%20quarters%20to%20the%20end%20of%20Q4%202022%20accounting%20for%201.3%20per%20cent%20of%20total%20UK%20trade.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
The five pillars of Islam
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Race card
6.30pm: Handicap (TB) $68,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
7.05pm: Meydan Cup – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (Turf) 2,810m
7.40pm: UAE 2000 Guineas – Group 3 (TB) $125,000 (D) 1,600m
8.15pm: Firebreak Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (D) 1,600m
9.50pm: Meydan Classic – Conditions (TB) $$50,000 (T) 1,400m
9.25pm: Dubai Sprint – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,200m
RESULT
Al Hilal 4 Persepolis 0
Khribin (31', 54', 89'), Al Shahrani 40'
Red card: Otayf (Al Hilal, 49')
