Can Tottenham keep Gareth Bale?
Everyone bristles when sides are described as one-man teams yet there is no denying Gareth Bale's contribution to Tottenham was colossal. The double Footballer of the Year scored 26 times and won matches almost single-handed.
It is little wonder Real Madrid are interested and it is a pertinent question how long Spurs, after again missing out on Champions League qualification, can count on the Welshman's loyalty. With Bale, Andre Villas-Boas may need only a couple of judicious signings - particularly a striker - to propel Tottenham into the top four. Without him, he would need a major overhaul.
Can Liverpool keep Luis Suarez?
For much of the past year, Brendan Rodgers's mantra has been that Suarez is not for sale and is happy at Liverpool. Then the Uruguayan starting speaking about joining Real Madrid. Should he do so - and Liverpool remain publicly adamant he is staying - then Rodgers would have the money to sign several players and reshape his squad.
Yet it is implausible that he would secure a replacement of a similar calibre; the reality is the world's top strikers probably do not want to play for them right now. And, minus the 30-goal Suarez, the Reds could be in another season of transition.
Can Manchester United keep Wayne Rooney?
If Sir Alex Ferguson were still in charge, the probability is they would not even have wanted to. Moyes has been more conciliatory towards the 27-year-old striker and it may reflect badly on the new manager if his reign began with an elite player leaving.
It may depend on whether Rooney is sufficiently disillusioned that he is determined to leave, whoever the manager, as well as if Paris St Germain will match his huge wages and meet United's considerable asking price. If they do, Moyes will have an even bigger budget.
Will David Moyes sign a superstar?
The new Manchester United manager has never enjoyed the luxury of a large transfer fund but United's huge revenues mean he should have £50 million to spend, even before income from sales.
His predecessor, Ferguson, liked Robert Lewandowski and dreamed of bringing Cristiano Ronaldo back to Old Trafford. Moyes seems to have an interest in Cesc Fabregas as well as his former Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini. Now, after years of dealing on the cheap, he has the chance to think big.
How will Jose Mourinho reshape Chelsea?
When Chelsea first appointed Jose Mourinho, in 2004, he transformed the team immediately, bringing in Didier Drogba, Ricardo Carvalho, Paulo Ferreira and Arjen Robben. Now, more change is likely, with Chelsea requiring a central midfielder - Real Madrid's Sami Khedira has been linked - and, probably, reinforcements in defence.
Like all other recent Chelsea managers, he faces the problem of what to do with Fernando Torres, especially as, compared with the other top teams, they desperately need a world-class striker.
Will Manchester City get their top targets?
Last summer, City wanted Robin van Persie, Eden Hazard, Daniele de Rossi and Javi Martinez and got none of them. Now they want Edinson Cavani, Isco, Jesus Navas and Fernandinho, and the latter two have been reeled in.
To bring in all four, representing a cost of around £100 million (Dh572m), would also require them to sell wisely to bring money in. And if, say, Cavani eludes them - and he is in demand elsewhere - they have to ensure that, unlike 12 months ago, they find appropriate alternatives.
Will Arsene Wenger actually spend big?
Every year, the Arsenal manager apparently has vast sums at his disposal; this year, it apparently is £50m. Yet last year's arrivals were funded by the sales of Robin van Persie and Alex Song, just as two summers ago, the departures of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri financed Wenger's buys.
None of Arsenal's premier players are expected to leave and Wenger has the chance to strengthen significantly. Fiorentina's Stevan Jovetic appears one target as the Frenchman looks to enter the market for high-class players who can turn Arsenal back into contenders.
Can Aston Villa get rid of the old guard?
Paul Lambert has been a revolutionary at Villa Park, dropping virtually everyone with any experience. This summer, he may try to complete his clear-out. Stiliyan Petrov has, sadly, had to retire and the defender Richard Dunne is out of contract and has already packed his bags.
Lambert will be keen to get rid of big earners like the goalkeeper Shay Given, the defender Alan Hutton, the midfielder Stephen Ireland and the striker Darren Bent, all of whom have fallen from favour.
He will be keener still to keep the much-admired spearhead of his young team, the excellent Christian Benteke.
Will the promoted clubs splash out?
Twelve months ago, Southampton and West Ham came up, spent sizeable sums and stayed up. Reading were cautious in the transfer market and went down. Yet the equation for new arrivals in the Premier League is not that simple. Overspend and underachieve and the club could be sent spiralling downhill.
The signs are that Hull will not gamble with their future by paying fees they cannot afford. Nor will Crystal Palace, who were in administration three years ago, although Ian Holloway's war chest will be increased by the £15m Manchester United are paying for Wilfried Zaha. Cardiff, who have wealthy Malaysian owners, are likely to be the biggest buyers of the trio.
Who will go in the QPR fire sale?
A cautionary tale for any side in the bottom half of the Premier League, QPR paid large fees and amassed a wage bill that is clearly unsustainable. Now they need to dispense with many of their expensive failures.
The goalkeeper Julio Cesar is likely to leave along with the midfielder Esteban Granero. Loic Remy, the striker, has an £8 million release clause.
However, the defender Christopher Samba cost £12.5m and his £100,000-a-week wages may deter potential buyers. They also will struggle to move out the likes of Bobby Zamora, Andy Johnson, Jose Bosingwa, Park Ji-sung and Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Nani
The Portuguese has just had the worst of his six seasons at Old Trafford and has only one year left on his current contract, meaning Manchester United have to cash in now or risk losing him on a free transfer. The winger has been linked with Monaco, Zenit St Petersburg and Arsenal.
Edin Dzeko
The Bosnian has grown frustrated with life as Manchester City's super-sub and they, in turn, have been irritated by his inconsistency. There is talk he could he included in a part-exchange for Edinson Cavani. Borussia Dortmund also are interested in the striker. Either way, Dzeko will go.
James McCarthy
If Wigan had stayed up, they would have struggled to keep hold of James McCarthy. After going down, it seems certain the midfielder will leave. McCarthy, who enjoyed an excellent season, has long been mentioned in connection with Arsenal. Plenty of other clubs may covet him.
Marouane Fellaini
The Belgian has a £24 million (Dh137m) release clause in his contract at Everton. It may well tempt his former manager David Moyes, now at Manchester United, but could interest others as well. Arsenal are believed to be in the fray with the added carrot of Champions League action. Fellaini has completed the best year of his Everton career and a track record of troubling the best is a sign of his ability.
Andy Carroll
Unwanted at Liverpool and very much wanted at West Ham, the questions concern the size of the fee and if anyone else – Newcastle, in particular – will enter in the bidding. The canny Sam Allardyce will probably force the price down, knowing Brendan Rodgers does not need a target man.
Mark Schwarzer
Turns 41 in October but remains one of the Premier League's most consistent goalkeepers. Schwarzer wants to stay a first choice in order to appear for Australia in the World Cup.
William Gallas
Had a tough year at Tottenham where his presence tended to coincide with their worst performances, but spent a dozen years at London's top clubs.
Richard Dunne
Injury meant he missed the entire season for Aston Villa but the Irishman has been one of the division's most determined defenders for a long time.
Antolin Alcaraz
Had Alcaraz stayed fit all season, Wigan probably would have stayed up. The Paraguayan is a class act, as the central defender showed in the FA Cup final.
Maynor Figueroa
Likely to join West Ham, the Honduran has been one of the more reliable left-backs in the Premier League for several seasons.
Giorgos Karagounis
The veteran Greece captain, 36, quickly became a crowd favourite after joining Fulham last summer. He retains his competitiveness and enthusiasm.
Phil Neville
May be wanted as a manager or a coach, as well, so the Everton captain faces a decision if he should play on. He is hugely respected for his professionalism.
Andrey Arshavin
One of Europe's most coveted players a few years ago, Arshavin cost Arsenal £15m. The Russian can frustrate but still possesses huge talent.
Florent Malouda
Frozen out at Chelsea this season, but the France international was a regular source of goals from the left wing between 2008 and 2011.
Carlton Cole
An England international three years ago, Cole's goal return is mixed but he is an athletic target man who should attract Premier League interest.
Roque Santa Cruz
Manchester City paid £17m for Santa Cruz four years ago and he helped Malaga reach the Champions League quarter-finals this season. Injury-prone, at 31, but talented.
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Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
The biog
Family: wife, four children, 11 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren
Reads: Newspapers, historical, religious books and biographies
Education: High school in Thatta, a city now in Pakistan
Regrets: Not completing college in Karachi when universities were shut down following protests by freedom fighters for the British to quit India
Happiness: Work on creative ideas, you will also need ideals to make people happy
RESULT
Australia 3 (0) Honduras 1 (0)
Australia: Jedinak (53', 72' pen, 85' pen)
Honduras: Elis (90 4)
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.
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Northern Warriors 92-1 (10 ovs)
Russell 37 no, Billings 35 no
Team Abu Dhabi 93-4 (8.3 ovs)
Wright 48, Moeen 30, Green 2-22
Team Abu Dhabi win by six wickets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Profile
Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari
Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.
Number of employees: Over 50
Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised
Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital
Sector of operation: Transport
PROFILE OF CURE.FIT
Started: July 2016
Founders: Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori
Based: Bangalore, India
Sector: Health & wellness
Size: 500 employees
Investment: $250 million
Investors: Accel, Oaktree Capital (US); Chiratae Ventures, Epiq Capital, Innoven Capital, Kalaari Capital, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Piramal Group’s Anand Piramal, Pratithi Investment Trust, Ratan Tata (India); and Unilever Ventures (Unilever’s global venture capital arm)
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
World Cricket League Division 2
In Windhoek, Namibia - Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.
UAE fixtures
Thursday February 8, v Kenya; Friday February 9, v Canada; Sunday February 11, v Nepal; Monday February 12, v Oman; Wednesday February 14, v Namibia; Thursday February 15, final
Where%20the%20Crawdads%20Sing
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AndhaDhun
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Producer: Matchbox Pictures, Viacom18
Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan
Rating: 3.5/5
Brief scores:
Toss: Northern Warriors, elected to field first
Bengal Tigers 130-1 (10 ov)
Roy 60 not out, Rutherford 47 not out
Northern Warriors 94-7 (10 ov)
Simmons 44; Yamin 4-4
The specs: McLaren 600LT
Price, base: Dh914,000
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 600hp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 620Nm @ 5,500rpm
Fuel economy 12.2.L / 100km
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (all kick-offs UAE time)
Hertha Berlin v Union Berlin (10.30pm)
Saturday
Freiburg v Werder Bremen (5.30pm)
Paderborn v Hoffenheim (5.30pm)
Wolfsburg v Borussia Dortmund (5.30pm)
Borussia Monchengladbach v Bayer Leverkusen (5.30pm)
Bayern Munich v Eintracht Frankfurt (5.30pm)
Sunday
Schalke v Augsburg (3.30pm)
Mainz v RB Leipzig (5.30pm)
Cologne v Fortuna Dusseldorf (8pm)
'Morbius'
Director: Daniel Espinosa
Stars: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona
Rating: 2/5
Generational responses to the pandemic
Devesh Mamtani from Century Financial believes the cash-hoarding tendency of each generation is influenced by what stage of the employment cycle they are in. He offers the following insights:
Baby boomers (those born before 1964): Owing to market uncertainty and the need to survive amid competition, many in this generation are looking for options to hoard more cash and increase their overall savings/investments towards risk-free assets.
Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980): Gen X is currently in its prime working years. With their personal and family finances taking a hit, Generation X is looking at multiple options, including taking out short-term loan facilities with competitive interest rates instead of dipping into their savings account.
Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996): This market situation is giving them a valuable lesson about investing early. Many millennials who had previously not saved or invested are looking to start doing so now.
What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
Section 375
Cast: Akshaye Khanna, Richa Chadha, Meera Chopra & Rahul Bhat
Director: Ajay Bahl
Producers: Kumar Mangat Pathak, Abhishek Pathak & SCIPL
Rating: 3.5/5
RESULTS
5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 2,200m
Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Fernando Jara (jockey), Ahmed Al Mehairbi (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: AF Seven Skies, Bernardo Pinheiro, Qais Aboud
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: Almahroosa, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: AF Sumoud, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: AF Majalis, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Adventurous, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
