Source: eurosport
Security & Justice
Captured Hezbollah Operative May Have Been Israeli Double Agent, Report Suggests
The alleged senior Hezbollah operative abducted by Israeli special forces last week in Batroun may have been operating as a double agent, according to a report by The Telegraph.
Monday, November 4, 2024
Lebanon’s Probe into Israeli Raid Expected to Take Days as Security Officials Weigh Theories
Lebanese authorities are ramping up investigations into an Israeli commando raid last week in the northern coastal city of Batroun, during which Imad Amhaz, a Hezbollah official, was snatched.
Monday, November 4, 2024
Opinion
The Emptying of Baalbek Is a Moment to Take Stock
“Large numbers of people continue to flee their homes every day, as Israel’s military operations in Lebanon have been going on unabated.” These disturbing words could be from almost any news report about Israel’s invasion of its northern neighbour over the past month. However, they can be found in a report by the Norwegian Refugee Council’s Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre issued on July 27, 2006.
Saturday, November 2, 2024
A Future Without Hezbollah
At the end of September, when Israel’s campaign to destroy Hezbollah was reaching its height, I met one of the group’s supporters in a seaside café in western Beirut. He was a middle-aged man with a thin white beard and the spent look of someone who had not slept for days. He was an academic of sorts, not a fighter, but his ties to Hezbollah were deep and long-standing.
Thursday, October 31, 2024
Sports
Tottenham Forward Son Heung-min Crowned Asia’s International Player of the Year
Tottenham forward Son Heung-min was crowned as Asia’s International Player of the Year for the fourth time by the Asian Football Confederation at its annual awards ceremony Tuesday.
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
Real Madrid Launch Investigation into Racist Insults After El Clasico Defeat
Real Madrid has launched an investigation into racist insults directed at players during Saturday’s 4-0 home loss to Barcelona in LaLiga, it said on Sunday.
Monday, October 28, 2024
Tuesday 25 April 2023 16:10:32
Paris Saint-Germain Ready to Sell Neymar to Chelsea as Players Await Mauricio Pochettino
After Todd Boehly’s interest in Neymar in the last transfer window, Paris Saint-Germain would be willing to let him go in the summer after a disappointing season.
The Mirror reports that the club are also looking to tie down Kylian Mbappe to fresh terms for a long-term deal.
The paper states: “The club will not countenance his exit this summer, which Mbappe is not currently pushing for in any case, but PSG are alert of how close they came to losing him as a free agent to Real Madrid last summer. They will be wary of a possible repeat of his contractual status with hope of a longer-term agreement with any future exit being on the terms of the club and player.
“The future of Neymar may be more of a pressing issue this summer; the 31-year-old has suffered another campaign blighted by injuries. One of the club’s top earners who carries a high status, he remains the most expensive player in the world following his £198million switch from Barcelona in 2017.
“PSG are unlikely to repeat those high-profile deals under their new internal direction and that leads to uncertainty over the Brazilian’s future. Chelsea owner Todd Boehly held a meeting earlier this year to probe Neymar’s availability, and that interest may be rekindled this summer.”
CITY DEFENDER MAY LEAVE FOR FRANKFURT
Manchester City defender Callum Doyle, 19, is doing well on loan at Coventry and is seen as a potential player for the first team at the Etihad, but The Sun reports that Eintracht Frankfurt would be willing and ready to take the teenager on loan, or perhaps a permanent deal.
“German giants Eintracht Frankfurt are tracking Man City teenage defender Callum Doyle,” the report begins.
“Scouts Nicolas Becker and Dan Hargreaves watched the 19-year-old play on loan for Coventry last week. Doyle is seen as a future City first-teamer but he could be whisked off to the Bundesliga, either on loan or on a permanent move.
“Etihad chiefs have a decision to make on Doyle and also fellow defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis, 21.
“Burnley want Harwood-Bellis on loan again — and both prospects are going into the final year of their contracts.”
MESSI READY FOR HUGE PAY CUT TO REJOIN BARCA
The Mail reports that Lionel Messi is willing to take a pay cut at Barcelona in order to take his family back, but there are questions about whether 12m euros a season will be enough to convince him to come back.
There are also questions about whether La Liga officials will rubber-stamp that deal, or the club’s finances in general.
The paper explains: “The first thing that needs to happen is that La Liga rule on whether the contract the club plan to give Messi can be permitted – he can’t play for free, even if he pledges to, which is unlikely.
“Messi will be offered a two-year deal at 12m euros net a season. That ought to be deemed within the range of the ‘going-rate’ for a player of his age and pedigree based on it being around 2m more than Barcelona pay Robert Lewandowski.
“The club will then need to explain how they can fit the new deal into their financial fair play calculations when a current shortfall of an estimated 200m euros is preventing them from registering new deals for Gavi, Alejandro Balde and Ronald Araujo.
“They believe they can pull another economic lever by selling off a percentage of their licensing and merchandising arm. President Joan Laporta has been on a charm offensive all week stopping off at the Spanish League headquarters to make peace with Tebas and then visiting UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin to ask him not to ban Barcelona from next season’s Champions League.”
CHELSEA READY FOR POCHETTINO
The Telegraph believes that Chelsea players are keen to work with Mauricio Pochettino as the long-term replacement for Graham Potter.
Frank Lampard has stepped in until the end of the season, but former Tottenham and PSG boss Pochettino looks like a potential candidate to take over this summer.
“Chelsea players are excited by the prospect of Mauricio Pochettino becoming the club’s next permanent head coach,” the paper claims.
“Pochettino has emerged as the favourite to permanently succeed Graham Potter following a series of positive talks between the Argentine and Chelsea.
“Chelsea’s admiration of Pochettino is advancing with the club hoping to settle on their new man soon, following a process led by co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart.
“The move towards Pochettino has been welcomed in the Chelsea dressing-room, with players said to be positive and excited about his possible appointment.”
