22/08/2025

SPORTS FRIDAY | AUG 22, 2025

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Arsenal strike Eze coup … as Tottenham beaten to blockbuster transfer A RSENAL’S dramatic move to steal Eberechi Eze away from arch rivals Tottenham problem – by signing a recognised striker – cost them dearly. Spurs thought they had Eze potential

SHORTS Rabiot, Rowe for sale after bust-up MARSEILLE president Pablo Longoria said yesterday that the French giants had decided to place star player Adrien Rabiot and English winger Jonathan Rowe on the transfer list as the result of an “extremely violent” dressing room bust-up. “What happened was extremely serious and extremely violent, something I’ve never encountered before,” Longoria told AFP in an interview. “We had to take a decision because what happened went way beyond what is acceptable in a football club, as it would be in any organisation.” The incident happened following Friday’s 1-0 defeat away to Rennes in their opening match of the French Ligue 1 season, a game which Marseille lost to a stoppage-time goal after playing for an hour with an extra man. Marseille had called the players’ behaviour “unacceptable” in a brief club statement published on Tuesday. “I wasn’t in the dressing room but the staff who were told me it was incredible, violent, aggressive and went beyond any limits,” added 39-year-old Spaniard Longoria, who has been Marseille president since 2021. “I think we all have enough experience to say we have never seen anything like it in a dressing room… Even in the worst punch-ups there are rules. Not in this case.” Celtic held in Euro playoff CELTIC’S Champions League hopes are firmly in the balance after they were held to a goalless draw by Kairat Almaty of Kazakhstan in Glasgow in the first leg of their playoff tie yesterday, while Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce played out a goalless draw with Benfica. The Scottish champions pushed Bayern Munich close in the knockout phase playoffs last season after finishing 21st out of 36 teams in the league stage. But Brendan Rodgers’s team could not break down the champions of Kazakhstan, who have already come through three qualifying rounds to get to this stage and are eyeing a first ever appearance in the competition proper. “We’re disappointed with the result and first half performance. We didn’t start with the intent and mentality we wanted to. We were quite passive,” said Rodgers, whose team were booed off at full-time. “There’s no doubt we can go there and win. Of course, you want to take an advantage with you, (but) it’s still very much in the balance.” Ten Hag hoping for fresh start ONE year on from their stunning unbeaten Bundesliga title triumph, new Bayern Leverkusen coach Erik Ten Hag has been handed the task of rebuilding the club, along with his own reputation. Leverkusen open their Bundesliga season at home against Hoffenheim tomorrow after a turbulent summer, with high-profile departures on and off the pitch, rendering the side unrecognisable from the 2023-24 double winners. The architect of that success, Xabi Alonso, has moved on to Real Madrid and taken his backroom staff with him. Florian Wirtz, Granit Xhaka, Jonathan Tah, Jeremie Frimpong and Lukas Hradecky – all pillars in Leverkusen’s double-winning season – also left this summer, with others rumoured to be heading out the door. With his reputation taking a hit after a difficult spell at Manchester United, despite winning the FA Cup and League Cup, Ten Hag is also seeking a reboot. When asked about following on from Leverkusen’s glory days, the 55-year-old Dutchman said “you can’t sail today on the wind from yesterday.” “No one is Harry Potter, building a team so quickly and being successful at the same time. That’s not how top-level football works.”

(RM281m) deal.

with Eze all summer, but it was thought their interest had cooled once Ethan Nwaneri agreed a new five-year contract, on top of signing Chelsea winger Noni Madueke in a £ 4 8 . 5 mi l l i on

Havertz’s injury, and its consequences, reignited that interest to leave Spurs stunned. Arteta knows this is the season he must land a major prize, and to do so he has been heavily backed by Arsenal’s hierarchy. As well as Madueke, the Gunners have concluded moves to sign Spain’s outstanding midfielder Martin Zubimendi in a deal worth up to £60 million and, at least 12 months too late, a recognised striker in Viktor Gyokeres, from Sporting for £64 million (RM371m). In Eze, who had two years left on his Palace contract, Arsenal will get a versatile forward rich in natural talent who is a match winner – as he proved when scoring the winner against Manchester City in May’s FA Cup final. This was a follow-up to the spectacular

wrapped up, with the possibility of a cash-plus-Richarlison deal discussed, but Arsenal moved with lightning

Hotspur is a ruthless statement of intent designed to show this is the season they can finally claim the biggest prizes. Spurs were ready to roll out the welcoming carpet for Crystal Palace’s England forward on Wednesday, with every indication a deal for the 27-year old was virtually done. It then filtered out that Arsenal were assessing the seriousness of a knee injury to forward Kai Havertz, which could potentially put a dent in their attacking resources – a

speed once they were confronted by the possibility of Havertz facing a spell on the sidelines. Arsenal have been linked

Eze

weakness t h a t played a significant part in manager Mikel Arteta’s side

right-foot finish that set Palace on their way to a 3 0 win over Aston Villa at Wembley in the semifinal. Eze also

finishing empty-handed for the fifth year in succession last season.

Instead of taking the cheaper option of exploring the loan market, as was first expected, Arsenal went for broke in spectacular style by setting up a £60 million (RM348n) coup to take Eze to Emirates Stadium. Eze’s move to Arsenal is not simply a devastating psychological blow aimed across north London at Spurs. It is a clear signal the Gunners have no intention of falling short in their stated aim of mounting a serious Premier League title challenge, as well as going deep in the Champions League once more after reaching the semifinals last season. It is a strategy in stark contrast to the inertia that gripped Arsenal last season, when their failure to solve an obvious

scored the Eagles’ opener when they beat Fulham 3-0 at Craven Cottage in the quarterfinal. Eze has demonstrated he has the temperament and talent for the big occasion when inspiring Palace to the first major trophy in their history. Arsenal will hope he has plenty of those occasions ahead. He is a scorer and creator who will add real threat to Arsenal’s front line, with 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions last season. – Agencies

Shearer accuses Isak of pouring ‘flames on the fire’ Ű BY IAN PARKER

the story and we’ve heard that now, and I’m not saying I don’t believe him or I don’t believe Newcastle, I’m just saying it’s very, very messy for him and for the football club. It doesn’t benefit anyone.” In his statement, posted on Instagram, Isak had said: “The reality is that promises were made and the club has known my position for a long time. To act now as if these issues are only emerging is misleading. “When promises are broken and trust is lost, the relationship can’t continue.” Newcastle responded by denying that Isak had been granted any assurances over a potential move. “We are clear in response that Alex remains under contract and that no commitment has ever been made by a club official that Alex can leave Newcastle United this summer,” a club statement said. – The Independent

Shearer said the situation is now an “absolute mess” as he pointed the finger at Isak’s agent Vlado Lemic. “If I was him, I’d get his agent in a room and sack him on the spot immediately, because he is meant to be giving him the advice to sign that six-year deal and there’s no get out clause,” Shearer said. “I mean, it’s ridiculous. And to take anyone’s word in football… it’s nonsensical to say that someone said, ‘Oh, I’ll be able to get out at the end of the season’. Really? I mean, come on… “I’ve always said there are two sides to every story, but my feelings are exactly the same: he’s gone about it in the wrong way. “I just think even releasing this statement on Tuesday has thrown flames onto the fire, which he didn’t need to do. “I get that we needed to hear his side of

FORMER Newcastle captain Alan Shearer believes wantaway striker Alexander Isak has poured “flames on the fire” of his stand-off with the Magpies by accusing the club of breaking promises, and said his comments “don’t benefit anyone”. Isak has been trying to force a move out of Newcastle all summer but was frustrated earlier this month when the club rejected an offer from Liverpool, reportedly worth £110 million (RM638m) plus add-ons. Having sat out their pre-season tour of Asia and trained alone since, missing Saturday’s goalless draw at Aston Villa in Newcastle’s Premier League opener, Isak escalated the situation further on Wednesday with a post on Instagram in which he said “the relationship can’t continue”.