logo
Chelsea suffer transfer blow as club chief tells them top target is NOT leaving this summer

Chelsea suffer transfer blow as club chief tells them top target is NOT leaving this summer

Scottish Sun25-06-2025
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
AC MILAN have confirmed Mike Maignan will not be leaving the San Siro this summer.
Chelsea had been interested in bringing the French goalkeeper to Stamford Bridge.
Sign up for Scottish Sun
newsletter
Sign up
3
Enzo Maresca's Chelsea have been dealt a transfer blow
Credit: Getty
3
AC Milan have publicly declared that goalkeeper Mike Maignan is not for sale
Credit: Getty
3
Maignan kept 12 clean sheets for Milan last season in Serie A as the Rossoneri's No. 1.
Enzo Maresca had hoped to strengthen his goalkeeping options over the summer.
But he has been dealt a blow after Milan confirmed Maignan is not for sale.
AC Milan sporting director Igli Tare said: "Maignan is not leaving.
READ MORE ON FOOTBALL
TOP OF THE WORLD Fans say Chelsea have 'scammed their way to CWC final' after Kane blunder
WATCH EVERY MATCH OF THE CLUB WORLD CUP 2025 LIVE ON DAZN
"He will be at Milan again next season."
Tare continued: "There was interest from a Premier League club but in the end no agreement was found.
"Also knowing that Maignan is an important point of reference not only on the pitch, but also off the pitch, we decided to focus on him for next season and to move forward together.
"Football is unpredictable, but for us he remains a point of reference in this team."
BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK
Chelsea must decide between keepers Robert Sanchez, Filip Jorgensen and youngster Mike Penders.
Djordje Petrovic had been touted as one to watch for the future.
Why Chelsea could sign Garnacho | Transfers Exposed
But the 25-year-old Serbian is set to leave Chelsea after asking to be left out of their Club World Cup squad.
The Blues are through to the knockout stages of the competition in the US after a 3-0 win over ES Tunis.
New £30million-man Liam Delap was on target in red-hot temperatures in Philadelphia.
Join SUN CLUB for the Chelsea Files every Tuesday plus
in-depth coverage and exclusives from Stamford Bridge
Chelsea will now meet Portuguese giants Benfica in the round of 16.
The two sides will clash on Saturday at the Bank of America Stadium in North Carolina.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Saudi boxing chief CONFIRMS Anthony Joshua vs Jake Paul showdown as fans predict ‘biggest fight of our lives'
Saudi boxing chief CONFIRMS Anthony Joshua vs Jake Paul showdown as fans predict ‘biggest fight of our lives'

Scottish Sun

time18 minutes ago

  • Scottish Sun

Saudi boxing chief CONFIRMS Anthony Joshua vs Jake Paul showdown as fans predict ‘biggest fight of our lives'

Turki Alalshikh revealed why the fight will be 'good for me' NO JOSHING Saudi boxing chief CONFIRMS Anthony Joshua vs Jake Paul showdown as fans predict 'biggest fight of our lives' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A FIGHT between Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul has been confirmed by Saudi boxing chiefs. Fans are predicting "the biggest fight of our lives" after it was revealed that former heavyweight champ Joshua and YouTuber-turned-brawler Paul will step into the ring. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Anthony Joshua will fight Jake Paul, leaving fans delighted Credit: Getty 2 The brawl was confirmed by Saudi boxing chiefs Credit: The Mega Agency Joshua, 35, has not fought since losing to Daniel Dubois in September last year. As for Paul, 28, he is fresh off a win against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr last month. A fight between the two would certainly be a money-spinner, with AJ still one of the top names around and Paul proving he can attract huge audiences. Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh lifted the lid on talks and revealed that Paul had accepted his proposal to fight Joshua. READ MORE IN BOXING JAKE EXPECTATIONS Paul in first official meeting over Joshua fight with Saudi boxing boss But the fight guru admitted that he would personally benefit from an AJ win on the night. THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY.. The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunFootball.

Wrexham to sign player who clashed with England star and sparked fury with controversial act
Wrexham to sign player who clashed with England star and sparked fury with controversial act

Daily Mirror

time18 minutes ago

  • Daily Mirror

Wrexham to sign player who clashed with England star and sparked fury with controversial act

Wrexham are reportedly set to fork out a club record fee for an international player who was lucky to avoid punishment after a heavy challenge on an England star Wrexham are reportedly set to break their transfer record to sign a player who was involved in a controversial clash with England star Kyle Walker. The Welsh side, backed by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, are said to have agreed a deal for Empoli left-back Liberato Cacace for an initial £2.16million (€2.5m), with the fee expected to rise once bonuses and add-ons are taken into account. ‌ The New Zealand international has played in Serie A for the last three-and-a-half years, racking up 74 appearances since first arriving on loan from Belgian team Sint-Truiden in January 2022. Empoli were relegated from the Italian top tier at the end of last season but Cacace has been linked with several clubs at that level this summer, including Cagliari, Pisa and Cremonese. ‌ However, according to Sky Sport Italia, Wrexham have won the battle to secure his services following their recent promotion to the Championship. If confirmed, it would top the £2m the Red Dragons forked out to acquire Reading striker Sam Smith back in January. ‌ Details of the potential transfer have emerged in the same week Wrexham are due to play Cacace's former team Wellington Phoenix in a pre-season friendly in his hometown. The deal would be seen as a coup for the club as they prepare for life in the second tier, but the 24-year-old's career has seen several controversies. Cacace's clash with Walker occurred as Empoli suffered a 2-0 home defeat to AC Milan in February. Walker lined up for Milan after joining from Manchester City on loan in January. The Empoli defender was lucky to avoid being sent off after lunging into a heavy challenge on Walker, which left him writhing in pain on the pitch. Despite a VAR check, Cacace somehow managed to escape punishment entirely, much to the bemusement of those watching. ‌ He also managed to anger Colombia fans in June 2019 after New Zealand lost to the South American team in the FIFA Under-20 World Cup. Cacace's Instagram account was showered with hundreds of insults and threats as he shushed Colombia's keeper after scoring in a penalty shootout which his side later went on to lose. According to New Zealand news site Stuff, one Colombian fan posted: "Wipe your tears and go home with your mouth shut!" Meanwhile, Cacace was sent off following a match against Tunisia in the ACUD Cup international tournament in Egypt in March 2024. ‌ He was shown a red card after getting into an exchange with Tunisia's Elias Achouri. All Whites coach Darren Bazeley described the sending off as unfair after the game. "I think it's harsh," he said. "The referee sent their player off. They were pretty competitive people, and Libby's said 'bye bye.'" ‌ Despite being involved in some fiery incidents, Cacace also has some impressive achievements under his belt. In 2024, he was nominated for inclusion in The FIFA Best Men's XI in a list of the world's greatest defenders. He was featured alongside the likes of Real Madrid star Dani Carvajal, new Liverpool recruit Jeremie Frimpong and German international Antonio Rudiger. Cacace admitted to feeling surprised upon discovering his inclusion on the shortlist. ‌ Speaking to he said: "I went to bed early that night, and when I woke up the following morning I saw that I'd been tagged in various posts on Instagram. I was convinced it must've been photoshopped or it was some kind of joke. "I clicked on the post more out of curiosity than anything else, and quickly realised it was real. I had to ask my friends and my agent for confirmation. I said to myself: 'How is this possible?' "It's a huge privilege for me to have been nominated alongside some of the best players in the world. I'm sure all the other world-beaters who saw my name on the list thought: 'And who's this Cacace?'" Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Sign up to our newsletter! Wrexham is the Game is great new way to get top-class coverage Wrexham AFC is the arguably the fastest-growing club in the world at the moment thanks to a certain Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The Dragons have achieved two consecutive promotions and are cheered on by crowds from not only North Wales but also from all over the globe, thanks to the success of the Disney+ documentary 'Welcome to Wrexham'. But does it have a dedicated, quality source of information piped through to your inbox each week, free of ads but packed with informed opinion, analysis and even a little bit of fun each week? That's where Wrexham is the Game steps in... Available every Wednesday, it provides all the insights you need to be a top red. And for a limited time, a subscription to 'Wrexham is the Game' will cost fans just £15 for the first year.

How women's cricket has developed in India
How women's cricket has developed in India

BBC News

time18 minutes ago

  • BBC News

How women's cricket has developed in India

India's women have just won a T20 series on English soil for the first time. A 50-over World Cup on their home turf is imminent, which could take the sport to fever pitch in a country that already boasts the lucrative Women's Premier League, the second most valuable women's sports league in the former captain Mithali Raj, the opportunities and financial rewards available to the country's top female cricketers in 2025 are a world away from when she broke into the India team in 1999, aged 16."I was pretty much emptying my dad's pocket to play for India," she explains during a trip to England that saw her honoured by ringing the five-minute bell at Lord's during the third men's Test."There was absolutely no payment. We had to buy our own equipment and try to organise our own training sessions. There were times when we'd train on matting wickets, and then we'd get a week to practice on the turf [before a match]."Cultural and socio-economic challenges were also prevalent among many families, who did not want their daughters playing cricket, either because it was deemed a men's game or they needed their daughter to be working and earning debuted for India seven years before the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) took over the administration, following a merger with the Women's Cricket Association of witnessed the start of a slow transformation, as the women's game began to be better resourced with match fees introduced and access to top facilities."I got injured in 2005 just before the World Cup," she says. "It took me years to get through it. When we came under the BCCI, we had access to the National Cricket Academy, which had the best physios and trainers. You stayed there, it was residential and you got through your rehab. We were educated in what to do pre-season, how to do rehab, how to do strength work. So we got better."In order to earn a living, India's national players had to have jobs, most with Indian Railways, as they were "the only institution that gave jobs to women cricketers in India". The next game-changing moment for Raj and her compatriots was the announcement of BCCI retainer contracts for the top 11 players in 2015. Raj was nearly 33."If you are from an affluent family, you can manage to play for however long, because you do not really have to think about how you are going to run your house," she says. "But if you are not, you would think, what next? Where am I going to earn money?"Contracts gave that safety for the national players. They know, 'OK, I can play and I can earn'. That was huge for us." The impact of the 2017 World Cup final Raj identifies India's participation in the 2017 World Cup final against England at Lord's as a seminal was only the third World Cup staged under the auspices of the International Cricket Council (ICC), and the first time every match of a Women's World Cup was visible either via live streaming or on ICC's digital and social media channels received a record 100 million video views."Until then, we really did not have that sort of coverage," says Raj. "Digital media was relatively new in 2017. It really doubled up the sort of coverage that women's cricket needed."India lost to the hosts but it was a ground-breaking match. It was sold out, and according to India's Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) the final generated 19.53 million impressions in India, making it the most watched female sports event in the country, beating the badminton final at the Rio Olympics between PV Sindhu and Carolina that final, the pay for contracted top-tier international players rose from a reported 15 lakh to 50 2020, Star Sports were broadcasting India's matches at the Women's T20 World Cup in five different languages. India's defeat by Australia in the final was watched in India by a record live average audience of 9.02 million according to the reaching, and losing, another final, this time in front of a record crowd of 86,174 at the MCG, the BCCI raised women's international match fees to be equal with men's in 2022. Advent of the Women's Premier League The women's cricket world had long been waiting for the women's version of the Indian Premier League (IPL). When it finally arrived in 2023 it exploded onto the scene with five teams bought for £465m and Viacom buying the media rights for £96m over five Mandhana was the most expensive player, bought for a jaw-dropping £340,000 by Royal Challengers competition turned a profit and contributed around 3.9%, external of the BCCI's revenue in the 2023-24 financial year. That is over-shadowed by the IPL's contribution of 59.10%, but it is vindication of the BCCI waiting until the market was WPL offers potentially life-changing sums for up to 90 players (up to 30 of which could be overseas). Outside of the WPL however, there are no contracts for domestic cricketers in India, only match BCCI official has said players who don't have a WPL deal "fend for themselves". If they are lucky, they may have a personal sponsor, mentor or advocate who supports them financially. Some players may have jobs in the same way that Raj was employed by is the same structure that exists in the men's domestic game across India, with no contracts at state number of women's retainers has increased marginally, with 16 women awarded in 2024-25. These contracts require annual renewal, and don't offer maternity clauses. There are 34 BCCI retainers available to a country of 1.4 billion, where the BCCI's Under-15s girls' competition alone sees 36 teams and potentially 540 players competing (numbers replicated at U19 and U23 level), WPL pay packets reach the few rather than the many. But the money to be chased has changed attitudes around girls' cricket."Now it is not looked down upon," says a smiling Raj. "Cricket is a profession, it's a sport, and everybody is keen to get their girls to play cricket. That's a huge, huge shift."The crowds and media attention on the WPL has helped to accustom domestic players to big-stage cricket before they play for the national tournament also helps enormously with talent scouting."India is a very big country, so the selectors cannot go to every state and identify players," says Raj. "The franchises have scouts they send to every part of the country. They pick players who are raw, who have been not seen before, and they get an opportunity." What of the future? A clear pathway exists to the women's national team, through club, district, state, zone, India A then India. However, barriers still remain."There is a lot of raw talent in the districts and in the villages," says Raj. "It's just that they don't have the facilities if a young girl in the interiors wants to start playing cricket."The society in the villages - it still needs to progress. And the financial barrier is huge. I'm associated with Andhra Cricket Association and I went into these districts and there were a few girls who did not have money for three meals in a day. The associations have to make an effort to get into these places and give them basic facilities."But otherwise, to play cricket in India now, it's far more open and easier than concludes: "The next step is to add a couple more teams to WPL, because there are many good players who get left out with just five teams."And of course winning the World Cup."However, as Raj sees it, the prize that would propel the Indian game forward exponentially would be Olympic gold, with cricket in LA 2028."It's a chance to get a medal for the country. I know we have the World Cups, but the medal in the Olympics is a huge thing back at home."The Olympics is the ultimate."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store