Świątek and Anisimova speak after Wimbledon final
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22 minutes ago
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Report: Liverpool tracking €60m-rated Brazilian forward in summer move
Liverpool Target €60m Gremio Starlet Alysson Edward Amid Summer Recruitment Drive Liverpool's scouting network has cast its net far and wide this summer, and the latest talent to emerge on their radar is Brazilian teenager Alysson Edward, according to a report from Bolavip. The 19-year-old Gremio forward is said to be under close observation by the Reds, as the club explores attacking reinforcements for both the present and the future. Advertisement Alysson Edward: Scouted and Watched Closely The Bruno Soares report, relayed by Bolavip, claims: 'The 19-year-old player has been watched by scouts from the English club, who see him as having promising potential for the future.' This is no small endorsement, especially given the player's reported €60 million release clause. While that price tag could prove a stumbling block, Liverpool have a recent history of betting big on young talent with high ceilings. Edward is no stranger to European attention and has even spoken publicly about his ambitions. In a candid interview with GZH, the teenager said: 'I do have that desire. It's a childhood dream, like many players have – and it's mine too. It's also a dream to have a beautiful career here first and then live that European dream. I leave everything in God's hands. Whether I stay here and build a great story or go there, both ways will be good.' That level of ambition is precisely what Liverpool's recruitment team, now led by Arne Slot, is banking on. Advertisement Financial Factors May Shape Edward's Future Gremio's position is an interesting one. The report notes that 'despite the pressure, Grêmio's management plans to keep the striker until the end of the season.' That said, the club may need to compromise due to financial strains, with the piece adding that Gremio are aware of 'the need to raise cash from player sales to meet financial goals.' This scenario could play into Liverpool's hands. A structured deal, possibly with incentives or performance-related add-ons, could be enough to entice the Brazilian side into selling their prized asset. Slot Building Forward Options with Strategic Depth With Liverpool still seeking a striker and a defender before the window shuts, Edward could be the sort of dynamic wide forward or second striker that offers versatility and rotation behind more experienced options. Photo: IMAGO Advertisement If the Reds can land the youngster at the right price, it would be another statement of intent from Arne Slot's new-look Liverpool—one that blends raw South American talent with modern tactical evolution. Our View – Anfield Index Analysis From a Liverpool fan perspective, Alysson Edward's name won't be on everyone's radar yet, but this kind of scouting feels very in line with what the club has built its modern reputation on—spotting raw gems early. The €60 million clause is hefty, but that doesn't mean the final fee will come close to it. We've seen in the past how deals can be structured cleverly—especially when clubs like Gremio are under financial pressure. His comments about a 'childhood dream' to play in Europe give fans hope that he's not just using the links for leverage. You want players who are hungry for the badge before they wear it. Advertisement Still, it's fair to say many Reds would prefer the club to address first-team issues—centre-back and striker—before moving for another project player. If Edward is the real deal, great. But fans will be hoping this isn't just another long-term plan that pushes short-term needs further down the priority list. With Slot stamping his identity on the squad, bringing in Edward could be an exciting signal of where the club's headed. But it must be balanced with immediate reinforcements if Liverpool want to compete for major trophies this season.
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
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Reece James delighted as Chelsea make ‘big statement' with Club World Cup win
Reece James felt Chelsea made 'a big statement' to their rivals by producing a major upset to beat Paris St Germain in the Club World Cup final. Cole Palmer scored two brilliant goals and created a third for Joao Pedro – all in the first half – as the Blues shocked the Champions League winners, who were seeking a fifth trophy of the season, to win 3-0. Advertisement After a turbulent few years at Stamford Bridge following the takeover of 2022, it provided further evidence of a Blues revival after the Conference League triumph in May. 'I think for sure we are moving in the right direction, winning this trophy against such good opposition,' said Chelsea captain James. 'So it's a big statement. 'I'm happy with how much the club has progressed and how next season you know we'll be competing in the Premier League, to win the title and compete and to go far in the Champions League as well. 'I think this showed how far our club has come. We've had a difficult few years, not competing in the Champions League. Advertisement 'This was the best team we faced and we knew it was going to be tough but the team was ready, and I think we showed that.' Chelsea had been written off in many quarters before the game with PSG, who famously thrashed Inter Milan 5-0 in the Champions League final in May, having routed Real Madrid 4-0 just four days previously. US President Donald Trump joined in the Chelsea celebrations (Jacquelyn Martin/AP) Yet their victory was thoroughly deserved and Palmer had already gone close to scoring before taking charge of the game with his quickfire double of goals scored in the 22nd and 30th minutes. He then set up Pedro, the £60million signing who only joined the club mid-tournament, for his third goal in the last two games before half-time. Advertisement There was no way back for the Ligue 1 champions, whose frustration was compounded late on as Joao Neves was sent off for a petulant tug on Marc Cucurella's hair. Tempers boiled over as scuffles broke out after the final whistle and one involving PSG coach Luis Enrique ended with Pedro on the ground. There was a further surreal postscript as United States President Donald Trump, there to present the winners with the trophy, decided to stay on stage to join Chelsea's celebrations. Yet while that made for a peculiar ending to the tournament, James' main thoughts were on his achievement and what could come next. 'It's amazing for me,' said the 25-year-old, who has overcome a series of injury setbacks. 'Since I was a little boy I supported this team. Advertisement 'I just wanted to play for this club. Just once would have been enough for me, so to captain the team and to lead them to two trophies this season, it's been a dream for me. 'We beat the champions of Europe. For sure it gives us confidence and I am looking forward to the future.'
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
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Four times more online abuse of Wimbledon players detected
Nearly four times as much online abuse aimed at players during the first half of Wimbledon was detected compared to the same period in 2024, according to data shared exclusively with the BBC. There were 1,902 abusive pieces of content sent to players on public-facing accounts and reported to the relevant platforms by the Threat Matrix monitoring system, compared to 511 in the corresponding week of last year's tournament. Advertisement Initial data gathered up to the quarter-final stage also suggests that the three most targeted players at the Championships were male, whereas last year two of the top three were female. After losing in the men's final on Sunday, Carlos Alcaraz said he experiences "cruel" abuse on social media, while women's singles runner-up Amanda Anisimova told BBC Sport she was "scared" to go on her phone after her 6-0 6-0 defeat by Iga Swiatek on Saturday. How is online abuse detected? The All England Lawn Tennis Club [AELTC] uses the Threat Matrix service, devised by data science firm Signify, which uses AI to monitor public-facing social media accounts. Advertisement A team of investigators then manually analyse what is flagged by the system - which covers X, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and TikTok - and escalate abusive and threatening content. During Wimbledon it was applied to all players in the men's and women's singles and doubles, the mixed doubles, all players in singles and doubles qualifying, umpires and Wimbledon's official accounts. Up to the end of the quarter-final stage, 2,916 posts or comments were verified as abusive, threatening, or discriminatory and reported to platforms. Of these, 132 were assessed as being of "moderate" or "high" threat level - prompting further investigation for potential security or law enforcement action - and "angry gamblers" were responsible for 37% of all detected abuse. Advertisement This was from a provisional total of 228,060 posts - both positive and negative - that were picked up by the system because they had been aimed at the monitored handles. Since last year's Wimbledon, enhancements have been made to Threat Matrix, to capture evolving terms and to address troll accounts that post the same abusive messages multiple times. The year-on-year increase might reflect these changes in how abusive accounts operate. What have players and Wimbledon said? British number one Katie Boulter put the issue back in the spotlight when she revealed the "disgusting" volume and nature of social media abuse she received during the French Open, including death threats. Advertisement Two-time Wimbledon champion Alcaraz told BBC Sport after his final defeat: "A lot of people have really positive messages to me. "I just want to ignore all those bad messages that I can receive because it can affect you so much. People can be so cruel." After her 57-minute loss to Swiatek on Saturday, Anisimova said: "I was definitely scared to open my phone, and I'm sure there's going to be a mixture of feedback there. Definitely it can be hard going on to social media after something like today." Taylor Fritz, who lost in the semi-finals, said: "If I have a bad loss or something, I don't even want to open my phone with the messages." Advertisement Former Olympic champion Belinda Bencic said the messages players get "are not human": "It's thousands and thousands of messages, win or lose, with really the most horrible things you can imagine." She added: "[The authorities] tell us to report every bad message. But I mean, I would be doing that for years, so that's not possible." A spokesperson for the All England Club commented: "The safety and wellbeing of all players at Wimbledon is our top priority and this extends to threats and abuse made online. "The steps we are taking with Threat Matrix means that perpetrators of online abuse should understand that they will face consequences for their actions."
