Gossip: Hall has admirers in England and abroad
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
9 minutes ago
- Metro
Newcastle identify Champions League winner as Benjamin Sesko alternative
Newcastle are pursuing a deal for Benjamin Sesko, but have established a back-up plan if they cannot land the RB Leipzig striker. The future of Sesko has become one of the transfer sagas of the summer, with Arsenal interest in the forward now seeming like a dim and distant past. The Gunners snapped up Viktor Gyokeres instead and now it is a race between Newcastle and Manchester United for the Slovenian's signature. The Magpies have made a bid of a £69.8m for Sesko and seen it rejected by Leipzig as the German club sense a bidding war in the offing with the Red Devils. Manchester United are yet to make an official bid for the in-demand forward, and it seems that Sesko must make a decision on which Premier League club he wants to join and then a deal will be struck. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link so we can send you football news tailored to you. If the 41-cap Slovenia international does fancy Old Trafford over St James' Park then the Magpies are considering other options and are eyeing up the Parc des Princes. The Daily Mail report that PSG striker Goncalo Ramos is on Newcastle's list of targets, should they fail in their attempts to sign Sesko. Still just 24 years old, the Portuguese forward joined PSG from Benfica in the summer of 2023 and has since scored 33 goals in 86 appearances across all competitions. The 16-cap Portugal international scored 19 goals in all competitions last season as PSG enjoyed a stunning treble-winning campaign. He featured regularly, but often as a substitute, starting just 12 Ligue 1 games last season and only one in the Champions League. The Mail's report states that PSG are open to letting Ramos leave this summer. An asking price has not been suggested, but it is very likely to be less than Leipzig's for Sesko. Aston Villa and England striker Ollie Watkins is also believed to be on Newcastle's radar as they look to improve on a frustrating summer so far in the transfer market. This all comes as the future of Alexander Isak remains in the balance, with Liverpool still interested in a big-money move for the Magpies superstar. The 25-year-old Swede has had his head turned by the Premier League champions' interest this summer. Isak did not travel to Asia for Newcastle's pre-season tour due to what the club called a 'minor thigh injury', only for his interest in a move to emerge along with the fact he has been training at former club Real Sociedad. The Reds have seen a bid of £110m turned down by Newcastle, but may return with an improved offer. The Magpies reportedly want £150m for their star striker and Liverpool are unlikely to meet that demand, but they will hope to convince Newcastle to do business with Isak wanting to leave. Eddie Howe's team drew with Tottenham in a friendly on Sunday and the manager was asked whether Isak will return to training in the coming week. More Trending 'Of course I'd like him to be [back in Newcastle training]. Whether he will be, I don't know at this moment in time,' said the boss. On potential transfers he added: 'There's not much time, especially when you consider you've got to get whoever comes in, and I'm talking any position here, up to speed with how we paly, intricacies of what we do. It's not easy. 'We're still actively in the market. We're looking for players. 'Obviously we lost Callum Wilson who in himself is a massive loss and then you add that to Alex who's not been with us. We've certainly felt their absence.' MORE: RB Leipzig interested in signing Chelsea star in Xavi Simons transfer deal MORE: Antony rejects third transfer offer to leave Manchester United MORE: Enzo Maresca makes shock U-turn and tries to block Chelsea transfer
The Independent
9 minutes ago
- The Independent
Dina Asher-Smith sets championship record to seal 200m title at British nationals
Dina Asher-Smith produced a championship record and pipped Amy Hunt to gold in the women's 200m at the UK Athletics Championships. The 29-year-old held off a fightback from 100m UK champion Hunt and got her head beyond the line a thousandth of a second before her rival, with Daryll Neita third in Birmingham. Asher-Smith led round the bend but Hunt looked to overtake the three-time Olympic medallist - but the line came just in time for Asher-Smith. There was a nervous wait before the stadium announcement revealed she took the crown with a time of 22.14 seconds. Asher-Smith said: 'It was an excellent race, we needed a photo-finish because neither of us knew who had won. 'I have done this for long enough to know the only thing that matters is the Championships and Tokyo round-by-round, so I mind my own business and focus on myself. I am in great shape, and there are a few things in there that I can still tweak, so I am happy.' Asher-Smith's time would have been enough for her to get bronze in Paris last year, showing the upward trajectory of her performance, and she believes she is in a good place ahead of the upcoming World Championships in Tokyo. She added: 'I've been in great shape for quite a long time but it's about being in a good place that makes sense to you. It's a really strong place to be ahead of a championship.' Georgia Hunter Bell added another UK title to her collection with victory in the 800m. She had to work hard for her title though, facing competition from Jemma Reekie - who finished second - and it was not until the final 150m that she got her nose in front, crossing the line in 1:59.53 to claim gold. Hunter Bell runs in both the 800m and 1500m races but has still not made a decision on which discipline she will pick at the Tokyo games. She explained: 'I am not going to make the decision until after I have run my next Diamond League 1500 and 800, so I have a bit of time to think. 'The cons are that I am probably in better shape over 800 on the world stage, but the 1500 is first - it is hard to decide.' Asked whether she thinks she can beat Keely Hodgkinson, who may run in the same race in Tokyo next month, she added: 'I don't know. 'We train together all the time. But she's such a good athlete and it will be the first time we've raced where we're kind of close.' Paris 2024 silver medallist Josh Kerr earned an emphatic victory in the men's 5000m final. He was always one of the most prominent in the field and he started to stretch out the pack alongside Rory Leonard, who sprinted clear from the pack. However, Kerr claimed the lead with two laps to go and did not look back, leaving his opponents to finish in 13 minutes 23.78 seconds. Jack Kavanagh and Leonard were second and third respectively. He said: 'It was always going to be tough out there over the last mile but I really enjoyed the first eight laps. Elsewhere, Amber Anning won the women's 400m final in front of Victoria Ohuruogu and Charlie Dobson claimed gold in the men's race. Zharnel Hughes completed a double gold, setting a new championship record as he won the men's 200m just 24 hours after winning the 100m. He dedicated his 100m gold to his late aunt, whose funeral took place in Anguilla this weekend, and which he was forced to miss in order to compete in Birmingham.
The Sun
9 minutes ago
- The Sun
‘I came out of Shanghai with £400 to my name' – Kyren Wilson recalls incredible rise after £210k tournament win
KYREN WILSON bagged his first big tournament win of the new season following his Crucible misery – in the city where his career first properly began. The Warrior, 33, defied comeback king Ali Carter in the Shanghai Masters final with a 11-9 success, which secured him £210,000. 1 The former world snooker champion – who eliminated Ronnie O'Sullivan and Zhao Xintong during the week in China – scored breaks of 129, 96, 80, 78, 105, 122 and 86 against the Captain. It was in this location 10 years ago, when it was a ranking event, where Wilson announced himself to the sport by becoming the Master of Shanghai for the first time. Wilson fistpunched when the win was confirmed, which happened three months after he departed early from the World Championship, another victim of the Crucible Curse. The world No.2 told SunSport: 'Ten years ago, I didn't have a pot to p*** in. "I think I came out to Shanghai with about £400 to my name. I just managed to win that and my career took off. "I was very successful after that, very consistent. My life totally changed after that. I proved I was not a one-hit wonder. 'Ten years on and to win it now, when it's a prestigious invitational event, with the best 16 players and very good Chinese talent, is a massive feather in the cap. 'The biggest statement is that I went out in the first round of the World Championship, I've gone away, had time off and come back as hungry as I was last season. 'Very determined to get winning again. It was a massive kick in the teeth to go out in the first round of the Worlds. 'I'd like to say I always stay positive. But I didn't want it to go to a decider as Ali's strikerate this week has been phenomenal. 'We all know how gritty and determined he is. I was very conscious I had to take out that last clearance – and so happy I did that. "You could see the emotions.'
