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Roma striker Edin Dzeko has expressed his desire to return to the Premier League, as reported by Sky Sports.

The Bosnia and Herzegovina forward has previously enjoyed a successful five-year spell in England with Manchester City, winning the title twice at the Etihad Stadium.

At 32 years of age, the 6’4” target man would likely now have little to offer Pep Guardiola’s side but he could still have a big impact for a club a little way down the Premier League table.

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With Everton’s expensive centre-forward Cenk Tosun struggling to get to grips with English football, the Toffees would be wise to sign a proven Premier League marksmen in January. If Marco Silva could tempt Dzeko to Goodison Park on a short term contract or loan deal in the winter transfer window then that would be a great bit of business.

What do you think, Everton fans – would you be pleased to see the club sign Dzeko in January?

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Mexico’s World Cup star Hirving Lozano has emerged as a transfer target for a number of clubs this summer, including Manchester United and Arsenal.

The 22-year-old only moved to PSV Eindhoven a year ago but had a stunning season, scoring 17 goals and assisting eight in 29 games.

He then came to global prominence in Mexico’s first World Cup game where he scored the decisive goal in a famous 1-0 win against Germany.

Lozano, known as “Chucky” in Mexico, is valued at £27million on Transfermarkt but it is likely the Dutch club will demand much more following his impressive World Cup.

Along with his goal against Germany, he registered an assist for Javier Hernandez’s goal against South Korea.

In the four games Mexico were in the tournament, Lozano, who is nicknamed Chucky back home in Mexico, made six key passes and won an impressive 14 fouls.

He was a general nuisance for opposition defenders and was a constant threat with his lightning pace and great technical ability.

If he does indeed make a move to the Premier League, he would likely get more time at Arsenal who are lacking any wide men, whereas Manchester United are blessed with options in wide attacking positions.

West Ham United drew 3-3 with German side Altona 93 in their latest pre-season friendly on Tuesday, and Irons fans were once again impressed with the performance of new boy Marko Arnautovic.

The east London outfit completed an initial £20m deal to bring the forward to the London Stadium from Stoke City last month and he has already made a big impression on the pitch after previously scoring on his full debut.

The Austria international didn’t get on the score-sheet in his side’s draw in Hamburg on Tuesday, but the 28-year-old couldn’t have come much closer after rattling the post with a brilliant free-kick.

West Ham supporters were quick to have their say on the performances of Arnautovic via social media, and they are certainly impressed with his attributes, with some even saying that he is a bit like Zlatan Ibrahimovic with his style of play and mannerisms.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

It’s been a tough season for Daniel Sturridge at Liverpool.

Far from ripping apart Premier League defences in tandem with Luis Suarez on a weekly basis in 2013/14, the England international has managed just six goals across all competitions, four of which came in the EFL Cup against Championship outfit Burton and a severely weakened Spurs side.

The 27-year-old was in EFL Cup action once again at Anfield on Wednesday night, but two fantastic chances passed him by as Southampton marched onwards to Wembley with an impressive 2-0 aggregate win – a real masterclass in counter-attacking football.

Needless to say, Sturridge has had up plenty of stick since the final whistle, with Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher even claiming it’s like the Reds are playing with ten men when he’s on the pitch sometimes.

Undoubtedly, Sturridge is a shadow of the striker we saw at Anfield a few years ago – and here are THREE key statistics that sum up his ongoing Liverpool plight.

Performance against Southampton

Sturridge was by no means the only culprit as Liverpool were dumped out of the EFL Cup but nonetheless, the performance epitomised how he’s struggled this season.

Throughout the 90 minutes, in addition to passing up two glorious opportunities to score, the England forward managed just one shot on target, two successful dribbles and one created chance. Perhaps most worryingly, he finished up with the fewest touches and fewest passes of any Reds player.

A tough evening amid a very tough season for the former Manchester City and Chelsea starlet.

Sturridge vs. the best in the Prem

To give credit where it’s due, Carragher’s claims don’t quite stand up against the statistics.

Indeed, when compared on per-90-minute metrics rather than per-appearance, Sturridge’s all-round contribution is pretty much in line with the Premier League’s top performing forwards this season, namely Diego Costa, Harry Kane, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alexis Sanchez. In fact, he ranks first in terms of shots and duels won and second for successful dribbles – only bettered by the Arsenal talisman, who’s had the benefit of room out wide for significant portions of the campaign.

Inevitably, however, it’s hard to overlook Sturridge’s modest return of goals and assists.

Life under Klopp

That being said, it’s quite clear Sturridge just doesn’t fit into this Liverpool team under Klopp.

His strike-rate has dropped from better than one-in-two and his win rate has slumped by a very significant 10%. Of course, injuries have been a factor and some argue the England international simply isn’t the player he once was, but these statistics suggest a more accommodating manager, such as Brendan Rodgers, could quickly bring out the best in Sturridge once again. Time to move on?

Let’s face it – despite the many millions of pounds that have been spent down at Old Trafford in recent transfer windows, the 2015/16 campaign has so far proven a somewhat thankless task for Louis van Gaal, with his team’s distinct inability to do the business in front of goal a worry.

Memphis Depay seemingly hasn’t settled as quickly as some Manchester United fans may have initially been expecting him to, the talents of Anthony Martial have become somewhat wasted under LVG’s recent tactics and although the current Red Devils skipper remains side-lined from the first team fold at Old Trafford at the moment – Wayne Rooney simply fails to resemble the player he once was for the prestigious Premier League club.

So then, with the January transfer window fast approaching, are Manchester United really ready sign Everton’s Romelu Lukaku to address their concerns as certain reports have recently made out?

Well, whilst the majority of Toffees fans would likely want their club to hold onto their marque centre-forward whatever the Red Devils may be offering this January, Lukaku would certainly help turn United into a potent attacking force once again.

The Belgium international has already scored 12 league goals this season, clearly proving Jose Mourinho and Chelsea wrong for wanting rid of his services just a few short seasons ago. Although his overall game still has some way to go at the age of 22, the former Blues front-man already goes down as one of the Premier League’s very best strikers – which could even be a feat replicated on the European footballing scene if his current progress is to offer anything to go by.

Although it would be wrong to over-sensationalise the current situation regarding the Red Devils in 2015/16, Van Gaal’s side ultimately need a little help in the striking department, which could be obtained in the January transfer window. If they eventually fail to receive any, United risk falling behind the rest of their Premier League opposition for good… or at least a while.

However, the major stumbling block involving any potential deal linking Lukaku with a move to Old Trafford this January would obviously be the price. Yes, the Red Devils’ hierarchy certainly haven’t shied away from splashing the cash rather carelessly in the past, but the reported £50m asking price for the Belgian’s signature could nonetheless prevent this move from happening.

United have seemingly backed themselves into corner when it comes to financial negotiations this season. After spending way over the odds on the likes of Martial, Angel Di Maria, Luke Shaw and Fellaini recently, Everton are well within their rights to demand another small fortune for Lukaku. Such is the way modern day football seems to be heading.

So then, should the Red Devils eventually decide to part ways with such a hefty transfer fee this January, Everton would likely have to concede defeat one way or another. Despite Lukaku remaining a massive prospect at Goodison Park heading into the future, that £50m could easily be spent across the rest of Roberto Martinez’ side and eventually turn the Toffees into an all-round superior outfit.

Manchester United would nonetheless paint themselves out in a pretty desperate light should any such deal take place, however, as the Old Trafford faithful need something to boost their spirits in 2015/16, perhaps Romelu Lukaku could ultimately find himself departing Everton far sooner than most fans expected…

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Ruben Neves has confirmed he will be staying at Al-Hilal, despite links to Newcastle, and stresses he is happy in Saudi Arabia.

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Newcastle linked with move for NevesVote to ban loans between linked clubs failedNeves' Al-Hilal are top of Saudi Pro LeagueWHAT HAPPENED?

Neves has confirmed that he will be staying at Al-Hilal, at least for the time being. The Portuguese midfielder joined the Saudi side from Wolves in the summer in one of the league's many marquee signings but is already being linked with a return to the Premier League via Newcastle. A recent vote to ban loans of players between two linked clubs was unsuccessful, meaning Newcastle would be able to sign Neves on loan, should the clubs and player agree.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT NEVES SAID

Speaking to the about a potential loan switch to Newcastle, Neves said: "I don't go. I think that's rumours because of the owner of the clubs of course, and because I've played in England as well.There was Newcastle interest before I came here but I'm really happy here, my family's really happy, so I'm having a great time."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

While Neves will not move this window, his return to the Premier League feels inevitable. Arsenal and Newcastle are long-term admirers of the Portuguese midfielder and the latter's ownership makes the move all the more likely. Both Newcastle and Al-Hilal are owned by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) and the recent vote to allow loans between the linked clubs only further legitimises business between the parties.

Newcastle were criticised for selling Allan Saint-Maximin to fellow PIF-owned Al-Ahli, with many claiming the transfer fee was overinflated. Given Saudi Arabian clubs are not held to Financial Fair Play rules, there is the possibility Newcastle can circumvent the rules and bring in new players in favourable financial packages.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR NEVES?

Neves' Al-Hilal dispatched of title rivals Al-Nassr 3-0 last night as they extended their lead at the top of the Saudi Pro League to seven points. They face Iranian side, Nassaji Mazandaran in the AFC Champions League on Monday.

GOAL takes a look at the Inter Miami star's latest free-kicks and where he ranks among the best to do it

It felt like a moment of destiny, one that few players other than Lionel Messi have been able to conjure up quite so often. There he was, the player seen by many as the greatest of all-time, standing over the ball in another big moment. On his Inter Miami debut, his true introduction to North America, Messi buried a free-kick in the last minute to seal a win for his club in their first Leagues Cup match.

A moment of destiny, another goal that felt like fate. It seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime goal. Messi's first impression on American shores was him producing the impossible.

And then, just 16 days later, he did it again. Similar scenario, similar result: Messi standing over the ball, picks his spot, crowd goes wild. In his first four games in Inter Miami's pink shirt, Messi buried two free-kicks, with both coming after the 85th minute with the game in the balance.

Would you expect any less? Well, if you've been following Messi throughout his career, probably not. It's what he does, after all. But where does Messi rank among the best of all-time when it comes to those heroic set-pieces? And, as he adjusts to life in MLS, is there any chance that he can prove himself as the league's best-ever free-kick taker, even at age 36?

Two moments of magic

Even David Beckham couldn't believe his eyes. The ex-England star, himself one of the most iconic free-kick takers the game has ever seen, was reduced to tears. That's the magic of Messi in a nutshell, isn't it?

With the match level in the 95th minute on his debut against Cruz Azul, Messi stepped up to the ball. There was no way he could bury it, right? It was too Hollywood, even for Beckham's club. Storytellers couldn't have written it any better.

Messi defies storytelling conventions, though. A few steps and a pinpoint effort later, DRV PNK Stadium was sent into hysteria. Miami had won the game, and the iconic Argentine was to thank.

In the weeks since, Messi simply hasn't let up. He scored two from open play against Atlanta United, leading the way in a 4-0 rout. Two more goals came in the next round against Orlando City as Inter Miami took down their local rivals. And then, in the Leagues Cup round of 16 against FC Dallas, Messi went wild again, opening the scoring just six minutes in.

His magic moment, though, came in the 85th. Down a goal and needing to score to stay alive in the competition, Miami earned a free-kick. Was there any doubt what would happen next?…

AdvertisementGettyA master at work

Make no mistake: goals from free-kicks are an anomaly. There's a reason that some of the game's most memorable finishes have come from set-pieces. Think Beckham against Greece, Roberto Carlos against France, Cristiano Ronaldo against Portsmouth… all iconic finishes because every single thing had to go right to even make them possible.

According to , direct free-kicks only have a six percent probability of ending in a goal. That means only one of 17 free-kick attempts ends up hitting in the back of the net. For Messi to have two in four games? Almost too ridiculous to believe.

You can count his head coach, Gerardo 'Tata' Martino, among those that can't really fathom what he's seen so far. “Many times there is a free-kick in that sector and only with him, and it happens that you have the sensation that he is going to score,” Martino said. “A free-kick is not something that is going to end up being a goal – 90% of the time, it is not a goal. But when he has it, it’s the opposite: a 10% chance that it won't and a 90% chance that it is. So we have to take advantage of that.”

Marginal gains

Even Messi, the greatest to do it, isn't above a little tomfoolery. Shortly after his game-saving goal against Dallas, video emerged on social media showing the Argentine's preparation leading up to it. Shortly before striking the ball, as the referee gave instructions to players in the wall, Messi repeatedly inched the ball over to the left. He picked the ball up several times, innocently moving it over just a few inches.

It's the little details, huh? By doing that, Messi was able to just move the ball into the ideal position for him to strike. And strike it he did.

It's no coincidence. Messi knew exactly what he was doing. He knew here he wanted the ball and why. Once he got it there, all that was left to do was find the back of the net.

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Getty ImagesLessons from Maradona

It's hard to believe but, at one point, Messi wasn't even seen as a top free-kick taker at La Masia. And, it wasn't really until 2009 that he truly took his next step in the art of dead-ball striking.

Credit will go to his teacher who was, of course, none other than Diego Maradona. In February 2009 in Marseille, the then-Argentina head coach gave a lesson to his heir apparent, and that lesson stuck.

"I saw Diego coming, he took him by the shoulder and said: 'Little Leo, little Leo, come here, man. Let's try it again.' It was like a teacher with his pupil," Maradona's assistant Fernando Signorini told . 

"He continued: 'Put the ball here and listen to me: don't take your foot away from the ball so fast because otherwise it won't know what you want.' He then stroked the ball with his left foot straight into the angle of the net, with Messi's face full of admiration."

The usual suspects are doing battle for top spot again, but who is the most effective dribbler on FIFA 20?

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  22Marcelo – Real Madrid – LB – 89 DRI

  It's a surprise to see a player like Marcelo this far down the list, but that's testament to the amount of dribbling talent on show in the modern game. Tied with a couple of modern greats on 89 dribbling, he's the only defender to make this countdown.

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  21Cristiano Ronaldo – Piemonte Calcio – ST – 89 DRI

  Didn't expect to see him this far down, did you? Piemonte Calcio's finest is the second-best player in the game but finds himself a way off the number one in terms of dribbling. He's got those ridiculous physical attributes and 5* skills to go with his 89, though, so he's still a fairly useful player if you're short of a striker.

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  20Mohamed Salah – Liverpool – RW – 89 DRI

  Mo Salah, Mo Salah, running down the wing has become a fairly routine sight in the Premier League and with the Egyptian king reaching 90 overall this year, he'll be doing it to good effect on FIFA 20 as well. With 91 agility and 89 ball control, he'll be a difficult man to stop. 

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  19David Silva – Manchester City – CAM – 89 DRI

  Still mixing it with the whipper-snappers, 33-year-old Silva's touch shows no sign of deserting him just yet. With close to perfect close control and faultless passing stats to boot, Silva is still perfectly capable of giving your squad the added guile you've been crying out for, while his lack of pace means he's generally pretty affordable.

MatériaMais Notícias

Neste sábado, Zico estará de braços abertos no Maracanã, à espera de um grande público que se fará presente para a16ª edição do Jogo das Estrelas. Até a manhã desta sexta-feira, já tinham sido vendidos mais de 55 mil ingressos. A partida está marcada para as 18h30, com a preliminar dos artistas às 16h e show da cantora Vanessa da Mata às 18h.

– Muito legal essa mobilização do torcedor. Eu só posso agradecer por todo carinho que eles sempre tiveram pelo nosso evento. Só uma pena não podermos bater o recorde de público do Jogo das Estrelas, que é de 72 mil pessoas, já que a carga esse ano é de 70 mil. Mas o que vale, mesmo, é sempre ver tantas famílias e crianças no Maracanã para prestigiar e ver tantos craques reunidos. Espero todos lá de braços abertos – disse Zico.

Craques e homenagens não faltarão. Neste ano, pela memorável temporada realizada pelo Flamengo, a organização resolveu enaltecer o bicampeonato da Libertadores do clube. Campeões de 1981, como Mozer, Júnior, Leandro, Andrade, Adílio, Zico, Tita, Nunes e Lico, e de 2019, como Gerson e Everton Ribeiro, entrarão em campo com as respectivas taças. Mas demais crias rubro-negras, de outras gerações, também estarão presentes.

Dos que ainda estão em atividade, destaque para a dupla Lucas Paquetá e Vinícius Júnior. Dos que já penduraram a chuteira, nomes como Júlio César, Aldair, Jorginho, Leonardo, Juan, Fernando, Athirson e Marcelinho Carioca. E outros que também vestiram a camisa do Flamengo, como Petkovic, Renato Gaúcho e Obina. Também confirmaram presença Michael, revelação do Brasileiro pelo Goiás, o lateral-direito Guga, do Atlético-MG, Felipe Melo, do Palmeiras, e Bruno Guimarães, do Athletico-PR, além dos ex-jogadores Carlos Alberto Santos, Grafite e Vitor.

As atrações internacionais desse ano ficam por conta do argentino Saviola, do paraguaio Gamarra e do ex-goleiro francês Bernard Lama.

E os ingressos continuam à venda. A bilheteria 2 do Maracanã já estará aberta neste sábado, a partir das 10h. Os setores Sul e Norte têm cadeiras populares a R$ 30. Já os setores Leste e Oeste estão a R$ 60, todos eles com meia-entrada. Ainda estão à venda bilhetes do Passaporte Área VIP (Maracanã Mais) a R$ 260, com meia a R$ 170, além do Passaporte Área Nobre, que são camarotes a R$ 280 (ingressos individuais).

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After conceding a 2-1 lead to New Zealand Women in the series, Veda Krishnamurthy said India Women had failed in the third ODI because of poor starts in batting and bowling

Vishal Dikshit in Bangalore03-Jul-2015India Women posted their highest total of the series. They put on their first fifty-plus partnership of the series. Veda Krishnamurthy surpassed the team’s highest individual score of the series and for the first time in three games, the team was not bowled out – but . The scorecard of the third ODI showed many positives in the Indian batting, in context of the series, but the margin of improvement did not seem big.India have struggled to get the runs from the start of an innings, have strived to put on substantial partnerships, and have relied on only one batsman per match. On Friday, it was Krishnamurthy’s 63 that hauled India past 150 to an eventual score of 182 for 9. She said after the match that the team has been “banking on the bowlers” to defend whatever total the batsmen put up, and that was also one of the factors behind the team’s decision to bat first in all three games, despite their struggles while doing so.Worked on mental aspect of my game – Krishnamurthy

Veda Krishnamurthy excelled on her ODI debut with a 57-ball 51 against England back in 2011. Since then she has played only 11 ODIs, with single-digit scores in her last six innings, and her 63 today was only her second half-century in the format. Playing her first ODI series since July 2012, Krishnamurthy said that a few mental changes had made the difference to her approach.
“I worked a lot mentally because when it comes to technique, that was never a problem for me,” she said. “I used to fail because I used to lose it mentally and I had a good domestic season this year and selectors had faith in me that I am going to do well. It just came out well.
“I am playing a one-day (series) after two years (sic) so failing in the first game and not playing in the second, this game was very important for me as well as for the team to post a good total. Personally it helped me gain confidence for the rest of the series.”
When asked what kept her going in her efforts to make a comeback, she said: “I have a lot of faith in myself that I am good enough to play at this level. I was just giving in everything wherever possible and luckily this year came out really well where I performed at the right moment which helped me get confidence. And to come here and play a series and to perform has given me a lot of confidence.”

“We are just having faith in our bowling that we can defend whatever we post,” Krishnamurthy said. “Right now the bowling is the strength so three spinners playing in the XI and Jhulan (Goswami) being the top bowler, we bank on the bowlers for whatever total we post. It didn’t work out but this is the reason we were looking to bat first.”I think we played a lot of dot balls initially and there were hardly singles taken. Throughout the series, we have been losing too many wickets in the beginning and then whoever is going in has to build an innings and take it forward, rather than going and playing their game. That is the main concern.”India’s bowling probably relied too much either on Goswami, or on the spinners to trouble the New Zealand batsmen on slow and turning pitches in the first two matches. In the first ODI, the spinners took all eight wickets to fall to bowlers, and in the second Goswami returned with economical figures of 10-3-14-2. The scenario changed in the third match when New Zealand openers Suzie Bates and Rachel Priest came out with an attacking mindset.”We gave too many boundaries initially, we gave a lot of boundaries in fact,” Krishnamurthy said. “That’s where the game got out of our hands. We had to look for wickets initially. They were getting a lot of boundaries initially so at that point the game was in New Zealand’s hands because they had a good first-wicket partnership and to come back from there was very difficult. You have to expect a collapse or a hat-trick or something.”Priest played a key role in that opening stand, attacking the spinners from the second over to ensure that the partnership stayed intact, even if it meant scoring only a few runs from Goswami’s bowling. She scored boundaries off every spinner except Rajeshwari Gayakwad and scored the least against Goswami – three runs off 13 balls.”She [Goswami] bowled really well again today, it was just probably a sub-conscious mind shift for us that we were going to be aggressive against everybody,” Priest said. “She’s definitely their most dangerous bowler for us. We weren’t too worried about what we scored off her as long as we scored at the other end. She’s always going to be a threat to us but as long as we can be confident and play out shots against her, we’ll score against her as well.”After her 19-ball duck in the series opener and a watchful innings against spinners in the second match, Priest decided to attack the spinners the third time.”We had that discussion after the first game and just tweaked our game plans,” Priest said. “For me personally it was more about being aggressive and taking on the bowlers, the spinners in particular. It was about moving our feet and trusting our game. It (attacking) is an extension of my natural game. I think I went away from that in the first game which didn’t work for me, I think I might look to be more attacking.”