World 12s: Ex-RFU chief Ritchie reveals plans for ‘IPL of rugby’ : CityAM September 7, 2021 Some of rugby union’s biggest names have announced plans to launch a new 12-a-side tournament, World 12s, in England next year. The competition would feature eight franchise teams playing in 30-minute matches over three consecutive weekends in August and September. World 12s chairman Ian Ritchie, the former head of the Rugby Football Union and Premiership [...]
Squeezed out by club and country, sparkling cameos may not be enough to win Jesse Lingard a place in England World Cup squad September 6, 2021 Bukayo Saka may have made the most heartwarming contribution to England’s 4-0 win over Andorra on Sunday but Jesse Lingard’s was the most potent. The Manchester United attacking midfielder scored twice yesterday, breaking the visitors’ resistance early on and adding England’s third with a characteristically confident finish from 18 yards. Lingard might have had a [...]
World Cup farce as Brazil v Argentina qualifier abandoned as health officials enter pitch to demand deportation of Argentina players September 6, 2021 A Brazil v Argentina World Cup qualifier was abandoned after Brazilian health officials demanded the deportation of three England-based Argentinian players for failing to quarantine. Officials walked onto the pitch just six minutes into the game in Sao Paulo last night to insist that the trio of Premier League players – Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano [...]
Premier League summer spending falls to 2015 levels as clubs seek value in football’s post-Covid transfer market September 1, 2021 Premier League clubs cut their summer transfer spending to the lowest level since 2015 in response to the pandemic. Gross spending by England’s top-flight teams in the summer window, which closed last night, fell 11 per cent to £1.1bn, according to analysis by Deloitte. Net spending was down 38 per cent to £560m, and both [...]
Cristiano Ronaldo completes Manchester United return for initial fee of £13m August 31, 2021 Cristiano Ronaldo has officially completed his return to Manchester United from Juventus on transfer deadline day for an initial fee of €15m (£13m). The Italian club confirmed the terms of the blockbusting transfer this morning. The fee could rise to €23m if Ronaldo and United hit certain targets. United announced the completion of the deal [...]
Pandemic: High Street demise leads to explosion in demand for gigantic warehouses August 31, 2021 The enforced closure of high street stores saw the trend towards greater online sales rocket further this year, with retailers having to invest further into their warehousing capabilities to cope with delivery demand. In fact, the explosive growth in e-commerce, as a result of the pandemic, has seen almost 15m sq ft of new “super [...]
A brief history of cryptocurrency in football – and how blockchain technology might shape our experience of the game in future August 30, 2021 Bitcoin and cryptocurrency have reimagined finance and money as concepts. Now more than ever, however, blockchain technology and, more specifically, NFTs and tokens are disrupting everything else. And that includes human culture. NFTs especially have captivated millions of people around the world. This is because we, as humans, have an innate desire to collect and [...]
Manchester City: How ownership model gives club a transfer market edge : CityAM August 28, 2021 With all the drama and excitement of Euro 2020 and a fascinating summer transfer window, even an ardent football fan may have missed the news that City Football Group, the parent company of Manchester City, now boasts reigning champions in three different countries – India, Australia and, of course, England. However, the mutual benefits of [...]
Cristiano Ronaldo rejoins Manchester United after leaving the club over a decade ago August 27, 2021 Cristiano Ronaldo has rejoined Manchester United from Italian side Juventus twelve years after leaving the club for a then world-record transfer fee. United announced the signing on their social media channels today. Ronaldo’s first stint at the Manchester club lasted between 2003 and 2009, where he scored 118 goals in 292 games. He won the [...]
Cristiano Ronaldo asks to leave Juventus amid Manchester City interest as PSG line up Erling Haaland to replace Kylian Mbappe August 27, 2021 Cristiano Ronaldo has told Juventus that he wants to leave the club, paving the way for a possible transfer to Manchester City. Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri confirmed rumours about Ronaldo’s eagerness to quit the Italian side, where he has scored 101 goals in three seasons. Joining City would complete a remarkable return to the Premier [...]