In the latest from our series focusing on players who swam against the tide during their careers, we take a look at one of Germany's great sporting rebels
"We do what we want? Revolutionaries against authority: 16:0!" That was the message displayed on a banner by Bayern Munich fans during their team's game at Augsburg back in April to commemorate the great revolt within the club of March 1979.
Led by captain Sepp Maier and midfielder Paul Breitner, the Bayern players seized power in Bavaria to overthrow authoritarian, long-time president Wilhelm Neudecker and pave the way for the Uli Hoeness to take over and usher in the modern Bayern Munich.
That Breitner was at the heart of it came as little surprise, since he was someone who personified the term 'rebel; a player for whom accepting the status quo just wasn't an option.
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The spark
After the club's golden era in the early 1970s, during which they won three European Cups, Bayern slipped into a veritable crisis, both in sporting and economic terms. In dire straits, club president Neudecker saw only one path towards salvation: Appointing Max Merkel (pictured) as the team's new manager.
Legendary Austrian coach Merkel had led both Bayern's rivals 1860 Munich and FC Nurnberg to league titles in the 1960s using questionable methods, earning himself the nickname 'Peitschenknaller' – the whip cracker.
Unsurprisingly, Bayern's players had no desire to endure Merkel's torture, and after a 4-0 home defeat to Arminia Bielefeld, they made a deal with Neudecker. If the team earned at least three points from their following two away games (with a win worth two points) against Eintracht Braunschweig and Borussia Monchengladbach, popular interim coach Pal Csernai would be allowed to stay on. Otherwise, they would accept Merkel.
Just before the first of those games, key players Maier and Breitner fell ill while star striker Karl-Heinz Rummenigge picked up an injury. Nevertheless, the all-important trio fought through and helped the team secure a 0-0 draw. The jubilation after the final whistle was great, but that turned to anger when the players subsequently learned that Neudecker and Merkel had long since signed a contract.
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Back on top
"Sepp and I went to the team and said, 'Not with us'," Breitner later recounted of the incident. Backed by the 14 remaining squad players, he and Meier told Neudecker that evening that if the deal is broken and Merkel took over, the team would go on strike.
Completely taken aback by such a drastic reaction, Neudecker resigned after 17 years in office. Csernai was kept in charge, and the team went onto achieved their now-irrelevant three-point target with a spectacular 7-1 victory over Gladbach.
"That was something that had never happened before in German football," said Breitner, who was 27 at the time. "The fact that we turned against the coach and thus also against the president, that we took revolutionary steps – that's something that Germans don't normally accept." The public outcry was correspondingly huge, but the revolt was unstoppable.
Maier had to end his career in the summer of 1979 after a car accident, leaving Breitner to take over the captain's armband. His childhood friend Hoeness, who was the same age but could no longer play due to a knee injury, filled the power vacuum created by Neudecker's departure at the administrative level and became the youngest general manager in the Bundesliga.
Together, they catapulted Bayern back to the top. Breitner, in collaboration with Rummenigge, led to two league titles while Hoeness ensured the club's economic recovery with clever advertising deals and transfers.
Complicated figure
Breitner and Hoeness had been on the pitch together as Germany won the 1974 World Cup final, with the former already something of a rebel back then as his his flowing mane and beard made him look like Latin American revolutionary Che Guevara.
Breitner's behaviour gave creed to those comparisons, too. Without being assigned to do so, he converted the penalty to make it 1-1 against the Netherlands in the final, and when the players' wives were not invited to the subsequent German FA (DFB) victory celebration, the then-22-year-old promptly resigned from the national team – a decision he later reversed.
There are several such contradictions in Breitner's life. He posed under a picture of the controversial Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong with the German edition of China's state-owned newspaper – in his hands. However, after the 1974 World Cup, he transferred to the ultimate establishment club, Real Madrid, which was exploited by Spanish dictator Francisco Franco.
once dubbedBreitner a "left-wing rebel with a Maserati and a pool". Just like Hoeness, Breitner used the early forms of football commercialisation to enrich himself, appearing in films and signing advertising contracts with companies such as McDonald's. In reality, Breitner just did as he pleased without a care for who might be offended by actions.
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Taking on Bayern (again)
Breitner ended his playing career in 1983 at the age of just 31. He was later inducted into the Bayern Hall of Fame, during which the club called him "an eccentric, a revolutionary, a maverick, an uncomfortable rebel – a footballer who divided opinion."
Breitner lived up to these attributes even after his career ended. As a newspaper columnist, he regularly clashed with his former club and, above all, with his childhood friend Hoeness, who was still in charge in Bavaria. Their relationship suffered greatly as a result, but Breitner did eventually return to Bayern as a brand ambassador. Nevertheless, he "talked himself out of part of his own career," Rummenigge said. "But Paul was always authentic, an exotic character, a little crazy, but also always interesting."
هنأ أشرف صبحي وزير الشباب والرياضة، نادي بيراميدز ومجلس إدارته وجهازه الفني ولاعبيه، بعد الفوز الكبير على نادي أهلي جدة السعودي بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدف، والتتويج بلقب بطل إفريقيا وآسيا والمحيط الهادئ، في كأس إنتركونتيننتال.
ونجح فريق بيراميدز في تحقيق فوز غالي وثمين على حساب الأهلي السعودي بنتيجة 3-1، في المباراة التي أقيمت بينهما أمس الثلاثاء، في إطار منافسات بطولة كأس الإنتركونتيننتال.
وأكد وزير الشباب والرياضة أن هذا الإنجاز يعكس قوة وإمكانات الكرة المصرية، ويبرهن على قدرة الأندية المصرية على المنافسة القارية والدولية، مشيرا إلى أن الانتصار يعد إضافة كبيرة لرصيد الرياضة المصرية من الإنجازات.
طالع| موعد مباراة بيراميدز القادمة في كأس إنتركونتيننتال بعد الفوز على الأهلي السعودي
وبفوز بيراميدز على الأهلي السعودي، يحقق الفريق السماوي لقب بطولة كأس القارات الثلاث، ليتأهل إلى الدور المقبل “نصف النهائي”، ويلعب على لقب كأس التحدي، في انتظار مواجهة الفائز من موقعة ديربي الأمريكتين.
وأعرب صبحي عن خالص أمنياته لفريق بيراميدز بمزيد من التوفيق في مشواره الرياضي، وتحقيق بطولات جديدة ترفع اسم مصر عالياً في مختلف المحافل.
من جانبه، هنأ هاني أبو ريدة رئيس الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم وأعضاء مجلس إدارة الاتحاد والمدير التنفيذي نادي بيراميدز المصري بمناسبة فوزه بكأس (أفريقيا-آسيا-المحيط الهادئ ) وتأهله إلى كأس التحدي.
وقال أبو ريدة، إن الفوز الكبير الذي حققه بيراميدز على شقيقه الأهلي السعودي يعد إنجازا جديداً للكرة المصرية وحدثا سعيدا لها، متمنيا دوام النجاح له في بطولة الإنتركونتيننتال التي ينظمها الاتحاد الدولي فيفا للأندية أبطال القارات.
كما أبدى أبو ريدة أمنيات الاتحاد المصري بالتوفيق لجميع الفرق المصرية في كل البطولات الخارجية.
وينتظر بيراميدز الفائز من مباراة كروز أزول المكسيكي، الفائز بنسخة 2025 من مسابقة كأس أبطال أمريكا الشمالية والوسطى والكاريبي، وبطل أمريكا الجنوبية لهذا العام، والذي ستتحدد هويته يوم 29 نوفمبر 2025، لمواجهته في نصف نهائي كأس إنتركونتيننتال.
“The guy has got real talent,” India’s captain said of his opening partner. “He has got the game to play in all sorts of conditions”
Ashish Pant15-Oct-20241:49
Manjrekar: ‘Pujara will be missed, but don’t underrate Jaiswal, Gill’s defensive game’
Yashasvi Jaiswal has received a ringing endorsement from his captain and opening partner Rohit Sharma who is not one bit surprised by the youngster’s meteoric rise and expects him “to do wonders for the team” across formats.Jaiswal made his international debut in a Test match last year against West Indies where he smashed 171 in his maiden innings. The 22-year-old has already scored 1217 runs in his 11-Test career with seven fifties and three centuries at an average of 64.05. He’s converted two of his centuries into double tons and has a highest score of 214 not out.”The guy has got real talent,” Rohit said of Jaiswal. “He has got the game to play in all sorts of conditions. Obviously, very new to international cricket, so very hard to judge right now. But he has got all the ingredients for success at this level.”What he has shown us in this brief period of time, you can bet on him and expect him to do wonders for the team. He has come through the ranks. He has played a lot of domestic cricket, Under-19 cricket. And obviously, has succeeded as well. That is why he is right now playing for India.”Related
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Rohit has seen Jaiswal’s rise from close quarters having opened the innings with him in all of his 11 Tests. Since they were paired together, in July 2023, they have added 1082 runs in 20 innings.Jaiswal has already risen to third position on the Test batting rankings and as things stand is the second-highest run-scorer in the current WTC cycle behind Joe Root. Even in T20Is, Jaiswal has shown immediate consistency, scoring 723 runs in 22 innings with five fifties and a century. He is yet to play an ODI though.Rohit said that Jaiswal’s willingness to learn and adapt makes him stand out.”He is somebody who wants to learn the game, learn about batsmanship, which is always a nice thing,” Rohit said. “When a youngster comes into the team, his mindset is quite critical. And the mindset that he has shown, he always wants to learn, always wants to improve, not happy with what he has achieved which is obviously a great start to a young career.”So far in his short career, he has shown what he is capable of. I mean, we found a great player. It does obviously bode well for our team as well being a left-hander, being an aggressive batter, it bodes well for the team.”Hopefully, he can just continue to do what he has done in the last year or so.”
Manchester United have established themselves as cool negotiators in the summer transfer window and now look set to step up talks in pursuit of a new record signing.
Manchester United plot more deals after Benjamin Sesko capture
After a dismal Premier League finish last term, the Red Devils appear determined to make sure a repeat scenario doesn’t unravel this campaign and Ruben Amorim has wasted no time in sharpening a blunt attack.
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Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Diego Leon joining Manchester United for £140.5 million, many thought they would turn their attention to outgoings after missing out on any Champions League or Europa League windfall.
Benjamin Sesko
Nevertheless, Benjamin Sesko’s move to Old Trafford has made headlines around the globe, with many expecting big things from the Slovenia international after his return of 21 goals in 45 appearances last term at RB Leipzig.
Many have expected the focus to turn to other positions after fending off Newcastle’s advances for the towering striker. However, free agent Dominic Calvert-Lewin could be next in line at Manchester United after parting company with his agent to try and seal a dream transfer to the English giants.
The former Everton man may only be able to arrive if one of Rasmus Hojlund or Joshua Zirkzee leaves the club, meaning interest in the former from AC Milan has come at a good time for Amorim.
Official sent as Man Utd plot hijack to sign £56m South American prodigy
United have started scouting a promising young striker
ByCallum Kemp Aug 10, 2025
Intriguingly, Fabrizio Romano delivered a promising update on Manchester United’s pursuit of Carlos Baleba over the weekend. Brighton & Hove Albion aren’t keen to let him go, though the Red Devils keep trying to find solutions in spite of existing difficulties.
Marking their intent to recruit players capable of helping the Red Devils at the top end of the table, there has now been another big update on Amorim’s search for a new enforcer.
Manchester United set to submit Carlos Baleba bid
As reported by Rudy Galetti on X, Manchester United are set to be locked in further talks to sign the £100m-rated Baleba in the ‘coming hours’ and are expected to submit an imminent bid for his services.
He stated: “Man UTD and Brighton will hold new talks in the coming hours, with MUFC expected to submit their bid for Carlos Baleba. The player wants the move, and Brighton – waiting for how the negotiation will develop – are already working cautiously on a potential replacement.”
Is Manuel Ugarte or Carlos Baleba a better fit for Man Utd?
Manuel Ugarte in 2024/25 PL
Carlos Baleba in 2024/25 PL
Tackles won – 49
Tackles won – 46
Pass accuracy – 88.6%
Pass accuracy – 87.9%
Accurate long balls – 39
Accurate long balls – 65
Successful dribbles – 18
Successful dribbles – 33
Recoveries – 122
Recoveries – 197
Stats from Fotmob
With the Seagulls looking at potential replacements, Manchester United could look to move on Manuel Ugarte after his transfer to Old Trafford last year, though the statistical comparison between the two shows both excel in different areas.
Last term, Baleba registered four goals and two assists in 40 appearances for Brighton, leading Ryan Adsett to label the star a “powerhouse” due to his excellent form under Fabian Hurzeler. Manchester United are determined to position themselves among the elite again, and the Seagulls star would become their biggest ever signing, surpassing the record set by Paul Pogba’s arrival in 2016
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O atacante Kevin, do sub-20 do Palmeiras, foi convocado pelo técnico Ramon Menezes para representar a Seleção Brasileira na Copa do Mundo da categoria, nesta sexta-feira (28). O jogador agradeceu pela oportunidade e afirmou estar vivendo um ‘sonho de criança’ com a convocação.
> Palmeiras pode ter pela primeira vez formação de ataque idealizada para 2023
– Vestir a camisa significa o resultado de toda sua dedicação, trabalho e esforço que vc esta realizando um sonho de criança. A diferença de atuar pelo clube é saber que pelo clube que alcançamos essas conquistas de representar a seleção brasileira, por isso devemos sempre estarmos atuando bem pelos nossos clubes – disse Kevin.
continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasSeleção BrasileiraSeleção Brasileira: Ramon explica conversa com clubes para liberação de atletas e projeta Mundial Sub-20Seleção Brasileira28/04/2023PalmeirasPalmeiras tem quatro convocados pela Seleção Brasileira para o Mundial sub-20Palmeiras28/04/2023PalmeirasApós hat-trick pelo Palmeiras, Amanda Gutierres foca no clássico contra o São Paulo no Brasileirão FemininoPalmeiras28/04/2023
Neste sábado (29), diante do Athletico pelo Brasileirão sub-20, o atacante completa 100 jogos com a camisa do Palmeiras, sendo o atleta mais velho e com mais jogos pela categoria. Kevin também destacou a confiança de Ramon Menezes, reafirmando o desejo pelo título mundial.
– Me senti muito mais confiante e mais solto pra fazer as coisas que o professor Ramon pedia e também saber as características que eu tenho que posso ajudar no jogo. É um orgulho enorme ser convocado pra uma competição desse tamanho. Fico muito feliz pela confiam que o professor mostrou em mim e quero recompensar em campo. Principalmente com o título – concluiu.
> Palmeiras cobra valor milionário de receitas do Allianz Parque que não foram repassadas ao clube
Em conversas com o empresário Paulo Pitombeira, o Palmeiras negocia a compra de mais 20% ou 30% dos direitos econômicos do atacante Kevin. Atual dono de 60% do atleta, o Alviverde viu a convocação como uma oportunidade de vitrine equer ter uma porcentagem maior do jogador visando uma possível venda futura.
Vale ressaltar que os outros 40% são repartidos entre a família do atacante e o Desportivo Brasil. Justamente a parte que hoje pertence ao clube da cidade de Porto Feliz está sendo negociada com o Verdão.
تحدث هانز فليك مدرب برشلونة قبل دقائق من انطلاق مباراة فريقه أمام ريال سوسيداد على ملعب مونتجويك في الدوري الإسباني لكرة القدم.
ويحتل برشلونة المركز الثاني في جدول ترتيب الدوري الإسباني ب16 نقطة، ويحتل ريال سوسيداد المركز السابع عشر برصيد 5 نقاط.
وكان هانز فليك مدرب برشلونة قد أعلن تشكيل فريقه حيث يتكون من: تشيزني، أراوخو، كريستينسن، جول كوندي، مارتن، بيدري، فرينكي دي يونج، درو،روبرت ليفاندوفسكي، راشفورد، درو.
اقرأ أيضاً.. تقارير: ناد عربي قد يعيد تشافي إلى التدريب بعد رحيله عن برشلونة
وقال فليك في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية عن الدفع باللاعب الشاب درو منذ بداية المباراة: “درو يخوض مباراته الأولى هذا الموسم”.
وأضاف :”إنه لاعب ممتاز، سيمنحنا سيطرة على الكرة كما يتميز بقدرة رائعة على إنهاء الهجمات”.
وواصل فليك أيضاً: “قد يكون هذا حافزاً إضافياً لنا لنكون قادرين على التقدم لكن الموسم طويل جداً ونأمل أن نقدم أداء جيدا”.
وختم المدرب الألماني حول موقفه من الدفع بالنجم لامين يامال العائد لقائمة برشلونة بعد حصوله على التصريح الطبي ولكنه يجلس على دكة الاحتياط اليوم: “لامين قادر على اللعب من 20 لـ30 دقيقة، من المهم أن يلعب لامين اليوم، قد يحصل على ما يتراوح من 20 إلى 30 دقيقة وسنرى إن كان بإمكانه ذلك، إنه قادر على اللعب”.
He will join India’s squad ahead of the second Test in Adelaide
Nagraj Gollapudi17-Nov-20246:58
‘You could see Nitish Kumar Reddy making his Test debut’
Rohit Sharma will not be available to lead India in first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which starts on November 22 at the Optus Stadium in Perth. ESPNcricinfo has learned that Rohit, who stayed back home for the birth of his second child, will join the India squad ahead of the second Test, which is a day-night match starting on December 6 in Adelaide.While Rohit had communicated to the BCCI and national selectors in advance that he could miss the Perth Test, he had kept open the option of last-minute travel based on when the child was born. Rohit and his wife Ritika welcomed their second child on Friday, a week ahead of the first Test, prompting the possibility of his travelling to Perth. However, he told the BCCI he will be available to play the two-day, pink-ball warm-up game against the Australian Prime Minister’s XI from November 30 before the day-night Test in Adelaide.Related
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Vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah is set to lead India in Perth in Rohit’s absence. Bumrah has led India in one Test previously, the fifth Test of their two-part 2021-22 tour of England at Edgbaston, when Rohit had tested positive for Covid-19.India are now set to begin the Test series without two members of their first-choice top three, with No. 3 Shubman Gill also set to miss the Perth Test with a fractured thumb. KL Rahul and the uncapped Abhimanyu Easwaran were the two main candidates to open alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal in Rohit’s absence, but there is now a chance that both will feature in the XI.Rahul had briefly come under an injury cloud himself, having gone off the field after taking a blow to the elbow while batting against Prasidh Krishna during the first day of the Indians’ intra-squad practice match at the WACA. Those fears were assuaged on Sunday morning, though, when Rahul returned to the crease and batted for about an hour.Apart from Abhimanyu and Rahul, India will have another top-order candidate in Devdutt Padikkal, who was part of India A’s shadow tour of Australia and has stayed back with the Test squad. Padikkal has played one Test for India, against England in Dharamsala earlier this year.With four days remaining for the first Test, the Indian think tank led by head coach Gautam Gambhir has been challenged on several fronts. This is India’s first overseas Test series under Gambhir and his coaching staff comprising Morne Morkel, Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate, and it follows an unprecedented 3-0 defeat to New Zealand, India’s first ever whitewash in a home series of three or more Tests.In the absence of Rohit and Gill, India may look to add to their batting depth by playing one of their two seam-bowling allrounders at No. 8. Both Nitish Kumar Reddy, a batting allrounder from Andhra, and Harshit Rana, a hit-the-deck bowling allrounder for Delhi, are yet to make their Test debuts.After training at the WACA over this week, India will shift to the Optus Stadium from Tuesday.
Everton have entered the summer transfer window with a clear mission: reinvigorate their squad after a campaign that demanded both patience and pragmatism.
The club has already made notable additions, including Carlos Alcaraz, whose loan from Flamengo has been made permanent, Thierno Barry from Villarreal, and a headline-grabbing move for Jack Grealish from Manchester City.
This flurry of activity comes amid a period of departures, as several senior players have left on free transfers, including Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Abdoulaye Doucouré, and Ashley Young.
These exits have created opportunities for the Toffees to bring in Premier League talent seeking a fresh start.
Moyes appears to be targeting players who, much like Grealish, have been cast out or underutilised at bigger clubs and now need a platform to reignite their careers.
The player in question offers a blend of defensive tenacity and midfield intelligence, and, like Grealish, he represents a gamble but could be someone who could transform the spine of a team when given the right environment and playing time.
Everton eyeing move for Spurs midfielder
According to Sacha Tavolieri, Yves Bissouma is the midfielder at the centre of Everton’s interest, a player who has found himself on the fringes at Tottenham Hotspur.
Spurs paid £25m to acquire him from Brighton in 2022, but the midfielder has struggled to consistently secure a starting spot.
Despite these challenges, pundits like Adam Smithy have lauded Bissouma as “world-class,” praising his ability to control the game from midfield and break up opposition attacks.
Football Insider revealed that Tottenham are unlikely to stand in his way this summer, but any move will depend on the club finding a suitable replacement.
Spurs have already invested heavily in Mohammed Kudu, who joined from West Ham United for £60m. Additionally, Spurs have secured Palhinha on a season-long loan from Bayern Munich and are eyeing Atlético Madrid’s Conor Gallagher, who could potentially be available for around £40 million, although Madrid are reportedly reluctant to sell.
At Tottenham, Bissouma has competed with Rodrigo Bentancur, Archie Gray, and Pape Sarr in a crowded central midfield.
For Everton, Bissouma represents the chance to acquire a Premier League-proven midfielder who is hungry to prove himself again.
His contract at Spurs runs until summer 2026, meaning Tottenham will want to recoup part of their £25m investment rather than risk losing him for nothing.
Why he could be a Jack Grealish repeat
The parallels between Bissouma and Jack Grealish are striking.
Both players arrived at their respective clubs with strong reputations, only to find themselves needing a fresh start to reach their full potential.
Grealish, who joined Everton from Manchester City, faced limited game time at City and struggled with injuries, ultimately playing just 721 minutes last season, representing 21.1% of squad minutes, per Transfermarkt.
Man City's Jack Grealish warming up with Erling Haaland and Manuel Akanji.
Thomas Tuchel reportedly told him he needed regular football to maintain his World Cup ambitions, prompting the move to Goodison Park. Similarly, Bissouma has the capability to dominate matches when given trust and continuity.
Over 100 appearances for Spurs, he has contributed six goals and three assists while maintaining exceptional defensive metrics: 91st percentile for tackles (3.09 per 90), 83rd percentile for interceptions (1.39 per 90), and 92nd percentile for clearances (2.65 per 90), per FBref.
He also boasts a 83rd percentile pass completion rate of 88.6%, highlighting his dual ability to break up attacks and distribute effectively.
Yves Bissouma – Premier League Stats 2024/25
Matches Played
28
Starts
16
Minutes
1,408
Goals
1.02
Shot Creating Actions per 90
1.02
Tackles
49
Blocks
11
Bissouma’s profile evokes comparisons with Boubakar Kamara and Edson Álvarez, two players who provide balance in the centre of the park and thrive in roles where they can cover ground, intercept play, and initiate transitions.
Age is another factor that favours Everton’s pursuit.
At 28, Bissouma combines maturity with peak athleticism, offering immediate value rather than a long-term developmental gamble.
Furthermore, Everton’s summer recruitment strategy reflects a clear intention to blend experience and ambition.
With departures opening up space for new arrivals, the club is seeking players who have Premier League experience and can make an immediate contribution.
Bissouma fits this mould perfectly. His experience in England’s top-flight, combined with European competition exposure at Spurs, ensures he arrives ready to adapt and lead.
For a player already acclimated to Premier League demands, this represents a low-risk, high-reward investment, just like Grealish.
Finally, Bissouma’s move could serve as a statement of intent.
Everton are signalling that they are prepared to offer players a platform to succeed, encouraging other talented professionals seeking a new start to consider Goodison Park as a destination where their abilities will be maximised.
ECB chief executive confident that process can be game-changing if money is spent well
Vithushan Ehantharajah13-Dec-2024ECB chief executive Richard Gould is confident the Hundred will generate enough money to future-proof the County game for the next “20 to 25 years” after multiple bids were tabled for each of the eight teams earlier this week, in the second round of the equity sales process.Having received over 100 bids from 35 parties in the first round, a broad spectrum of interested buyers remains. They are understood to include eight of the 10 IPL team owners and co-owners, plus US-based sports investors and private equity.Gould confirmed most investors have put in multiple bids. Once it is determined which investors best match the interest of one of the eight host teams, the third and final stage will see clubs and counties decide upon their two preferred partners for a joint venture.The ECB remain increasingly optimistic that they will better their initially stated aim of raising a minimum of £350 million, not least with competition between investors already evident.In September, Vikram Banerjee, tasked with selling off stakes in the Hundred as ECB director of business operations, stated that the final process could be delayed if the right bids and suitors are not found for all teams. Three months and two stages on, Gould says it is “more likely” the 49 percent stakes on offer for each of the eight teams will be sold first time. Host counties can then decide how much of their gifted 51 percent they wish to part with.Related
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Equity sale in the Hundred could be delayed beyond 2025 – Vikram Banerjee
Most of the money raised from those 49 percent stakes is set to be split among the 18 counties and MCC, with 10 percent portioned off for the recreational game. This means that county game is in line for a massive windfall, But Gould insists it will need to be spent wisely.”My hope is that this will recapitalise the county game for the next 20-25 years, if that money is used really well,” he said in Hamilton, on the eve of the third Test between England and New Zealand.”We’re not counting our chickens yet, but the aim of this is to raise significant investment that is going to go into the game. One of the things that has been attracting the investors is the money they’d be putting in is going to develop the game. A very significant chunk is going into the recreational game, even more is going into the professional game and that is split between the hosts and non-hosts.”The professional counties have been very keen to explain to us that they want guard rails in place. Those are likely to focus on the level of debt a club has, the level of reserves a club should have and also when they are making investments, making sure those are investments for the good of the game – providing financial return or in things like the player pathway.”
Crystal Palace have started off the campaign with a trophy to their name and could now be set to go toe-to-toe with Nottingham Forest to sign a talented midfield operator, per reports.
Crystal Palace lose CAS appeal after winning Community Shield
Oliver Glasner and his club have been involved in a turbulent couple of days that saw them win the FA Community Shield against Liverpool at Wembley Stadium, though the joy of another day in the sun has been blighted by recent developments.
Taking to social media platform X, journalist Ben Jacobs delivered that Crystal Palace have lost their CAS appeal against Europa League expulsion, and they will now have to settle for a place in the Europa Conference League this term.
Marc Guehi lifts the Community Shield with Crystal Palace
He said: “Crystal Palace have lost their CAS appeal and will play in the UEFA Conference League this season. Nottingham Forest will replace them in the Europa League. Palace will consider all legal options.”
Nottingham Forest will replace Crystal Palace in the Europa League, igniting more fire between both clubs ahead of their meeting on matchday two of the Premier League season next weekend.
Chelsea await in their opener at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, and the Eagles will hope to bring Leicester City playmaker Bilal El Khannouss into the fold as soon as possible, even if his arrival depends on Eberechi Eze leaving the club.
Crystal Palace now hold strong interest in "gifted" £17m ace, bid planned
Palace could be set to make an offer for a defender.
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Veteran Raheem Sterling has held talks over a move to Selhurst Park and may be another option to provide a spark of creativity across the forthcoming season.
However, Glasner also appears to be focused on legs in central areas and could now be set to try and trump Nottingham Forest in the process.
Crystal Palace battle Nottingham Forest for Yunus Musah
According to reports in Italy cited via Area Napoli, Rai Sport journalist Ciro Venerato has confirmed Crystal Palace have joined Nottingham Forest in the race to sign AC Milan midfielder Yunus Musah.
Napoli are also keen on the United States international and although the Rossoneri could ask for just under £26 million, even a fee of £21.6 million may be enough to prize him away from the Serie A giants.
Yunus Musah in 2024/25 – all competitions
Appearances
40
Goals
0
Assists
3
Capable of playing in a variety of central midfield roles or on the right flank, the 22-year-old is a versatile presence who can deputise where needed. It should be noted that Napoli are looking to sell Giacomo Raspadori before accelerating their pursuit.
Labelled a “complete player” by Stefano Pioli, the AC Milan star completed 21 dribbles and won 19 tackles in the Italian top-flight last term, illustrating why he is a competent operator in several positions.
After losing their Europa League place to Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace could make a statement by bringing him to Selhurst Park as they now look forward after kicking the new term off with an encouraging victory over Liverpool in the Community Shield.