The World Cup will be heading to Saudi Arabia in 2034 (Picture: Getty)
Saudi Arabia is on course to host the 2034 men’s World Cup with FIFA ‘approving’ its human rights record in a report released overnight.
World football’s governing body awarded the Saudi bid a score of 4.198 out 5 – the highest evaluation score of any previous World Cup bidder.
Despite warnings of significant risks, FIFA stated there is ‘good potential’ it can ‘serve as a catalyst for some of the ongoing and future reforms and contribute to positive human rights outcomes for people in Saudi Arabia.’
The report has been published ahead of a vote by its member national associations on 11 December.
Human rights campaigners Amnesty International called for a halt to that vote earlier this month.
‘Fans will face discrimination, residents will be forcibly evicted, migrant workers will face exploitation, and many will die,’ head of labour rights and sport Steve Cockburn said.
Crown prince Mohammed Bin-Salman alongside Fifa president Gianni Infantino (Getty)
But FIFA’s report scores Saudi Arabia as a ‘medium risk’ under human rights, acknowledging the need for ‘significant effort and time’ needed to implement reforms.
The report said: ‘It is important to note that the bid involves significant opportunities for positive human rights impact.
‘There is a good potential that the tournament could serve as a catalyst for some of the ongoing and future reforms and contribute to positive human rights outcomes for people in Saudi Arabia and the region that go beyond the scope of the tournament itself.’
The 2030 World Cup is set to be hosted across three continents by six countries in Morocco, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, with FIFA rules ruling out Africa, Europe and South America as possible host destinations again in 2034.
The joint USA, Canada and Mexico event for 2026 also rules North America out of making another successful bid, leaving Saudi with a free run.
In a special interview, new Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim speaks to Mark Chapman about his appointment.
Amorim explains why he already feels a connection with the club’s fans, and why his new role won’t change him as a person.
He also talks about his time in Portugal, including how being released as a player by Benfica impacted him.
TIMECODES 02:30 Making a connection with Man Utd fans 04:00 Being an emotional character 11:00 On seeing a psychologist as he came to the end of his playing career and prepared to become a coach 14:00 Getting inspiration from Jorge Jesus and Leonardo Jardim 18:00 The driving force behind each managerial move he’s made 21:00 On how moving to the club will change his life
Sarri left the Blues after one season in charge in 2019 (Picture: Getty)
Maurizio Sarri has admitted leaving Chelsea after just one season in charge at Stamford Bridge was one of the biggest mistakes of his career.
In the summer of 2018, Sarri was brought to west London from Napoli to replace Antonio Conte, tasked with leading the Blues back to the summit of English football.
Discussing his Stamford Bridge exit, Sarri explained his strained relationship with former Blues owner Roman Abramovich was an issue in his decision to leave, claiming the Russian oligarch ‘was not allowed to go to England’.
But five years on, Sarri regards his decision to leave as a ‘mistake’.
‘I could have stayed at Chelsea,’ Sarri said. ‘I wanted to come back to Italy because the situation at Chelsea was not easy. In that period Abramovich was not allowed to go to England. I only saw him at games abroad. We had some telephone calls but not very often.
Sarri returned to Italy after one season (Picture: AMA/Getty Images)
‘My point of reference was only Marina [Granovskaia, Chelsea director during Sarri’s time at the club]. There wasn’t a sporting director so the situation was not so clear. So I wanted to come back to Italy but it was a mistake.
‘It would have been better to stay there. I was a little worried about the situation with Chelsea, the situation inside the club. It was not clear. I asked Marina if it was possible to go back to Italy and Marina asked for some money from Juventus to set me free.
‘They said if I wanted to stay at Chelsea it was possible. But at the end of the season with Chelsea it was a good experience and good results. We got third place in the Premier League table, reached the final of the Carabao Cup and won the Europa League. We played a lot of good matches.
‘Of course at times there were two or three disasters, like at Manchester against City, like at Bournemouth. Now I am ready to start again. I don’t know where at the moment. But me and the staff are ready.’
Mohamed Salah is out of contract at the end of the season (Photo: Getty)
Michael Owen has offered a theory as to why Liverpool haven’t offered Mohamed Salah a contract extension, with time running out to agree new terms.
Salah has once again been in sensational form this season, recording 12 goals and 10 assists in 19 appearances under Arne Slot.
He did miss a penalty in the 2-0 win over Real Madrid midweek, but will look to bounce back on Sunday against Manchester City, when Liverpool will have the chance to go 11 points clear at the top of the Premier League.
However, there is a dark cloud hanging over Anfield, as three key Reds players are out of contract next summer and seemingly no closer to agreeing new deals.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has been heavily linked with Real Madrid while captain Virgil van Dijk has remained coy on his future, but Salah has teased several times that this season could be his last at Liverpool.
Last Sunday, after the 3-2 win at Southampton, the Egyptian claimed: ‘I haven’t received an offer to stay yet so I am probably more out than in,’ and stated he was ‘disappointed’ by the lack of dialogue with the club.
He’s consistently been linked with a lucrative move to the Saudi Pro League and foreign clubs will be able to negotiate with the forward from January 1 if a deal is not agreed.
Michael Owen opted to leave Liverpool to become a Galactico at Real Madrid – a decision he regrets (Photo: Getty)
Salah finds himself in a similar predicament to Owen, who opted not to extend his contract with Liverpool in 2004, instead making an ill-fated transfer to Real Madrid.
The lure of the Galacticos was too much to resist for the ex-England striker, while Liverpool at the time were struggling to dethrone the Premier League and Champions League elite.
Owen believes there is one simple reason why negotiations have stalled between player and club, telling Optus Sport: ‘My inkling, and I might be wrong, but what I hear is that Mo Salah is wanting a longer-term contract.
Liverpool fans are desperate to keep Salah at the club (Photo: Getty)
‘When you’re young, you want short contracts, keep the desirability, keep them short and keep everybody wanting you. When you’re older of course you want stability and you want to be secure.’
Salah turns 33 next summer, so it’s understandable why Liverpool would be hesitant to give him a long-term contract even though he’s a club legend and their best player.
‘He’s very different – he’s as fit as fiddle and he’s still banging them in. But if he’s going in [to negotiations] and asking for five years then rightly so the club will think that’s too long,’ Owen added.
‘So maybe they’re not even sitting down because Mo has said “Well I’m not going to talk to you if you are not going to give you five years”, let’s say.
‘And I don’t know entirely but my sources tell me it’s more of a term problem.
‘One thing that Mo Salah has got the head start on is he’s just done that interview and straight away the fans are going to be thinking, “What are you doing, Liverpool Football Club”.’
This article was first published on November 26, 2024.
‘We will wait and see,’ said Arteta at his pre-match press conference on Friday morning when asked about Gabriel’s fitness for Saturday’s fixture.
Pressed on any further injury news about his squad, the Spaniard added: ‘Not a lot because we have another training session. We have to see how the boys are today.
‘A few of them weren’t able to train yesterday but hopefully they will be able to today.’
Gabriel scored in midweek against Sporting Lisbon (Picture: AFP)
Jurrien Timber could slot in at centre-back to replace Gabriel, while Riccardo Calafiori is also an option having started the last two games after his own spell on the sidelines.
Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu remained unavailable with respective knee issues.
A win against West Ham would see the Gunners close the gap to Liverpool to six points ahead of their crunch fixture with Manchester City on Sunday.
Arteta’s side have picked up back-to-back wins for the first time since early October and the 42-year-old is hopeful that his team can build on the confidence heading into the hectic Christmas schedule.
‘Winning lifts the energy and the confidence up,’ he said.
‘They were two big wins for us and now it’s about consistency and getting that momentum and taking it even further against a really good opponent tomorrow.
‘It doesn’t matter what you did yesterday, it’s about the next day and the next performance and how you are able to sustain high levels of performance because of how competitive every opponent is and that is what we will try and do tomorrow.’
Frailties at the back were a concern again with the Portuguese still tinkering with his system but there were plenty of positives to take for the new boss – particularly the performance of Rasmus Hojlund.
The Dane will feel he has done enough to secure his place at the focal point of Amorim’s attack with two brilliantly taken goals – with his work rate and determination also forcing the game’s opener in the first minute.
Injuries are beginning to ease with Mason Mount starting his first game in the league since August, staking a claim for a starting role this weekend.
Lisandro Martinez and Tyrell Malacia also returned from injury while Luke Shaw got more valuable minutes under his belt.
Mount fit again after his latest setback (Picture: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof remained sidelined with Leny Yoro still to make the squad under the new manager.
The Frenchmen has been involved in Amorim’s training sessions but United are still exercising caution over their summer signing.
Rashford has a very healthy record against Everton (Squawka)
Amad Diallo and Marcus Rashford were both introduced off the bench late on and after combining to score the first goal of the Amorim era last weekend and will be hopeful of retaining their places on Sunday.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk is out of contract next summer (Picture: Getty)
Virgil van Dijk was quizzed on his future following Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League – and his answer could not have been more different to that given by Mohamed Salah at the weekend.
Salah’s revelation – that he was ‘probably more out than in’ – dominated the pre-match discussion ahead of Wednesday’s heavyweight Champions League clash at Anfield.
The Egyptian missed a penalty on the night, shortly after Kylian Mbappe failed with a spot-kick of his own, but a pair of second-half goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo secured the Reds a deserved win.
The result extended Liverpool’s near-faultless start to the season in all competitions, with the Merseyside giants winning all but two of their games since Arne Slot took over the reins from Jurgen Klopp in the summer.
But questions linger over the future of key men Salah, Van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, who are all out of contract at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, and rumours and gossip are likely to swirl until the situation becomes clearer.
‘We are almost in December and I haven’t received an offer to stay at the club yet so I am probably more out than in,’ Salah told NBC Sports after Liverpool’s win over Southampton on Sunday.
‘I have been at the club for many years. There is no club like this but in the end it is not in my hands. As I said before, it is December and I haven’t received anything yet about my future.’
Salah said he was ‘more out than in’ following Liverpool’s win over Southampton (Picture: Getty)
Van Dijk has opted to remain far more tight-lipped than his team-mate and the Dutchman gave a typically cool response when collared in the mixed zone last night.
Asked whether he plans to stay at Liverpool, Van Dijk told Spanish TV programme El Chringuito TV: ‘What a direct question from you! They don’t ask me that direct.
’But listen, there is, at the moment, nothing I can say. The only thing that I can say is I’m fully focused on Man City from now on.’
The reporter was not done there, though, telling Van Dijk that Madrid badly needed a top-class central defender of his ilk.
‘Do they? I don’t know.’
Reminded of Madrid’s injury problems in defence, Van Dijk replied: ‘But [Antonio] Rudiger is there, no?’
Gakpo doubled Liverpool’s lead against Madrid (Picture: Getty)
Further pressed on whether a move to Madrid could be possible next summer, the Liverpool captain responded: ‘In the summer?!
‘Like I said to you before, the main focus at the moment, for me, is Man City.
‘Liverpool, I’m full focused on that, and I have nothing else to say regarding my future.’
Slot is relaxed about the future of Van Dijk, Salah and Alexander-Arnold (Picture: Getty)
At a press conference on Tuesday, Liverpool head coach Slot insisted he was relaxed about the situation following Salah’s latest remark about his future.
‘I’ve said many times that we don’t share this [details about negotiations] over here,’ Slot told reporters.
‘The only thing I can say is that if I look at my line-ups, Mo is more in than out. That quote I can give you.’
He continued: ‘I don’t think he is distracted at all, I haven’t seen that after the Manchester United game when he made some comments or after a post [on social media] which you told me about, I didn’t see anything today in training.
‘He’s just fully focused on the game tomorrow and I think these kinds of things are big in the media and with fans but I didn’t see one player talk about it at training, at least while I was there.
‘Players are also focused on the short term and that is Madrid and Manchester City [at the weekend] and by the time Mo’s contract is extended, players don’t look at it that way. We as a club of course do but the players don’t.
‘So I don’t think there are any distractions for him or the players and definitely not for me. I was working yesterday on preparing the team in the best possible way and there was not one time where I thought about sitting here today talking about Mo.’
Fernandes has been one of United’s most consistent players since his £67m move from Sporting Lisbon in 2020, scoring 56 goals and making 44 assists in 171 Premier League appearances.
The 30-year-old has been slightly less effective this season but still has four goals and five assists for a team sitting in the bottom-half of the Premier League.
Fernandes did, however, go 13 games without a goal at the start of the season and appeared to be one of the players struggling under former manager Erik ten Hag.
The Portugal international has admitted he is excited to work under Amorim, who took over Sporting Lisbon in 2020 a few months after Fernandes left the club to join United.
The Portuguese playmaker said he was confident of fitting in to Amorim’s new system at Old Trafford.
Ruben Amorim took over at Old Trafford earlier in the month (Picture: Getty)
‘You always have to adapt to different ideas and positions, even sometimes playing in the same system you have to adapt to different ideas of playing,’ he said.
‘It is not difficult for me to adapt in any position. I am really well aware of that.
‘During training I try to absorb everything, from every position. I try to have an understanding of the game because being the captain, the manager cannot always give the message from the bench to the pitch.
‘As captain, you have to try to resolve the situation together with your team-mates. Having knowledge of every position is my role.
‘I think [adapting to the system] could probably be worse for the younger players – I know what the Sporting players were doing very well.
‘Not because I was reading what the manager was doing, but because I was watching their games!
‘We are international players. Every time you go to the national team, you probably play in a different system.
‘With Portugal, we sometimes play with a back three. I’ve had that experience of the manager’s formation already.’
According to new reports, ‘tentative progress’ has been made on the Chelsea side with the Blues ‘really pushing’ to keep the Englishman in west London.
But they face stiff competition with Bayern ‘very interested’ and even now offering to hand Acheampong immediate minutes in the first-team.
Acheampong joined Chelsea’s youth ranks as an Under-8 and signed his first professional deal with the Blues in January, which runs until 2026.
Chelsea are already desperate to extend Acheampong’s contract, though, amid fear that he’ll have less than 12 months left on his deal next summer.
Josh Acheampong is viewed as a jewel of the Cobham academy (Picture: Getty)
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca is a massive fan of the teenager – and speaking last month – he urged the Blues to fix the Acheampong situation.
‘To be honest, I feel a bit of shame for Josh,’ Maresca said. ‘I had a chat with him, personally, about his situation and the chat we had was a very good chat, a positive chat but since that moment I haven’t spoken to him.
‘As I said, it’s a shame. I think Josh potentially can become a top player. He is still 18, so still very young, so many things can change for him, but he can potentially be very important thing for Chelsea.
‘It’s so important for the club that our intention is not to lose him. The first thing we need to do is to find a solution for his future.
‘The most important thing at this stage is to get minutes, enjoy and to play football.
‘For him, I don’t know the people who are trying to solve the problem, if they are helping him or not. I really like Josh and I would really like to have him here with us but it is not possible [at the moment].’
Osimhen is currently on a season-long loan at Turkish side Galatasaray from Napoli and has a €75m release clause which activates in January.
Victor Boniface is on Man Utd’s four-man shortlist (Picture: Getty)
The other two strikers on United’s shortlist are Paris Saint-Germain’s Randal Kolo Muani and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Omar Marmoush.
Marmoush is reported to be ‘in United’s sights’ and a deal could be reached if they launch an offer in the region of €50-60m (£42-50m) for the Egyptian.
Kolo Muani, meanwhile, has not been a hot topic at United so far but there are still keeping an eye on his situation in the French capital.
It is thought that PSG are already keen to offload the France international and he has been left on the sidelines despite a €95m move just last year.
United, meanwhile, have entered a new era after Ruben Amorim came in to replace Erik ten Hag as the club’s manager.
His first game in charge ended in a 1-1 draw at Ipswich Town on Sunday with United back in action against Bodo/Glimt on Thursday.
Early goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz settled the nerves and with Martin Odegaard back in the team, Arteta’s side look a totally different proposition to the team that struggled for goals and fluency in the absence of their skipper who missed 12 games due to injury in October and November.
Gabriel’s header on the stroke of half-time looked to have settled the contest but Sporting found a route back into the match shortly after the break as Arsenal switched off from a corner and allowed Goncalo Inacio to pull a goal back.
Bukayo Saka’s 65th minute penalty, however, restored the three goal cushion before substitute Leandro Trossard put the seal on his side’s biggest away win the competition in 21 years.
There was a moment of concern late on when the outstanding Gabriel, who relished and comprehensively won his battle with Viktor Gyokeres, left the field late on and was replaced by Jakob Kiwior.
The Gunners travel to West Ham on Saturday evening for a London derby and will not want to be without their Brazilian tower of power who has formed such an effective partnership with William Saliba at the heart of Arsenal’s defence.
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Gabriel comprehensively won his battle against Victor Gyokeres (Picture: Getty)
Explaining the late change, Arteta said: ‘We don’t know because he said he was feeling some discomfort so I was about to make the change of Ras [Raheem Sterling] but I couldn’t make the sub and we had to make other ones.’
Arteta, meanwhile, was full of pride for a team that have been relentlessly questioned in recent weeks following a poor run of form that threatened to derail their campaign.
‘For sure, especially against the opponent that we played in their home, I don’t think they’ve lost a game in 18 months,’ said Arteta when asked if he was pleased with his side’s display.
Bukayo Saka scored Arsenal’s fourth goal from the penalty spot (Picture: Getty)
‘They’ve been in top form, they did better than anyone they played here, so to play to the level, with the determination, the purpose, and the fluidity that we’ve done today, very pleased.
‘It’s true that the result is very different by the performance, and as well the intensity of the opponent that we faced when we played Inter.
‘I was so pleased with what I saw, and I knew that in that pathway, good things were going to happen in Europe.
‘Today we’ve been able to do that and replicate it and be even more efficient in the opposition half.
‘And, very pleased because the team played with so much courage, because they are so good. and watching them live, I realised how good they are.’
Marmoush joined Eintracht on a free transfer in May 2023 and the signing has proved an incredible piece of business, with the forward registering 12 goals and six assists across a stellar debut season with the Bundesliga outfit.
This term, the 25-year-old Egyptian has picked up where he left off, scoring 14 goals in his opening 17 games in all competitions, and a host of elite clubs across European football are queuing up for his signature.
Champions League giants Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain have also been tentatively linked with the former Wolfsburg man in recent weeks and months.
According to Sky Deutschland, Manchester United are the latest team to join the ever-growing list of sides eyeing a bid for Marmoush this winter, with Old Trafford chiefs determined to strengthen both up front and at left-back.
The report suggests Marmoush is firmly ‘in United’s sights’ and a deal could be reached should the Red Devils launch an offer in the region of €50-60m (£42-50m) for the sought-after Egypt international.
United are determined to bring in support for Hojlund and Zirkzee (Picture: Getty)
Marmoush’s current contract, which he signed upon arrival in Frankfurt, runs through to the summer of 2027.
It’s claimed Bayer Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, currently enjoying a season-long loan at Galatasaray, are also on United’s radar as possible options in attack.
United’s hierarchy and Ruben Amorim are in agreement that added support and competition is needed for Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee, who have managed a combined total of just three goals in all competitions since the start of the season.
The Egyptian has scored 14 goals in 17 games this season (Picture: Getty)
Speaking earlier this month, Eintracht sporting director Timmo Hardung insisted no talks had taken place with potential suitors over a transfer move for Marmoush in January.
‘No, we have no contact with Liverpool or anyone regarding Marmoush,’ he said.
‘I know the people there but there is nothing, there is no contact with any club regarding the player.
‘We do not want to part with him, we do not want to sell him, certainly not in January. In the transfer market there is no room for assumptions, but there is no reason to sell him in the winter.
‘It is clear that players like Omar have their own market value in the transfer market. At the moment, we are not looking to sell him. We are very happy with him at our club.
‘He is still developing. We want to be part of that, achieve good things together and then we will see what happens in the summer. Who knows? He might stay in the team.’
Erik ten Hag’s successor took charge of his new club for the first time on Sunday but despite enjoying a dream start, courtesy of Marcus Rashford’s second minute goal, he was forced to settle for a point.
Amorim did his best to put a positive spin on United’s display in his post match interviews but privately he now accepted the performance was average at best.
A source told The Sun: ‘Amorim said their performance was a five out of ten.
‘He was impressed with Ipswich and thought the game was played at an incredible intensity.
‘But he added that it showed just how much United need to improve.’
The Tractor Boys, managed by former United coach Kieran McKenna, were promoted in the summer and although they sit 18th in the table, they have proven more than a match for the majority of teams they have faced.
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Omari Hutchinson’s goal denied Ruben Amorim a win in his first game in charge of Manchester United (Picture: Getty)
Despite having been impressed with Ipswich’s tenacity and technical ability, Amorim acknowledged his own players were guilty of errors that will need to be eradicated if his team are to make swift progress up the division.
The source added: ‘He was critical of one or two players for losing the ball and not being in the right positions.
‘But he also said, ‘Some of you I’ve had for two days, some two weeks’, so he was realistic.
‘He did say they were going to have to learn quickly.’
Amorim, meanwhile, feels rotation over the next month will help speed up the process ofManchesterUnited’s players becoming accustomed to his style of football.
Marcus Rashford scored the first goal of the Ruben Amorim era (Picture: Getty)
Various principles of the 39-year-old were on display at Portman Road with three centre-backs deployed alongside the use of wing-backs, but United were indebted to two excellent Andre Onana saves to claim a point.
There is no time for the Portuguese coach to settle into his role at the 12th-place club with seven Premier League fixtures in December alongside two Europa League ties and a Carabao Cup quarter-final at Tottenham.
However, Amorim plans to regularly shuffle his pack every three days and work specifically with the players out of his starting line-up to turnaround their fortunes.
‘We have to find a way. I think the only way to do it is we have games and the guys that don’t play have training,’ Amorim said.
‘Everybody is going to play and everybody is going to be on the bench, so they have the feeling of the game, but they need to train.
‘With this schedule, we need to rotate the team. So, we will try to use that to train, to improve the team and to win matches. That is the point.
‘Without time, we have to find the time and I think this is the only way. Some of the guys are going to play, some of the guys on the next day will work on our idea and then they will change the position.’
