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nekojitachan · 4 years ago

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I really need to figure out how many parts there are to this story (The Real Thing). I do. But for now, have a new one, and know there’s one more left.

Last part is here.

Uhm, mention of Andrew’s rehab, nasty Ravens roughing Nathaniel up (nothing too bad) and Andrew NOT LIKING THAT, FEELINGS! Oh, and Riko being Riko.

******

Despite being told not to practice for a week, Andrew changed into his Ravens’ uniform as soon as he was back in the Nest since the rest of the team was out on court – since Nathaniel was out on court. He rushed out of the locker room as quickly as he could, muscles still rubbery from recovery, and immediately noticed three things.

First, that Riko wasn’t anywhere to be seen, nor was Kevin. Second, that the Ravens were oddly subdued as they stood around watching the players currently involved in a scrimmage. And third? That Nathaniel took part in the scrimmage (as did Jean)… not as a backliner, but as a striker. He wore a lighter set of padding and held a striker’s racquet, managed to avoid Federov to score a point – and then nearly went to his knees when the asshole slammed into him after the ball was out of his racquet.

A sharp, tumultuous anger flared to life inside of Andrew to see his soulmate treated like that, yet before he could do more than take a step forward, he found his way blocked by racquets; Toby and Leif had moved to block him. ��Don’t,” Toby whispered while Leif shook his head. “It’s almost over, and it’ll only be worse if you do anything.”

“Don’t tell me-“

“Let him get through this and then be happy you’re back,” Leif hissed. “He’s been through enough.”

Andrew stopped trying to shove past the racquets and gave the backliner a narrow look. “Ben said he was all right.” Had his partner lied?

Leif shrugged then resumed watching the scrimmage. “He is, all things considered.”

That wasn’t much of an answer. Andrew ignored Toby belatedly welcoming him back and resumed watching the scrimmage as well, inwardly seething each time Nathaniel was slammed into, knocked down or battered around. His soulmate was one of the best backliners out there despite his small size, and even showed promise as a striker because of his amazing speed and knowledge of Exy. But he had still switched to a new position after years of playing a different one, so his responses were the slightest bit off. If he was playing anyone else but the Ravens? It probably wouldn’t matter, but he was, and the best team in the Class I division picked up on each and every mistake he made.

After a few more minutes, Tetsuji finally called an end to the scrimmage; Andrew wanted to throttle the old bastard when he strode over to an obviously worn out Nathaniel and gave him three strikes against the lower back with his cane then ordered him to do more drills. He ‘corrected’ a few other players before he approached Andrew and studied him for a few seconds. “Work on drills.”

No ‘hey, glad to see you’re back after we put you through hell’ or ‘get some rest, you look terrible’, but Andrew would accept it since it allowed him to be near his soulmate and not punch the asshole in the throat (yet). He grabbed his racquet and went to the outer ring of court, where Nathaniel was already at work on the Raven drills.

The idiot paused to give him a slight yet pleased smile, his eyes shadowed as if exhausted and cheeks sunken as if he’d skipped too many meals, but other than that… other than that the sight of him made Andrew’s heart race, dammit. Ever since coming off the drugs, the world had been somewhat muted, had lacked the hint of mania-enhanced vibrancy it had possessed the last year and a half, but now that he stood near his soulmate…. He felt the same inexorable pull toward Nathaniel that he always had, the same urge to slide his fingers into the auburn curls tucked beneath the black bandana and tug him forward for a kiss, to nibble and suck on that full bottom lip.

Those emotions were real, were so very real, as was the need to protect Nathaniel, to ensure he was all right, to track down everyone who’d hurt him while Andrew was gone.

For a moment, Andrew felt a rather dramatic urge to carve out his heart to put an end to all those feelings before common sense kicked in. Then he realized that he was still staring into Nathaniel’s eyes and decided he could live with beating himself into a coma with his own racquet. Before he could carry through with that solution, though, Nathaniel began to frown. “Are you all right? You look really tired, should you even be out on court?”

Andrew clicked his tongue and stepped forward. “Look who’s talking, sweetpea.” He scooped up a ball and with a clever twist of his wrist, knocked over the three cones on the end to the left. “When’s the last time you slept? Or ate a full meal?”

“I’ve been eating,” Nathaniel mumbled as he completed drill #8. “And… not here.” He glanced over at Tetsuji, who barked out a correction at Leif (who was certain to be caned once the scrimmage was over).

That implied that a certain ‘sweetpea’ would talk later; Andrew gave him a narrow look before he focused on knocking over cones for the next twenty minutes, imagining that they were Riko and Tetsuji the entire while.

He felt a rush of that irrational, potent urge to protect when he saw all the bruises, new and old, on his soulmate’s lean body when they stripped for the showers, and only managed to keep from crushing skulls with locker doors when he realized that they were from playing Exy, that the marks matched up to weak spots in the protective padding (or the lack of it entirely) and not from- that it was from Exy.

That no one was suicidal enough to ignore his reminders before he’d left for rehab.

He wasn’t particularly hungry, so he dumped his slab of disgusting tofu in Nathaniel’s bowl, followed by his orange dropped on his surprised soulmate’s tray. “Eat them,” he ordered in French. “Let Valjean do the talking.”

Jean snorted in amusement but motioned for his partner to eat as well. “So nice to have you back.”

“Considering that I go away for a couple weeks and come back to everything all fucked up? I’d say ‘yes’.”

Jean winced while Nathaniel nibbled on his bottom lip and slowly peeled his extra orange. “It… it is nice to have you back,” Nathaniel murmured as he ducked his head.

“Eat,” Andrew repeated as he poked at his rice with his chopsticks and told his stupid emotions to fuck off. “What the hell happened with the asshole?”

“Yes, that,” Jean sighed as he stabbed at his own tofu before breaking it apart. “Have you heard the story about how Kevin and Riko went on a skiing trip together, only for Kevin to break his hand?”

Andrew nodded as he dropped several grains of rice onto the table and began to flick them toward the wall. “Utter bullshit.” Why would either of the young men take time off right before the playoff season? All they’d talked about was how the team had to spend the whole winter break training, not to waste time on some stupid vacation.

“Yes, exactly.” Jean glanced around the large room, but everyone appeared to be focused on their own meals and conversations. “All we know is that Kevin disappeared one night, unable to attend the winter banquet with us, and Riko left soon after that.” He gave Andrew an intent look before he forced himself to eat his dinner, while Nathaniel, done with the one orange, steadily shoveled rice and tofu into his mouth.

All they knew? Or all they could say while out in public? Andrew continued to flick rice grains until the two were done, then nodded when Nathaniel proclaimed that he was tired. He watched his soulmate pocket the extra orange, and followed the two backliners (well, maybe not Nathaniel anymore) to their room.

Once there, Nathaniel set the orange on his desk and opened the drawer to retrieve a paper bag filled with the ‘good’ energy bars… and what turned out to be expensive chocolate bars. “Here,” he told Andrew as he handed them over. “I made sure to grab them whenever they restocked.” A slight flush colored his sharp cheekbones as he ducked his head again. “And, uhm, one night they had the chocolate up in the East Tower. I thought… well, I can’t get out to buy a gift.”

Andrew noticed that Jean was pointedly looking away right then, his right hand clamped over his own soulmate mark. “The only thing I could have brought back was used toiletries, so give me a few days, okay. These… these are great.” He reached out with his left hand to tousle Nathaniel’s hair, which made his soulmate smile, then sat down on Nathaniel’s bed as he pulled an energy bar and chocolate bar from the bag. “Now tell me what really happened.”

Nathaniel sat down next to him, so close he could feel the redhead’s body heat. “As you guessed, the skiing story was a lie,” he said as he switched to French. He looked straight at Jean as he tugged on the hem of his black sweatshirt. “What really happened was that… well, Riko broke Kevin’s left hand.”

Andrew paused in opening the wrapper of the energy bar to raise an eyebrow. “Not to apply logic when dealing with a jealous psychopath, but any idea why then?”

“Because earlier that day, several ERC officials showed up and had the two play against each other to disprove the rumors that Tetsuji is making Kevin hold back in favor of Riko,” Jean explained. “Riko won, but… I think he realized that perhaps they were right.”

“Of course they were right.”

Andrew nudged the ‘peanut gallery’, AKA his soulmate, in the side (gently, considering all the bruises) to make him remain quiet, and nodded to Jean to continue. Nathaniel grumbled but began to peel his orange.

“All we know for certain is soon after that, Kevin came to us with his hand broken.” Jean winced while Nathaniel muttered about Riko being a fucking prick. “Riko used Kevin’s racquet to break it with the intention of crippling him. We did what we could, and….”

“And?”

“And I called in a few favors from the guards I know who report to the main branch,” Nathaniel explained with a quiet voice. “Enough to get him out of the Nest and somewhere safe.”

For a moment, Andrew wanted to grab Nathaniel by his shoulders and shake him, to yell at him about doing something stupid, something that would put him in danger… yet he hadn’t seen any new cuts or scars on his soulmate (or Jean), hadn’t seen anything to make him think that the two idiots helping out their friend had been a huge mistake (yet). “Where is he?” he asked before he popped a piece of dark chocolate into his mouth, then hummed in pleasure at its intense flavor.

Nathaniel slumped in relief next to him (and slightly against him) while Jean smiled (a tiny bit, but still a smile). “It’s not common knowledge yet, but he’s at Palmetto State.”

Andrew was only familiar with the university since he’d spent a couple years in Columbia, which wasn’t far from the university. “Why the hell is he there?” He’d think that Kevin Day, #2 of the ‘esteemed’ Ravens, would go into a fit of apoplexy to be near the worst team in the Class I division.

Nathaniel and Jean shared a smug look as Nathaniel handed Andrew an orange section, which he accepted with a dubious frown despite his soulmate’s urging. However, when he tried it with a piece of chocolate, he had to admit it was an acceptable flavor pairing. “No one knows who’s Kevin’s father, right?” Nathaniel asked, his expression still smug.

“Big deal, he’s not the only one playing the ‘who’s your daddy’ game.”

Nathaniel’s smile was wiped away by Andrew’s dry comment while Jean rolled his eyes. “Perhaps, but the thing is, Kevin does know who’s his ‘daddy’.” He scrunched his nose when Andrew gave him an interested look. “A couple years ago, we found a letter his mother wrote in Tetsuji’s library identifying the man. It seems she had an affair with David Wymack but chose not to inform him of the results.”

“Hmm.” Andrew slipped the last piece of chocolate past his lips and sucked on it as he considered that bit of news – and the fact that Tetsuji knew about Kevin’s bloodline while Wymack didn’t. “Why didn’t he go before now?”

“Because Kevin worried about the Moriyamas doing something to his father if he did,” Nathaniel explained as he rubbed his right hand along his scarred chest. “Now… now he doesn’t have much to lose and feels that he has no value to the family because of his hand.”

That and Nathaniel (and Jean) had stuck his neck out to get him away from Riko (and the Nest). Andrew once again wanted to shake his soulmate for being such a fool, but part of him realized that he couldn’t throw stones when it came to him protecting Aaron and Nicky.

(That he’d do just as much if not more for Nathaniel.)

“What about Riko and you being a striker?” he asked as he once more nudged his soulmate.

Nathaniel grimaced as he tugged again on the hem of his sweatshirt. “With Kevin gone, Tetsuji decided that I was the best choice to replace him. There’s no chance of having anyone ready for the playoffs, but he’s determined I’ll be trained in time for next season.”

“They’re hoping for Kevin to return, one way or another, but don’t think he’ll be able to play,” Jean explained in more detail. “Since the main branch ‘happened’ to find out about Kevin’s ‘accident’, Riko’s actually had to pay for his impulsiveness, at least a little, and was sent to Baltimore for winter break.” Next to Andrew, Nathaniel twitched at the mention of his birth city, which made him think that Riko wasn’t spending time with his professional team.

“He’s going to be furious when he returns,” Nathaniel murmured against Andrew’s shoulder. “Especially since Tetsuji announced that the Ravens will play without him for at least the first round.”

That was a surprise; Andrew glanced at Jean to confirm the news and clicked his tongue when the young man nodded. “Supposedly, Riko’s too distraught to play, but we think it’s a mix of keeping him away from the press and a punishment of sorts. They announced the line-up the other day, and it’s not as if we’ll have a problem winning without him or Kevin.”

Especially when Andrew would continue to shut down the goal as much as possible, per his bargain with Riko. Reminded of the importance of his performance, he gave his sleepy soulmate a slight nudge before he slipped off the bed. “Unless there’s any more gossip I should know, I’m heading off to bed.”

“No,” Jean said while Nathaniel stretched out on his own bed, clearly exhausted and ready to fall asleep. “You know the important things.”

Andrew gave him a quick salute before he left, thoughts focused on what he’d just been told. He wasn’t happy about Nathaniel risking himself for Kevin Day, but doubted that Tetsuji would wait to punish the fool if he suspected anything. That left them with Nathaniel’s position switch, Andrew and Jean having to work harder to make up for Kevin’s lack on the court, and dealing with an even more unstable Riko.

Oh what fun.

(Andrew pondered the chances of him getting away with another ‘accidental’ death, but dammit, Riko was rarely alone and highly unlikely to get into a rigged vehicle with him.)

Ben acted happy to see him and filled him in a bit more about the ‘drama’ while he unpacked his bag, sent a few texts to Aaron and Nicky then got ready for bed; about how the fans were upset over the possibility of Kevin never playing again, and most of the strikers being unhappy about the thought of Nathaniel stepping in for Kevin next season.

Morning came all too soon; Andrew struggled through the morning workout, determined to build back the muscle he’d lost during rehab. He noticed that Riko still wasn’t back on campus, and so made a point to give long blank stares at Federov and a few others (the ones who looked too long at Nathaniel, the ones who’d slammed him around on court yesterday) as he lifted weights (too much weight, his muscles protesting the entire time which he ignored); they quickly looked aside, their expressions uncomfortable.

(The pain was worth it when Nathaniel – Nat – sat next to him at breakfast and handed over the banana one of the servers had snuck to him.)

The campus was even more an explosion of black and red as Edgar Allan showed its ‘pride’ at the team heading into the playoffs yet again (as if there’d ever been any doubt), with many students in Andrew’s classes wearing #1 and #2 jerseys and sweatshirts. There were hushed discussions about Riko and Kevin, but the students wisely didn’t approach him. That semester, he didn’t have any classes with Aaron, so he picked seats in the back row, far away from everyone else, and basically catnapped to catch up on his sleep.

Tetsuji was indeed a bastard about playoff training; their first game was against Idaho State’s Bengals, who weren’t much of a challenge, but ‘the Master’ demanded perfection (‘the Master’ was a prick). Andrew was ‘allowed’ one week of drills to get back in shape, then another week of scrimmages before the first game of the season. So much for following the doctor’s orders, but he wanted to be back in shape to defend the goal just as much as Tetsuji expected him to be, if for different reasons.

(Nathaniel kept taking the abuse while out on court from his own teammates; Andrew looked forward to the next week when he’d be out there with him, to when he would be in control of the ball and ‘oops, I didn’t realize I threw it that hard’….)

There was a sense of anxiety and uncertainty thrumming through the team as the week wore on, a nervousness that had them snarling at each other more than usual. Andrew watched on dispassionately as the Ravens postured and plotted for starting lineup, for Tetsuji’s (positive) recognition, for anything that would make them seem more important. The only time they dared to drag him into their pathetic games (Bautista and Loiseau trying to taunt him about his lack of a smile and insinuating something about him and Nathaniel), he put a stop to it real quick by asking them if they thought they could play without half their vital organs.

(He was even going to be ‘nice’ enough to leave the choice of which ones to them before they mumbled something about homework and scurried away.)

Things didn’t get any better when Riko showed up at last toward the end of the first week, sullen and appearing odd without Kevin skulking nearby like a misshapen shadow. As Nathaniel had predicted, he was an even moodier bastard than usual, especially when Tetsuji ordered him to do drills instead of practice with the team, a sign that his punishment was ongoing.

So it wasn’t much of a surprise when he approached Andrew toward the end of practice on Friday with a cruel smirk on his face. “How’s life without the drugs, Minyard?”

Andrew gave him a cool look for a couple seconds before he answered, aware of how Nathaniel and Jean slowly approached from the left. “Less medicated.”

“It’s certainly not improving your sense of humor, but your Exy skills are as good as ever, if not better,” Riko said as he eyed the red cones knocked over during Andrew’s drill practice. “I’ve good news for you, as of now, you’re #5. Someone will be here tomorrow to do your tattoo, and your new uniform will be your locker in the morning.” The glassy gleam in his eye dared Andrew to argue, especially when he glanced at Nathaniel standing a few feet away, but all Andrew did was nod once (his hands clenched around his goalie’s racquet).

It was a quiet dinner, with Nathaniel forcibly holding in what he wanted to say until they reached his room a short while later. Once the door was closed behind Andrew, he let out a harsh breath and jerked his hands through his damp curls. “Why? Why are you letting him do that? You don’t have to be perfect court, too! It’s another way for him to sink his claws into you!”

Because Andrew knew if he put up any sort of fight, Riko wouldn’t hesitate to use Nathaniel against him, and possibly Aaron as well. “Because it’s just a stupid tattoo. He’s probably doing it to balance out the fact that Kevin’s gone.” To fill the gap left in his stupid perfect court because of his own jealousy.

On the other side of the room, Jean grunted in agreement. “I agree, he’s likely trying to show it doesn’t matter, Kevin’s loss, when he can still find talent to round out his court.”

“Still, it makes it that much harder for Andrew to get away if he’s perfect court. You know Riko will think he can plan his entire Exy career now,” Nathaniel snapped.

As if Riko didn’t already have a leash on him; as long as the prick had control of Nathaniel, Andrew would ‘behave’ until he figured out a way to break his soulmate free. “At least I should get a better pro contract this way,” he said in a deadpan manner. As if he cared about such a trivial thing.

“Not funny.” Nathaniel’s brows drew together as he reached for but didn’t touch Andrew’s left cheek. “I didn’t want this for you.”

Foolish Nat, one of the very few people (besides Nicky) who seemed to give a real damn about Andrew; he found himself mirroring his soulmate’s gesture and, when Nathaniel gave a solemn nod, cupped his hand on that sharp, tattooed cheekbone. He didn’t know if he was the one to shuffle forward or if it was Nathaniel (perhaps both), but they soon were so close that he could feel Nathaniel’s warm breath against his lips, could see the flecks of grey in those pale blue eyes, could think of nothing but finding out how soft his soulmate’s full bottom lip would feel-

Then jerked back when Jean cleared his throat in a loud manner.

Nathaniel’s cheek felt hot beneath Andrew’s calloused palm, but he didn’t run away; instead he glared at Jean and barked out something in Japanese which made Jean shrug. “Should I leave?”

Andrew shook his head. “I’ll go.” At the quickly masked hurt on his soulmate’s face, he shook his head again as he gave a light caress to Nathaniel’s cheek before he forced his hand to fall aside. “Nicky’s supposed to call me, and it’s already late enough in Germany.” His cousin was an emotional moron, but what else was new?

“Okay.” Nathaniel gave him one of those slight smiles which made his chest ache and would haunt his dreams (in a good way, at least) all night; Andrew forced himself to leave and put up with a call from his overbearing cousin once back in his own room, who asked too many questions about Nathaniel and rehab. He knew Nicky was worried about him and wanted him to be ‘happy’, but the call left him drained enough that he was grateful to go to bed afterward.

(Even if he dreamed about fending off an army of faceless creatures who wanted to take Nathaniel away from him.)

It was a good thing he went to bed early, because he (and a grumbling Ben) were woken up by Akagi, who dragged him off to get tattooed first thing in the morning. Andrew didn’t think he’d ever get another face tattoo, but it was small and over with quickly, and he received many envious glares when he showed up for the morning workout with a telling bandage on his left cheek.

His teammates’ displeasure only grew when he pulled on his new uniform, but there was nothing they could do when Tetsuji nodded in approval. At least, nothing too overt, not when he was tucked into his goal. Federov and Adams were rough once again with Nathaniel, but a few well-aimed return throws convinced them of their folly in regards to targeting Andrew’s soulmate.

Aaron caught up to Andrew on Sunday, when his tattoo was uncovered; he came to a stop in the hallway and gaped at him for several seconds before he shook his head. “What the fuck. Are you so into Wesninski that you had to get matching tattoos or something?” he asked with a slight sneer which seemed forced.

Andrew gave his twin the finger. “It’s how many men I killed in rehab.”

“Yeah, I’m sure that’s it.” There was a bitter twist to Aaron’s lips for a moment, yet like always, he avoided the huge elephant in the room (so to speak). “Despite me reminding him about how much of an asshole you are, Nicky sent a bunch of gifts for you. I’ll bring them next time.”

“Okay.” Andrew waited to see if there was anything else then nodded in goodbye; as he walked away, he heard his twin mutter about how he wasn’t going to be as much of a ‘sap’ when he found his soulmate.

Andrew had already picked up a gift for Nathaniel, he was just waiting until after the game with the Bengals on Friday when they would be alone to give it to him soulmate. When they would be alone, no Jean and no drugs… he felt an unusual mix of anticipation and nervousness fill him whenever he dwelled on it. He’d thought about what could possibly happen between them if Nathaniel had any interest, now that he was off the drugs (when it was clear that his… that whatever it was between them wasn’t a part of the medication), and he had an idea of how it could proceed in a manner which would ensure that they both were willing.

They just needed a bit of privacy and space.

Unfortunately, they didn’t get that chance, because the Wednesday before the game, David Wymack reached out to Tetsuji to let him know that Kevin was staying with him and unwilling to return to Edgar Allan, that he wanted to buy out Kevin’s contract with the Ravens, which set off an already unstable Riko (it seemed the prick had been waiting for Kevin to return any day now). The psychopath strode out on court and began tearing into his own teammates, smacking their legs and backs with his racquet for any perceived infraction (imperfect form, holding their racquet wrong, etc.). For once, Nathaniel was wise enough to duck his head and stay out of the way… until Riko targeted Jean.

All it took was one swing of Riko’s racquet crashing down on Jean’s left shoulder and Nathaniel leapt to his partner’s defense, yelling in Japanese at Riko. The prick whirled around, his eyes wide enough that their whites could clearly be seen and a ‘smile’ pulled taut on his face, as he swung at Andrew’s soulmate. Nathaniel ducked the first attempt to hit him, but took the second blow as he acted like a human shield to protect his stunned partner.

Andrew was in motion as soon as he realized what his idiot soulmate was doing, uncaring about the consequences. When Riko raised his racquet again to bring it down on Nathaniel, Andrew smacked his own into it, which knocked it out of Riko’s hands. He should have stopped there, he knew, but the prick had dared to hurt Nathaniel, had been unwilling to stop, so Andrew hit him again, enough to send him crumpling to the wooden floor as he cried out in pain.

The prick out of the way, Andrew knelt next to his dazed soulmate, his arms draped over him in a protective manner, and didn’t let go until he was dragged away by several people.

*******

SO CLOSE. You gotta feel sorry for Jean, stuck with these two idiots while Jeremy is across the country and oblivious about him (I mean, Jeremy suspects, but Jean won’t let him know for certain for his own protection).

One more part, I’ll get it out soon (would I not give you a HEA??? Well, for the most part). Though I want to answer a prompt and I’ve an Old Guard idea/snippet which should be out in the next day or two.

Hmm, the earl grey tea cake which is baking smells wonderful...

#aftg #the real thing fic #andreil #andreil soulmates #raven!andrew #raven!neil #it's getting serious now #aaron minyard #jean moreau #riko moriyama #the ravens #protective andrew #one more to go

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ontheoddoccasioniwritestuff · 4 years ago

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Goodnight, Aaron (Aaron Hotchner x OC) Chapter 5

Summary: After being grilled about his ex-girlfriend on what is meant to be a fun birthday outing, Sebastian gets some new information dropped on him by a worn-out Jack.

AN: Sorry I haven't posted in a while! Been a bit busy with job and family stuff. Hope you enjoy this chapter. This chapter is mostly unedited sorry!

Tagging: @sunlight-moonrise, @clean-bands-dirty-stories, @genevievedarcygranger, and @davidrossi-ismydad

Chapter 4 // Masterlist // AO3 Link

“They asked you to coach?”

Sebastian watched Jack run off to warm up with his team, then he turned back to Hotch who clicked the car keys to lock, “Do they know what you do for a living? And they’ve asked you to coach before? Mental.”

Hotch let out a chuckle at how utterly ridiculous Sebastian made it sound. And, truth be told, it was “mental” that Hotch was still coaching his son and their team when he still had to wrangle together his own team back at the BAU.

Sebastian adjusted his bag strap, “You need to learn to say ‘no’ to some people, Aaron.”

Hotch shook his head, playing into that teasing tone that had worked its way ito the conversation, “Well I don’t suppose you would be up for it?”

“I know nothing about football.”

“Soccer.”

“Soccer,” and Hotch laughed at the way Sebastian’s nose wrinkled as he mimicked the accent – albeit with heavy exaggeration on the vowels.

“Dave!”

Hotch’s hand raised into the air, catching the attention of his co-worker. Sebastian felt the pressure crank up to eleven as David Rossi sauntered over. He did not look like he was about to coach little league. He looked like he was about to go to one of his many villas in Europe and lounge around there for two weeks drinking wine.

“David Rossi, this is Sebastian Porter.”

“Jack’s nanny, of course,” Rossi shook his hand heartily. Sebastian immediately wanted Rossi to be the cool uncle he never had.

He couldn’t think of anything wittier to say than this: “And you work with Aaron. On and off the pitch.”

“Couldn’t let him do it alone,”

“My ride’s here, so I’ll see you this evening. Nice meeting you, David.”

Though Sebastian was already behind schedule, he spared himself the embarrassment of his boss watching him lightly jogging over to his companions - and said companions clowning him for said light jogging.

“Aww, a lil peewee match?” Bellamy teased loudly, though not loud enough for the team to hear her.

Sebastian wanted to give her a playful shove, but he didn’t trust that she wouldn’t slide off her rollerblades deliberately, so instead he retorted, “Bullying kids, Bellamy? I thought you couldn’t stoop any lower.”

Klaus stopped rolling back and forth on his BMX, “Which one’s the boss then?”

“Wearing the white polo and shorts, not holding the clipboard.”

Klaus squinted behind his par of wholly unnecessary sunglasses, “Hmm, both are fit.”

“Come on, you’re staring,” and Sebastian twisted Klaus’ baseball cap around backwards before climbing onto the back of the bike.

As Klaus gave an indignant retort, he pushed off and began to cycle away. Sebastian’s hands gripped his shoulders tight and he opted to send a smile in his boss’ direction as opposed to a wave. Bellamy, the embarrassing mom type that she was, waved with both hands and skated backwards as she went.

Their afternoon sesh was off to a rocking start when Sebastian refused even one drink – sticking instead to a diet soda – while Bellamy and Klaus went for bottomless Bellini’s.

Bellamy discussed what children the new term had brought her. A short summary was that they were all little shits whom she adored and would protect with her life. That had been her track record for the part three years she had taught at this high school. The trio clinked glasses in celebration to her track record.

“Honestly, they’re so ready to get to using the Bunsen burners. It’s gonna be bonkers,” She beamed as a server brought her a refilled glass, “Can’t wait to bust out the copper.”

“As much as I love you talking science to me,” Klaus paused to put on a solemn mask that was cracked from the triumph he was wearing beneath, “We have to talk about Pippa while I’m still partially sober.”

When both his friends zeroed in on him whilst sipping their Bellini’s through straws, Sebastian all but exploded with excuses, “Oh my god, I get it! You told me so! It’s been a month! Can we drop it?”

“You went back to her!” Klaus ignored Sebastian’s “I know’s” with his head craning to reach over his friend’s voice, “After everything she did to you! You that desperate for attention?”

“Yeah!”

Both Bellamy and Klaus ceased their teasing, Klaus dropping back into his chair as he said, “Woah, ok, sorry dude.”

“It’s ok.”

Bellamy took Sebastian’s glass away, “Babe, that’s really depressing, you sure you haven’t been drinking?” She took a long sniff, her nose twirling around the rim before sliding it back to Sebastian, “No, he really is that deep.”

“Ha ha.”

Both Bellamy and Klaus sobered up considerably, the tone of their voices shifting into quiet support as Bellamy draped her arm around Sebastian’s shoulders, “I’m glad you got out of it, Bash.”

“Me too. And Rachael.”

“Ooo, how is Rachael?” Klaus pushed his sunglasses up his nose. How he looked like such a douchebag, shades on indoors, yet so happy with that status, Sebastian didn’t care to think about right now.

“She’s got a job in a firm now, big proper one.”

“Oooh! Can she get me out of my parking tickets?”

Suddenly the lights dimmed and Bellamy whipped out her phone, grinning behind it as Klaus looked up and around with a baby’s curiosity.

A troop of servers marched over with the birthday cake Bellamy had dropped off earlier that day. Its bright red buttercream icing Klaus went very quiet, a bashful smile glowing in the candlelight as the restaurant turned its attention to sing “Happy Birthday” to him.

“Happy Birthday, Klaus.” Bellamy and Sebastian kissed both his cheeks at the same time, a perfect photo op that one of the servers took for them.

The birthday boy was gracious enough to share his cake and give Sebastian a ride home after a few more drinks. Of water, Sebastian insisted that Klaus sober up a little so they weren’t going to crash the bike before his night out.

At the crossroads, Bellamy turned left when they went right, her arm stretching out to them like she was watching her loved one get shipped off to war. Sebastian was dropped off shortly after, just outside the block of flats, and Klaus was already off before Sebastian could tackle him with a hug. So he shouted after him. Nothing expletive, but it was enough for Klaus to look over his shoulder and smirk, swerving not a second later to avoid an incoming pedestrian.

When Sebastian entered the flat, Hotch and Rossi were in the sitting room, lounging in the settee over a bottle of whiskey artistically placed on the coffee table.

“Hey, how was the training?”

“Tough, but those kids are tougher.” Rossi raised his drink to his statement, and Sebastian thought about how he could subtly slide some adoption papers across the coffee table.

“Do you want a drink?” Hotch asked.

Already going to the kitchen, Sebastian checked in the stew he’d prepped that morning in the slow cooker, “I’m good, thanks.” He was a little peeved that he’d spent the afternoon sober, especially during the bashing of the ex-girlfriend, but he could always grab a nightcap later on. “Where’s Jack?”

“I SCORED A GOAL!”

Sebastian smile strained as he saw the state of Jack’s shorts once he rounded the corner to the kitchen. His shirt was off; clearly he was in the middle of getting changed.

“That’s brilliant, but if you come at me with them muddy keks, I’ll score a goal with you! Come back in your jammies and we’ll celebrate properly.” And he shooed Jack away to the bathroom. The star striker to be disappeared, his muddy rear skidding into his bedroom with the door closing quick behind him.

“‘Keks’?” Rossi repeated with an eyebrow raised.

So Sebastian clarified, “Trousers.”

“You mean pants.”

Sebastian narrowed his eyes at Hotch’s so-called correction before saying again, “No, keks.”

Thankfully they saw the funny side of it, allowing a hint of strain to drop from Sebastian’s shoulders just in time for Jack to come running back in. This time, he was wearing pyjamas.

Sebastian caught him neatly and plonked him on the countertop, “Tell me all about practice!”

As Sebastian prepared the rest of dinner, Jack babbled away about the training and his teammates. His energy by comparison to the other conversation between Hotch and Rossi caused theirs to stagnate in favour of joining in. Sebastian carried Jack across to the other counters without impeding his speech, keeping an eye on him and the food, while Hotch and Rossi joined in the storytelling.

At Jack’s description of Hotch and Rossi’s demonstration of a paired-up passing game, Sebastian’s abandoned phone began to buzz.

“Sorry Jack, I gotta get this. But why don’t you set the table?” Sebastian took him back down to Earth and shuffled him in the direction of the cutlery drawer before he picked up his mobile, “Hey, what are you doing up? Go to bed, young lady.”

Rachael replied with a heftier helping of snarkasm, “I’m in bed at the moment actually. Have you rung Mum and Dad yet?”

“I have, don’t worry,”

“Ok. Just checking.”

“Texting exists, you know? Not that I don’t delight at the sound of your grumpiness.”

“Yeah, well, you’re starting to sound more American.”

Casting an eye over to see Jack was nattering away to Hotch and Rossi, Sebastian whispered, “Shut your goddamn mouth.”

“I’ll call you after work. Love you, bye.”

“Bye.”

Sebastian hung up then slapped his free palm against his face.

Hotch caught his attention, leaning ever so slightly into his range of vision with concern, “Are you alright?”

“Forgot to say I love you, she’s gonna hold that against me for five years at least.”

As the person dishing up and the last to get to the table, Sebastian sat beside Rossi with Jack opposite him and Hotch diagonally across. There was a tautness in Sebastian’s back as he tried desperately not to gauge Rossi’s reaction to his food.

Instead Rossi reminded him of their meeting earlier, “Interesting choice in mode of transport today.”

Like a deer in the headlights, Sebastian tripped his way through his explanation, “Thanks, we’re desperately trying to reclaim our youth.” Then he popped a forkful of meat into his mouth to excuse him from further conversation.

Except Jack didn’t get the memo. “Who were you talking to on the phone?”

“My sister, Rachael, she’s got a big case on tomorrow.”

“She’s a lawyer,” Rossi pointed across the table with his fork, “Hotch was a defence attorney.”

The information was so shiny and new to Sebastian, that he forgot to implement his “you’re my boss” filter and he said, “You look for ‘intimidating’ in your job descriptions?”

No time for regret, Jack once against filled the space. “Intimidating?”

“Yeah, intimidating, big into justice, likes his suit,” and instead of back down, Sebastian leant over his plate as if to tell a secret, and Jack opposite him leant close too as Sebastian said, “Your dad’s basically Batman.”

Jack’s face lit up at the comparison, one he had made in the past, and he continued to grin as he ate his stew.

“Anyway, our kid’s following up on some advice about getting my deposit back from my bedsit. Landlord’s being an absolute bad word.”

“If you want, I can take a look at it,” Hotch offered.

Sebastian looked back at Jack with fond bemusement, “Told you, your dad’s Batman, just no billions minus the brutality.”

Hotch’s cutlery slipped and collided loudly with his plate as Sebastian said, “It’s all good, thank you. I just sent him some photos of what the mattress looked like when I first moved in, should get him to give up.”

The conversation stagnated from Sebastian, still worn out word-wise from his afternoon drinking non-drinking outing, so he was grateful for the fact he finished first and Jack finished second.

“We can leave the grown-ups now,” he said in a loud whisper, already walking off with Jack to his bedroom.

Over his shoulder, he heard Rossi say not so quietly an I-told-you-so about how “men can be nannies” and that Sebastian was a good choice. While Sebastian was relieved at he had made a good impression on Rossi, he was not so much feeling the inferred sexism his boss held. Still, he was hired now. Microaggressions could be tackled when he got to them.

Cross-legged on the carpet, Jack set about demolishing the rocket. Bricks flew across his little zone of construction. One stray red brick hit Sebastian right between his sock and his cuffed jeans.

“What are we on today, bud? Pirate ship?”

But Jack was quiet. His energy levels were definitely crashing after such a big day. Sebastian gave him space to answer if he wanted, taking charge of organising the bricks into sizes for Jack to pick from.

When there was no reply for a solid minute, Sebastian asked, “You ok?”

For a while, Jack continued his silence. He was busy looking for a very specific shape of brick. His fingers searched over the top of the pile then dove into it, fishing out the perfect piece. Then he spoke.

“Batman beats up the bad guys,” Jack said, his voice hushed, “But so does Daddy.”

Sebastian blinked then recovered just as quick, “Oh I’m not sure about that.”

But Jack shook his head with his eyes still on assembling his boat, “He beat up the man who killed Mommy. Don’t tell him, it’s a secret.”

“A secret from him?” Sebastian didn’t know he was whispering too until he had already spoken.

“He doesn’t know we know. Can you make the mast please?”

And Jack held out a square block. Sebastian blinked again and accepted the piece. Clearly Jack thought this was a very casual conversation, something that Sebastian should keep from Hotch very easily. And he was making a ship.

“Jack, have you told that to anyone else?”

“No.”

“How tall do you want the mast?”

Jack measured with the space between his hands. Taking note, Sebastian continued to stack bricks until the desired height was reached, and Jack took it off his hands, placing it in the middle of the boat.

“I’m gonna get a drink. Do you want anything?”

The little guy shook his head, now completely absorbed in his construction projects. With a pat on his head, Sebastian twisted his legs around to stand and went to stand in the hallway. The door closed behind him and he pressed his forehead against the wall. He took a deep breath, rolling his head to the left, and pushed back his shoulders. A crack from his neck introduced him to the kitchen, where he tossed a half smile at Hotch and Rossi. Then he busied himself with getting that drink. A few drops of water splashed against his wrist.

“Hey Sebastian?”

Said person looked around to see Rossi rocking on the back legs of his chair, “I don’t suppose Hotch ever told you that, when you were taking your trial day, he nearly called you every hour to see how you were doing?”

“Dave,” Hotch said with something that was clearly intended to be a warning tone. The smile he was fighting to keep off his face betrayed him.

“No, he didn’t.” He hid his smirk in his glass. It dropped fast though. The Batman comments were still heavy in his mind, and now with Jack’s context on the brutality aspect, he wasn’t really jazzed to crack another joke lest he stumble across some more unfortunate information.

Rossi didn’t seem to care about that so much, “I had to micromanage his micromanaging.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t’ve minded that.” Sebastian’s foot idly dragged across the tile in front of him, “I’m sure Jack wouldn’t’ve either. And speaking of-” He pulled out his phone and pulled up the website he and Jack had browsed during breakfast, “I have a very important question for you: can we get this bouncy castle for Jack’s birthday?”

He showed the photo of the dream castle to the two men.

“You mean a ‘bounce house’?”

“No, I mean bouncy castle. He was telling me all about wanting a slide one, he’d be over the moon if he got to bring his classmates around to go on one!”

“I suppose if we removed all my furniture and knocked down the walls, we could fit it in here,” Hotch said smartly. His eyebrows were raised as he looked away from the screen at Sebastian, who snorted. God, it wasn’t even that funny.

Once again, Rossi chimed in with his brilliant contributions, saving Sebastian from utter shame, “You know, we could have the party at my home.”

#aaron hotchner #aaron hotchner imagine #aaron hotchner x oc #aaron hotchner fanfiction #criminal minds #criminal minds imagine #criminal minds fanfic #criminal minds x oc #my writing #r: male #wc: 2k+#series #goodnight aaron

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sticky-wicket-urn · 4 years ago

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IPL Round Up: Week 1

Toby Reynolds, 18/04/2021

It is one week into the start of the IPL and to everyone’s surprise, Mumbai Indians are not top! RCB have taken the tournament by storm, winning three from three under Virat Kohli’s leadership. At the other end of the table, Sunrises Hyderabad are propping up the table without a win. Although they have played two of the top sides, pundits and fans expected a much better start for Hydrabad.

Royal Challengers Bangalore

RCB have always had a star-studded side but this seems to be the year that it has finally come together. Kohli has moved to the top of the order to replace Aaron Finch, allowing Maxwell to slip in at number four. Maxwell went all of last season without scoring a fifty or hitting any sixes. This season everything seems to have clicked for him and he has returned to the player we know him to be. Maxwell is the leading run scorer with 176 runs at an average of almost 60 with a strike rate of 150. He has been ably assisted by AB de Villiers, who has come in towards the end of the innings and really excelled with a strike rate of 190! He has played two match winning performances so far: taking RCB right to the death against Mumbai and hit 76 against KKR today.

RCB have also been helped on the bowling front by leading wicket taker Harshal Patel and New Zealand pace man Kyle Jamieson. Patel took five in the first match and has continued his form since. Jamieson has been more expensive than Patel but has also chipped in with some handy runs down the order. RCB also have a threatening spin trio of Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed and Yuzvendra Chahal. All have had impacts on the matches but none with a match winning performance. As the tournament continues, I expect them to take more wickets and become more dangerous with the balls due to the pitches wearing.

Delhi Capitals

Last years runners up have had a varied start to season with a high scoring win and tight loss. They have an Indian packed batting line up with fifties for Dhawan, Shaw and Pant so far and have relied on Woakes in the first match and Rabada in the second to take wickets alongside opening bowler Avesh Khan. Surprise package of last season, Anrich Nortje is yet to play due to Woakes’ performances in the first matches while Nortje was playing for South Africa. It is likely he will come in for Tom Curran or Steve Smith as the tournament progresses. Curran has struggled to make a good impact on the tournament so far, being hit by Chris Morris to lose the match against Rajasthan and Smith can interchange with Indian vice captain Ajinkya Rahane as an anchor at number three.

Delhi will be hoping for their top order too keep making runs and converting their fifties into large scores and hopefully hundreds. Aussie all rounder, Marcus Stoinis has failed to score many runs yet and was hit for 15 in his one over of the tournament but todays innings bodes well as he guided Delhi to what turned out to be an easy chase after Dhawan batted very impressively for his 92.

Mumbai Indians

Rohit Sharma’s side were heavy favourites before the tournament started and since their first match against RCB have shown why. They lost a tight first match but have since shown they can hold their nerve against KKR and Sunrises in two matches that went right down to the wire. Rahul Chahar and Krunal Pandya have used the spinning wickets of Chennai well and are leading the attack well with Bumrah and Boult dominating at the death with perfect execution of their yorkers.

Their three matches have been low scorers with no side passing 160 yet which hasn’t allowed for their long batting line up to show off its skill. Suryakumar Yadav has continued his form from 2020 and leads their side in runs scored and is the only player in their squad to pass fifty. The return of Quinton de Kock seems to have made their batting line up more rounded, even after Lynn scored 49 in their season opener but Pollard and Hardik Pandya have not managed to find their form from the last few seasons as finishers.

Chennai Super Kings

CSK are surprisingly high on this table in my opinion (even if it due to Net Run Rate). They have a very mixed squad. It is full of all rounders with Bravo and Thakur down at numbers nine and ten, but their average age is extraordinarily high. They have six players over the age of 35 and half of their squad over 30. Dhoni seemed to have lost it a bit last year in the UAE and hasn’t found the form he had in the early years of the tournament.

Sam Curran and Moeen Ali are the two English players in the squad and have both been in fine form so far. Moeen Ali has shown why he was wasted sitting on the RCB bench over the past few years. He is their top scorer after two matches and is striking at 150, while Sam Curran is coming in lower down the order but still smashing the ball all round the park. He has a strike rate over 200 and won the battle against his older brother in the first match, taking him for over 20 in an over.

CSK failed to win the first match after a slow start meant they put up a score of 188, well below par and allowed the Delhi Capitals to chase it down with eight balls spare. In the second match, Deepak Chahar tore through the Punjab Kings top order taking 4-13 and limiting Punjab to 106 before they chased it down in 15 overs.

Rajasthan Royals

The English contingent of the IPL have had two ok first games. They have heavily relied on captain Sanju Samson in the first match, who blasted his third IPL century and was a few metres away from hitting a six off the final ball and carrying his side home to victory against Punjab Kings. The main controversy of this match was that Samson turned down a single off the penultimate ball to put Chris Morris on strike needing four to win. Morris was visibly angry to be sent back by his captain but in my opinion, Samson was more likely to hit a boundary (either the six needed to win or a four to take it to a super over) than his South African counterpart. The one criticism I have would be that Samson could have possibly come back for two and sacrificed Morris at the non-strikers end but would have risked running himself out.

Morris then showed why he Samson should have taken the single in the Royals second match, bludgeoning 36 from 18 after David Miller fell for 62. After the match, Morris said he knew his role was to slog at the end and was happy to do it for the team.

The biggest new for Rajasthan was that Ben Stokes would be out for three months and the rest of the tournament due to a fractured finger in the first match. This allows fellow Englishman Jos Buttler to slide up to the top of the order and Miller to take his place in the middle order. Buttler had an outstanding tournament a few years ago after he moved to the top of the order for Rajasthan and dominated so it is not all bad news for Royals fans.

Kolkata Knight Riders

Before the tournament, I predicted KKR would just about make the cut for the playoffs due to Eoin Morgan’s captaincy and their world class overseas players. This hasn’t been the case yet. Morgan has failed to fire with the bat; Russel, one of the most devastating batsmen ever in both T20 cricket and the IPL, has been more use with the ball; and both Shakib and Cummins haven’t made the biggest impact yet. I am sure this will soon change though.

For the first three matches, KKR have relied on their home grown talent at the top of the order to score their runs. Rana, Gill and Tripathi have all made runs at a good rate but KKR have failed to push on from being in good positions in matches with a lack of quick runs down the order. Against Mumbai, “DreRus” took 5-15 from two to slow Mumbai in the final few overs. However, he then struggled with the bat and scored a tentative 9 from 15 as KKR fell 10 runs short.

KKR have failed to win the tight matches so far which seems to be due to a lack of finishing ability from the middle order, if they can fix this problem (and with Morgan as captain, I am sure they can) then I think they have a good chance of finishing in the top four.

Punjab Kings

Even with KL “King Legend” Rahul averaging over 70 at 150, Punjab Kings (formerly King’s XI Punjab) have struggled so far this year. They have just lost to Dehli Capitals after setting an impressive 195 to win but their inexperienced bowling line up failed to defend it. Rahul and Agrawal put on 122 with Agrawal smashing 69 from 36, while his partner crawled along to 61 off 51 before Hooda and Shahrukh Khan came in to blast the ball round at the end.

This was the second high scoring match they have been apart of. They have a strong and experienced top order but have a younger and less experienced bowling line up and almost no tail a Richardson bats at number seven. Arshdeep Singh is only 22 and this is both Meredith and Richardson’s first seasons in the IPL. Shami is their only seam bowler over 25, but is backed up by two experience spinners. You could see this inexperience in the match vs Delhi as Dhawan took the game away from Punjab. As the tournament progresses, it will be interesting to see how the younger players will adapt to conditions and deal with an increase in pressure and if Punjab try to lengthen their batting lineup.

Sunrises Hyderabad

David Warner’s side are sat at the bottom of the table without a win. They have lost three close matches. With three players in the top 11 for runs scorers so far, you might expect such a strong squad to be further up the table, but the lack of power hitters down the order seems to be catching up with Sunrises. Bairstow slotted in at number four in the first matches to accommodate for Saha up the top and performed well but struggled to stay at the crease during the key moments. He was caught slogging across the line when Hyderabad were in a commanding position, causing a batting collapse and loss against KKR and has since moved back up to opening.

Hyderabad have been changing their team a huge amount so far during the IPL. They have played six overseas players, as well as having Kane Williamson on the sideline. Hyderabad were often selected as the side most likely to steal the crown from Mumbai before the season started but unless they can find some finishers, it seems unlikely that this will happen.

Rashid Khan, as usual, has been performing very well. He has four wickets with an economy rate of 5.33. He hasn’t blown any teams away yet, but arguably more importantly, his economy is under six, building pressure and helping others in the side take wickets. If he can keep this up, it is likely Hyderabad will continue restricting oppositions to low totals.

Predictions

From the first week it is always hard to tell how the season will progress. I think it is likely that Mumbai, RCB and Delhi will progress to the knock-out stages but the fourth place is up for grabs. Right now I think I would go for KKR, just because they haven’t hit their heights yet and I can see them start winning matches they shouldn’t if Morgan and Russell get into form.

#cricket #ipl #ipl 2021 #rcb #mumbai indians #csk #delhi capitals #rajasthan royals #kkr #punjab kings #sunrisers hyderabad #virat kohli #kohli #kohlibait #dhoni

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torentialtribute · 5 years ago

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Premier League 2019-20 team guide: Liverpool to be Manchester City’s closest title rivals

The new Premier League Season is coming.

While some teams are looking for last-minute transfer deals, others have more confidence in their current team.

Sportsmail gives the completion of each team this season.

Chelsea would do well to put this in the top four season to end under new manager Frank Lampard

Arsenal – last season: 5th

What's new: Arsenal spends £ 72m on one player, even in installments . The arrival of Ivory Coast winger Nicolas Pepe has given fans hope for a return to the Champions League.

Who They Want: Celtic Left Back Kieran Tierney could arrive before the end of the window.

Bookies say: Gunners are 5-4 to get back in the top four.

We say: Terrifying front three but still plagued by the same problems at the back.

Spent: £ 105m

Players in: 4

Received: £ 11.5 m

Aston Villa – last season: promoted

What's new: Play-offs championships last season, now the sixth largest in Europe. Twelve new signings, including both Tyrone Mings and the Brazilian striker Wesley on more than £ 20m each. At least things.

Who They Want: After all those releases, Villa could still be on the market for Leeds midfielder Kalvin Phillips.

Bookies say: Only Man Utd has spent more, but Villa has yet to fall 2-1.

We say: Who knows? Could be inspired, could be Fulham all over again.

Spent: £ 134m

Players in: 12

Received: £ 0 m

Bournemouth – last season: 14th

What's new: A £ 100,000-week contract for Striker Callum Wilson. Huge money, but vital for Eddie Howe. Will thrive from the service of Ryan Fraser and new £ 16m winger Arnaut Danjuma.

Who they want: With a crisis in midfield, the cherries are talking about a movement of 25m Liverpool winger Harry Wilson.

Bookies say: 9-2 are banned only 5-1 for a top-10 finish.

We say: Insert a pin in the middle of the table.

Spent: £ 48m

Players in: 4

Received: [19459175] £ 31m

Brighton – last season: 17th

[1945902] What's new: Graham Potter has replaced the fired Chris Hughton who could see Brighton playing more offensive football under the former Swansea boss . Stalwart defends that Bruno has also retired.

Who They Want: Breaking their transfer record and signed 22m in the center behind Adam Webster from Bristol City. Plan now to keep Leicester away from Lewis Dunk.

Bookies say: 2-1 to go down, firing Potter's third favorite first.

We say: Another relegation battle.

Spent: £ 43m

Players in: 4

Received: £ 0m

Burnley – last season: 15th

What's new: No European distraction for Burnley this season, which seriously hampered the first half of their campaign in the past term. Have resigned from Jay Rodriguez in a £ 10 million deal.

Who They Want: Burnley signed goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell of Leeds after selling Tom Heaton to Villa.

Bookies say: Relegation scrap on the cards, 2-1 before the drop.

We say: Should be safe, but no chance of challenging to weather & # 39; Best of the Rest & # 39; to be.

Spent: £ 14m

Players in:

Received: £ 8m

Chelsea – last season: 3rd

What's new: Frank Lampard is back to replace Maurizio Sarri, Eden Hazard has left and Christian Pulisic has arrived to buy Belgian boots fill one year after signing at Chelsea under a transfer embargo.

Who They Want: Chelsea defeated their 72-hour transfer ban to permanently secure Mateo Kovacic & # 39; s loan from Real Madrid. They can't do anything anymore.

Bookies say: 40-1 to win the title.

We say: Lost their best player. Unproven manager.

Crystal Palace – last season: 12th

What's new: Aaron Wan-Bissaka has joined £ 50 million with Manchester United while Wilfried Zaha is desperate to proceed to. The permanent signing of Jordan Ayew is hardly inspiring.

Who They Want: Zaha locked himself up in Roy Hodgson's basement until the transfer period expired. Palace has rejected a £ 14 million bid for CSKA striker Fedor Chalov.

Bookies say: The stands, the Eagles must be in order at 1-5 to survive.

We say: If they lose Zaha, problems arise.

Spent: £ 2.5 m

Players in: 2

Received: £ 50m

Everton – last season: 8th

What's new: Everton has done some smart business. Andre Gomes joined Fabian Delph for good. Losing Idrissa Gueye to PSG is a major blow, but has been replaced by Mainz’s Jean-Philippe Gbamin.

Who They Want: Moise Kean of Juventus and the £ 36m seems to be ready after the 19-year-old rejected a move to Arsenal.

Bookies say: It is between the Toffees, Leicester and Wolves to finish seventh. All 4-1.

We say: We can be the difference.

Spent: £ 54m

] Players in: 3

Received: £ 60m

Leicester- last season: 9th

What's new: ] Brendan Rodgers has £ 85 million to spend after Harry Maguire has joined Manchester United for a record amount for one defender. Youri Tielemans and Ayoze Perez have strengthened Leicester's sixth bid.

Who They Want: Lewis Dunk, James Tarkowski and Nathan Ake are all on the list to replace Maguire. Rodgers also really wants a different winger.

Bookies say: 4-1 for a top-six finish.

We say: Maguire loss is a blow but Leicester in good shape to push the elite.

Spent: £ 77m

Players in: 3

Received: £ 85m

Liverpool – last season: 2nd

What's new: Not much actually. Jurgen Klopp has chosen to give the Champions League winners a boost for the future with youngsters Sepp van den Berg and Fulham & Harvey Elliott.

Who they want: Klopp is happy with his fate. A reunion with the grace of Barca star Philippe Coutinho has been rumors but never really considered.

Bookies say: Second favorites for the title at 9-4 against odds-on City.

We say: The nearest rivals of the city once again.

Spent: £ 1.5 m

Players in: 2

Received: £ 22m

Manchester City – last season: 1st

[1945902] What's new: How does it improve your perfection? By signing Atletico Madrid midfielder Rodri for £ 62m. The departure of Vincent Kompany will leave a gap of enormous leadership and experience.

Who They Want: Pep Guardiola wants Kyle Walker's back cover and looks at Joao Cancelo from Juventus, who would cost £ 53 million.

Bookies say: Give them the trophy already. Chances for a third consecutive title.

We say: Only Liverpool can stop them.

Spent: £ 81m

Players in: 3

Received: £ 30m

Manchester United – last season: 6th

What's new: & # 39; The world's most expensive defender, £ 85m Harry Maguire. The future of Paul Pogba, while Romelu Lukaku could leave.

Who they want: Juventus striker Paulo Dybala, ideally in an exchange agreement for Lukaku. Even Cristiano Ronaldo gave his two penneth and urged Dybala to join.

Bookies say: Tipped for the top four, but Solskjaer still favorite to be fired first.

We say: We will fight for the top four despite their hefty spending.

Spent: £ 144m

Players in: 3

Received: £ 0m

Newcastle – last season: 13th

What's new: A new manager in Steve Bruce, replacing Rafa Benitez, and a £ 40m club record that Joelinton signs. Outside the field it is the same old frustration with the despised owner Mike Ashley.

Who They Want: The arrival of Nice winger Allan Saint-Maximin is now complete, while Bruce has said things about more deals are bubbling & # 39;

Bookies say: Relegation air combat beckons. Magpies go down 2-1.

We say: Bruce has a job to keep up with them.

Spent: £ 57m

Players in: 4

Received: £ 32m

Norwich – last season: promoted

What's new: Six new acquisitions for the champion winners, but Norwich has not split too much. Striker Josip Drmic who participated in a free transfer from Borussia Mönchengladbach the most exciting.

Who They Want: Norwich wants to permanently sign Jordan Rhodes, which borrowed it from the club last season, from Sheffield Wednesday.

Bookies say: Evens for an immediate return to the championship.

We say: Will have trouble staying up.

Spent: £ 4m

Players in: 6

Received: £ 1,5m

Sheffield United – last season: promoted

What's new: The £ 20m club record arrival of Oli McBurnie from Swansea has completed an exciting summer for Chris Wilder & # 39; s side, who have added some essential Premier League experience to Phil Jagielka.

Who They Want: Wilder is still believed to be interested in taking Everton to defend Mason Holgate on loan, but is facing competition from West Brom.

Bookies say: The chance to go straight down.

We say: The goals of McBurnie will be the key.

Spent: £ 42m

Players in: 7

Received: £ 0m

Southampton – last season: 16th

What's new: Saints fans have seen too many attackers flatter to cheat to praise Che Adams, but they are hopeful that he will miss it immediately Danny Ings can hit.

Who They Want: Ralph Hasenhuttl, a man who has blown positivity into a group that has fallen into disrepair under Mark Hughes, should not shorten his team.

Bookies say: Opportunities to end up in the lower half again.

We say: No relegation this time.

Spent: £ 50m

Players in: [19459175] 3

Received: £ 20m

Tottenham – last season: 4th

[1945902] What's new: Daniel Levy, not known for his large spending, has written a check of £ 63 million, it club record shattered and then the French midfielder Tanguy Ndombele tempted to North London.

Who They Want: Fulham left back Ryan Sessegnon appears to be on the eve of a £ 30 million move.

Bookies say: 22-1 for the title – and the same prize for the Champions League!

We say: Too good to go backwards, not good enough to crack the top two.

Players in: 2

Received: £ 30m

Watford – last season: 11th

What's new: Craig Dawson, at 29, must seamlessly connect to the side that was on average the oldest in the top flight last season. Otherwise the Pozzo wallet remained largely unopened this summer.

Who they want: Nobody seems to be working on the principle that after a top finish for 24 years and a definitive FA FA look, what to repair?

Bookies say: 11-4 to improve a place and to play a top-half finish.

We say: A solid side that will work well.

Spent: £ 8m

Players in: 3

Received: £ 20m

West Ham – last season: 10th

What's new: Sebastien Haller, drawn from Frankfurt for £ 45m, takes the & # 39; idolized striker & # 39; after the unlikely exit of Marko Arnautovic.

Who They Want: Preseason shipping targets means that Manuel Pellegrini wants to cover the back, with Gary Cahill and Aaron Long on his list.

Bookies say: Tenth last year they are 6-5 to finish the top 10 again.

We say: Last three seasons – 11th, 13th and 10th. Mid-table maybe?

Spent: £ 70m

Players in: 4

Received: ] £ 41m

Wolves – last season: 7th

What's new: Europa League football and an increased sense of expectation on the back of last season's beautiful seventh placed finish. Striker Patrick Cutrone from Milan is the star who draws in a calm summer.

Who they want: World Cup winner Sami Khedira, out of favor with Juventus, is on the radar.

Bookies say: The best of the last term, Wolves are 4-1 to repeat the performance.

We say: Thursday / Sunday calendar can hinder the hope of the seventh again impeding.

£ 82m

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#Premier League 2019-20 team guide: Liverpool to be Manchester City’s closest title rivals"

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lisaa133morris · 3 years ago

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Higuain Five goals in six games

The team’s main goal is to get into the Champions League zone. The team has already managed to get to the last 16 of the Europa League and will be able to get even more points.

The coach of the team is Julen Lopetegui, who has managed to bring the team to the Champions league zone for the first time in its history.

In the current season, the team will have a lot of chances to get the coveted title. The following players are the main contenders for the title:

1. Alvaro Negredo. The forward scored a lot in the Champions tournament and has already scored a goal in the current tournament. He is a real leader of the club.

2. Marcelino. The Argentine is a great midfielder who is able to distribute the ball and make the team play in a more attacking manner.

3. Diego Costa. The Costa is a very good goalkeeper and has always been one of the main leaders of the squad.

4. Sergio Agüero. The Spaniard is a good player who has already made a lot.

5. Willian. The Brazilian is the main striker of the Portuguese team and has scored a great number of goals.

6. Pepe. The Portuguese is a fantastic player who is always ready to score a goal.

7. Bruno. The midfielder is a leader of his team and is able not only to distribute but also to score goals. The main goal of the “Lives” is to win the Champions title.

All of these players are ready to help the team win the title. You can always follow the livescore of the game on the website of sports statistics.

The current season of the Champions is very interesting, because the team has a lot to play for. The current season is the first in which the team plays in the Europa league. The previous season, they played in the national cup. The club has already won the cup and will do its best to get more points in the tournament.

You can follow the current livescore on the sports statistics website. The information about the game is updated in real time, which allows you to follow the development of events.

Upcoming matches of the EPL

The English Premier League is one of Europe’ s most interesting championships. The season is in full swing, and the EFL Cup is also very interesting.

This season, there are several interesting matches, which will affect the results of the tournament:

* “Liverpool” vs. “Manchester City”;

* “Chelsea” versus “Arsenal”.

Both matches are extremely important for the team. The first one is a chance to get a place in the group stage of the League, and it is very important for them to get there. The second match is a fight for the champion title. If the team wins, it will have the chance to enter the Champions club. The last match is an opportunity to get in the European zone.

Now, the Epl is very busy, so it is important to follow all the news. You will be aware of all the matches and be the first to learn about the results.

Results of the matches of EPL table

The EPL is a tournament for the strongest teams. The strongest teams are the ones that play in the top divisions. The Epl table is a place where the strongest clubs are ranked.

Each season, hundreds of matches are held in the E PL table. It is important for a team to be in the list of the strongest to enter in the next season. The teams that are in the first place of the table will get into a group with the teams that have the best results. The group stage is very difficult, because it is necessary to fight against the teams from the lower divisions.

At the moment, the strongest team is Manchester City. The Citizens have won the league for the last three years in a row. The squad of Josep Guardiola is very strong and is ready to fight for gold medals.

However, the Citizens have a problem. The players are tired of playing in the English Premier league. They want to play in La Liga. The City has a great opportunity to win gold medals this season. It has a good lineup and a good coach. The problem is that the team does not have a good goalkeeper.

If the Citizens manage to get rid of this problem, they will be in a very strong position. The goalkeeper will not only protect the goal, but also make a save from the opponent.

It is very easy to follow EPL results on the site of sports information. You just need to choose the team that interests you and click on the team”s name. The results of matches of this team are updated in a real time mode.

Main EPL fixtures

The main EPL fixture is the match between Manchester City and Liverpool. The game will be held on the first https://azscore.com weekend of the month. The match is important not only for the Citizens, but for all the teams in the Premier league table.

Liverpool is the current champion of England, and this season it will try to win its second title. Manchester City is a team that is in a great shape.

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tooneysunited · 4 years ago

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Well right now with Laia out it seem like Jana is our back up CB and AMC is our back up RB and RW and since he won't play Gio also our third back up striker. Laia is the back up CB when healthy and I presume Jana moves to back up RB. Laia was also becoming the back up LB and he was playing her there to the point where I was wondering if she was going to become the starting LB

its so sad how little game time the kids get like patri is back up cb before jana when jana is clearly good enough to start games especially against lower table teams 😭

laia as left back is interesting altho I prefer her as bc I think. and amc is really lluis’ wild card uses her for every position lol

#anon #like if mapi or pere get injured lol 🤡🤡

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techcrunchappcom · 4 years ago

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New Post has been published on https://techcrunchapp.com/premier-league-predictions-surprise-arsenal-stalemate-football-news/

Premier League predictions: Surprise Arsenal stalemate? | Football News

A first 0-0 in four years at home for Arsenal? Our betting expert ‘Jones Knows’ makes his Premier League predictions to find some angles to consider for the weekend action.

Southampton vs Everton, Sunday, – 2pm, live on Super Sunday

This should be a fine way to start your Sunday of live sport.

Both teams are playing with bags of confidence in forward areas and seemingly have plenty of faith in what their respective managers are trying to achieve.

Since beating Watford at the end of November, only Liverpool, Man City and Man Utd have won more points than the Saints while Everton have won 43 points from Carlo Ancelotti’s 25 Premier League games in charge – again only Liverpool, City and United have taken more.

So, this could be defined as a ‘top-six’ clash based on current form.

Richarlison, James Rodriguez and Seamus Coleman have all been ruled out for Everton though which does slightly tip the scales in favour of Saints but once again then it’s the price of the draw that makes most appeal at 12/5.

One area Everton will find joy will be from set-pieces. No team has scored more goals than them from corners and free-kicks this season (6) and no team has created more chances from such situations (12).

Michael Keane and Yerry Mina are big threats, especially Mina, who is one of the best in world football at attacking a high ball. The 18/1 for him to score with a header is an insult to his prowess and is firmly on my betting radar this weekend.

JONES KNOWS PREDICTS: 1-1 (5/1 with Sky Bet)

ALSO LOOK OUT FOR: Yerry Mina to score a header at 18/1

Wolves vs Newcastle, Sunday – 4.30pm, live on Super Sunday

When Newcastle took an early lead against Manchester United last weekend, they shot up to fourth in Premier League table.

Yet, at the full-time whistle after a 4-1 defeat, #BruceOut was trending across social media.

It’s a narrative that will be shot down by ‘football people’ within football circles but there is a reason the Toon are fourth favourites to get relegated this season despite a healthy return of seven points. The performance metrics show that Newcastle have faced the most shots on target (38) and shots per game (17.2) in the Premier League this season.

Can Steve Bruce defy the data once again? Only time will tell.

But for this weekend, Wolves look a reasonably solid proposition to take maximum points at around 4/5 with Sky Bet. No team has won more Premier League games since February 23 than Wolves, who are the kings of getting the job done in their pragmatic style. An edgy 1-0 win with a winner coming in the second half makes sense.

JONES KNOWS PREDICTS: 1-0 (5/1 with Sky Bet)

Sunday 25th October 4:00pm Kick off 4:30pm

Arsenal vs Leicester, Sunday – 7.15pm, live on Sky Sports Box Office

This fixture just screams low scoring.

Mikel Arteta is without question a shrewd cookie and is getting the best out of the players at his disposal. But I’m yet to fully buy into the long-term prospects of this controlled style of football that doesn’t result in many big chances being created. For example, only Crystal Palace and West Brom have had fewer shots than Arsenal this season. And as Adam Bate wrote earlier this season regarding shot data: “The reality is that shot volume matters. It is an excellent predictor of future performance, far more so than conversion rates.”

A developing angle to keep in mind too is the drop off in the performance levels of Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang in front of goal. In four matches since signing his new deal, he’s yet to find the net and his expected goals data is also underperforming against his usual standard.

Meanwhile, Leicester could still be without their four best players for this one, with Wilfred Ndidi, Ricardo Pereira, Caglar Soyuncu and Jamie Vardy, who could pass a fitness test, all in the treatment room. It’s certainly affecting their attacking prowess. Against West Ham, they mustered just an expected goal figure of 0.57 and followed that up with a 0.61 return in the defeat to Aston Villa.

At the prices, I’m happy to side with a goalless draw, which would be the first 0-0 in an Arsenal home league game for exactly four years!

JONES KNOWS PREDICTS: 0-0 (12/1 with Sky Bet)

Brighton vs West Brom, Monday – 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports Box Office

I’d be worried for West Brom’s defence through the middle in this one.

Branislav Ivanovic coped relatively well on his Premier League comeback against the brutish Burnley attack but will face a completely different test up against Neal Maupay, Aaron Connolly and Leandro Trossard. At 36, he may lack the pace to stop a talented Brighton front-line. Plus, West Brom have yet to register an expected goal figure above 1.00 in any of their first five games. This looks a straightforward home win if Brighton turn up.

An angle to note is the likely match-up between Grady Diangana and Tariq Lamptey as the West Brom man is the most fouled player in the Premier League this season. Lamptey isn’t afraid of a challenge, shown by his 11 fouls conceded this season which is the fourth most in the league. The 4/1 on him to be booked looks juicy.

JONES KNOWS PREDICTS: 3-1 (12/1 with Sky Bet)

ALSO LOOK OUT FOR: Tariq Lamptey to get booked at 4/1 with Sky Bet

Burnley vs Tottenham, Monday – 8pm, live on Sky Sports

Burnley have started the season slowly, but their performance metrics are still similar to last season where they were a solid mid-table team. Defensively, there has been encouragement for Sean Dyche’s men – only three teams have faced lower expected goals in the Premier League, while they are top for duels won and aerial duels won.

The problem for them this Monday will be the current form of Harry Kane, who performed like the best striker in world football against West Ham. Kane has seven goals in eight Premier League appearances against Burnley – it’s hard to see Dyche’s men stopping him.

JONES KNOWS PREDICTS: 1-2 (13/2 with Sky Bet)

Pitch to Post Preview podcast: Mata exclusive, Everton latest, Coady’s rise at Wolves

Juan Mata is the special guest on this week’s show, and he tells Peter Smith about Man Utd’s return to form, looks ahead to their clash with Chelsea, and shares his views on the work being done off the pitch by Marcus Rashford.

Plus, we have more fallout from the Merseyside derby with Alan Myers explains Everton’s perspective, Johnny Phillips discusses cult hero Conor Coady’s importance to Wolves and Sky Sports Data Editor Adam Smith delves into the numbers behind the Premier League’s goal rush, and makes a bold Pitch!

Listen to the Sky Sports Pitch to Post Podcast on: Spotify | Apple | Castbox

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#arsenal #league #predictions #premier #stalemate #surprise #Sports

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sportsleague365 · 4 years ago

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The transfer window is now open following the finale of the Premier League season. Certain clubs have their work cut out ahead of the 2020/21 campaign, which does not start until September due to the coronavirus pandemic. Timo Werner was at Chelsea’s final game of the seasonGetty Images - GettyChelsea have already been busy getting the deals for Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech over the line long before the window opened. It remains to be seen what the financial impact will be like for clubs caused by COVID-19. Some teams may be restricted to tighter budgets but there is sure to be plenty of activity ahead of the next season. Here at talkSPORT.com, we’ve taken a look at 10 transfers that could happen this summer before the window closes on Monday, October 5. KAI HAVERTZ TO CHELSEA Chelsea have already made a statement of intent with the signings of Werner and Ziyech. Last summer, Frank Lampard was unable to make any signings and also lost star player Eden Hazard to Real Madrid. The Blues look like they are making up for lost time ahead of the 2020/21 campaign and could be a real force next season. One player who looks likely to be heading to Stamford Bridge is Bayer Leverkusen star Havertz. Journalist Fabrizio Romano claims Havertz has already agreed personal terms with Chelsea and the two clubs will now thrash out a deal. A £73million price tag, including add-ons, and the Blues are likely to want to get this one done as soon as possible. Kai Havertz looks likely to join Chelsea this summergettyJONATHAN DAVID TO LEEDS The newly-promoted side will want a striker heading into the Premier League season with serious doubts about Patrick Bamford. Bamford scored 16 goals but his conversion rate was poor with 143 total shots in 45 Championship appearances. There has been interest in Gent striker David, who has also been linked with Liverpool, Man United, and Arsenal. The 20-year-old has netted 37 goals in the previous two seasons and is quite the talented prospect. Lille have already seen a £23m bid rejected and Leeds have also made a proposal. Ivan de Witte, the Gent president, recently said: “The contacts stopped this week but other clubs are still interested with better proposals, including Leeds. But I once again explained to Jonathan we want him to play for us.” Jonathan David is wanted by Leeds this summerGetty ImagesLATEST FOOTBALL NEWS GOSSIP Lallana completes Brighton move, Liverpool exit confirmed, Aubameyang latestAUBA AND OUT? Aubameyang's dad posts cryptic message amid rumours of Arsenal exitLATEST Chelsea news live: Kai Havertz transfer close, Jan Oblak eyed, Willian twistGOSS Man United news live: Red Devils urged to 'get Kane', £90million Jadon Sancho bid madeGOSS Cryptic message by Aubameyang's dad, Upamecano to be offered contract, Coutinho updateROAD TO WEMBLEY Cardiff v Fulham commentary: Championship play-off clash confirmed teamsUPDATE Mbappe race to be fit for Champions League as PSG star receives injury diagnosisFRIEND! McGregor and Ramos' bromance blossoms as fighter is invited to Real Madrid trainingTHOMAS PARTEY TO ARSENAL The Ghana ace is reportedly Mikel Arteta’s top target heading into the summer transfer window. Arsenal are in need of reinforcements in midfield and Arteta wants a box-to-box player, with the Atletico Madrid man the ideal fit. Goal report that the £44m release clause could be an issue as the Gunners do not have the funds unless they sell players or negotiate a lower price. A swap deal could also be of interest for Atletico with Alexandre Lacazette, Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira mentioned as possible players who could head in the opposite direction. Partey has made no secret of his desire to play in the Premier LeagueGetty Images - GettyCALLUM WILSON TO TOTTENHAM The vultures will be circling on Bournemouth to pick up their best players now the Cherries have been relegated to the Championship. Eddie Howe’s side suffered final day heartbreak as they went down despite beating Everton. The Sun say Wilson, who has scored just eight goals this season, is a £10m target for Tottenham. The England striker’s form has dropped off this term after scoring 14 goals and registering nine assists last season. Wilson was valued at around £50m when he signed a new long-term contract last summer, worth a reported £110,000-a-week. And the Cherries would be willing to offload those wages by selling the former Coventry hitman in the summer transfer window. Callum Wilson still has three years left on his contractGetty ImagesANDRE ONANA TO CHELSEA The Blues need a new goalkeeper this summer and it is likely Kepa Arrizabalaga will exit Stamford Bridge. Signed for a world-record fee, the goalkeeper has failed to live up to expectations in his two seasons with the club. Frank Lampard even dropped him for a few games earlier this season in favour of veteran Willy Caballero. Ajax goalkeeper Onana has long been touted as a potential replacement for Kepa. Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana is attracting interest from ChelseaGetty Images - GettyThey face competition from Bayer Leverkusen, though, who have recently seen an £18m bid rejected. Onana could certainly be a more cost effective replacement than the likes of £90m-rated Jan Oblak of Atletico Madrid. The Cameroon international is also thought to be open to the idea of a move away from Ajax. SAID BENRAHMA TO WEST HAM The Algerian has enjoyed a magnificent season with Brentford in the Championship, even if it stuttered towards the end. The Bees lost their final two games of the season when a win in either would have guaranteed automatic promotion. They also have their work cut out in the play-offs as they look to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit to Swansea. If Brentford don’t go up then 17-goal Benrahma could be heading for the exit. Said Benrahma could leave Brentford this summer if they don’t get promoted to the Premier LeagueGetty Images - GettyArsenal and Chelsea have been linked but both have bigger priorities than signing the forward, especially if funds would be limited. West Ham are likely to target Benrahma, according to the Mirror, if Brentford fail to go up as David Moyes looks to rebuild his squad after they avoided relegation. JADON SANCHO TO MANCHESTER UNITED Sancho to Man United is likely to be the transfer story that will rumble on throughout the whole summer. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have been strongly linked with the Borussia Dortmund forward who has lit up the Bundesliga this season. He scored 17 goals and added 16 assists as Dortmund finished second in the table. Bild report that United’s opening bid of £89m has been turned down but they are set to return with a new improved offer. Dortmund are said to be holding out for around £109m. Borussia Dortmund reportedly want £109million for Jadon SanchoGetty Images - GettyNATHAN AKE TO MAN CITY Central defence is an area of the pitch that caused Pep Guardiola plenty of problems this season. Vincent Kompany left for Anderlecht last summer and was not replaced and Aymeric Laporte suffered a knee injury and missed a large part of the season. The position will likely be a priority and with Bournemouth being relegated it could offer a prime opportunity to pick up Ake. Eddie Howe offered no comment on transfer speculation on the 25-year-old but he is likely to be chased by plenty of clubs. Nathan Ake signed for Bournemouth in 2017 from ChelseaGetty Images - GettyPIERRE-EMILE HOJBJERG TO EVERTON Everton look set to fend off competition from Tottenham and win the race for Southampton midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, talkSPORT understands. Tottenham have made a late offer for the Denmark international, but the Toffees are favourites to finally land their man after two failed bids. According to talkSPORT sources, Hojbjerg favours a move to Spurs, but Daniel Levy is unwilling to meet Southampton’s asking price. Hojbjerg is on the verge of signing for EvertonGetty ImagestalkSPORT also understands that the 24-year-old has been to Everton’s Finch Farm training ground and has agreed personal terms with them, making a move to Carlo Ancelotti’s side increasingly likely. He is set to become Everton’s second signing ahead of the 2020/21 campaign, after the Merseysiders agreed a deal for ex-Marseille defender and free agent Niels Nkounkou. JACK GREALISH TO MANCHESTER UNITED He got the job done for Aston Villa and kept his boyhood club in the Premier League with a goal in the final game against West Ham. The club captain has taken Villa as far as they can go and the 24-year-old will be forgiven for wanting a move. Manchester United is the likely destination and their third place finish, meaning Champions League football will be returning to Old Trafford, could help their pursuit. Villa boss Dean Smith is keen for Grealish to stay and joked about getting him to sign a new contract while drunk. Jack Grealish kept Aston Villa in the Premier League with a final day goal against West Ham“I gave him a few shots last night and got him to sign a new five-year contract,” he joked on thetalkSPORT Breakfast. “It’s not been done yet… it was written in Sambuca, I’m not sure if it was mine or his! “It was a heavy night, I’m not sure what time I got to bed, but I slept in my office back at the training ground. I did an Eddie Jones and slipped off so the lads didn’t see me go! “But no, seriously, that’s a chat for another day. “Jack’s a wonderful lad and I’ve got all the time in the world for him and I’m so pleased that he scored the goal that kept us in the Premier League yesterday.” #SaidBenrahma #PremierLeague #KaiHavertz

#SaidBenrahma #PremierLeague #KaiHavertz

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holteendheroes · 4 years ago

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Man Utd boost as Benteke banned after red card at full time for foul on Konsa in Palace loss at old club Villa

CHRISTIAN BENTEKE could have played his final game for Crystal Palace after a red card at the final whistle of Sunday’s loss to Aston Villa.

The impending three-game ban will see the Belgian miss his side’s meeting with Manchester United on Thursday.

Benteke was dismissed for an incident after the final whistle

Replays showed Benteke appearing to kick out at Villa defender Ezri Konsa in a coming together after the final whistle.

And Martin Atkinson called the striker over to cap a miserable return to his former club with a red card.

Benteke squandered a number of opportunities as Palace remained stuck in lower mid-table after the 2-0 defeat.

Trezeguet bagged a brace to aid Villa’s fight against relegation.

The Eagles are set for a drab end to the campaign having lost five in a row before United are welcomed to Selhurst Park on Thursday.

However, the Red Devils will not be the only Europe-chasing team to benefit from Benteke’s absence with the 29-year-old set to miss the final fixtures against Wolves and Tottenham.

MAN UTD NEWS LIVE: Follow for the latest United news

That said, he has only managed two goals from 25 appearances all season.

Still with 12 months left on his contract, the forward could be allowed to leave in the summer having turned down a loan return to Villa in January.

Benteke’s agent Kismet Eris recently told RTBF: “In the winter, I received many offers for him, including Aston Villa, but also Club Brugge, and others.

“But Christian is attached to London and wants to succeed where he is.”

BUILD YOUR ACCA Enjoy loads of acca features with Ladbrokes including Boost, Track, Edit and Insure

————————

By: Marc Mayo Title: Man Utd boost as Benteke banned after red card at full time for foul on Konsa in Palace loss at old club Villa Sourced From: www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/12102778/christian-benteke-red-card-villa-palace/ Published Date: Sun, 12 Jul 2020 16:41:38 +0000

The post Man Utd boost as Benteke banned after red card at full time for foul on Konsa in Palace loss at old club Villa appeared first on Holte End Heroes.

#football #football league #football news

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musicprincess655 · 7 years ago

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Haruichi sat outside the library, feeling a little out of place. Sure, no one was staring at him, but it still felt strange to be in such a wide open area when he was so used to the opposite. He didn’t even have the cats with him – they weren’t allowed in the building, no matter how much he tried to convince the security guard otherwise, so they were skulking outside, Nyarlathotep looking nothing short of affronted and Yggy just looking sad.

It was strange to think that he could be this exposed and yet, pretty safe. Now that he thought about it, though, he’d been even more exposed at coven battle practice earlier, and he’d barely noticed. He’d just planned on observing from a safe distance, unwilling to be parted from his brother now that he’d found him, but the coach had pulled him in, saying something about strikers and partners. He’d almost panicked for a moment, before he saw Ryou nodding at him.

The game wasn’t hard. Ryou had taught him how to use magic, after all, and while he’d never used it in tandem with someone else before, he could follow the rules of trying to get past two boys without getting hit. He was faster than his brother on his own, but he couldn’t partner with the boy who had bound his brother – Kuramochi, his name was Kuramochi – as well.

Still, the coach had been pleased, offering him a spot on the team that Haruichi had accepted with a stutter and a pleased blush. He’d had a uniform thrust into his hands, a few hands slapped to his back, and Eijun grinning like a maniac, thrilled to have him on the second string.

It was a new feeling, being wanted like that. But a good feeling.

And it was fun. He’d had more fun than he could remember having in years. Not that he didn’t like spending time with his brother, but it was even more fun with more people. There was no way he was giving that up anytime soon, even if he’d realized he and his brother were playing the same position and would be competing for playing time.

Haruichi nervously glanced at the clock on the wall. Eijun had said he’d be out of class by one and meeting him here by one fifteen, and it was already one thirty. He was fidgeting, not sure if he should get up and go look or if he was being stood up, when Eijun came sprinting through the front door. Ignoring the glare the security guard sent his way, Eijun came skidding to a stop in front of where Haruichi was sitting, panting for breath, cheeks flushed, hair falling into his eyes.

“Sorry Harucchi!” he gasped. “My professor held us over, just wouldn’t stop talking. I got here as fast as I could!”

The reference librarian across from them outright shushed him. Eijun shot a look at her over his shoulder before reaching for Haruichi’s wrist, pulling him along.

“Come on,” he said in a whisper that was still a little too loud. “We should check the catalogue and see what they have.”

He parked them in front of a computer, sitting down while Haruichi looked over his shoulder at the screen. He started typing in the search box, adding a few search terms as he went. A list of books popped up, and he clicked on a few, writing a string of numbers down on a slip of paper. He stood, turning to Haruichi.

“It looks like a bunch of these are in the same area, so we’ll just go up and see if there’s anything promising around them,” Eijun said. The reference librarian shushed him again. Eijun turned to glare at her this time.

“This is a group study floor, I am allowed to talk,” he snapped, although he’d finally managed to modulate his voice down to something resembling appropriate. She rolled her eyes, turning back to her computer screen. Eijun stalked off, clearly expecting Haruichi to follow him, grumbling something like only the top floors are quiet areas under his breath.

They both got in the elevator, Eijun consulting a poster on the wall and then his slip of paper before pressing the button. Haruichi realized that he was using the poster to navigate them to the right floor, seeing letters that corresponded to the ones Eijun had written down.

They got off the elevator, and Haruichi was surprised to see how fitting Eijun looked as he led them down quiet stacks. He stopped them about halfway down the row, pointing at a shelf at about Haruichi’s eye level.

“This is where the things I looked up are,” he said, voice truly lowered now. “They’re grouped by category, so just see if anything in this area looks helpful. Make sure you keep the books you don’t want as well, don’t just put them back.”

“Even if I remember where they were?” Haruichi asked, voice a whisper. Eijun shook his head.

“They need to know how useful they’re being to keep their funding, so just leave the books you don’t want at the book return cart by the elevators so they can count them and restack them,” he explained. “I’m going to go this way, you go back that way, and see if you see anything that could help. Anything about past experiences will probably be for the best.”

Haruichi nodded, turning to the shelf as Eijun moved to the one next to him. He scanned the books in front of him. They all seemed to have to do with binding spells, but Haruichi couldn’t tell much more from just looking at them. He slid out one with gold lettering on the spine that caught his eye, opening it to see a table of contents. He scanned down it, but it seemed to just be a history of the development of binding spells, nothing to do with how they were cast. Probably not very helpful.

He fell into a rhythm, pulling out books, scanning through their tables of contents, occasionally jumping to a chapter if he thought it looked promising. Every so often, he’d take the ones he didn’t want to the cart Eijun had told him to, stacking the ones he wanted to keep on a stool he and Eijun had put between themselves.

Haruichi pulled down a book that he had to reach on his toes to get to. He could appear however he wanted, but it was easier to stay like this, and besides, he liked how he looked. He flipped through the book, seeing a few chapters that looked good, when he stopped on one.

“Eijun-kun?”

“Yeah?”

“Would this help?” He turned the book so Eijun could see the chapter titled Bindings to Selves and Forms. Eijun’s eyes widened as he scanned down the page, flipping through. A grin spread across his face, making his eyes almost glow gold.

“Harucchi, this is perfect!” he gasped, voice rising, but not enough to break the moment. He was right in Haruichi’s face, grinning, and Haruichi…

Was blushing, and once again grateful that he’d chosen to have bangs that covered his eyes, because he had no clue what they were doing right now. He felt his heart thump heavily against his chest.

“We should go check these out,” Eijun said, not noticing that anything was amiss. “We can only check out ten books each. You have your student ID, right?”

Haruichi nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He’d picked up his student ID and class schedule earlier today, and would start going to class tomorrow. He hadn’t asked yet, but he was probably on the same course as Eijun, so they would probably have most of their classes together.

They walked to the elevator, Eijun carrying most of their books, leaving a few for Haruichi to stack under his chin, and pressing the button for the ground floor. Haruichi looked over to see Eijun staring at the floor, looking quietly pleased.

“I’m surprised,” Haruichi spoke up, not entirely sure where he was going with this. “You don’t seem like this would be your kind of thing.”

“How do you mean?”

Carefully. If his brother had taught him nothing else, he had taught him to be careful with how he chose his words.

“You just seem to like running around, and shouting, and playing,” Haruichi said. “You can’t do any of those things here.”

Eijun didn’t look offended. If anything, he looked nostalgic.

“I wasn’t a very good student,” he admitted. “I wouldn’t have gotten in here if I’d taken the entrance exam. I was lucky Takashima-san made me an offer, or I’d still be back in Nagano. I never had the best grades, even if I wasn’t failing, but…” he chuckled to himself. “I always liked reading. We didn’t have a lot of bookstores in town, and they weren’t stocked that well, and it wasn’t like my family had a lot of money to spend on books anyway, but the school library was fantastic. I used to run in most days before class to switch out the book I’d checked out for a new one, and I’d read during lunch when my friends were busy. I remember once, I was reading a series that was ten books long, and I liked it so much that I was going through a book a day, and Sunday was torture because I couldn’t get the next book in the series and I couldn’t wait to find out what happened.”

He was grinning in earnest now, but it was controlled, not the blazing look that he’d shown Haruichi earlier. Somehow it was even more intense, and even harder not to squirm under.

“I eventually got good at literature,” he went on. “You’ll get good at anything if you do it long enough. It was the only class I was really good at, although history wasn’t bad either, I guess. Math was the worst, though.”

Maybe Haruichi was supposed to laugh at that, but he couldn’t move.

“I know I still have a lot to learn,” Eijun said. “I know I’m not very good at magic yet, even if I’m aiming to be the ace. But I’ve always known about reading, and I know about libraries, so even if there’s not much I can do to help your brother and Kuramochi-senpai, I can do this much.”

Haruichi could feel his heart pounding hard in his chest. He’d been used to Eijun as a loudmouth, and as a bit of a moron, but now his view had shifted, and he could see that there was more to be seen under that.

He wasn’t an idiot. Just because he’d never experienced this feeling before didn’t mean he didn’t know what it was. He just wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do now.

When Eijun got off the elevator, Haruichi hung back for just a moment, pressing a hand to his chest and begging his heart to calm down. It wasn’t that weird, he decided. Eijun had this magnetism to him, Haruichi could see that already in how the team gathered around him, sometimes shouting, but cheerful all the same. And Eijun was his first friend other than his brother.

Maybe it was inconvenient to have a crush on him, but not completely unforgiveable. Haruichi just hoped it went away soon.

Eijun led him to the self-checkout, showing him how to swipe his ID card and scan the books to check them out. They walked out of the library, Eijun loading the books into his bag, shouldering them with a grunt.

“You’re coming to class starting tomorrow, right?” Eijun asked. Haruichi nodded. “Do you have that ten am with Ochiai on magic history?”

“Yeah.”

“Great!” Eijun laughed. “I’ll see you at practice tomorrow!”

Haruichi waved to him as he left. Nyarlathotep and Yggy came up now that he was outside, winding around his legs and mewing. He pressed a fist to his chest again, feeling how his heart had calmed down.

It was different from Hell, but Haruichi was starting to think he liked different.

#fydna #dailydaiya #daiya no a #ace of diamond #dna #my writing #magic au #elt

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tipsoctopus · 5 years ago

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Bowyer makes two changes, Bonne starts: Charlton predicted XI to face Luton - opinion

Charlton Athletic were left disappointed against Blackburn Rovers, coming out of the game having suffered a 2-0 loss against the play-off chasers.

However, it is likely that will all be forgotten if Lee Bowyer’s men are able to put things right with a win on Saturday.

That is because this is a real six-pointer, as they face Luton Town, who are currently sitting 23rd in the Championship table.

The result of this game will have a massive immediate impact on the league’s lower echelons, as an Addicks win could see them go eight points clear of the relegation zone, while a loss could leave them in a very dangerous position.

Watch Charlton Athletic Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

With that in mind, it is vital that Charlton get the win, and FFC has predicted the team Bowyer could use to make that happen, including two changes from the Blackburn defeat.

Having a consistent backline can be seen as a positive for teams as they look to become a unit, so Dillon Phillips could be protected by Tom Lockyer, Jason Pearce and Naby Sarr, while Alfie Doughty and Adam Matthews fulfil the wing-back roles. It will be hoped they can be more resolute than was the case against Blackburn though.

The midfield stays largely the same as well, with Josh Cullen staying in the team, having been a rare bright spark last time out, while David Davis remains.

There is surely little chance of Aiden McGeady being in the starting XI after he was invisible against Blackburn. Thus, with Jonny Williams among those injured, as reported by the club’s official channels, Erhun Oztumer may be the man to come into the midfield three.

Who is that?!?! Can you name all of these obscure Charlton players?

Considering the magnitude of this game, Bowyer will want to use his best players, which could mean he puts Macauley Bonne into the team from the beginning. The 24-year-old played 21 minutes against Blackburn after missing the previous seven games following a hamstring injury. However, having scored eight goals and assisted one, there will be a definite temptation to include him.

This will see him line up alongside the talismanic striker Lyle Taylor, who will be one of the first names on the team sheet after scoring nine goals and assisting one.

Meanwhile, Charlton’s deadline day decision has already been justified.

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blogsarahjames · 5 years ago

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Top Highest Paid Male Football Players of 2019

Forbes publishes its list of the 100 highest-paid athletes annually, and soccer players are usually the prevalent athletes on the list.

Barcelona star Lionel Messi takes the top spot on Forbes' 2019 list of the 100 highest-paid athletes in the world with $127 million in total earnings.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar join Messi in the top 3 of the highest-paid male football players. For the first time in history, three soccer players have the top three spots on the list. The top players in the following list each make more than $20 million annually.

Three soccer players top the list for the first time since the list debuted in 1990 with Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Neymar being at the top of the table.

Below we take a look at the highest-paid soccer players in the world.

1.Lionel Messi - $127 million

Club: FC Barcelona

Contract: Four years, $80 million (€70 million) annually

Salary & Bonus: $92M

Endorsements: $35M

Largest Sponsors/Partners: Adidas, Gatorade, Lays, Pepsi, Ooredoo, Mastercard, Jacobs & Co.

Country: Argentina Age: 32

Messi, born 24 June 1987 took the top spot among the World’s Highest-Paid Soccer Players, with earnings of $127 million. Messi is not just the highest-paid soccer player, but the highest-paid athlete in the world.

He signed a contract extension in November 2017 that committed him to Camp Nou through June 2021; as a result, he hauled in $92 million in salary and bonuses before taxes, a 9.5% bump over what he made on the pitch last year.

Part of that increase came by way of performance-incentive pay. The 32-year-old striker topped La Liga’s charts for both goals (36) and assists, marking his fifth season of 35 or more goals.

It was also his sixth season in which he scored 50 or more goals across all club competitions. He shone brightly in the club’s run-up to quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League, with the Argentine the top goal scorer of that competition, hitting the back of the net 12 times in 10 appearances.

To supplement his salary, Messi boasts a lifelong sponsorship deal with Adidas, as well as smaller deals with Gatorade, Pepsi, and Huawei, which earns an additional $35 million a year in endorsements.

Messi's net worth is $400 Million. His international renown as an athlete has even earned him a theme park named in his honor, projected to open in 2020 in China. Unfortunately, before heading out on his tour of the U.S., he injured his lower leg during training. Medical tests indicated a Grade 1 calf strain, a relatively small injury.

2.Cristiano Ronaldo - $109 million (€96.4 million)

Club: Juventus

Contract: 4 years, $64 million (€56.5 million) annually

Country: Portugal Age: 34

Cristiano Ronaldo, born 5 February 1985, is ranked as the second-highest-paid soccer player and the third-highest paid athlete overall in 2018. Ronaldo took home $61 million in salary and winnings from Real Madrid and $47 million in endorsements, for a whopping total of $108 million.

Ronaldo has been a forward on the Real Madrid and Portugal national teams.

Although Ronaldo exited the 2018 World Cup early, he remained in the public eye when news broke that he transferred to Juventus on a four-year deal. The transfer fee totaled $140 million.

Ronaldo's net annual salary will reportedly be $35 million. However, it also appears as though Ronaldo's gross pay will amount to $64 million for the 2018–19 season.

In 2017, Ronaldo scored 44 goals in 43 matches and was honored with a fifth Ballon d'Or. He also won his fifth Champions League title.

Ronaldo has a lifetime contract with Nike worth up to $1 billion. His other deals include Herbalife, EA Sports, and American Tourister.

3.Neymar Jr. - $105 million (€92.8 million)

Contract: Five years, $350 million (€309.4 million)

Club: Paris Saint-Germain

Country: Brazil Age: 27

Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, born 5 February 1992, is known as one of the world's best football players. He is best known for his expensive transfer, in which the Paris Saint-Germain team paid $263 million to the Barcelona team to acquire him.

This remains the most expensive transfer fee in the sport's history. Neymar currently earns a salary of $75 million with the French team.

In addition to his salary, the player has several endorsements to enhance his income. In 2011, he landed an 11-year contract with Nike. He also has deals with Red Bull, EA Sports, Mastercard - Get Report, and several other big-name companies, earning an additional $30 million.

Despite being a talented player, Neymar is not without controversy. In 2016, Neymar was convicted of tax fraud in Spain and forced to pay $1.2 million fine.

He also got into an altercation with a spectator during a game in May 2019, resulting in a 3-game ban. In June 2019, he was accused of rape against a woman in Brazil, though the Brazilian courts dismissed the case in late July. Despite these missteps, Neymar has still become the third-highest paid soccer player in the world.

4.Paul Pogba - $33 million (€29.2 million)

Team: Manchester United

Contract: Five years, $20 million annually (€17.7 million)

Country: France Age: 26

Paul Pogba, born 15 March 1993, is known as one of the world's most promising players. He began his senior career playing for Manchester United for a year before being transferred to the Italian Juventus, who he stayed with for four years and plays for the French national team.

His time with Juventus helped him establish a reputation as a promising young player, allowing him to return to Manchester United and collect a then-record breaking transfer fee of 105 million euros. This is still the highest an English team has ever paid to acquire a soccer player.

He currently earns a salary of $29 million a year. Compared to some other top-paid soccer players, Pogba engages in fewer endorsement deals. His primary endorsement is with Adidas, bringing in $4 million additional earnings.

5.Andrés Iniesta - $32.5 million (€28.7 million)

Club: Vissel Kobe

Contract: Three years, $30 million annually (€26.5 million)

Country: Spain Age: 35

Andrés Iniesta, born 11 May 1984, is known as the most decorated Spanish soccer player in history, obtaining numerous titles and trophies throughout his career. He has spent the majority of his time with the Barcelona team as a center midfielder.

In 2018, Iniesta signed a contract to join the Japanese team, Vissel Kobe. He currently makes $30 million a year in salary and bonuses. After moving on to the new team, the player ended his long-running sponsorship with Nike and signed on with Asics.

He earns $2.5 million in sponsorships total. He also earns extra income from Bodega Iniesta, his winery in Albacete, Spain.

6.Alexis Sánchez - $30.8 million (€27.2 million)

Team: Manchester United

Contract: Four 1/2 years, $21.5 million (€19 million) annually

Country: Chile Age: 31

This Chilean soccer player, born 19 December 1988, has made his way around many different teams throughout his career, including Cobreloa, Udinese, and Barcelona.

In 2018, Manchester United paid a 30 million euro transfer fee to recruit him. He boasts the highest transfer fee ever paid for a Chilean soccer player.

Manchester United paid him $28.3 million in salary and bonuses. Additionally, he has $2.5 million in endorsements from Nike, Pepsi, and Huawei.

Sanchez has had numerous injuries in the last year, hurting his overall performance during this past season. Despite some rumors that Sanchez will be transferred into the team's reserves, team manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer denies this claim.

7.Kylian Mbappé - $30.6 million (€27.1 million)

Club: Paris Saint-Germain

Contract: Three years, $20 million (€17.7 million) annually

Country: France Age: 21

Kylian Mbappé, born on 20 December 1998, is widely considered one of the best football around the world. He is the youngest French player to score at a World Cup and only the second teenager ever to score at a World Cup Final.

Mbappé originally signed on with Monaco in 2015, before being loaned to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017. He has since signed a full contract with the team. His salary and bonuses total $26.6 million.

To enhance his income, Mbappé holds long-term sponsorship deals with Nike and Marco Verratti. He also became a global ambassador to Hubolt in 2018. These deals rake in an extra $4 million.

8.Mesut Özil - $30.2 million (€26.7 million)

Club: Arsenal

Contract: Three years, $24 million (€21.2 million) annually

Country: Germany Age: 31

Mesut Özil, born on 15 October 1988, is a German football player who currently plays as an attacking midfielder on London's Arsenal team. He is well-known for his technical skills, creativity, agility, finesse, and versatility.

Özil boasts the highest transfer fee of any German player, with Arsenal paying €50 million to acquire him. In early 2018, the player renewed his contract with Arsenal and boosted his pay, earning $23.7 million. Additionally, he earns $6.5 million in endorsements and sponsorships.

His largest contract is with Adidas, who he has been with since 2013 and has appeared in many commercials for the company. He also boasts deals with Mercedes Benz and Beats by Dre.

9.Oscar dos Santos Emboaba Júnior - $29 million (€25.6 million)

Club: Shanghai SIPG

Contract: Four years, $26.5 million (€23.4 million) annually

Country: Brazil Age: 28

Oscar dos Santos Emboaba Júnior, born on 9 September 1991, widely known as "Oscar," is a Brazilian- soccer player who has played on a multitude of teams since 2008.

Today he serves as an attacking midfielder on the Shanghai SIPG team. He signed his contract with the Chinese team in 2017, more than quadrupling the pay he received on the Chelsea team he had been with since 2012.

He now earns $27 million in salary and bonuses. His transfer fee from Chelsea to Shanghai SIPG broke Asian transfer records at £60 million.

Oscar has a sponsorship with Adidas, which earns an additional $2 million each year.

10.Antoine Griezmann – $135 million

Club: Barcelona FC

Salary (bonus included): $23.2M

Endorsement deals: $4.5M

Country: France Age: 28

The French soccer player, born on 21 March 1991, currently plays as a forward for Barcelona's team after being transferred from Spain's Atlético de Madrid team in 2019.

Barcelona paid a $135 million transfer fee for Antoine Griezmann’s five-year contract, the fourth-highest transfer fee any team has paid for a player. He earns $23.2 million in salary and bonuses.

He also earns an additional $4.5 million in endorsements. Griezmann currently boasts a sponsorship with Puma and regularly appears on their television commercials.

Griezmann has yet another sponsorship with Huawei. He also serves as a brand ambassador for Head and Shoulders Shampoo and Gillette.

11.Gareth Bale-$27.1 million

Club: Real Madrid

Salary & Bonus: $20.6M

Endorsements: $6.5M

Country: Wales Age: 29

Gareth Bale, born 16 July 1989, is a Welsh soccer player who currently plays as a winger for Real Madrid and the Wales national team. He is widely known for his exceptional agility and talent on the field, so there is little wonder that Real Madrid has been eager to keep him on the team. In 2016, his contract was extended through 2022.

He makes $20.6 million a year in salary. To earn an extra $6.5 million in income, Bale has Adidas as his sponsor. His robust Instagram following places him in an ideal position for marketing other brands. As of 2018, it was reported that he earned $185,000 per sponsored post on his Instagram account.

12.Mohamed Salah-$25.1 million

Club: Liverpool

2019 Salary: $25.1 million

Contract: Five years, $15 million (€13.3 million) annually

Country: Egypt Age: 27

Mohamed Salah, born on 15 June 1992, is an Egyptian football player that plays as a forward for England's Liverpool team and the Egyptian national team. Previously playing for the Italian Roma team, Salah was signed to Liverpool for a then-record breaking £36.9 million.

He presently earns $16.1 million in salary and bonuses. As a Muslim football player, Salah is known for advocating for women's equality in the east and has been credited for reducing islamophobia. For this and other successes, Salah was named among the top 100 most influential people in the world in Time magazine's 2019 issue.

Salah’s reputation has earned him many sponsors, including Adidas and EA Sports. He has also appeared in commercials for Vodafone Egypt, an Egyptian cell phone company. Salah earns $9 million from sponsorship.

13.Ángel Di María- $23.7 million

Club: Paris Saint-Germain

Salary & Bonus: $21.7M

Endorsements: $2M

Country: Argentina Age: 31

Argentinian football player Ángel Di María, born on 14 February 1988, currently plays as a winger or attacking midfielder for France's Paris Saint-Germain team and the Argentina national team.

María has always set transfer fee records throughout his career. When he went from Spain's Real Madrid team to England's Manchester United, he set the British record at £59.7 million. His transfer to his current team set a transfer fee record of £44 million.

María currently makes $21.7 million a year in salary and bonuses. His sponsorship with Adidas also earns him an extra $2 million in endorsements.

14.Luis Suárez- $23.6 million

Club: FC Barcelona

Salary & Bonus: $20.1M

Endorsements: $3.5M

Contract: Until 2021

Country: Uruguay Age: 33

Uruguayan football player Luis Suárez, born on 24 January 1987, currently plays as a striker for Spain's Barcelona club and the Uruguay national team.

He is known for earning one of the most expensive transfer fees in soccer history. Barcelona paid 82.3 million euros for him to join the Blaugranas.

He presently earns $20.1 million in salary and bonuses from the team. His income is enhanced by his current sponsorship with Puma and others, which earns him $3.5 million per year. He signed with Puma this year after abandoning his former footwear sponsor Adidas.

He has scored 475 senior career goals for both club and country. While undeniably talented, Suárez is not without controversy. He has been benched for several games so far for biting other players and feigning injuries during games.

15.Sergio Agüero - $22.6 million

Club: Manchester City

Contract: Two years, $17.1 million

Country: Argentina Age: 30

Argentine professional footballer Sergio Agüero, born on 2 June 1988, is known for his blend of agility, passing ability, intelligence, and perceptiveness as both a creator and scorer of goals. He presently plays for Premier League club Manchester City and the Argentine national team as a striker, earning $17.1 million in salary and bonuses.

His unique ability is reflected in his goal-scoring record. Moreover, he holds the joint record for the most goals scored during a Premier League game, scoring five goals within the span of 23 minutes. He additionally holds the record for most hat-tricks in the Premier League, with twelve.

Agüero has a long-running contract with Puma and has appeared in numerous ads and other media for the company. Pepsi has also signed up City star Sergio Agüero. In general, both sponsorships earn $5.5 million in endorsements annually.

#LaLiga #Premier League #Seri A #football #Ligue1 #football news

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