Surprised by the identity of the world's most expensive player; Ranieri refuses to lead the Italian team
Arsenal welcomes new player worth 65 million euros; Ranieri refuses to lead the Italian national team; Surprised identity of the world's most expensive player... are notable sports news in the past 24 hours.
Latest Asian Cup 2027 qualifying rankings: Vietnam loses top spot
On the evening of June 10, the 0-4 defeat to Malaysia in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers directly affected the Vietnamese team's ranking on the FIFA rankings.
According to Footy Ranking, Vietnam dropped to 113th place, down 4 places compared to before the match. This is a big shock for coach Kim Sang-sik and his team in the context of the "Golden Star Warriors" trying to return to the top 100.
In contrast, Malaysia rose 5 places to 126th place in the FIFA rankings. Coach Peter Cklamovski's team left an impressive performance, especially the big win against Vietnam, which helped them significantly improve their score and ranking.
The heavy defeat is a warning for the Vietnamese team about the challenges they face in their journey to qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup. A good position on the FIFA rankings is very important, as this is the basis for seeding the 2027 Asian Cup and the 2030 World Cup qualifiers.
Currently, the journey back to the top 100 of the Vietnamese team will become much more arduous. Vietnam reached its highest rank of 93rd in November 2020 under the leadership of coach Park Hang-seo.
Arsenal welcomes new player for 65 million euros
British media have confirmed that all agreements for the Zubimendi deal have been agreed. The midfielder will soon undergo a medical and sign a contract withArsenal. Real Sociedad will receive around 65 million euros and will be paid in installments.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano used the familiar phrase "Here we go" to confirm the deal was done. "Despite the information related to Real Madrid, Arsenal is in full control of the situation and Zubimendi will join the team as soon as possible," the Italian journalist added.
With Jorginho leaving the Emirates on a free transfer this summer and Thomas Partey's future uncertain, Arsenal are forced to add a quality defensive midfielder and Zubimendi is the perfect choice.
Zubimendi is considered the "successor of Xabi Alonso" thanks to his intelligent playing style, technique and excellent passing ability. He is a modern defensive midfielder, able to control the tempo of the game and launch attacks from a distance.
By joining Arsenal, Zubimendi will reunite with two former Real Sociedad teammates, Mikel Merino and Martin Odegaard. This trio was once the pillars of the Basque team.
Ranieri refuses to lead Italy team
La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that coach Claudio Ranieri has officially turned down the invitation to lead the Italian national team. Ranieri's decision comes in the context of Italian football going through a difficult period.
The 0-3 defeat to Norway on June 6 led to the Italian team firing coach Luciano Spalletti, marking a significant step back since winning the Euro 2020 championship. Italy has been absent from the last two World Cups, leaving fans extremely disappointed.
Meanwhile, Ranieri has just completed his short term leading Roma since November last year. According to many sources, "The Welder" still maintains his retirement plan despite having just accepted an invitation at the national team level.
With Ranieri refusing to leadItaly team, FIGC had to look for other candidates. Former AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli emerged as a potential candidate. In addition, Daniele De Rossi, a Roma icon, also emerged as another option for FIGC.
France's No. 1 goalkeeper wants to transfer to Chelsea
Mike Maignan has told AC Milan he wants to complete his move to Chelsea in time for the Club World Cup.
Coach Enzo Maresca is prioritizing the search for a new goalkeeper. Chelsea's Club World Cup campaign begins next Monday. Therefore, they want to quickly complete the deal for Maignan. Journalist Ben Jacobs revealed that the number 1 goalkeeper of the French team himself really wants to join Chelsea. He has made clear his plan to AC Milan to leave early.
Mike Maignan has also made it clear that he will not renew his contract with AC Milan, which expires next summer. Maignan himself has agreed personal terms with the London club. However, the problem lies in the transfer fee. Chelsea are only willing to pay £13 million for the deal, while AC Milan are demanding £15 million.
Mike Maignan won 32 caps for France and was twice named in the Serie A team of the year during his four years at AC Milan.
Surprised identity of the most expensive player in the world
This young talent has made history by becoming the first player under 18 years old to be valued at the highest price in the world by Transfermarkt at 200 million euros.
Impressive form for Barcelona and the Spanish national team has helped winger Yamal become the most highly rated player in the world.
In fact, although only 17 years old, Yamal has played with maturity and efficiency with 18 goals and 16 assists last season, contributing greatly to helping the Nou Camp team win La Liga and the Spanish King's Cup.
Although he could not help Barcelona reach the Champions League final after losing to Inter Milan in the semi-finals, and also lost to Portugal in the Nations League final with the Spanish national team, the talent of the star born in 2007 is unquestionable.
Impressive performances throughout the season at all levels have helped the prodigy Yamal be valued at 200 million euros by Transfermarkt, an increase of 20 million euros compared to the last update. Thanks to that, the Barcelona prodigy has surpassed Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid, 180 million euros) to become the most valuable player in the world at the moment.
Yamal is the first player in history under the age of 18 to reach a valuation of 200 million euros. Previously, Kylian Mbappe reached this milestone at the age of 20, while Erling Haaland and Vinicius Junior only reached it at the age of 24./.