In this exclusive book extract, Melissa Reddy documents the Egyptian King’s sacrifice and dedication to make his vision a realityThe entrance to Al Mokawloon Al Arab’s youth sector feels imposing. At first it is confusing to pinpoint the reason. Is it the facade; a mesh of thick concrete slabs, a marble-like trim that alters in colour depending on the light and the no-nonsense black steel gate?Perhaps it is the stately signage of white block letters in Arabic juxtaposed against the dark background, with satellite pieces of information and announcements signifying importance. But to stop and pay attention to buildings around Nasr City in eastern Cairo is to notice that the blend of functional and decorative elements of the entrance, down to even the font and array of notices, is not unique. Continue reading...
Cristiano Ronaldo could have Mohamed Salah as a rival, after reports indicate the forward is close to joining the Saudi Pro League. Mohamed Salah could soon share a league — and a rivalry — with Cristiano Ronaldo. The Egyptian forward, who departed Liverpool as a free agent after nine years at Anfield, remains on course for a move to Al Ittihad, in what would set up direct confrontations with Ronaldo’s Al Nassr for years to come. Al Ittihad have offered Salah an annual salary in the region of $25 million, and the 33-year-old has reportedly accepted those terms in principle, with the move said to be approaching its final stages. However, the deal is not entirely in Salah’s hands. Al Ittihad had initially planned to sell Moussa Diaby this summer to make room for the Egyptian on the right wing, but the club reversed course in late July, confirming they had no intention of letting the Frenchman go. That stance has since been complicated by Diaby himself, who has pushed to leave and is reportedly in direct contact with Inter Milan over a move to Serie A, while Bayer Leverkusen — his former club — are also working to bring him back to the Bundesliga on reduced wages. Until Al Ittihad resolve Diaby’s future, Salah’s arrival remains contingent on a spot opening up in the squad. Moussa Diaby of Al Ittihad. (Getty Images) Should the move go through, Salah would find Ronaldo waiting on the other side of the Saudi Pro League table. Ronaldo, who signed a contract extension with Al-Nassr through 2027, led the club to the Saudi Pro League title last season, and the prospect of Salah joining as a direct rival has added an extra layer of intrigue to a transfer saga that has dragged on for months. Turkey also keeping tabs on Salah Al Ittihad are not the only side being linked with Salah, and Turkey has re-emerged as a talking point in recent days. Trabzonspor were reported to have moved ahead of Besiktas in the race, with some Turkish outlets claiming the two sides were closing in on personal terms for a two-year deal. However, Trabzonspor president Ertugrul Dogan shut that down directly, stating, “there is no such agreement,” and adding that no talks had even been scheduled. Besiktas, for their part, had already tabled an offer worth roughly €10 million net per season plus €2 million in bonuses on a 1+1-year deal, but that proposal has reportedly been shelved as talks with Al Ittihad in Saudi Arabia continue to advance.
En-Nesyri was not called up to represent Morocco at the 2026 World Cup. There are several notable names missing from the 2026 World Cup, and Morocco is leaving out one of its biggest stars in Youssef En-Nesyri. The reason En-Nesyri is not in the competition is that the manager did not call him up for technical reasons. While injuries can often play a role at this stage of the year, that was not the case for the forward. When Morocco learned that Walid Regragui was stepping down from his position in March, the federation turned to Mohamed Ouahbi. The new manager decided to go with a younger group, which left En-Nesyri off the list. En-Nesyri’s club career While leaving En-Nesyri out of the Morocco squad was a big decision, his club career has not included many of the biggest names in world football. Most of his résumé has been built in Spain, where he spent the bulk of his career. Sevilla was his best club (Fran Santiago/Getty Images) He began his career at Málaga before moving to Leganés to build his name. His best years came at Sevilla, where he played 196 matches and scored 73 goals during a golden period for the club. It was in the last few years that the forward moved away from the most competitive leagues in the world when he joined Galatasaray in 2024. Earlier this year, he joined Al Ittihad, but his performances there were not enough to convince the manager. En-Nesyri’s career with Morocco What made En-Nesyri’s omission even more notable was his record with Morocco. Even if his club form has not been at its best lately, he has scored 25 goals in 92 matches for his country. His biggest moment came in Qatar, when he scored the winning goal against Portugal in the quarterfinals during Morocco’s run to the semifinals.
After the dismissal of Massimiliano Allegri, AC Milan seem to be giving powers to Zlatan Ibrahimović to redirect the sporting project. While Ralf Rangnick was gaining strength as sporting director, Arne Slot has supposedly emerged as the new head coach, leaving the German executive out. AC Milan had a rather unstable 2025-26 season, finishing outside the UEFA Champions League places. As a result, Massimiliano Allegri was dismissed, giving more power to Zlatan Ibrahimović to reorganize the sporting structure. While Ralf Rangnick seemed to be emerging as the sporting director, the Swedish executive is reportedly targeting Arne Slot as the new head coach. With this, the German executive appears to be ruled out. With his contract with Austria set to expire in July 2026, Ralf Rangnick had reportedly emerged as one of the leading options to become sporting director of the Rossoneri. However, he is said to have set certain conditions in order to join the Italian side, seeking significant decision-making power over sporting matters. As a result, Zlatan Ibrahimović does not appear convinced by the German, instead turning toward an alternative duo: Ramon Planes and Arne Slot. According to Corriere della Sera, Zlatan Ibrahimović prefers to bet on the duo of Ramon Planes and Arne Slot, as it could allow him to maintain some control over the sporting management. While the Spanish executive is under contract with Al Ittihad, the Dutch coach would arrive as a free agent after being dismissed by Liverpool FC. Despite this, the Rossoneri have not yet reached an agreement with either of them. Both Ramon Planes and Arne Slot have shown a special talent for succeeding at soccer Elite. Ramon enjoyed great success at Barcelona, completing signings such as Pedri and Ronald Araújo, which proved to be major successes. Likewise, Arne managed to make the Reds shine in the Premier League, winning the title and establishing a winning style of play. Despite this, neither of them is coming off their best season, which could raise certain doubts. Arne Slot, Manager of Liverpool, during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match. Oliver Glasner reportedly challenges Arne Slot’s AC Milan arrival With only a few weeks remaining until the 2026 World Cup, AC Milan appear to have very little time to define their new sporting structure. Although Arne Slot is the latest name to emerge following his spell at Liverpool, he is not the only favorite for the role. With uncertainty surrounding Ralf Rangnick or Ramon Planes as sporting director, Oliver Glasner appears to be the ideal coach, complicating the Dutchman’s arrival. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Rangnick continues to view Oliver as one of his ideal candidates for the project, alongside Matthias Jaissle. However, Glasner would have a major advantage: he would become a free agent after leaving Crystal Palace after a historic legacy. His impact in the Premier League and Ralf’s approval would give him a significant edge. In addition, he is reportedly set to meet with Ibrahimović next week to clarify his position. As a candidate who could fit alongside either Ramon Planes or Ralf Rangnick, Oliver Glasner has emerged as the leading option to take charge of AC Milan. However, he would need to present a strong sporting proposal to Zlatan Ibrahimović, who is expected to decide on his potential arrival as soon as possible. If a deal cannot be reached, Arne Slot and the other candidates would gain even more momentum.
Despite the coach's decision, Cristiano Ronaldo could witness a U-turn on Jorge Jesus' departure as Al Nassr president is pushing for the 71-year-old boss to stay next season. Cristiano Ronaldo’s post-championship celebrations suffered an immediate setback following Al Nassr‘s 2025-26 Saudi Pro League title triumph, as manager Jorge Jesus abruptly announced his departure from the club. However, the 41-year-old superstar may yet see a dramatic U-turn, with Al Nassr’s president publicly revealing that the front office is launching a massive push to retain the veteran tactician. Following Thursday’s title-clinching victory over Damac FC, Jorge Jesus shocked reporters by using his post-match press conference to announce he was stepping down, stating he had fulfilled the exact promise that led him to accept the vacancy in the first place. With his current deal expiring in June 2026, the manager remained tight-lipped regarding his next destination, noting only that he was headed to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for a well-deserved vacation. Yet, the separation might not be a done deal just yet. In a statement compiled by Saudi outlet Al-Wyam, Al Nassr club president Abdullah Al-Majed made the board’s aggressive stance abundantly clear: “At the current moment, there are ongoing attempts to convince Jesus to stay, and we will convince him, God willing.“ Alongside high-profile arrivals like Iñigo Martinez, Joao Felix, and Kingsley Coman, Jorge Jesus masterminded one of the most dominant campaigns in Al Nassr history. The 71-year-old manager orchestrated the best start to a season in SPL history with 11 consecutive wins, while also shattering the club record with a 20-match win streak across all competitions (16 in league play, four in the AFC Champions League Two). Coach Jorge Jesus and Al Nassr players celebrate the win against Al Ittihad with the fans. Having already experienced immense success with arch-rivals Al Hilal, Jesus was personally targeted for the job by Ronaldo, eventually guiding the club to the finals of both the Saudi Super Cup and the Champions League Two. Over his 49-game tenure, he accumulated an outstanding 40-2-7 record, averaging a staggering 2.49 points per match. Al-Majed also established clear timelines and expectations for Al Nassr’s upcoming 2026-27 campaign. “Work on the next season will begin immediately after the Eid al-Adha holiday (in June), focusing on preparing the squad and securing upcoming transfers… the work ahead will be very substantial,” the club president concluded. Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly pressuring management to finalize renewal By declaring his mission accomplished at Al Nassr, Jorge Jesus immediately sparked rumors linking him to high-profile roles at Fenerbahce, a return to Brazilian club soccer, or potentially taking over the Portugal national team after the World Cup. With the manager’s future hanging in the balance, Ronaldo is reportedly eager to flex his immense institutional leverage to force a change of heart. According to 365 Scores Arabic, Ronaldo is heavily pressuring Al Nassr’s executive board to iron out the details and lock Jesus down to a one-year contract extension. The timing of the contract is critical; Ronaldo is currently tied to the club through June 2027, meaning Jesus would have the opportunity to manage the iconic forward through what could realistically be the final season of his legendary professional career. As it stands, Jesus holds all the leverage in negotiations and will likely demand significant backing from the hierarchy to reconsider his exit. Reports suggest the manager’s list of demands includes a substantial salary increase paired with a guarantee of six major summer signings, a clear effort to avoid the squad depth issues that plagued the club during the 2026 winter window, when a lack of transfer activity reportedly prompted a frustrated Ronaldo to go on a brief two-game strike.
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