Just like last season, Arsenal are at the heart of a title race, but this time around, there’s much more optimism amongst the fanbase.

Mikel Arteta has developed a squad that not only has quality throughout but also plenty of depth, improving the team dramatically over the summer.

However, one player that’s lost his place in the team is Thomas Partey, who made just his fifth Premier League start of the season against Chelsea in the week.

Injuries have ruined his campaign, and it’s been reported that the Spaniard isn’t opposed to letting him go this summer for the right fee.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at an Arsenal transfer target who can not only serve as a brilliant replacement for the Ghana international but also make Declan Rice even better.

Arsenal want to bolster the midfield this summer

According to a report from French outlet, Foot Mercato, the Gunners are interested in making a move for Youssouf Fofana.

The midfielder currently plays for Monaco, who are second in Ligue 1 and on their way to qualifying for the Champions League.

For his talent, the £25.7m (£26m) reported price tag set by Monaco seems like a bargain that Arsenal must take advantage of.

However, they won’t be alone in their pursuit of the Frenchman, with plenty of European giants such as Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, and even Manchester United monitoring him.

Why Fofana could make Rice even better

There’s no two ways about it: the signing of Rice from West Ham United is arguably the main reason why Arteta’s side has progressed so much this campaign.

The number 41’s quality is unbelievable, and his presence in the middle of the park has been undeniable over his 34 Premier League matches.

He’s typically played as a number six, but Arsenal have found more success when he’s been deployed as a left-sided eight, with Jorginho supporting him a little deeper.

This is where Fofana comes into the equation, as he has all the characteristics and attributes to truly unleash Rice and allow him to reach even greater heights.

Touches

71.4

Passes completed

45.2 (81%)

Key passes

1.2

Successful dribbles

1.3

Tackles

1.9

Balls recovered

7.2

Duels won

4.9

As you can see from the table, the 25-year-old is an extremely well-rounded player who’s comfortable in almost every game state and has the ability to play across the midfield, even as a defensive midfielder.

Fofana’s inclusion in the starting lineup would truly enable Rice to flourish, giving him more freedom to express himself in the final third, where he’s been deadly this season, picking up an incredible six goals and assists apiece in the Premier League.

The reason for this is due to his excellent athleticism, ability to cover ground with ease, and defensive security, as shown by his tackles, balls recovered, and duels won statistics.

On the other hand, in the current Monaco setup, a lot of the creativity falls on the shoulders of Fofana, who’s instructed to take risks and progress the ball, hence his 1.2 key passes per game and low pass accuracy, which proves he could also serve as a rotation option for the England international.

Fofana also has the ability to evade the opposition press via his dribbling ability, which could prove to be decisive during big games, enabling Rice to drive forward on the counter more frequently.

On top of this, he’s a natural leader who’s worn the captain’s armband multiple times this season, which would further instil that winning mentality into the Arsenal team.

Overall, the “wonderful” Fofana, as dubbed by football scout Jacek Kulig, is an extremely complete player who would be a brilliant replacement for Partey, especially given his extremely good value.

Arsenal hit gold selling a star who'd be worth more than Rice in 2024 money

He cost them just £500k.

ByJoe Nuttall Apr 26, 2024

Everton have enjoyed success in recent seasons in the transfer market, with the club prioritising younger additions rather than big-name signings who are past their best.

The Toffees have signed the likes of James Garner and Jarrad Branthwaite in the last couple of years, with the latter already being touted for a £75m move to Manchester United this summer.

Undoubtedly, Sean Dyche's side would love to keep hold of the talented 21-year-old, but given their situation with PSR, any deal would represent fantastic business after paying £1m for the defender just over four years ago.

Not all the club's business has been a success, as reflected by the signing of Jean-Philippe Gbamin, who the club paid £25m for back in 2019 before going on to make just eight appearances for the club.

However, there's another player the Toffees purchased who came with a lot of promise, before rapidly falling down the pecking order in recent seasons.

Mason Holgate's stats at Everton

After arriving at Goodison Park for £2m under Roberto Martinez back in the summer of 2015, Mason Holgate had to bide his time before making any impact, with the youngster having huge potential to be a hit at the club.

He had to wait a whole season before making his first appearances in the Premier League, before featuring 18 times for the Toffees during the 2016/17 campaign.

However, he would endure a decrease in game time over the next couple of seasons, with the English centre-back falling out of favour under managers Sam Allardyce and Marco Silva.

Holgate would only make 20 appearances in the league over the two campaigns, before being loaned out to Championship side West Brom for the second half of the 2018/19 season.

His temporary stint in the West Midlands allowed for a resurgence at Goodison Park, registering at least 25 appearances in the Premier League for three consecutive seasons between 2019 and 2022 – scoring his first three goals for the club in that time.

2016/17

18

1,371

2017/18

15

1,182

2018/19

5

407

2019/20

27

2,053

2020/21

28

2,288

2021/22

25

2,134

2022/23

8

508

However, he would return to being a bit part player for the 2022/23 season, with Holgate only featuring eight times before two unsuccessful loan moves away from the club during the current campaign.

He's only featured 11 times in the league between his moves to Southampton and Sheffield United, respectively, with Holgate looking like suffering relegation with the Blades come the end of May.

Mason Holgate's wage in 2024

Nearly nine years on from his arrival at Goodison Park, the now 27-year-old earns a reported £70k-per-week, as per Spotrac, with the defender earning an extortionate amount given his lack of game time for the club.

His weekly wage is more than double what Garner earns, with the former Manchester United youngster only taking home £30k-per-week – a measly figure given his importance under Dyche over the last 18 months.

Given the club's precarious position, with the Premier League's PSR and FFP rules, the Toffees need to look at offloading Holgate, who still has one year left on his deal at Goodison when he returns from his stint at Bramall Lane at the end of the campaign.

He was a solid addition back in 2015, but unfortunately, he's not up to the standard of the Premier League anymore, with Dyche's side needing to cash in on him, to avoid losing him for nothing in the summer of 2025.

West Ham could be set to lose another key piece of their setup this summer alongside manager David Moyes, it has emerged.

Hammers move for Lopetegui back on

It seems certain at this point that there will be a change in the West Ham technical area this summer, with David Moyes' contract expiring at the end of the Premier League season.

One man who has been linked aplenty is ex-Wolves and Real Madrid boss Julen Lopetegui. However, news broke over the weekend that the Spaniard preferred a move to AC Milan over the Hammers, which dented their hopes of appointing him as their new head coach.

Related West Ham now make large offer to manager who plays "spectacular" football

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Though his stance has likely not changed, The Guardian report that Milan are "having second thoughts" about making him the new coach at San Siro, and as a result a switch to Serie A has been branded "very very unlikely".

That has opened the door for West Ham to swoop again, with the London side having "held productive talks" with the 57-year-old, though they are also assessing other options and no final decision has been taken on Moyes' future yet in an official capacity, though his departure appears to be inevitable.

He may not be the only high-profile departure either.

Michail Antonio set to leave West Ham

That comes as Football Insider claim that striker Michail Antonio will leave as a free agent this summer, when his contract in east London expires.

A part of the Hammers squad since 2015, Antonio headed home his 67th goal to rescue a point for his side against Liverpool, and has been a mainstay in the side in recent years.

He is also the club's all-time Premier League top goalscorer, a record he could yet stretch with a strong end to the season.

Speaking last year, Moyes hailed Antonio's importance to his side despite being in a goalscoring rut at the time: "Getting goals this season has not been easy for him. We need him. He's such an important player for us. And we need goals at the club".

However, the striker's £100,000 per week deal expires this summer, and like Moyes there has been no move to tie him down to a new deal in recent weeks. In fact, it is reported that though the striker has the option for an additional 12 months in his current deal, West Ham are willing to waive that and let him leave for nothing.

They might have a struggle trying to replace him if recent form is anything to go by though. They have signed 10 strikers since the Jamaican walked through the door, of whom only Javier Hernandez and Marko Arnautovic can claim to have had any success.

West Ham's striker signings since Michail Antonio

Player

Year signed

PL Goals for West Ham

PL Minutes per goal

Danny Ings

2023

3

376

Gianluca Scamacca

2022

3

309

Sebastien Haller

2019

10

320

Albian Ajeti

2019

0

N/A

Lucas Perez

2018

3

155

Jordan Hugill

2017

0

N/A

Marko Arnautovic

2017

21

205.8

Chicharito

2017

16

186.5

Simone Zaza

2016

0

N/A

Jonathan Calleri

2016

1

531

West Ham are thought to be "scouring the market" for his replacement, and have identified Dominic Solanke as their dream addition, though the Bournemouth striker would cost in excess of £50m.

أوضح رئيس نادي ليل، أوليفييه ليتانج، موقفهم من بيع جوناثان ديفيد مهاجم وهداف الفريق الأول لكرة القدم إلى برشلونة في الميركاتو الشتوي المقبل.

وارتبط اسم ديفيد في الأيام القليلة الماضية بإمكانية الانضمام إلى برشلونة بعد تصريحات اللاعب نفسه والتي قال فيها: “لطالما كان هو فريقي المفضل والذي أشجعه”.

وتابع: “اللعب بقميص برشلونة حلم بالنسبة لي، دائمًا ما أحرص على متابعة مبارياته واستمتع بأسلوب الفريق”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. غياب يامال يهدد برشلونة بـ شبح الهزيمة أمام سيلتا فيجو

وعلق ليتانج على مستقبل جوناثان ديفيد في تصريحات عبر إذاعة “RMC” الفرنسية، وقال: “لن نبيعه في يناير، وعلاوة على ذلك، لم نتلق أي عرض له”.

وتابع: “وضع جوناثان بسيط للغاية، نحن سعداء بوجوده معنا، في الموسم الماضي كان يتبقى في عقده عام واحد فقط لكننا أبقينا عليه لأنه يسجل ما بين 20 إلى 25 هدفًا”.

وأتم: “لقد تأهلنا إلى دوري أبطال أوروبا في وجوده، لقد قدمنا عرضًا له للتمديد والكرة في ملعبه في النهاية”.

Matias Rojas has "no words" to describe the feeling of being Lionel Messi's teammate at Inter Miami, with the Paraguayan still pinching himself.

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• Argentine moved to America in 2023
• Herons have strengthened again since then
• All-time great now an inspirational leader

• Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi made his way to the United States in the summer of 2023. He has been joined by a number of other notable additions since then, including former Barcelona colleagues Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Rojas was another new arrival for the 2024 MLS campaign, with the 28-year-old playmaker heading to Florida from Brazilian side Corinthians. He is currently responsible for providing attacking creativity for the Herons during Messi’s injury-enforced absence.

• Getty
  

  WHAT ROJAS SAID

  The Paraguay international is loving every minute of his time in Miami, telling reporters of what it is like to work with Messi – even when the iconic Argentine is restricted to an individual rehabilitation programme: “Leo is always there, he watches everything and he talks to us before games. He communicates more with those who can speak Spanish, he pays attention to what is happening, and he gives his opinion. We are proud to be in there, enjoying these moments. Sometimes I talk to my family to realise what is happening, but as I always say, I will not get tired of saying that we share the day with the best player in the history of football. There are no words to describe what I feel every day.”

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Messi is still waiting on dates to be set for a return to full training and competitive action. Inter Miami will be back on MLS duty against Supporters' Shield rivals FC Cincinnati on August 24. They are hoping to have their talismanic captain in contention for selection again by the end of the month.

مع ارتفاع معدل الانتصارات والبطولات تزداد وتيرة الأزمات داخل غرفة خلع ملابس نادي الأهلي، إذ يشتد حرص اللاعبين على الحفاظ على مراكزهم ضمن الكتيبة الحمراء.

وبعد انتهاء موسم الأهلي المنقضي والذي توج فيه بطلًا للدوري والكأس ودوري أبطال إفريقيا والسوبر المحلي، وإسدال الستار على “خناقات” الاستبعاد من المشاركة أو الاستبدال التي كان أبطالها محمد مجدي أفشة وحسين الشحات ومحمد الشناوي ومحمود كهربا.

عادت من جديد الأزمة ذاتها لتضرب أروقة غرفة ملابس الأهلي، وتحديدًا عقب مباراة استاد أبيدجان الإيفواري في مستهل مواجهات دور المجموعات ببطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

واشتعلت نيران الأزمة عندما أبدى إمام عاشور لاعب خط وسط الفريق غضبه من استبعاده من المشاركة سواء أساسيًا أو كبديل في اللقاء الذي انتهى بفوز الأهلي برباعية، ليطالبه قائد الفريق محمد الشناوي بعدم افتعال المشاكل ليحتدم الموقف بين الثنائي.

طالع تفاصيل الأزمة.. خاص بالتفاصيل | تغريم إمام عاشور مليون جنيه وحرمانه من تدريبات الأهلي

الجدير بالذكر، أن الأهلي قد أصدر قرارًا رسميًا بمعاقبة إمام عاشور بغرامة مالية مليون جنيه مصري.

وتعد أزمة الشناوي مع إمام عاشور هي الأولى بين الطرفين ولكنها ليست باكورة “خناقات” الحارس الدولي مع زملائه في الفريق. خلافات سابقة لـ الشناوي

واشتبك الشناوي مع زملائه في أكثر من مناسبة، كانت أبرزها ما دار بينه وبين محمود عبد المنعم كهربا في سبتمبر عام 2022، أذ دخل الثنائي في مشادة عنيفة، شهدت تطاولًا من لاعب الزمالك الأسبق ليتقرر توقيع عقوبة مالية عليه قدرها مليون جنيه.

أما في مباراة الأهلي والرجاء المغربي فقد نشبت مشادة كلامية بين محمد الشناوي ومدافع الفريق محمد عبد المنعم رصدتها عدسات نقل اللقاء. إمام عاشور وأزماته

وعلى الجانب الأخر لم تكن أزمات إمام عاشور منذ انضمامه للنادي الأهلي داخل الملعب أو مع زملائه في الفريق، بل على الدوام كانت خارج المستطيل الأخضر.

وكانت أبرز تلك الأزمات اشتباك إمام عاشور مع أحد أفراد الأمن بأحد “المولات” والتي تطورت إلى مكاتب النيابة وساحات القضاء إلى أن انتهت بالتصالح بين الطرفين.

الجدير بالذكر أن إمام عاشور المنضم للأهلي الصيف قبل الماضي، قد ترددت أنباء حول خلافات بينه وبين محمد مجدي أفشة قبل أشهر، وهو ما نفاه الأخير تمامًا.

Glasgow Rangers 2023/24 Premiership campaign rests on one final Old Firm derby match.

A win over Celtic at Parkhead on Saturday lunchtime could give them a major boost in their pursuit of the title, although they may still require a favour from other teams. A defeat, however, and a third straight title will be heading to the other side of Glasgow.

Philippe Clement knows exactly how his team should perform. The question is, can they execute a game plan and take the match to Celtic?

A 3-3 draw during the previous derby match saw plenty of ebbs and flows throughout the 90 minutes, but it was as dismal a first half as the Gers have had all season.

It took a late Rabbi Matondo stunner to secure a share of the spoils, yet he will miss out due to injury and the starting XI could look quite different from that game.

With this in mind, here's a look at the potential starting lineup that Clement could choose ahead of one of the most eagerly anticipated Old Firm clashes in quite some time – with three potential changes from the side that saw off Kilmarnock last time out.

1 GK – Jack Butland

Butland may have conceded three goals during the last meeting against Celtic, but considering one was a fluke effort in the first minute while the second was a penalty, it was only really the third goal that he should have done better with.

The Englishman was awarded both the Men’s Players’ Player of the Year and Men’s Player of the Year awards during the Rangers award ceremony a few weeks ago. Both well deserved after a stunning debut campaign.

2 RB – James Tavernier

The captain hasn’t scored since the 3-2 defeat to Ross County nearly a month ago, but how a goal or two on Saturday would help the Light Blues in their quest to defeat Celtic.

Already on 24 goals for the season, he could still hit 30 by the end of the term should he go on a scoring streak over the next four matches. Starting this streak this weekend would be ideal.

3 CB – John Souttar

The Scot got on the scoresheet during the win against Kilmarnock last weekend, netting the last goal to seal a 4-1 victory.

Against the Rugby Park side, the former Hearts' defender won ten of his 14 total duels contested, completed 89% of his passes and took 100 touches during a solid display which he hopes will carry into the Old Firm tie.

4 CB – Ben Davies

Souttar and Leon Balogun started the match last week, but the veteran defender had to come off at half-time, paving the way for Davies to make his first appearance since November.

The £4m signing from 2022 managed to get on the scoresheet too, and he should be in the starting XI at Parkhead on Saturday afternoon.

5 LB – Ridvan Yilmaz

Yilmaz enjoyed a brief cameo last week against Killie and this should give Clement the licence to ditch Borna Barisic and unleash the Turkish starlet.

The 22-year-old suffered an injury whilst on international duty back in March which ruled him out for six matches, and it was the Gers that missed his presence on the left side of the defence.

With some minutes in his legs, he should be the first choice at left-back to play Celtic, no doubt about it.

6 CM – John Lundstram

Lundstram is out of contract at the end of the season, and it appears as though he won't be extending his stay at Ibrox beyond the summer.

The midfielder has missed just one game since Clement took over in October, but he will have to improve on his recent form if he aims to make an impact during the derby clash.

7 CM – Mohamed Diomande

The youngster has a wonderfully high ceiling in terms of potential as he is set to join up with Rangers on a permanent deal at the end of the season.

In his first 15 matches for the Light Blues, he has found the back of the net twice and looks like a really wise signing.

8 RW – Dujon Sterling

The utility man has shone wherever Clement has deployed him this season and against Celtic, he will operate on the right wing.

This is a position in which he has played only twice during the current campaign, yet it saw him score his first senior goal, coming against Benfica in the Europa League back in March.

With wide options few and far between, Sterling will be up for the challenge.

9 AM – Tom Lawrence

Despite starting on the bench last week, Lawrence emerged with just 20 minutes left and scored one of the best goals of the season, curling a lovely effort past the Killie ‘keeper.

In a bold call, Clement could drop Cantwell to the bench in order to unleash the Welshman, as he certainly deserves it following an impressive cameo last week when he succeeded with 100% of his dribbles, made one key pass and lost possession just three times.

10 LW – Fabio Silva

Silva ended his dry spell in front of goal against Killie, scoring the equaliser on the stroke of halftime, yet his loan spell has largely been disappointing.

He won the penalty from which Tavernier scored Rangers first goal against Celtic last month, but the winger spent the rest of the time diving more times than Tom Daley in the Olympics.

Due to the lack of wide options, the on-loan youngster will have to start on the left flank.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has dismissed any concerns regarding Federico Chiesa’s fitness, after seeing him endure injury struggles at Juventus.

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Italian taking on English adventureQuestions asked of injury recordReds will not rush winger into actionGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The Italy international winger has completed an £11 million ($15m) transfer to Anfield, with the 26-year-old snapped up in a cut-price deal after entering the final year of his contract in Turin. Chiesa sat out games in all four of his seasons at Juve, with a cruciate ligament tear keeping him sidelined for nine months in 2022.

AdvertisementWHAT SLOT SAID

Liverpool believe that the Euro 2020 winner has merely been unfortunate when it comes to picking up knocks, with Slot expecting the Italian to be available on a regular basis as he takes on a Premier League adventure. The Reds’ Dutch coach has said of Chiesa: “It's true he had an ACL issue but the rest he didn't have big injuries, just minor like other players maybe. I trust my performance staff, he is not the only winger we have, we have others, so if he is not available at certain moments we have others and there are enough players to choose.”

GOALTHE BIGGER PICTURE

While Chiesa’s injury record is mixed at best, there is no questioning his quality. Liverpool are delighted to have him on board and expect a debut to be made after the September international break. Slot added on his newest recruit: “I'm excited, if we sign someone who can help us and improve the squad, of course you're excited to get him in. One of the best things of working here is the culture of this team; they work so hard to achieve their goals and I think it is important the first player you bring in has the same culture. He works really hard on and off the pitch, he can score goals and is aggressive off the ball and he can play so many positions, an interesting signing. We will take care of him because he hasn't trained much but we have good performance staff to build him in the right way and we can see his quality in the near future.”

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WHAT NEXT?

Liverpool have confirmed that Chiesa will train alongside his new team-mates on Friday, but he is unlikely to be included in the Reds’ matchday squad for a meeting with arch-rivals Manchester United on Sunday. His Premier League bow could be made against Nottingham Forest at Anfield on September 14.

MatériaMais Notícias

Existem diversas maneiras de reconhecer um jogador ou uma jogadora dentro de campo, mas uma das mais marcantes e lembradas pelos torcedores é pelo corte de cabelo. Um moicano, um topete alto ou até mesmo alguns desenhos sempre marcaram época. Buscando inserir uma nova moda nos gramados, a Brahma vem transformando os penteados de jogadores do futebol brasileiro.
+ Confira a classificação do Brasileirão

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A novidade já começou a aparecer nas competições espalhadas pelo país no último sábado (10), com o lateral-esquerdo Reinaldo e o atacante Rossi, no duelo entre São Paulo e Bahia, ambos pelo Campeonato Brasileiro. A atacante Cacau, do Corinthians, é outra representante do mundo da bola a adotar o corte.

O estilo de cabelo inusitado faz parte da cultura do futebol, e os torcedores adoram reproduzir o visual de seus principais ídolos. E se a moda no futebol extrapola o campo, até mesmo os fãs e as celebridades já aderiram, como o influenciador flamenguista Arthur Piccoli. E o Cabelo Cremoso Brahma é um corte diferente, com o amarelo e o branco trazendo aspectos da cervejaria.

A campanha, criada pela Africa, conta com a parceria de Ariel Franco, o Rei do Blindado. O barbeiro, conhecido por cortes icônicos, tem sido o responsável por levar o Cabelo Cremoso para a cabeça dos jogadores

-Entre tantas coisas, o cabelo dos jogadores e jogadoras é algo icônico dentro do futebol. Muitos atletas se tornam ídolos e são reconhecidos, não apenas pelo que apresentam em campo, mas também pelo visual. Então, de forma inusitada decidimos criar o corte que vai ditar a moda nessa década. Como principal parceira do futebol brasileiro e dos clubes, a Brahma também está pronta para criar tendências de uma maneira leve e descontraída – disseMarina Raats, gerente de marketing de Brahma.

A framework has also been drawn up to manage athletes who contract Covid-19 when sport resumes

Daniel Brettig01-May-20201:42

Tait: Legalised tampering might be chance for cricket to move forward

Shining the ball with saliva or sweat will be restricted in Australia under a framework released by the federal government about the staged return of both professional and recreational sport amid the coronavirus pandemic.The guidelines, drawn up by the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in conjunction with medical experts, sporting bodies and federal and state governments, outline a staged return to play at all levels, hastened by the desires of the winter football codes in particular to return in time to salvage some of their seasons. Cricket Australia’s chief medical officer John Orchard was involved in the preparation of the framework.They will have international implications, and follow the revelation on ESPNcricinfo last week that cricket administrators were actively considering the possibility of allowing the ball to be polished with artificial substances to reduce the risks associated with using saliva on the ball and then passing it around the field of play.ALSO READ: Cricket to consider legalised ball-tampering in wake of coronavirusUnder the AIS framework, restrictions on sport are currently outlined as being at “Level A” restricting all training except that of the individual kind. But there will soon be a move to “Level B”, potentially little more than a week from now, which will allow the following: “Nets — batters facing bowlers. Limit bowlers per net. Fielding sessions — unrestricted. No warm up drills involving unnecessary person-person contact. No shining cricket ball with sweat/saliva during training.”The third and final “Level C”, to be permitted later in the year, is outlined as: “Full training and competition. No ball shining with sweat/saliva in training.”These step by step returns will run alongside government decisions about when and how. The NRL is set to be the first sport to return to action, having flagged a May 28 return date for the competition, which will be reduced to 20 rounds. The AFL is currently debating some of the logistical issues around its own return.Intriguingly, cricket as a non-contact sport may actually be permitted to return before the winter codes, leaving the northern states open to play. The Australian team’s next scheduled matches in Australia were slated to be as part of a limited-overs series against Zimbabwe in August.”Sport makes an important contribution to the physical, psychological and emotional well-being of Australians,” the framework report states. “The economic contribution of sport is equivalent to 2-3% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating effects on communities globally, leading to significant restrictions on all sectors of society, including sport. Resumption of sport can significantly contribute to the re-establishment of normality in Australian society.How would you shine the cricket ball in the time of Covid-19?•Getty Images”The principles outlined in this document apply equally to high performance/professional level, community competitive and individual passive (non-contact) sport. The AIS Framework is a timely tool for ‘how’ reintroduction of sport activity will occur in a cautious and methodical manner, to optimise athlete and community safety. Decisions regarding the timing of resumption of sporting activity (the ‘when’) must be made in close consultation with Federal, State/Territory and Local Public Health Authorities. The priority at all times must be to preserve public health, minimising the risk of community transmission.”Standards for a return to elite sport are also a part of the report, which dictates how athletes contracting Covid-19 may be dealt with, and precautions that will continue to need to be taken even after full competitive sport is permitted to resume.”The resumption of sport and recreation activities will be a complex process. A careful stepwise process needs to be implemented to ensure the safety of athletes and other personnel and the wider community,” the report states. “Preparation for resumption includes education of the athletes and other personnel, assessment of the sport environment and agreement on training scheduling to accommodate social distancing.”The approach to training should focus on ‘get in, train, get out’, minimising unnecessary contact in change rooms, bathrooms and communal areas. Prior to resumption, sporting organisations should have agreed protocols in place for management of illness in athletes and other personnel. Special consideration should be made for para-athletes and others with medical conditions as they may be more vulnerable to COVID-19 infection. Clubs and individuals should apply a graded return to mitigate injury risk, understanding that sudden increase in training load will predispose to injury.”Individuals should not return to sport if in the last 14 days they have been unwell or had contact with a known or suspected case of COVID-19. Any individual with respiratory symptoms (even if mild) should be considered a potential case and must immediately self-isolate, have COVID-19 excluded and be medically cleared by a doctor to return to the training environment.”Athletes returning to sport after COVID-19 infection require special consideration prior to resumption of high intensity physical activity.”Australia and New Zealand have been two of the world’s least-affected countries in the coronavirus pandemic. After being one of the first nations exposed to the virus, border closures, social distancing measures and business and large scale gathering shutdowns have helped to bring the virus to a standstill relative to events in the UK, United States and India.The full report can be found here.