Wolves forward Hwang Hee-chan has claimed that Arsenal have had the loudest fans in the Premier League this season.

What stadium has the best atmosphere in the Premier League?

It was a pretty excellent season for the Gunners right up until the final months when they seemed to run out of steam.

Indeed, Mikel Arteta's men spent 248 days at the top – a record for a team that didn't go on a win the division. But ultimately didn't have enough to beat Manchester City to the title.

And while the season ended in disappointment, it was still more than most supporters would have expected from Arsenal going into the campaign and it seems the home crowd have been thankful about that.

Indeed, while speaking about the best atmosphere's across the top flight in England, Hwang suggested that there is no pace louder than the Emirates.

Speaking to Goal about the subject, the £30k-per-week ace said: "Arsenal was good, Liverpool, and Man City also was good."

When asked to specifically clarify who has the nosiest fans, the striker said: "I think Arsenal, I would say Arsenal."

What stadium do fans think has the best home atmosphere in the Premier League?

It's interesting to hear this point of view from a player who will have a slightly different experience to fans on match day as they're actually on the pitch, instead of up in the stands.

In March, as per a survey conducted by sports and betting brand Midnite – who did a survey with 1,002 Premier League away match-attending fans – it was claimed that Manchester United’s Old Trafford has the best home atmosphere in the Premier League winning 20.46% of the vote.

That data showed Liverpool in second, then Arsenal, Newcastle United fourth and Chelsea fifth – which is surprising that some smaller clubs are not on the list.

And the likes of Brentford, Southampton, Wolves, Fulham and Bournemouth were all in the bottom five.

It's amazing to think how the perception of the Arsenal stadium has changed in recent times – especially as it once had the reputation for being a bit of a library.

After all, in the Football Ground Guide, opposition supporters have called the home support "pretty poor", with one Leeds United fan noting: "I only heard them a handful of times."

Hwang started against the Gunners on the final day of the season, so this will be fresh in his memory but just imagine how loud it could have been had Arsenal actually won that title! Maybe next season…

Manchester United are open to the idea of selling midfielder Fred in the summer transfer window, according to a fresh update regarding his future.

Has Fred been a key man this season?

The Red Devils' season came to an end on Saturday afternoon, as they tasted defeat to Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley. It was a spirited effort in the eventual 2-1 loss, but their rivals' extra quality shone through in the end.

Fred started proceedings against City, accompanying Casemiro in the middle of the park, but he has struggled to feature regularly throughout the campaign. He only started 12 of United's 38 Premier League games in 2022/23, having to make do with a squad role instead.

The £120,000-a-week midfielder's current deal expires next year, meaning that he would be allowed to leave on a free transfer at that point, should an extension not have been agreed. For that reason, it could be that United look to move him on before the start of next season, with a new update certainly suggesting as much.

Could United sell Fred this summer?

According to Football Insider, the Reds "will consider offers" for Fred once the summer transfer window opens, even though they are "in no rush to push him out of the club". In fact, the club are "likely to leave the final decision" with the player himself, should he decide that he wants a fresh challenge and more regular minutes.

The report states that "the club will be open to letting him go if they receive the right fee – but they are also happy to keep him as part of the squad for the 2023-24 campaign", having triggered a 12-month extension on the deal that was originally expiring this summer.

Fred leaving United this summer certainly wouldn't be a disaster, with the club now in a position where they need to be bringing in superior midfielders as squad options, in order to compete with City at the top of the Premier League. That being said, he is a safe pair of hands who has now racked up 213 appearances for the Reds, also being hailed as "extremely valuable" by Ralf Rangnick during his time at the club, and he has actually made more appearances this season than any other of his previous campaigns in Manchester.

Essentially, it feels like a win-win scenario for United, with the club either receiving a good fee for Fred if he does move on, or keeping hold of an experienced head who can do an effective job if he stays put, and it looks as if his future will be one to keep an eye on over the summer.

When Tottenham Hotspur reached the Champions League final in 2019, it was supposed to be a watershed moment for the ambitious London outfit.

Mauricio Pochettino had crafted one of the most eye-catching and fluid teams in the Premier League and, despite the loss on that fateful day by the hand of Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool, the rich pool of talent tantalised green pastures over yonder.

Instead, the dismissal of Antonio Conte this year was the fourth permanent manager discarded in as many years, and the failure to qualify for European football this term has underscored the issues that the club is currently beset with.

Ange Postecoglou has now been appointed and supporters will eagerly anticipate how the Australian will bolster the squad this summer.

One of his first moves could be to seal a swoop for Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie, who has been linked with a departure from Camp Nou after just one season and has been reported by Spanish publication AS to be of interest to the Lilywhites.

As per the report, a fee of €35m (£30m) could be required to prise him away, and given his imposing physicality and tendency to progress play with his barging presence, he could suit English football and Postecoglou's system to a tee.

Should Tottenham sign Franck Kessie?

Dubbed a "warrior" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the 60-cap Ivory Coast international won Serie A last term and LaLiga this season, making 43 appearances for Xavi's outfit but only starting seven times in the league, consequently discontented with life in Catalonia and ostensibly seeking an exit, with Spurs all too willing to enrich their ranks.

If he is managed aptly, Kessie could be moulded as Tottenham's next version of Dele Alli, with the England international suffering misfortune and a plummet from prominence over the past several seasons but unequivocally one of the most prodigious talents to ever grace Premier League soil.

Alli plundered 67 goals and 61 assists from 269 appearances for Spurs before losing his spark and being shipped out to Everton at the midpoint of the 21/22 campaign, having now completed an unsuccessful season-long loan move with Turkish Super Lig side Besiktas.

At his resounding best, Alli was lauded as a talent with the "world at his feet" by Frank Lampard and "very special" by Xavi – two former stars who know a thing or two about how to succeed as a first-rate midfielder.

The one-time MK Dons youngster was best suited to an attacking role deployed behind the all-encompassing talisman Harry Kane, almost a shadow striker at times, and wreaked havoc with his unflinching approach and devastating offensive potency.

Praised as an "amazing player" by former Spurs 'keeper Paul Robinson, Kessie can emulate this; he ranks among the top 12% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for both touches in the attacking box and progressive passes received per 90, as per FBref, driving forward just like the 37-cap England ace.

And while the former AC Milan gem has been a peripheral figure with La Blaugrana this year, 19 goals across his final two seasons in Serie A, complemented by clinching the Scudetto last term, illustrates a goal-scoring prowess and a "devastating" danger, as remarked by Antonio Cassano, to match Alli's – who posted 37 strikes across his first three top-flight campaigns.

Kessie's possible transfer to Tottenham could well be an unmitigated success, with Kane's superlative skill as one of football's most creative striking focal points – ranking among the top 10% of strikers for shot-creating actions and the top 4% for progressive passes per 90 – providing Kessie with the perfect platform to unleash the full might of his attacking arsenal.

Forging a battle for top four and a confident domestic cup run is imperative next year and with Kessie's signing, the return to the former free-flowing football that left the Spurs support in raucous rapture could return to cast aside the cobwebs of the 22/23 term and drape the curtain irrevocably on the recent woes.

يتواجد نجم فريق باريس سان جيرمان، كيليان مبابي، في الوقت الحالي في قصر الإليزيه، تلبيًا لدعوة الرئيس الفرنسي إيمانويل ماكرون.

كان ماكرون قد وجه الدعوة إلى كيليان مبابي لحضور مأدبة عشاء في قصر الإليزيه، مساء اليوم الثلاثاء.

اقرأ أيضًا.. خافيير تيباس يعلق على اقتراب انضمام مبابي إلى ريال مدريد

وتواجد في تلك المأدبة كذلك أمير قطر، تميم بن حمد آل ثاني، حيث ستدور محادثات بينه وبين ماكرون، تتعلق بالشأن السياسي.

ونشرت شبكة “RMC” الفرنسية مقطع فيديو لحوار قصير دار بين إيمانويل ماكرون من جهة، وتميم بن حمد آل ثاني، وكذلك كيليان مبابي.

وذكرت الشبكة أن ماكرون قال خلال حديثه لـ مبابي وأمير قطر: “ستخلقان لنا المزيد من المشاكل”، دون إيضاح مغزى ما قاله، وما إذا كان له علاقة بمستقبل الفرنسي مع باريس سان جيرمان.

👀 👂 Emmanuel Macron : “Vous allez encore nous créer des ennuis.”

Qu’est-ce que l’Emir du Qatar a pu dire à Mbappé pendant ce rendez-vous ? pic.twitter.com/OPMfqaJy1N — RMC Sport (@RMCsport) February 27, 2024

ومن المعروف، حسب التقارير الصحفية المنتشرة في الوقت الحالي، أن مبابي ينوي مغادرة باريس سان جيرمان بمجرد انتهاء عقده في الصيف القادم، حيث سينضم إلى ريال مدريد.

Cricket South Africa’s chief executive, Haroon Lorgat, has called on the ICC to clarify the laws around polishing the ball in the wake of the Faf du Plessis case

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Nov-20162:51

Moonda: ‘Relief for South Africa’

Cricket South Africa chief executive Haroon Lorgat has called on the ICC to clarify the rules around polishing the ball, particularly with regard to what constitutes an “artificial substance”, after South Africa’s captain Faf du Plessis was found guilty of ball tampering.A decision has not yet been made on whether du Plessis will appeal the verdict, which resulted in him being fined his entire match fee from the Hobart Test but cleared to play in Adelaide this week. During the Hobart Test, du Plessis shined the ball with saliva while he had a confectionery item in his mouth, which the ICC determined was in contravention of Law 42, which allows players to polish the ball provided no artificial substance is used.”At this stage we’ve advised Faf to reserve his position with regard to the match referee’s finding and wait for the full reasons of his decision before deciding his next step,” Lorgat said in Adelaide on Wednesday. “Very understable, Faf is obviously disappointed by the decision and I can fully understand.”In fairness to both him and the ICC, this is an unprecedented case involving unique issues of policy, science and performance that need to be carefully considered at the highest levels of the game. There are also issues relating to fair and just process, interpretation of the rules, and importantly, the consistent application of the Code of Conduct that needs to be considered.”CSA believes that the Laws of the game do not currently define the term ‘artificial substance’, leaving room for inconsistent application of the rules. For instance, the Laws currently prevent the use of ‘artificial substances’ to polish the ball, yet artificial cotton fibres from playing kit can be used to shine the ball.”Players also regularly chew gum when applying saliva to the ball, or ingest sugary drinks and sweets during short breaks in play before shining the ball. No action is taken in such circumstances by the umpires.””Test match cricket is a competitive sport at the highest level and players and fans deserve certainty around these issues. Integrity and consistent application of the rules are important for everyone. We’ll consult with our legal teams. We want to engage with the ICC in a constructive matter, and we want to deal with this properly.”The Code of Conduct charge was laid by ICC chief executive David Richardson, who is also a qualified lawyer. On Wednesday, Richardson said on Australian television that the ICC “drew the line” because du Plessis’ actions were “pretty obvious”.”Probably in this case in particular, we drew the line,” Richardson told the Nine Network. “We said, ‘we need to charge’ because in our eyes anyway it was pretty obvious that he was using the residue from the sweet directly on the ball.”I think the bottom line is if you want to change the condition of the ball by polishing it, in other words improving it, keeping it, retaining its condition, do so, but don’t use any artificial substance.”

Liverpool are creeping towards the latter stages of a deal to bring OGC Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram to Anfield, according to reports.

What's the latest on Khephren Thuram to Liverpool?

A report from Football Transfers claims the Frenchman has 'verbally agreed terms' on a deal with the Anfield side, with manager Jurgen Klopp tracking the player since January.

Such claims are corroborated by the prominent Fabrizio Romano, who took to Twitter on Thursday to state that the Reds have scheduled a fresh round of talks with the Merseyside outfit.

With interest in Thuram believed to be high, as much as €60m (£52m) could be required to prise him away from the French Ligue 1, though such a sum could be worthwhile considering the calibre of his skill set.

What would Khephren Thuram bring to Liverpool?

It cannot be surprising to any avid football fan that Liverpool are undergoing major midfield surgery following a dismal campaign that illuminated the need for change, compounded by the mass exodus – James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have all left upon the expiry of their contracts, while stricken loanee Arthur has also left the Premier League club.

However, given the situation Klopp is beset with, failing to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in seven seasons and ceding acres of territory to those at the forefront of the division, this is a blessing in disguise and the opportune moment to rekindle the flame has arisen, with the bargain £35m transfer of Alexis Mac Allister already concluded.

Considering the aforementioned departees, Thuram would have the perfect chance to cement a starting berth as the prestigious outfit look to commence a renaissance, having earned praise as the "perfect profile" by journalist Alex Jaquin.

While the midfield and its inability to effectively protect the defence this season has been the crux of Liverpool's demise, Thuram's acquisition could actually bolster the offensive ranks, too, with the new-look frontline exhibiting glimpses of brilliance over the past year but yet to click into top gear.

Mohamed Salah has been as imperious as ever, though, and plundered 30 goals and 16 assists from 51 matches across all competitions, and while he did not start off as emphatically as he would have hoped, 20 of his 31 direct contributions in the top flight occurred after the midpoint and could tantalise further stunning form when Liverpool ostensibly return to prominence next year.

Thuram can aid this and then some; as per FBref, the £15k-per-week machine ranks among the top 6% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries, the top 9% for successful take-ons and the top 25% for assists per 90, illustrating his knack at driving forward and creating danger in the final third.

Salah, who ranks among the top 3% of attacking midfielders and wingers for non-penalty goals and the top 1% for touches in the attacking box, can act as both the conduit from which Thuram can latch onto and the dynamic forward to provide a multi-faceted edge to the attack.

Hailed for his "tremendous" abilities by one Anfield Wrap podcaster, Thuram could be the dream signing to both enrich Liverpool's midfield vibrancy and infuse the robustness of the centre with the potency of the attack, and Klopp must throw the kitchen sink at tying up a deal this summer.

Australia have admitted they were sent into a lather by Faf du Plessis’ crafty declaration on the first evening of the Adelaide Test, a call that left Steven Smith and Usman Khawaja fuming as David Warner was unable to take his usual spot as an opener after spending time off the field.Warner complained of shoulder pain and went for treatment late in South Africa’s innings, but upon overhearing that the opener needed to spend a further six minutes on the field, du Plessis closed his innings. “I listened to the conversation he had with the umpires, one ear talking to the batter and one ear listening to him and then I heard he had six minutes left before he could bat again so I thought ‘let’s have a crack’,” du Plessis said.Warner and Smith both remonstrated with the umpires on their way off the field, with du Plessis’ closure the earliest in terms of overs in the first innings of a Test unaffected by bad weather. “He went off for some treatment towards the end and was off for too long,” Josh Hazlewood said of Warner. “So they messed their timings up and he couldn’t bat straight away. Uzzy had to bat and adapted pretty well and we got through.”The guys were a little bit annoyed, especially Smithy and probably Uzzy who had to go out and bat, but it’s just one of those things. It rarely happens, but it happened today and the way Uzzy adapted to the situation he did a great job for us today.”Hazlewood confirmed it was up to Warner to ensure he was not caught out in this way, and said the team would likely receive an apology from the vice-captain as a result. “It’s probably the player himself,” he said. “You know the rules and he was just off the field for too long. He’ll hold himself accountable, that’s how Davey goes, so he’ll know he did the wrong thing, apologise to the group and especially Usman, and he’ll learn from it and hopefully it won’t happen again.”As for du Plessis, Hazlewood could only doff his cap. “I think he might’ve had a rough idea, yeah,” he said. “He’s quite cagey like that, pulled the pin and declared and caught us out a little bit.”

Reg Dickason, England’s security advisor, has played down any concerns that England’s players of Pakistani heritage may have about touring India

George Dobell and David Hopps02-Nov-2016

Reg Dickason, England’s security advisor, has played down concerns lurking within the England camp that their players of Pakistani origin, Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid may encounter hostility touring India after media reports that Pakistan umpire Aleem Dar would not stand in the series because of the further potential for nationalist protests.Dar was never scheduled to stand in the India vs England Test series, according to ICC, so cannot properly be said to have been withdrawn, but that might be regarded as a pragmatic decision a year after he was pulled out of a one-day series between India and South Africa last year because of threats.England have been full of praise for Bangladesh’s high-level security operation during their recent Test series and, although Dickason indicated that protection levels will be less apparent in India, he suggested that he was content with anti-terrorism arrangements in general and, additionally, that England’s players of Pakistan heritage had not expressed particular misgivings that they might be singled out for protests. Moeen was subjected to abuse from England-based India fans during India’s previous tour of England in 2014.”We have no real concerns but we’re certainly aware of the issues Aleem Dar has,” Dickason said. “I know it was reported that he wasn’t going, that he’d been pulled out, but according to the ICC he’s just been rostered at another event. But Shiv Sena had some issues with Aleem there and went to the BCCI offices. So we’re certainly aware of that but we don’t expect any real issues.”I’ve spoken to him and Adil and they seem ok to me. They haven’t expressed any doubts to me.”The ICC withdrew Dar from the last two ODIs between India and South Africa, stating at the time that the “incident in Mumbai where a group of extremists stormed into the BCCI office” was the reason for its decision. Former Pakistan cricketers Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar, also missed the Mumbai ODI as a security precaution in response to anti-Pakistan protests by the Shiv Sena, a regional political party, about a scheduled meeting between BCCI and PCB officials.England might have left Bangladesh, but such is the way of the world that security – and the more likely threat of extremist Islamic terrorism – remains on the mind of the entire touring party.Dickason also expressed general satisfaction that the security plans drawn up in India were appropriate to withstand any threat from wherever it might arise. England abandoned their last two ODIs in India in 2008 in the wake of the Mumbai terrorist attacks, but returned to fulfil the Test series under heavy security.”It’ll be similar to Bangladesh but a different layout,” he said. “It was very overt here and it won’t be as overt in India. The road clearances that we got here that are usually reserved for heads of state we probably won’t get in India. But we’ll get adequate transit protection.”The BCCI get a host-city security plan which is a generic issue from a master security plan which is put across the whole event. There will be some subtle differences but it won’t be too many.”It appears, however, that England’s players will be expected to withstand a further period inside a security cordon and that the India tour will be a sequence of journeys from hotel to cricket ground and back again.”It’s certainly much better if the group stays as a group,” he said. “Then we can concentrate the security resources on the group rather than people star bursting.”

There has never been a better time to be a Newcastle fan.

Within the last 18 months, the club has escaped the clutches of Mike Ashley, avoided relegation, ditched Steve Bruce, found new ownership, hired Eddie Howe, and has just secured Champions League football for the first time since 2002.

It is a wondrously exciting dawn for the Magpies, but they must not rest on their laurels, and begin shaping their squad for their European excursion.

They need to add more depth and quality to juggle the increased amount of fixtures and James Maddison would be a magnificent addition.

What’s the latest on James Maddison to Newcastle?

According to the Guardian, the Magpies and Tottenham are set to be part of a hotly-contested tug-of-war for the 26-year-old’s signature.

The Magpies have been reportedly working on a deal for Maddison since last summer and can offer the playmaker the chance to compete in Europe’s most elite competition.

The Foxes have accepted that Maddison 'can leave for the right offer' and only has a year left on his contract.

It is understood that an offer of around £40m could be enough for the 2016 Premier League winners to sanction his sale.

How would James Maddison fit in at Newcastle?

Despite his side’s torrid season, the £110k-per-week maestro has emerged from the rubble of Leicester’s relegation with his formidable reputation still intact.

In 30 Premier League appearances, the attacking midfielder registered 19 goal involvements and the highest average rating (7.24) in the whole squad, as per WhoScored.

The two-cap international has been a fountain of creativity and end-product as he ranks in the top 11% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for assists per 90, as well as within the best 15% for shot-creating actions and progressive passes per 90.

A player of this stunning effervescence propped behind the irrepressible Alexander Isak is a frightening prospect.

In his debut season in England, the forward scored ten top-flight goals, despite only making 22 appearances in an injury-ravaged start.

In this short period, the 23-year-old has already displaced his dazzling quick feet, his clinical finishing, and intoxicating directness as he ranks within the highest 7% for successful take-ons per 90 and 16% for progressive carries per 90.

Hailed as someone who possesses “all the attributes”, a combination of Maddison’s mesmeric creativity and the flourishing potential of Isak could be a potent force in domestic and European competition.

Described as “fantastic” by Frank Lampard, Maddison should deservedly be playing top-flight football come August and St James Park would be a mouth-watering destination.

With the lure of more European football at the London Stadium next season, plus plenty of money to play with should Declan Rice's expected £100m transfer go through, West Ham United supporters have every right to be excited for what the summer transfer window holds.

While some big names have been linked with the Hammers – Manchester United's Harry Maguire among them – others with a little less stature are also reported to be on David Moyes' radar.

Who is West Ham target Valentin Castellanos?

One of those who West Ham fans are perhaps not all that familiar with is Valentin Castellanos, often referred to as "Taty" Castellanos, who is back at parent club New York City FC after spending last season on loan with Girona in LaLiga.

According to TYC Sports reporter Cesar Luis Merlo, Girona are not in a financial position to purchase Castellanos permanently, and that has alerted the likes of West Ham and Sevilla.

That said, reports in Spain – via Sport Witness – have suggested that it is Benfica who leads the race for his signature, with the Irons now needing a last-ditch bid to get a move over the line.

It is claimed that an offer of around £13m will be enough to land the 24-year-old, who had never previously played in European football prior to last season.

Should West Ham move for Castellanos?

Castellanos made headlines in April when scoring all four goals for Girona in their 4-2 win against Real Madrid, making him the first player to score four times against Los Blancos in a LaLiga game since Oviedo's Esteban Echevarria in 1947.

Those were four of an impressive 13 goals scored by the former Argentina U23 international in the Spanish top flight last season – only seven players netted more.

Girona were very reliant on Castellanos for their top-half finish, with the striker scoring 22% of their 58 goals. To give that some context, it is a similar rate as Antoine Griezmann at Atletico Madrid (21%) and Karim Benzema at Real Madrid (25%).

Castellanos has very much proved he is capable of playing in a top European league, then, and Girona's loss could well be West Ham's gain as they seek out a player they thought Gianluca Scamacca would be when splashing out £35.5m last year.

There are obvious comparisons to be made between Castellanos and another former West Ham striker in Carlos Tevez, who also hailed from Argentina and quickly won the hearts of supporters.

Like Tevez, Castellanos is pacey and powerful, while also not afraid to get stuck in, as reflected by the 1.2 fouls committed per game in LaLiga last season. As per WhoScored, that translated to 11 yellow cards, only further highlighting his edgy side.

For comparison, Tevez was booked 24 times across 2019 Premier League appearances for West Ham, Manchester United and Manchester City, so Castellanos still has some way to go on that front.

As pointed out by former MLS reporter Chris Smith, Castellanos has a "clinical" nature to his game, which was also something Tevez prided himself on. The comparisons continue on that front, as Tevez averaged 0.37 goals per 90 minutes in the 2006-07 season at West Ham; Castellanos averaged 0.45 at Girona last season.

Tevez hit the target from 1.06 of his shots that campaign, while his compatriot did so an average of 1.11 times last season – very alike, indeed.

The early signs are certainly positive in terms of the Mendoza native's attacking game, which could hugely benefit West Ham as they look to once again compete on European and domestic fronts next season.