The January transfer window is open and there are plenty of potential big deals that could materialise over the coming weeks.
Most agree that the winter window is notoriously tough to do business, with clubs unwilling to negotiate the sale of their stars, players cup-tied and inflated prices common refrains.
Crystal Palace threw caution to the wind and saw a bid of £35 million accepted by Tottenham for out-of-favour winger Brennan Johnson.
A deal that will see Antoine Semenyo move to Manchester City from Bournemouth appears to be edging closer, with City having triggered the Ghanaian's £65m release clause.
We examine some of the high-profile players who could be inching towards the exit door.
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Linked with: Al Ittihad, Saudi Pro League
Salah's future was the hot topic as 2025 wound down. The Egyptian forward accused Liverpool of scapegoating him alone for the club's poor start to the season and he was left out of Arne Slot's squad for an important Uefa Champions League tie at Inter Milan last month.
No sooner was he integrated back into the squad, Salah was jetting off to Morocco to help Egypt's ongoing Africa Cup of Nations bid.
Slot has stated that there is "no issue to resolve" between him and Salah, but clearly, all is not well between club and player.
Salah has previous when it comes to using the media to get his message out, portraying himself as the wronged party, as was the case last year when talks over a new contract dragged out over months.
He may have good reason to feel aggrieved – he is by no means the only underperforming member of Slot's squad – but the overriding sense is that Salah has gone to the well one too many times in criticising the club.
Should Liverpool look to sell, it seems highly likely Salah's next move will be to Saudi Arabia. Long linked with a move to champions Al Ittihad, even league officials are using public platforms to issue "we'll come and get you" pleas.
Whatever Liverpool's stance was, it has undoubtedly been altered since learning that Alexander Isak faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after fracturing his fibula against Tottenham on December 22.
Whether the rift can be mended once Salah returns from Afcon remains to be seen.
Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace)
Linked with: Liverpool, Manchester City, Newcastle United, Bayern Munich
While Salah's "woe is me" has been the main point of analysis for Liverpool's wayward title defence, not nearly enough forensics have been devoted to the alarming decline of Virgil van Dijk.
The Dutch colossus was seminal to Liverpool's Premier League title win last term but time and again hr has been exposed this campaign. Screaming at teammates for mistakes only really works when you are beyond reproach. Now it looks like Van Dijk berates those around him to cover his own flaws.
Ibrahima Konate is far from the finished article but has potential. But it is clear that Liverpool need a major upgrade at the heart of their defence.
To be fair, the Reds did their best to address that last summer, but Crystal Palace dug their heels in and refused to sanction the sale of Marc Guehi.
The player responded in just the way you would hope, getting his head down and proving why he is a wanted man not only in the Premier League but across Europe. Guehi has been Palace's player of the season at the halfway stage and has established himself as England's defensive totem ahead of this summer's World Cup.
But Palace have a decision to make. Guehi's contract expires this summer and, though it's understood he is open to staying and running down his current deal, he will not agree to a new one. It would be foolish for Palace not to cash in on a player who could command upwards of £70m and who has no intention of staying beyond the end of the season.
Liverpool appear to be the frontrunners, but Newcastle United have held a long-term interest in the 25-year-old and Manchester City are also said have identified Guehi as the player to bolster their own central defensive options.
Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United)
Linked with: Napoli, Real Madrid
Conflicting reports over Kobbie Mainoo's future have him both desperate to quit Old Trafford and keen to stay and fight for his place.
Ruben Amorim has made it known he is an admirer of the 20-year-old midfielder 's abilities, but that his application of them doesn't quite match up.
In a World Cup year, Mainoo cannot afford to spend the remainder of the campaign on the bench or unsure of game time. A move would seem to suit both parties, whether temporary or permanent.
Rumours of Real Madrid being ready to pounce were swirling, but Serie A champions Napoli have seemingly now entered the frame.
If Mainoo needs convincing, Napoli head coach Antonio Conte can point to a recent body of work in resurrecting the careers of United stars who have fallen by the wayside.
Scott McTominay was voted the league's MVP as Napoli secured last season's scudetto while Rasmus Hojlund has become a born-again goalscorer since joining on loan last summer.
Ruben Neves (Al Hilal)
Linked with: Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Atletico Madrid
Ruben Neves was part of the first foreign influx of players to the Saudi Pro League during the mega-spend of 2023.
Almost all of that crop were handed three-year contracts, meaning there could be a mass exodus of the original imports this summer to make way for a new generation of overseas talent.
One player of definite interest would be the Portuguese playmaker. Neves, 28, one of those who is out of contract come June, was a standout performer in the Premier League during his time at Wolves and is said to be top of Manchester United wishlist.
With Casemiro a fading force and Mainoo's future in doubt, a move to Old Trafford, pairing Neves alongside compatriot Bruno Fernandes at the heart of United's midfield, makes sense on many levels.
Tottenham are also on the lookout for a midfielder to bring control to a team lacking any semblance of it. Spanish giants Atletico Madrid have also been credited with an interest and Neves certainly fits the Diego Simeone profile.
Raheem Sterling (Chelsea)
Linked with: West Ham United
The forgotten man of English football. It's hard to recall a player whose form and reputation has fallen off a cliff quite as spectacularly as Sterling's.
A serial collector of trophies at Manchester City, one of only 36 players to score 100-plus Premier League goals, Sterling's decline begs the question as to whether he still has the drive to succeed or has been hopelessly mismanaged by a succession of reputable coaches.
Chelsea are desperate to offload but know there will be few takers for a player who has made zero appearances this season, and hasn't played any first-team football since last February.
West Ham's overreliance on Jarrod Bowen for goals in a bid to escape relegation is one fraught with peril. Callum Wilson is prone to injury and a lay-off to either would seriously hamper the Hammers' bid to avoid the drop.
Whether they are prepared to take a punt on a player with a proven past but an uncertain future could be the difference between survival or relegation.
Company%C2%A0profile
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RESULTS
Men – semi-finals
57kg – Tak Chuen Suen (MAC) beat Phuong Xuan Nguyen (VIE) 29-28; Almaz Sarsembekov (KAZ) beat Zakaria Eljamari (UAE) by points 30-27.
67kg – Mohammed Mardi (UAE) beat Huong The Nguyen (VIE) by points 30-27; Narin Wonglakhon (THA) v Mojtaba Taravati Aram (IRI) by points 29-28.
60kg – Yerkanat Ospan (KAZ) beat Amir Hosein Kaviani (IRI) 30-27; Long Doan Nguyen (VIE) beat Ibrahim Bilal (UAE) 29-28
63.5kg – Abil Galiyev (KAZ) beat Truong Cao Phat (VIE) 30-27; Nouredine Samir (UAE) beat Norapat Khundam (THA) RSC round 3.
71kg – Shaker Al Tekreeti (IRQ) beat Fawzi Baltagi (LBN) 30-27; Amine El Moatassime (UAE) beat Man Kongsib (THA) 29-28
81kg – Ilyass Hbibali (UAE) beat Alexandr Tsarikov (KAZ) 29-28; Khaled Tarraf (LBN) beat Mustafa Al Tekreeti (IRQ) 30-27
86kg – Ali Takaloo (IRI) beat Mohammed Al Qahtani (KSA) RSC round 1; Emil Umayev (KAZ) beat Ahmad Bahman (UAE) TKO round
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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PROFILE OF INVYGO
Started: 2018
Founders: Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo
Based: Dubai
Sector: Transport
Size: 9 employees
Investment: $1,275,000
Investors: Class 5 Global, Equitrust, Gulf Islamic Investments, Kairos K50 and William Zeqiri
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
The%20specs
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The five pillars of Islam
Final round
25 under - Antoine Rozner (FRA)
23 - Francesco Laporta (ITA), Mike Lorenzo-Vera (FRA), Andy Sullivan (ENG), Matt Wallace (ENG)
21 - Grant Forrest (SCO)
20 - Ross Fisher (ENG)
19 - Steven Brown (ENG), Joakim Lagergren (SWE), Niklas Lemke (SWE), Marc Warren (SCO), Bernd Wiesberger (AUT)
ON%20TRACK
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GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
The Saga Continues
Wu-Tang Clan
(36 Chambers / Entertainment One)
The low down
Producers: Uniglobe Entertainment & Vision Films
Director: Namrata Singh Gujral
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Nargis Fakhri, Bo Derek, Candy Clark
Rating: 2/5
Dubai World Cup Carnival card:
6.30pm: Handicap (Turf) | US$175,000 | 2,410 metres
7.05pm: UAE 1000 Guineas Trial Conditions (Dirt) | $100,000 | 1,400m
7.40pm: Handicap (T) | $145,000 | 1,000m
8.15pm: Dubawi Stakes Group 3 (D) | $200,000 | 1,200m
8.50pm: Singspiel Stakes Group 3 (T) | $200,000 | 1,800m
9.25pm: Handicap (T) | $175,000 | 1,400m
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
Torque: 605Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh219,000
On sale: Now
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Mamo Year it started: 2019 Founders: Imad Gharazeddine, Asim Janjua Based: Dubai, UAE Number of employees: 28 Sector: Financial services Investment: $9.5m Funding stage: Pre-Series A Investors: Global Ventures, GFC, 4DX Ventures, AlRajhi Partners, Olive Tree Capital, and prominent Silicon Valley investors. RESULT
Brazil 2 Croatia 0
Brazil: Neymar (69'), Firmino (90' 3)
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Al Jazira's foreign quartet for 2017/18
Romarinho, Brazil
Lassana Diarra, France
Sardor Rashidov, Uzbekistan
Mbark Boussoufa, Morocco
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
Napoleon
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20Ridley%20Scott%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20Joaquin%20Phoenix%2C%20Vanessa%20Kirby%2C%20Tahar%20Rahim%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%202%2F5%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
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UAE%20athletes%20heading%20to%20Paris%202024
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Classification from Tour de France after Stage 17
1. Chris Froome (Britain / Team Sky) 73:27:26"
2. Rigoberto Uran (Colombia / Cannondale-Drapac) 27"
3. Romain Bardet (France / AG2R La Mondiale)
4. Fabio Aru (Italy / Astana Pro Team) 53"
5. Mikel Landa (Spain / Team Sky) 1:24"
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Profile Idealz
Company: Idealz
Founded: January 2018
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Size: (employees): 22
Investors: Co-founders and Venture Partners (9 per cent)
