'McInnes wants Shankland and Findlay deals'
Incoming Hearts boss Derek McInnes wants to take Stuart Findlay with him from Kilmarnock, where the 29-year-old centre-half has spent two seasons on loan from Oxford United. (Daily Record), externalAstana have admitted defeat in their attempt to sign Kazakhstan winger Islam Chesnokov from Tobol, with sports director Kaisar Bekenov saying the 25-year-old is "very close" to a transfer to Hearts. (Scottish Sun), externalDerek McInnes will make securing Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland on a new deal his priority when the manager moves from Kilmarnock, with the Scotland striker out of contract this summer. (Daily Record), externalRead Saturday's Scottish Gossip in full.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times
29 minutes ago
- Times
Maria Sakkari tells beaten rival ‘nobody likes you' in post-match spat
Tempers flared at the Bad Homburg Open as Maria Sakkari defeated Yulia Putintseva before promptly telling her rival at the net: 'Nobody likes you.' The Greek world No86, a former French Open and US Open semi-finalist, claimed a straight sets 7-5, 7-6 win in the third round in an ill-tempered affair in Germany that spilled over at the shake of hands at the net. After a brief exchange, Sakkari, 29, appeared to take offence at the lack of eye contact from Putintseva and began to berate the 30-year-old from Kazakhstan. She responded with a sarcastic bow to her victor before they shook hands with the umpire. Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager. Loud music over the speaker system made some of the subsequent exchange inaudible but Sakkari could be heard saying: 'Just talk to me like a human being.' Putintseva then appeared to say: 'Go f*** yourself, just leave me alone.' Sakkari then told Putintseva: 'Nobody likes you.' When asked after the match about the exchange, Sakkari said: 'I don't think she's gonna invite me for dinner for the rest of our lives, but I don't care to be honest. I have very good friends.' It is not the first time either player has been involved in on-court controversy. Putintseva, the world No27, went viral last year for a bizarre tantrum at a ballgirl at the US Open while Sakkari at this same Bad Homburg tournament last year accused a German umpire of being biased towards her opponent Jule Niemeier. Sakkari, who was once ranked as high as No3 in the world, moves into the round of 16 and will now meet the winner of Monday's match between Ekaterina Alexandrova and Belinda Bencic in one of the final Wimbledon warm-up events. In Nottingham, McCartney Kessler claimed her first grass-court WTA title with a 6-4, 7-5 win over Dayana Yastremska. Kessler, the 25-year-old world No42 from the United States, came out on top in a rain-affected final against the Ukrainian, who said after her semi-final win on Saturday that she may be allergic to grass. 'I really love playing on grass, even though I think I have a bit of an allergy to it,' she said after defeating Magda Linette.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Benjamin Sesko vs Viktor Gyokeres: How Arsenal's striker transfer targets compare as move for top target hits rocks
ARSENAL are searching for the missing piece to their puzzle, keen to add a deadly striker to their squad to help them go one step further than their three consecutive second place finishes. That search appears to have returned two options - RB Lepizig's Benjamin Sesko and Sporting Club's Viktor Gyokeres. 4 4 Mikel Arteta wants Sesko to be his big summer splash, but the Gunners have hit a stumbling block over wage demands. The Slovenian's camp are searching for a pay packet far in excess of what Arsenal are willing to pay the 22-year-old, an issue that is stalling a bid and could force a change of direction. Gyokeres is Arsenal's alternative option, with the Swede ready to leave Sporting after racking up an astonishing goalscoring record. Gyokeres wants to move to the Premier League and is up for grabs this summer, but the 27-year-old is becoming aware he is a second choice. Arsenal haven't committed to either player yet and it looks like both are still viable options ahead of a crucial campaign for Arteta and his team. Here SunSport breaks down how each player stacks up against one and other and who might be the best fit for the Gunners... Benjamin Sesko Age: 22 Club: RB Leipzig 24/25 apps: 45 24/25 goals: 21 24/25 assists: 6 4 Benjamin Sesko is regarded as one of the brightest sparks in world football, a young striker with the potential to be a world beater in the future. That's reflected in his numbers, stats that show he isn't the finished article just yet, but a diamond that needs polishing by a top manager instead. Sesko scored 21 goals from 45 appearances last season, six more than the return of any Arsenal player, but some way off the numbers that the top strikers across Europe put up. He is playing in a league that is considered as one of the best in world football, with the Bundesliga 's reputation far better than the Portuguese top flight. While he managed four goals in eight Champions League appearances last term, proving he can do it against the best with goals against Juventus, Atletico Madrid and indeed Gyokeres' Sporting Lisbon. In the Bundesliga, Sesko scored only 13 goals - comparable numbers to the likes of Jarrod Bowen and Luis Diaz in the Premier League. But for what he might lack in clinical finishing, Sesko makes up for in raw ability. Standing at an imposing 6ft 5in, the Slovenian is a physical specimen who can dominate in the air, unleash impressive pace when needed and offer support beyond finding space in the box. In fact, under 10 per cent of his touches came inside the box this season - a figure that will be appealing to Arteta as a manager who likes his players to be involved all over the pitch. His aerial ability will also be another huge draw for Arteta and set piece coach Nicolas Jover, who will be dreaming of the damage the Gunners could do with Sesko's leap in the box. The striker shows off his monstrous leap every time he scores - jumping into the air and coming miles off the ground - and that ability has come in handy with 57.4 per cent aerial success rate last term. Sesko might not be the finished article, but there's buzz that he could one day be one of the best striker's in the world. Leipzig teammate Yusuf Poulsen already thinks he's the best player he's played alongside. He said: "He's the best I've played with. If you look at his abilities, he has everything a top number nine needs… strength, shooting, technique, everything.' Viktor Gyokeres Age: 27 Club: Sporting Lisbon 24/25 apps: 52 24/25 goals: 54 24/25 assists: 13 4 If Benjamin Sesko is the unfinished article, is Viktor Gyokeres the ready-made goal machine? Gyokeres scored an astonishing 54 goals in 52 appearances for Sporting this season, making him the deadliest forward in Europe. In the league, Gyokeres scored 39 goals in just 33 games - registering seven assists alongside that return too. However, there are question marks over how much those goals mean when they come against the quality of opposition that Sporting are facing in the Portuguese top flight. Against the likes of Porto, Braga and Benfica (the top sides in the Primeira Liga alongside Sporting), Gyokeres managed only two goals in six games. While of the 39 goals he did score in the league, almost A THIRD of them were penalties (12). However, it's hard to look past such an impressive record, regardless of the opposition. Those firmly in the Gyokeres camp will also point to the stunning Champions League hattrick he scored against Manchester City as an example of his ability against top sides, however two of those were penalties too. Although he isn't as tall as Sesko, Gyokeres still stands at 6ft 2in and is as much of a physical presence as Sesko in the box. Players often seem to fall off him as he uses his wide frame to bulldoze into goalscoring positions. That said, he is far less imposing in the air than Sesko, something that could be putting Arsenal off making him their number one target. One positive for the Gunners is that Gyokeres is no stranger to the English game, having played for Brighton, Swansea and Coventry in the earlier stages of his career. While Gyokeres could also solve the frustration many Arsenal fans have about their players failing to shoot often enough. The former Sweden international attempted 4.5 shots per game last season, almost two more than the 2.6 averaged by current first-choice striker Kai Havertz. Gyokeres is also impressive with the ball at his feet, creating the second most chances of any other Primera Liga last season and ranking third for attempted dribbles. But if all the stats add up and Gyokeres is available, why isn't there a queue out of the door to sign him? Well, it appears the concern over the quality of Portuguese football is a genuine one, and one with a history of not paying off. Arsenal will want assurances that their Portuguese purchase is a Bruno Fernandes and not a Darwin Nunez.
The Sun
3 hours ago
- The Sun
‘Nobody likes you' – Fiery moment tennis stars clash on court after player's sarcastic gesture
TWO rival tennis players clashed in a fiery row following one star's sarcastic gesture. And one even told her foe: "Nobody likes you." 7 7 7 Maria Sakkari and Yulia Putintseva faced off in the first round of the Bad Homburg Open in Germany on Sunday. Former world No3 Sakkari, 29, came through a tight encounter, winning 7-5 7-6. But there was none of the usual respect and warmth at the handshake at the net following match point. They did clasp hands but there was clearly some underlying tension. And when Putintseva, 30, did not give eye contact as she extended her hand out, Sakkari took exception. The Greek ace made a comment as her defeated opponent walked towards the umpire. And that led to a spectacular bust-up, with Kazakhstani Putintseva sarcastically curtsying for the winner. Both player shook hands with the chair umpire whilst their war of words continued. Sakkari walked over to Putintseva's chair and made her feelings clear about the petulant behaviour and Putintseva snapped back. The courtside microphones appeared to pick up the world No86 telling Putintseva to "act like a human being". Putintseva then reportedly told Sakkari to "go f*** herself" as the umpire tries to calm things down, chipping in: "Ladies, please." But her rival's comment lit the fuse for Sakkari who confronted Putintseva again and told her: "Nobody likes you." World No27 Putintseva then picked up her racquet bag and towels before bowing in front of Sakkari as the feud escalated. Quizzed about the drama in her on-court interview, Sakkari joked: "I don't think she's going to invite me for dinner for the rest of our lives. "But I don't care to be honest. "I have very good friends." And the incident sparked plenty of talk among tennis fans on social media - especially as Putintseva has been at the centre of controversy in the past. She was the female player at the centre of a scandal for her bizarre tantrum towards a ball girl at the US Open in 2024. One fan wrote: "Sakarri not putting up with Putintseva's antics and says that's why nobody likes you. You don't mess with Maria Sakkari!" Another said: "The most annoying and unlikable player on the WTA Tour. It's shameful that a female would behave the way she does." A third added: "That was so unnecessary from Maria. That's not a national news that Yulia's handshakes (especially after losing) are usually cold. If she wants to behave like that just leave her alone." And a final user commented: "Nothing wrong with a bit of passion. We don't want robots. Wouldn't want this at every match obviously." 7 7
