Staveley eyes West Ham, Saka in doubt and Norway import 400 kg of cheese for the World Cup
Sunday’s round of transfer rumours and behind-the-scenes news brought activity on both sides of the Atlantic: a possible billion-pound deal in the Premier League, diplomatic tension before England v Ghana and a curious episode about the Norwegian national team’s diet in the United States.
Staveley wants in at West Ham
Amanda Staveley and her husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi, former co-owners of Newcastle United, are evaluating an offer to acquire West Ham. The pair were central to the sale of the north-east England club to the Saudi consortium led by PIF in 2021 – an operation worth 305 million pounds. Now, it seems the appetite for ownership in English football has not cooled.
West Ham are going through a delicate moment. The departure of David Moyes at the end of last season and the arrival of Julen Lopetegui did not bring the expected stability. With the franchise still trying to settle after the move to the London Stadium, a new injection of capital and management could be welcome. The question is whether the current owners, the Sullivan-Gold family, are willing to negotiate.
Saka out of training, FA leaves players to decide on a handshake with Partey
In Boston, where the England team are preparing to face Ghana on Tuesday, two topics dominate the week. The first is Bukayo Saka: the Arsenal forward was left out of training and, according to available information, is unlikely to start. After an intense season with his club, physical wear and tear seems to have taken its toll at the worst moment – on the eve of a World Cup.
The second topic is more delicate. The FA has decided to leave it to each player’s individual discretion whether to greet Thomas Partey during the pre-match protocols. The Ghanaian midfielder remains under investigation by British police for alleged sexual assault – an accusation he denies. The English body did not want to impose a collective stance, probably to avoid controversy whichever path was taken. A decision that, inevitably, is itself already a statement.
Norway do not trust American food and import tonnes of cheese and fish
The Norway national team made sure their athletes would not have to rely on local cuisine during the World Cup in the USA. The Nordic federation imported more than 400 kilograms of fish and cheese for the team’s American base. It is a measure that goes beyond a whim: nutrition is a central part of high-performance preparation, and drastically changing the diet during a tournament can compromise performance and muscle recovery. Several clubs and national teams adopt similar practices on long trips. What stands out here is the scale – almost half a tonne of products specially brought from Scandinavia. That says a lot about the level of control modern federations exercise over every detail of preparation.
