Football - players.bio

Scott Parker raises World Cup hope for David Brooks after new deal

Bournemouth boss Scott Parker is eager not to put any timescale on David Brooks’ recovery but refused to rule out the Wales international from making the World Cup this winter.

French striker Neal Maupay joins Everton from Brighton

Maupay is Everton's sixth signing of the close season after James Tarkowski, Ruben Vinagre, Dwight McNeil, Conor Coady and Amadou Onana and joins for an undisclosed fee. The Merseyside club had hoped to seal the transfer in time for the 26-year-old to make his debut on Saturday at Brentford but did not complete the paperwork in time. "It feels amazing," said Maupay. "It was an easy choice for me when I started to talk with the club. I knew straight away I wanted to play for Everton and help the club to succeed. "I'm excited and it's a new challenge for me. I will do everything I can for Everton," added the striker, who scored 26 goals in 102 league games for Brighton.

FIFA lifts suspension, India can host U-17 Women’s World Cup

Football Federation (AIFF), paving the country’s return to international football and the hosting of Fifa U-17 Women’s World Cup later this year. Fifa had suspended AIFF last week for “undue interference by a third party”, a first for the federation in its 85-year history. As a result of the suspension, the hosting rights of the U-17 Women’s World Cup were set aside. According to a letter from Fifa secretary general Fatma Samoura to AIFF’s acting general secretary Sunando Dhar, “The Bureau of the Council decided on 25 August 2022 to lift the suspension of the AIFF with immediate effect.” As a result, Samoura said, a copy of which is with TOI, the U-17 Women’s World Cup, scheduled to take place from October 11 to 30, can be held in India as planned. Fifa has reminded India that it now needs to fulfil more conditions to ensure that AIFF doesn’t get suspended again.