clubs

Egyptian official says Liverpool star will fade away if he opts for the MLS as San Diego FC owner welcomes compatriot.

Egypt’s ‌national team director Ibrahim Hassan has cautioned Mohamed Salah against moving ⁠to Major League ⁠Soccer (MLS) after he leaves Liverpool at the end of the season, as it would see the forward fade into obscurity.

Salah, 33, ⁠has yet to decide his next move after he ends a hugely successful nine-year spell at Liverpool, where he won two Premier League titles ⁠and the Champions League.

MLS Commissioner Don Garber has said he would love to see Salah in the league, though it is unclear whether any league teams will attempt to sign him.

“Personally, I would prefer him to stay in Europe,” ‌Hassan told On Sports. “I have heard about offers from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Bayern Munich and clubs in the Italian league.

“A move to the Major League? He would be far too out of the spotlight. You won’t remember Salah any more than I remember [Lionel] Messi now, I don’t even try to watch him.”

After trophy-laden stints with Barcelona and PSG, ⁠Argentina captain Messi joined Inter Miami in 2023, months ⁠after lifting the World Cup, and became the club’s all-time top scorer.

Hassan said the Saudi Pro League would be a suitable option if Salah chose not to stay in Europe.

“If ⁠he does not receive offers from Europe, then a move to the Saudi league would be a good ⁠option, especially with big names such as Cristiano [Ronaldo],” ⁠Hassan, twin brother of Egypt coach Hossam Hassan, added.

However, San Diego FC’s billionaire owner Mohamed Mansour believes his Egyptian compatriot would be an “asset” as speculation builds over the Liverpool forward’s next club.

If he does move to the United States, recent MLS expansion club San Diego FC, who reached the playoff semifinals in their debut season last year, have been heavily linked with Salah, not least due to their British-Egyptian owner, Mansour.

“He’s probably one of the great players today. And any team that will get him, or any country that will get him, he will definitely be an asset,” Mansour told the AFP news agency at a summit in Atlanta on Thursday.

Mansour declined to answer whether he is actively trying to recruit Salah or has previously sounded out a move for the striker.

But he added: “Of course, Mo Salah is somebody that, as an Egyptian, my origin, I’m very proud of. He is somebody that reached the world stage as one of the great players.”

“And I think he will, if he does decide … wherever he will go, he will add a lot to that league and to that country and to that team for sure. So he’s somebody I’m very proud of.”

Mansour said the entire Egypt comes to a halt whenever Salah plays and named the forward as his favourite footballer of all time.

While effusive in his praise for Salah, Mansour insisted that footballing recruitment decisions are left to San Diego FC’s sports director and coach.

“I let the people in charge” decide, he said.

Salah is currently sidelined by injury and will miss Egypt’s ongoing training camp as they prepare for the World Cup in North America.

Egypt ‌face Spain in a friendly in Barcelona on Tuesday after a 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia in Jeddah on Friday.

The seven-time African champions are in ‌Group ‌G with Belgium, New Zealand and Iran at the World Cup, which runs from June 11 to July 19.

AS a veteran showbiz reporter, I’m used to free- flowing champagne, egomaniacal celebrities and all-round general excess.

So who knew a Caribbean cruise could beat any A-lister party?

Drawing back the curtains every morning, before me was a beautiful new backdrop. Different every day, and every day seemingly more stunning. No need for Instagram filters.

Not even Paul Daniels in his prime could have mustered up such magic.
Stepping aboard the 5,200-guest Arvia as a cruise virgin, I really did not know what to expect.

Yet absolutely everything on board this P&O Cruises ship — don’t, whatever you do, call it a “big boat” as I did — confounded all expectations.

I had thought, wrongly, I’d be the youngest onboard. How foolish of me.

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From singletons enjoying rum-tasting at 11am to older couples, married 55 years and still finding conversational titbits over the lunch table, my gang included a 22-year-old influencer and a 57-year-old rocker in the shape of Blur’s Alex James (who played a stunning sundowner set one evening).

Also on board were more than 2,000 crew. Which goes some way to explaining the pristine levels of both cleanliness and hospitality.

Each cabin is serviced with a personal “butler” who caters for any whim.

With 30 bars and restaurants on board, endless shops, a gym, spin studio, spa, cinema, four pools and an uber-cool jazz club, you could spend a year on board and yet not repeat the same day twice.

Arvia is also utterly vast.

My Garmin watch tells me I average 15,000 steps a day simply from milling around, getting lost and exploring. On the days we moored up, this rocketed to well over 20,000

The whole mooring bit, naturally, being the very point of a cruise. So after landing in Barbados, we sailed overnight and I awoke in Martinique.

Here, we jumped in a taxi and drove 50 minutes to a Club Med hotel for a day of sunbathing at the picturesque beach club.

Surrounded by turquoise seas and an Insta-worthy backdrop — certainly the influencers among us including ex-Towie star Lydia Bright and MIC’s Ollie Locke were very happy — we enjoyed a rosé-fuelled lunch.

That evening we had dinner at one of the speciality restaurants, Keel and Cow.

The elevated gastro-pub diner may cost a little extra but it is just a little — from £3.50 for a starter of potted chicken and bacon rillette to a melt-in-the-mouth fillet steak for £15.50 that came with chunky chips, onion rings, grilled mushroom and tomato, roasted garlic and an iceberg lettuce wedge with sour cream and bacon crumb — and was well worth the extra cost.

The next morning, I rise early to check the gym. With machines overlooking the gently rolling Caribbean seas, treadmill running, for once, becomes a pleasure, not a pain.

It has everything one might need, plus a full timetable of classes ranging from stretching and Pilates to spin and weights.

As anyone who knows me knows, breakfast is very important to me. I judge places by their fast-breaking offerings. Thankfully, breakfast thrilled.

The Horizon buffet had all the options for a quick brekkie and you could enjoy table service in the main Meridian and Zenith dining rooms.

But it was the 6th Street Diner, an American-themed eatery, that nailed the breakfast brief (think waffles, over-easy eggs, bacon and maple syrup, washed down with endless coffee.)

While there are plenty of included options for dining, it was great to have such a choice if you wanted to spend a little extra. There’s even an extensive room service menu that offers a club sandwich for about £4.

Another joy was sailing around the Caribbean but still only paying in pounds onboard for everything from a beauty must-have in the shops to a drink at the bar.

The biggest jolt of the week, however, came as I went to log on to the wi-fi for the week — £150! Apparently it’s something to do with satellites and lots of other technical jargon, but with my day job kicking off — thank you, Brooklyn Beckham — I had no option but to log in.

Thankfully, P&O offers some great options to buy all-inclusive packages in advance that cost from £49 a day. The Classic includes alcoholic and soft drinks as well as essential wi-fi for browsing and credit towards speciality dining depending on the length of your cruise.

The Deluxe includes a wider range of posh spirits, craft beers and cocktails as well as fast wi-fi for streaming and video calls plus enhanced dining credit.

I’ll know better on my next cruise.

Our next port of call was St Kitts and after we sailed in admiring its verdant hills, off I trotted on a catamaran excursion.

What a day. The pinnacle to the most incredible day’s sailing — one accompanied by a banging Nineties soundtrack and copious amounts of champagne — was a spot of snorkelling before a lobster salad lunch.

That evening we had an incredible dinner at Epicurean, the ship’s fine-dining eatery.

After another day at sea, it was time for another highlight: a speedboat to private island White Bay, off the British Virgin Islands – the stuff of Robinson Crusoe dreams. I really did feel like I’d stepped out on to a movie set.

The Sunset bar proved my favourite way to unwind after another busy-busy day of sunbathing, eating, drinking and experiencing all the tropical delights of the Caribbean.

Forget those red carpets — you can give me a blue sea all day long.

Keeping and maintaining friends as an adult is hard, especially with the demands of life, travel and work. In volunteering, I encounter more people like myself, which is nice, but sometimes it’s difficult to participate without a lot of commitment to the organizations. I’m wanting to explore smaller, intimate groups to build community with people who I share similar values with. I’m interested in self-growth, psychology, games, mindfulness and yoga. I loved the L.A. Times story “Awaken your inner child at this welcoming collage club for adults” and I would love to know about similar activities. Thanks! —Marlen I.

Looking for things to do in L.A.? Ask us your questions and our expert guides will share highly specific recommendations.

Here’s what we suggest:

Marlen, I couldn’t agree more. As we get older, it can feel more and more difficult to sustain friendships, especially in Los Angeles, where people live so far apart and have busy lives. This struggle is exactly why so many social clubs have been sprouting up in L.A. over the last few years. From board game clubs to junk journaling meetups, there’s so many different ways to connect and maybe try something new. I’ve compiled a list of social clubs and community spaces that I think you’ll enjoy.

Since you’re already familiar with Art+Mind Studios, you should definitely check out Junk Journal Club. Junk journaling is essentially a craft practice that combines elements of collaging, journaling and scrapbooking. With the rise of junk journaling content on social media, the once solo pastime has turned into a lively social scene. Junk Journal Club, dubbed “the original junk journal club,” hosts monthly meetups, which can be found on its Instagram page. When my colleague Malia Mendez went to an event recently, people told her that attending Junk Journal Club “has made befriending strangers easy,” and many of them stay in touch.

Another craft-centered event that’s worth exploring is the Crafters Clubhouse, which founder Victoria Ansah calls “a creative third space for adult makers.” She hosts monthly arts and crafts workshops including activities like scrapbooking, punch needle embroidery and clay art.

Given that you’re interested in yoga and mindfulness, you may like WalkGood LA, a community-centered wellness organization that hosts a variety of activities including a run club and accessible yoga classes. During the pandemic, I found solace in attending their weekly yoga classes called BreatheGood. The outdoor sessions take place every first Sunday at Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area and feature free chiropractic adjustments and healthy food vendors. The vibe of the intergenerational event feels warm and welcoming. All you have to do is show up with your yoga mat. The organization also hosts various classes including yoga, breath work, mindful meditation, mat Pilates and step aerobics at their studio, the WalkGood Yard, in Arlington Heights.

Another social club I recommend is Love, Peace & Spades, which my friend Kevin Clark started in 2022, to create a space where people could play the card game with others. With music provided by a live DJ, the monthly game night feels like being at a family cookout. Spades can be extremely intimidating to start as a beginner playing with pros. But don’t worry. Love, Peace & Spades has instructors who can teach you how to play.

If you’re interested in chess, L.A. Chess Club is “an event with the laid-back ease of a chill game night and all the social and romantic possibility of a night out on the town,” according to Times contributor Martine Thompson, who wrote a story about the event. At the weekly gathering, which features a food vendor, cocktails, tattoo artists and DJs, you can “competitively play chess, learn the game, meet new friends or mingle as a single person,” Thompson shares. Another fun event is RummiKlub, a monthly Rummikub game night that takes place in elevated, design-forward spaces across the city.

L.A. also has several fun creative venues that regularly bring people together, such as Junior High, a nonprofit art gallery and inclusive gathering space that hosts artist showcases, comedy nights, pottery workshops and more. There’s also Nina in Atwater, which holds a variety of gatherings including a monthly series that focuses on mindfulness called “Be Here Now: Simple Tools for an Everyday Nervous System Reset.”

I hope that these suggestions are a good starting point for finding the group, or several groups, that are an ideal fit for you. Just by putting yourself out there and being open, you are bound to build and find community. Best of luck on your journey!