Rangers can forget all about Diomande in swoop for "tenacious" £5m star

Despite plenty of speculation over their futures at Ibrox, Nicolas Raskina and Mohamed Diomande both lined up for Glasgow Rangers in their first game of the season on Tuesday.

The duo both started and both registered assists in a 2-0 win over Panathinaikos at Ibrox in the first leg of the club’s second round Champions League qualifier.

It remains to be seen if Diomande, who assisted Djeidi Gassama’s goal, will still be in Glasgow at the end of the summer transfer window, though, amid interest from Besiktas.

Mohammed Diomande

The Turkish giants have already had one offer turned down for the central midfielder, and are reportedly expected to go back in with a second bid for the Ivorian star.

Why Mohamed Diomande is important to Rangers

Russell Martin may not want to lose the left-footed star, though, because he is an important player who provides quality in and out of possession in the middle of the park.

In the 2024/25 campaign, Diomande scored four goals, created 11 ‘big chances’, and registered seven assists in the Scottish Premiership for the Light Blues, which shows that he offered a strong threat at the top end of the pitch.

The 23-year-old talent also showcased his defensive talent in the Europa League, making 3.0 tackles and interceptions per game and winning 54% of his duels overall.

Mohammed Diomande

These statistics show that Diomande is important to Rangers as a midfielder who can impact games at both ends of the pitch, but the Gers could forget all about him with a move for Salvatore Esposito.

Why Rangers should sign Salvatore Esposito

It was reported earlier this month that the Light Blues are one of the clubs in the race to sign the Spezia central midfielder, who is valued at around £5m by his club.

The 24-year-old midfield star is the kind of signing that could make supporters forget all about Diomande, if the Ivorian whiz moves on to Besiktas, or elsewhere, this summer.

That is not a disservice to Diomande, of course, who has been a fantastic player for Rangers, but it speaks to the kind of quality that the Italian ace could offer in the middle of the park.

24/25 season

Diomande (Premiership)

Esposito (Serie B)

Appearances

36

34

Goals

4

7

Big chances created

11

18

Assists

7

9

Duels won per game

4.4

7.3

Ground duel success rate

57%

68%

Aerial duel success rate

48%

51%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Esposito significantly outperformed the Rangers star at league level last season, offering more to his team in possession and defensively.

Whilst he is unproven in the Scottish Premiership, the Spezia star appears to have the potential to provide more quality, as both a scorer and a creator of goals, in the final third, whilst also being stronger and more efficient in his duels off the ball.

Salvatore Esposito for Italy vs England.

The Italy international was described as a “tenacious” midfield “controller” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, and his statistics from the 2024/25 Serie B campaign back those comments up, as he excelled in duels and offered quality on the ball.

Esposito is the kind of box-to-box midfielder that Rangers will desperately need if they lose Diomande this summer, which is why this is a signing that could make a lot of sense for Martin in the coming weeks if it becomes clear that the Ivorian gem is going to be on his way out of Ibrox.

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Whilst the Gers would like to keep their current number ten, the Spezia star is a player who has the quality and pedigree, as an Italian international, to make the Light Blues forget all about Diomande.

موعد مباراة الأهلي القادمة بعد الفوز على سيراميكا كليوباترا

انتهت مباراة الأهلي أمام سيراميكا كليوباترا، منذ قليل، والتي جمعت بينهما ضمن منافسات مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز موسم 2025-2026.

والتقى الأهلي مع سيراميكا كليوباترا، على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي ضمن منافسات الجولة السابعة من مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

طالع.. لاعب الأهلي يغادر مباراة سيراميكا كليوباترا مصابًا

وحقق الأهلي، فوزًا صعبًا بهدف نظيف، سجله محمود حسن تريزيجيه في الدقيقة 26، بعدما راوغ داخل منطقة الجزاء ثم سدد كرة قوية R2 على يسار حارس المرمى محمد بسام.

وتمكن الأهلي، من استعادة نغمة الانتصارات بالفوز اليوم، بعد تعثر في المباراتين الماضيين ليرفع رصيده إلى 9 نقاط في المركز العاشر من جدول ترتيب الدوري.

وينتظر الأهلي، في مباراته المقبلة فريق حرس الحدود ضمن منافسات الجولة الثامنة من مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز. موعد مباراة الأهلي وحرس الحدود في الدوري

ويلتقي الأهلي، مع حرس الحدود يوم الثلاثاء 23 سبتمبر الجاري في تمام الخامسة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية.

WTC scenarios: England's chances take a hit; Sri Lanka, Bangladesh still in contention

A look at how the teams are placed, and their chances of qualifying for the final

S Rajesh10-Sep-2024Sri LankaThe Oval win keeps Sri Lanka in contention for a top-two finish. If they win all six remaining matches, they’ll finish with 69.23, which will almost certainly take them to the final. Five out of six wins will take them to 61.54, which will still keep them in contention. Four of their six remaining Tests are at home, against New Zealand and Australia.Related

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WTC 2023-25 final to be played from June 11 at Lord's

EnglandEngland’s unexpected defeat at The Oval against Sri Lanka means they can no longer breach the 60% mark in this cycle. The maximum they can achieve now, with wins in their six remaining Tests, is 57.95. That could still be enough if other results go their way.For instance, if India run away from the rest of the pack, then England can finish second if Australia get no more than 42 points out of the 84 on offer from their seven remaining Tests, and if other teams stay below 57.95 as well. If Australia finish on top then England need India to take no more than 58 points and stay below 57.95. However, if England drop more points – five wins and a draw will reduce their percentage to 54.92 – they will need even more help from other teams.ESPNcricinfo LtdIndiaIndia remain on top of the table with a healthy percentage of 68.52, but they still have 10 matches to go, the most for any team. To keep their percentage above 60 – they qualified for the 2023 final with 58.8 – they need 63 more points, which they can achieve with five wins and a draw. Six wins will lift the percentage to 64.03, but to match their current score they will need seven wins, which will lift their overall percentage to 69.3.AustraliaCurrently in second place, Australia need 47 more points from their remaining seven Tests to finish on the right side of 60%. They can achieve that with either four wins, or three wins and three draws. To a large extent, their final standing will depend on how many points they rack up in the five-Test home series against India.BangladeshBangladesh’s terrific 2-0 series win in Pakistan has pushed their percentage up to 45.83 and fourth position in the points table. If they win each of their six remaining Tests, they will go up to 72.92, while four wins out of six will keep them at 56.25.PakistanPakistan not only lost 2-0 to Bangladesh, but they also dropped six points due to slow over-rates. Their percentage dropped from 36.66 at the start of the series to 19.05. From here, the maximum they can achieve is 59.52, if they win each of their seven remaining Tests.New Zealand will play three of their remaining six Tests in the cycle in India•AFP/Getty ImagesNew ZealandNew Zealand have played only six out of their 14 Tests in this cycle. Five of their eight remaining Tests will be in Asia. Out of the 96 points available, they need at least 65 to finish on 60%. That means five wins and a couple of draws (or six wins), but it’s a tough ask given three of those Tests will be in India.South AfricaIf South Africa win each of their next six Tests, they will finish on 69.44, which will almost certainly take them to the final. They have home series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan later this year, apart from what could be a tricky two-Test series in Bangladesh.West IndiesWest Indies have already played four series and have only scored 20 points out of 108. Even if they win their last four Tests, they can only finish on 43.59%.

Sunderland could sign dream partner for Xhaka in "incredible" £26m star

Sunderland fans will be very excited for the upcoming Premier League season now as the Black Cats attempt to cause an instant storm on their arrival, rather than just being content with making up the numbers.

Regis Le Bris and Co. have been extremely busy this summer fine-tuning their options to give themselves the best possible chance at sealing survival and achieving even more, with the standout purchase of Granit Xhaka finally happening, sending shockwaves through the top-flight.

For £17m, the Black Cats have won themselves a potential steal, as the Swiss international prepares to return to the division where he made a name for himself as a tough battler from the middle of the park for Arsenal.

Why Xhaka is a standout deal

The 32-year-old also boasts vast experience in top divisions beyond just the Premier League, having been a staple at Bayer Leverkusen over the last two seasons, before returning to English shores.

Indeed, across the last two campaigns, Xhaka was an ever-present force centrally, with six goals and nine assists coming his way at the BayArena from 99 appearances.

But it’s his no-nonsense, battling attitude that will have caught Sunderland’s eye even more as they attempt to stave off the drop zone in the Premier League, as seen in Xhaka averaging 5.4 ball recoveries per Bundesliga clash last season when tirelessly fighting for his side’s cause.

For the Gunners, the 32-year-old battled with even more intensity, with Xhaka throwing himself into a high 1001 duels in total across his 225 league appearances in North London.

17 goals and 24 assists were also tallied up in the brutal division, with the brand new Sunderland number 34’s ideal blend of skill and grit making him a top asset for Le Bris’ men as they venture up a level.

He could soon be joined by another talent that is also both sleek and combative, if necessary, as Le Bris’ midfield options become more and more stacked by the day.

Xhaka's "incredible" potential midfield partner

It will all be about reining in Xhaka’s aggressiveness, however, as the two-time FA Cup winner did end up with four red cards during his Emirates career.

However, they won’t want to eradicate this side of his game completely, with fellow new recruits that are set to join the building also potentially possessing this bite in their varied game.

Norwich midfielder Gabriel Sara.

New Sunderland target Gabriel Sara – who has been tipped to make a £26m move back to England – certainly showed a spiky side when donning Norwich City yellow and green, as seen in him averaging 4.8 duels won on average across his swansong Championship campaign with the Canaries.

This attritional side to his character means he could well happily line up as a defensive midfield option alongside Xhaka, but in Le Bris’ trusty 4-2-3-1 set-up, the well-rounded Brazilian might be better suited to a number ten role, as the Swiss international prepares to set the 26-year-old up for plenty of chances on Wearside from deep.

Games played

40

46

Goals scored

7

13

Assists

4

12

Touches*

53.4

76.6

Accurate passes*

29.8 (80%)

47.9 (86%)

Key passes*

1.7

2.6

Big chances created

6

16

Total duels won*

3.3

4.8

From this role at Carrow Road, Sara would turn into an “incredible” star for his second-tier outfit – as he was dubbed by U23 football scout Antonio Mango – with his final offering during the 2023/24 season seeing him pick up a staggering 25 goal contributions from 46 league clashes.

He has since refined his game even more in Turkey with Galatasaray, with two goals and ten assists coming his way from 45 games, further allowing him to live up to his “exceptional” billing by Canaries-based journalist Conor Southwell.

Both Xhaka and Sara together have the shared class to enhance Sunderland centrally, as the pair prepare to potentially link up with each other to help their new side succeed in the Premier League.

Bigger talent than Adingra: Sunderland race to sign "outstanding" £26m star

Sunderland could be about to win themselves a bigger talent than Simon Adingra by signing this £26m ace.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 31, 2025

Better deal than Mbeumo: Man Utd preparing bid for "superstar" £39m CF

After months of speculation, Manchester United finally secured the signature of Bryan Mbeumo earlier this week, with the Cameroonian international penning a five-year contract.

The hierarchy forked out a whopping £71m for the 25-year-old’s signature, becoming Ruben Amorim’s second signing of the summer after Matheus Cunha joined from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

However, whilst it may be a hefty sum, it could prove to be a worthwhile investment should he replicate his form in the Premier League during the 2024/25 campaign.

He registered 20 league goals last time around, with only talents such as Alexander Isak, Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland finding the net more in the same period.

Despite the big-money addition of Mbeumo, the hierarchy are still working tirelessly to improve the current squad to try and be successful in the 2025/26 season.

The latest on United’s hunt for new additions this summer

Ollie Watkins is a player who’s been constantly linked with United over the last couple of weeks, leading to strong interest from Amorim’s side this summer.

The England international could be available for a fee in the region of £60m this summer, a figure that could be slightly inflated given he’s 29 and coming into the back end of his professional career.

Aston Villa's OllieWatkinscelebrates

However, another name has been thrown into the mix over recent days, with PSG striker Randal Kolo-Muani also in their sights, according to one Spanish outlet.

They claim that the Red Devils are preparing an opening offer for the Frenchman after scoring 10 goals in his 22 appearances on loan at Italian side Juventus.

It also states that Newcastle United are in the hunt for the 26-year-old, with Luis Enrique’s side currently demanding a fee in the region of £39m for his signature this summer.

Why United’s £39m target would be a better signing than Mbeumo

There’s no doubt that signing a player after scoring 20 league goals in England’s top flight is excellent business for a club who were lingering in the bottom half all campaign.

However, there may be some concerns around his impact next season, potentially having to operate in an unnatural role at the club given Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system.

The Cameroonian operated in a right-wing position during his time at Brentford, but could be forced to play in a central attacking midfield role during his time at Old Trafford.

It could prove to be a huge investment on a player who’s not featuring in a familiar position, potentially failing to replicate his excellent form from 2024/25 as a result.

As a result, Kolo Muani could be a better option this summer, handing the manager the centre-forward he’s craved since taking the reins back in November last year.

When comparing the Frenchman’s stats to those of Mbeumo from the most recent season, he’s managed to better him in numerous key areas, highlighting the threat he carries in attacking areas.

Kolo Muani, who’s been labelled a “superstar” by former Ballon d’Or winner Lothar Matthäus, may have been outscored, but he posted the same goal per shot on target rate, showcasing the clinical edge he possesses in front of goal.

Games played

26

38

Goals & assists

12

27

Shot on target accuracy

48%

43%

Goal per shot on target

0.4

0.4

Pass accuracy

71%

66%

Take-ons completed

1.5

1.3

Aerials won

1.2

0.9

Aerial success rate

39%

31%

He also managed to register a higher shot on target accuracy rate, whilst winning more aerial battles – handing Amorim the all-round talent he desires at the top end of the pitch.

Such dominance is further reflected in his tally of take-ons completed and a higher pass completion rate highlights he can also provide for others along with finishing off attacks himself.

£39m could prove to be an excellent fee for the 26-year-old striker, who will be entering the prime years of his career should he complete a move to Old Trafford.

If he can solve the issue the Red Devils currently have within the final third, he would be worth every penny, filling the void at the top end of the pitch, subsequently making him a better signing than Mbeumo.

He'll love playing with Mbeumo: £70m CF now keen on signing for Man Utd

Manchester United have set their sights on a new centre-forward this summer.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Jul 22, 2025

Southampton now open talks to sign "unbelievable" £10m Dibling replacement

Southampton have now opened talks to sign an “unbelievable” winger, who could be brought in as a replacement for Tyler Dibling, according to a report.

Saints looking to sign replacement for Dibling amid Everton links

Following the Saints’ relegation from the Premier League, Dibling has been expected to leave the club, and Everton have emerged as one of the most interested parties, with David Moyes’ side having multiple approaches knocked back.

It has been widely reported the 19-year-old is training away from the rest of the squad, amid interest from the Toffees, and reporter Sami Mokbel has recently suggested the youngster could be heading for the exit door this summer.

Mokbel said: “The information varies depending on who you speak to. If you speak to people closer to Everton, they will tell you that the deal has reached an impasse and Southampton are asking for far too much.

“If you speak to those closer to the South Coast, there is a realisation there that maybe Tyler Dibling’s time is coming to an end.”

Southampton's TylerDiblingcelebrates scoring their third goal with Mateus Fernandes

Amid the major doubts surrounding the starlet’s future at St. Mary’s, Will Still’s side have now set their sights on a replacement, and a report from Football Insider has revealed they have opened talks over a deal for West Bromwich Albion star Tom Fellows.

Fellows has been lined up as a direct replacement for Dibling, who has been the subject of a £40m offer from Everton, and a deal may be relatively inexpensive, with reports from elsewhere revealing the Baggies could look to hold out for just £10m.

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ByDominic Lund Jul 15, 2025 "Unbelievable" Fellows could be perfect replacement for Dibling

Losing one of their prized assets will, of course, be a bitter pill to swallow for the Saints, should Dibling complete a move elsewhere, but there are plenty of signs the West Brom winger could be the perfect replacement.

Most notably, the Solihull-born winger chalked up some very impressive attacking numbers in the 2024-25 campaign, picking up four goals and 14 assists in the Championship alone, leading to some very high praise from teammate Karlan Grant.

Grant said: “He’s an unbelievable young player. As soon as he does that step-over, I know the ball’s going to be arriving at the back stick and there’s going to be chances.

At just 22-years-old, Fellows could still have plenty of room to develop even further, but he is already a top winger at Championship level, and West Brom’s potential asking price of just £10m means the forward could be an absolute bargain.

"Excellent" £20m forward now open to joining Crystal Palace with talks held

An “excellent” Premier League forward is now open to joining Crystal Palace this summer, and talks have already been held over a potential deal, according to a report.

Palace set sights on new forward amid Arsenal's Eze pursuit

After scoring the winning goal in the FA Cup final, Eberechi Eze was always going to attract interest this summer, and Palace may have a battle on their hands trying to keep hold of the attacking midfielder, given that he wants to move across the capital.

Arsenal are expected to make a formal bid for Eze soon, which could amount to £52m, £8m below the England international’s previous release clause of £60m, which has now expired.

Should the 27-year-old move on this summer, the Eagles will undoubtedly need to bring in a new attacker, capable of replicating Eze’s attacking numbers, with the London-born star proving himself as a reliable source of goals and assists last season.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Premier League

34

8

8

FA Cup

5

4

1

EFL Cup

4

2

2

As such, according to a report from The Boot Room, Crystal Palace are now considering a move for Chelsea’s Raheem Sterling, having already been informed about the winger’s situation at Stamford Bridge, with Fulham also holding talks.

West Ham United have also been offered the chance to sign Sterling, with the Blues looking to receive a fee of £20m, although the most likely scenario is the forward leaving on a loan deal.

Crucially, the 30-year-old is open to a move to Selhurst Park this summer, as he is looking to stay in London, having spent the 2024-25 campaign on loan at Arsenal.

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ByDominic Lund Aug 6, 2025 "Excellent" Sterling needs to leave Chelsea this summer

The winger clearly isn’t part of Enzo Maresca’s plans, and he failed to deliver on loan at Arsenal last season, featuring for just 496 minutes across the entire Premier League season, meaning the Chelsea ace clearly needs to move to a new club this summer.

At 30-years-old, the Englishman is by no means in the latter stages of his career, and he has proven himself as a top Premier League player in the past, picking up 131 goals and 86 assists in 339 appearances during his time with Manchester City.

Former manager Pep Guardiola has also previously singled the Jamaica-born winger out for praise saying: “For his confidence it will be massive, the first goal is brilliant, when Raheem executes without thinking he is excellent.”

As such, Sterling could be an exciting signing for the Eagles if he is able to reach his previous heights, but it is more important they keep hold of Eze, given the Palace star’s exploits last season.

Bigger talent than Vuskovic: Spurs lining up move for "dominant" £52m CB

Tottenham Hotspur continued their preparations for the 2025/26 campaign with a trip to Reading to face the League One side in a friendly on Saturday.

Thomas Frank’s side beat the third tier outfit 2-0 on the day and there was a second-half debut for new signing Mohammed Kudus, who created four chances and assisted a goal.

The left-footed forward arrived from fellow Premier League side West Ham United earlier this month, and caught the eye with an impressive showing in his first outing for the club.

Kudus cleverly cut the ball back for Luka Vuskovic to wrap the ball into the far bottom corner, whilst it was also his corner that led to Will Lankshear’s goal.

It was an excellent first showing by the former Hammers star against Reading, but he was not the only ‘new’ player to catch the eye as the scorer in the post above has created excitement among Spurs supporters.

Tottenham agreed to sign the centre-back from Hajduk Split in 2023 but had to wait until this summer for it to officially go through, and he looks to be an exciting talent.

Why Luka Vuskovic is an exciting talent

Vuskovic got Spurs fans excited with his performance against Reading on Saturday, as the central defender scored and assisted a goal from the heart of the defence.

Supporters may also be excited about the 18-year-old talent because of his performances on loan with Westerlo in the Belgian Pro League during the 2024/25 campaign.

Incredibly, the teenage defender ended the season with a haul of seven goals and two assists in 36 league appearances as a centre-back for the Belgian side, suggesting that his attacking exploits against Reading were not a surprise to those who knew about his talents.

24/25 Pro League

Luka Vuskovic

Appearances

36

Goals

7

Assists

2

Tackles + interceptions per game

1.6

Error led to shot

1

Penalties committed

1

Ground duel success rate

57%

Aerial duel success rate

69%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Vuskovic did not make tackles and interceptions at a particularly eye-catching rate, but he was dominant in his duels on the ground and in the air.

Whilst these statistics, in terms of his goal output and dominance in duels, are largely impressive, the Croatia international is yet to prove himself at the top level, as he has only been capped once by his country and has yet to play in a major league.

Overall, Vuskovic is a player who supporters can get excited about for the future, but they may also have to be realistic about what his role could be in the short-term, given his lack of experience at the top level.

Meanwhile, Spurs are reportedly interested in signing another player in his position who could come in as an even bigger talent for Frank to work with.

Spurs lining up move for Italian defender

Speaking on the Last Word on Spurs podcast, as relayed by The Boy Hotspur, journalist Ben Jacobs revealed the club are eyeing up a potential swoop for Atalanta centre-back Giorgio Scalvini.

The reporter said: “Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing the Italian defender Giorgio Scalvini during the summer transfer window. The 21-year-old is highly rated across Europe, and he’s on the radar of multiple clubs this summer… He is likely to cost around €60 million (£52m).”

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

However, Jacobs did not reveal whether or not Spurs are prepared to meet Atalanta’s £52m asking price, or if they are likely to make an official approach for the Italy international, but they are seemingly lining up a move if they decide to act on their interest.

They could face competition for his signature if they do decide to make a move for him, though, as Newcastle United have also been linked with an interest in the 21-year-old colossus.

Atalanta defender Giorgio Scalvini

If Tottenham are able to strike an agreement with the Serie A outfit for the £52m-rated star, Frank could have an even bigger talent than Vuskovic to work with.

Why Scalvini is an even bigger talent than Vuskovic

Scalvini is three years older than the Croatian defender but was already playing in a major league and had been capped multiple times by Italy at the age of 18.

He made his debut against Germany at the age of 18 and was capped three times by his country before his 19th birthday in December 2022, whilst the centre-back also made his Serie A debut at the age of 17.

Scalvini played over 50 games in the Serie A before turning 20 and has played 89 times in the division to date, despite missing 58 matches through injury in the last two seasons combined.

The 21-year-old star, who was once described as a “dominant” defender by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has proven his quality in one of Europe’s major leagues and been capped eight times by Italy, whilst Vuskovic has played once for Croatia and is yet to play a minute of football in a major European league.

In fact, as you can see in the post above, Atalanta described him as a “19-year-old veteran” in his second season at first-team level, whilst posting some of his impressive highlights whilst playing in the Serie A as a teenager.

Scalvini started 31 games in the Serie A in the 2023/24 campaign, before missing the majority of last term through injury, and showcased his defensive qualities with 3.4 tackles and interceptions per game and a 56% duel success rate.

This means that he made more than twice as many tackles and interceptions per match as Vuskovic did whilst playing in the Belgian Pro League last season, which is not one of the top five major European divisions.

Overall, Scalvini would arrive at Spurs as an even bigger talent than the Croatian centre-back because of the quality of his performances in the Serie A, as well as his exposure to top level football, domestically and internationally, at a similar age to the Tottenham man.

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Angus Sinclair

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Whilst Vuskovic may go on to be an incredibly impressive centre-back for Spurs in the future, Scalvini is a young centre-back who has proven that he has the quality to make an instant impact, whilst also being one for the future.

Kylian Mbappe gives honest take on 'disgusting world of football' as Real Madrid & France star laments 'broken bonds' with friends & family

Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe has shared his thoughts on the modern game and revealed he has been left "disgusted" by the world of football.

Mbappe opens up on superstar statusSays football world disgusts himLaments broken bonds with familyFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Mbappe is one of the biggest stars in the game after a career that has seen him star for Paris-Saint Germain and Real Madrid as well as win the World Cup with France. However, he has also hit some difficult patches along the way, including a lengthy legal dispute with former employers PSG that has ended up in court.

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The 26-year-old has now reflected on his superstar status and revealed it has come at a cost. Mbappe has lamented the problems that come from being one of the best footballers on the planet and even admitted he hopes any future child of his "hate" football and do not aspire to follow in his footsteps.

WHAT MBAPPE SAID

He told : "I'm fatalistic about what the world of football is, but not about what life is. Life is magnificent. Football is what it is. I like to say that people who go to the stadium are lucky enough to 'just' come to see a show and not know what goes on behind the scenes. Honestly, if I didn't have this passion, the world of football would have disgusted me a long time ago.

"The more money you have, the more problems you have. Some people don't see that your life is changing, they want to keep the image of you when you were a child, when you were with them… But you're not the same anymore. You have responsibilities, commitments, a job, accounts to render. 

"If some people walk the path with you, it's a beautiful story. It's good to grow up, to reach the top, with the same family and intimate foundation. But, sometimes, it doesn't work, and you have to know how to say it. That's not why the bond is broken, but this relationship doesn't work. It's harder said than done and it's a problem that a lot of athletes and personalities face." 

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MBAPPE?

Mbappe will be back in action with Real Madrid in La Liga on Saturday when Los Blancos take on Real Sociedad at the Reale Arena.

Técnico do Ceará minimiza gol sofrido nos acréscimos diante do Sport

MatériaMais Notícias

Graças ao tento contra do zagueiro David Ricardo, a vantagem do Ceará contra o Sport, na decisão da Copa do Nordeste, foi reduzida para apenas um gol pensando no compromisso da volta.

Entretanto, na entrevista coletiva após o duelo encerrado precocemente pela confusão nas arquibancadas da Arena Castelão, o técnico Gustavo Morínigo relativizou o tento sofrido. Para ele, a situação não passou de um ‘relaxamento’ compreensível pela vantagem de 2 a 0 aberta ainda na etapa inicial.

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>Fernando Lázaro deixa o comando do Corinthians, mas volta a ser auxiliar

Mesmo em tom condescendente, Morínigo não deixou de ressaltar que o panorama de 2 a 1, mesmo favorável, trouxe o compromisso decisivo para um ambiente mais indefinido:

-Sempre procuro olhar de forma positiva e aprender com isso. Acho que 2 a 0 é traiçoeiro também, porque podíamos relaxar um pouco. Vamos com uma partida em aberto. Os dois times vão com as mesmas intenções e possibilidades. Sabíamos que estávamos enfrentando um time qualificado. Hoje foi um jogo bastante difícil. Tomamos a parte positiva. Ganhamos o jogo. Não é fácil ganhar. Acho que vai nos deixar em um nível psicológico mais preparado para a volta.

O confronto de volta para determinar o campeão da Lampions ocorrerá no próximo dia 3 de maio, às 21h (de Brasília), na Ilha do Retiro. Antes disso, o Vozão tem dois compromissos agendados pela Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro onde recebe o Guarani, no próximo sábado (22), e visitará o ABC, em Natal, no dia 30 de abril.

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