O Corinthians vem lidando com cobranças judiciais de ex-jogadores e convivendo com a ameaça do transfer ban na janela de transferências. Neste momento, o Timão está impedido de registrar atletas pelo não pagamento das intermediações ao empresário Eduardo Bou Daye nas contratações de Mauro Boselli e Bruno Méndez.
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+ IMPERDÍVEL! Transmissão ao vivo dos jogos do Timão na Liberta por apenas R$1,00!
Sob o discurso de quitar as dívidas e equilibrar as finanças do clube, o presidente Duílio Monteiro Alves revelou que desde o início de seu mandato, em janeiro de 2021, a diretoria já pagou mais de R$ 250 milhões entre processos judiciais e casos na Fifa.
+ Renove o seu estoque de camisas do Timão com o cupom LANCEFUT 10% OFF
– Muito se falou de transfer ban, que o Corinthians não pagou as contas. O Corinthians pagou mais de 250 milhões de contas na minha gestão, entre processos e Fifa. Esse dinheiro tem que ser pago, assim como muitos acordos feitos no passado e que se não forem cumpridos causam prejuízos maiores ao clube. Não quero que o próximo presidente passe por isso – disse o mandatário corintiano ao programa Os Donos da Bola, da Bandeirantes.
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Apesar da situação financeira adversa, Duílio traçou meta ousada e planeja fechar 2023 com arrecadamento recorde, na casa de R$1 bilhão. Em 2022, o Corinthians alcançou seu maior faturamento da história, com R$ 770 milhões. Tais números foram impulsionados pelo retorno da bilheteria na Arena pós-pandemia e a performance esportiva, principalmente na Copa do Brasil, onde o clube foi finalista.
+ Veja grupo do Timão e a situação dos brasileiros na Libertadores
– Quando entrei, o Corinthians faturava 430 milhões por ano, aproximadamente. No meu segundo ano de mandato, dobramos esse valor, fechamos 2022 com 776 milhões com arrecadação, próximo ao Flamengo. Esse ano trabalhamos para chegar à marca de 1 bilhão – projetou Duílio.
Manchester City are now one step away from completing a deal for a “phenomenal” star, as his club have recently dropped their asking price.
Man City targeting new signings after Tottenham defeat
After such a promising start to the campaign, winning 4-0 away at Wolverhampton Wanderers, Man City were brought right back down to earth on Saturday afternoon, with Tottenham Hotspur once again getting the better of them at the Etihad Stadium.
James Trafford was culpable for the second goal, with Joao Palhinha capitalising after the new City goalkeeper made a stray pass in his own area, although Pep Guardiola defended his decision to select the 22-year-old.
Pep said: “He made a good first game and I decided to continue. When I take decisions in the first part of the season – for all the players you play one or two [games] – everyone thinks: ‘OK, this is the starting lineup.’ It was just today I decided that.”
Manchester City's Erling Haaland shakes hands with managerPepGuardiolaafter being substituted
However, behind-the-scenes, there may be some doubts emerging about Trafford, given that the former Burnley man remains relatively inexperienced, and a report has revealed the Blues are closing in on a more proven goalkeeper.
According to The Mirror, Man City are now one step away from signing Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, with Guardiola’s side ready to get a deal done, as long as they can sell Ederson to Galatasaray.
Crucially, PSG have now slashed their asking price significantly, with the Italian now being allowed to leave for as little as £26m, given that he has just one year remaining on his contract with the French club.
Man City set to fight PSG for skyrocketing winger amid Donnarumma talks
The Citizens are ready to swat aside the Champions League holders…
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City are expecting Galatasaray to submit a new offer for Ederson, and if a suitable fee can be agreed, they will move swiftly to finalise a deal for Donnarumma, who is keen on a move to the Etihad Stadium.
"Phenomenal" Donnarumma could be instant Trafford upgrade
While Trafford impressed in the Championship last season, keeping a whopping 29 clean sheets, the PSG goalkeeper could be an instant upgrade on the Englishman, given that he is vastly more experienced at the top level.
The 26-year-old, who has been lauded as “phenomenal” by Walid Acherchour of RMC Sport, was a lynchpin of the PSG side that won the Champions League last season, with journalist Carlo Garganese highlighting him as the star against Arsenal across both semi-final legs.
That said, the Italy international isn’t the most adept with the ball at his feet, with Trafford vastly outperforming him in touches per 90 over the past year, and a number of other key metrics.
Average per 90
James Trafford
Gianluigi Donnarumma
Save %
85.6%
67.8%
Touches
39.88
29.97
Clean sheet %
67.4%
25%
Donnarumma may not be a Guardiola-style goalkeeper, but he is proven at the highest level, and a £26m transfer fee would be a bargain.
Manchester United continued their pre-season preparations for the 2025/26 campaign with a 2-1 win over Premier League rivals West Ham United in America on Saturday night.
Bruno Fernandes scored both of the team’s goals in a narrow win over the Hammers, scoring from the spot in the first half before delivering a fantastic finish in the second.
There was another outing for new signing Matheus Cunha, who played the opening 66 minutes of the game, but Bryan Mbeumo was not ready to don the shirt for the first time.
Whilst fans have had the chance to watch last season’s team, along with Cunha, ramp up their preparations to improve on last year’s dismal showing, there are a number of players who have not been part of the travelling party.
Wolverhampton Wanderers'MatheusCunha
Ruben Amorim decided to leave several players at home for this tour and the Premier League summer series, as the club are looking to move on from them this summer.
One of the players in the ‘bomb squad’ is Brazilian forward Antony, who spent the second half of last season on loan with Real Betis in Spain.
Why Man Utd should sell Antony
It simply has not worked out for the left-footed dud in England and it appears to be the right time to allow him to move on from Old Trafford on a permanent basis, after a successful loan spell.
United reportedly agreed an £85m deal with Ajax to sign Antony in the summer of 2022 to bolster Erik ten Hag’s options at the top end of the pitch, but he has only mustered up 12 goals and five assists in 96 appearances for the club to date.
The 25-year-old star has not offered enough in the final third to suggest that he has much of a future in English football, rarely scoring or creating goals in his three years in Manchester so far, which is why it could be the right move to cash in on him this summer.
It could also be a smart time to cash in on the winger because he is fresh off the back of a successful loan spell with Real Betis, which shows that he does have the quality to make an impact in other leagues in Europe.
Antony (24/25)
LaLiga
Conference League
Appearances
17
9
xG
2.87
1.41
Goals
5
4
Big chances created
8
5
Key passes per game
2.2
1.1
Assists
2
3
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the former Ajax star caught the eye with nine goals and 13 ‘big chances’ created in 26 appearances for the Spanish side, which may help United to attract interest from other clubs this summer.
Whilst it remains to be seen where Antony will end up by the conclusion of the summer transfer window, there is an even bigger United flop closing in on a move away.
Man Utd flop agrees personal terms on exit
According to the print edition of Corriere dello Sport (26/07/2025), as relayed by Tutto Mercato Web, Jadon Sancho has agreed personal terms with Italian giants Juventus.
The report claims that the England international, who is not part of the club’s pre-season tour, has verbally agreed to a five-year contract with the Old Lady, which would see him earn around £5.2m-per-season.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
It states that Sancho is aware that his race is run at Manchester United and he is willing to drop his wage demands from the £8.7m-per-season he is said to earn at Old Trafford in order to seal a move to Italy.
However, the sticking point is currently the transfer fee. United want a fee of around £22m for the former Borussia Dortmund star, whilst Juventus are currently offering up to £17m.
Chelsea's JadonSanchocelebrates scoring their first goal
This is a move that appears to be heading in the right direction, though, given that he has already agreed personal terms, which means that flop could be closing in on an exit from Old Trafford.
Why Sancho is even worse than Antony
Cashing in on Sancho would be a great move for United because he has flopped in Manchester and is currently even worse than Antony as a wide option.
The English forward joined from Borussia Dortmund for a fee of £73m in the summer of 2021 and has scored 12 goals in all competitions for the Red Devils in the subsequent four years, which is as many as Antony has scored for the club in three years.
Sancho was not a part of Ten Hag’s plans at the start of last season and the Dutchman sent him out on loan to Chelsea for the 2025/26 campaign, but he struggled to offer consistent quality for the Blues.
24/25 season
Antony (Real Betis)
Sancho (Chelsea)
Appearances
26
42
xG
4.28
2.60
Goals
9
5
Big chances created
13
11
Assists
5
8
Games per goal/assist
1.85
3.23
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Sancho only averaged a goal or an assist every 3.23 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea last term, as Antony outperformed him during his five-month spell with Real Betis.
These statistics show that the Brazilian winger was far more effective during his loan spell away from Old Trafford, as he scored more goals and created more ‘big chances’ in 16 fewer appearances.
As Jamie Redknapp said in the clip above, Sancho simply does not do enough in the final third to produce goals and assists to help his team win matches.
The 25-year-old flop has scored 12 goals in four years at United and only managed five goals in 42 games on loan at Chelsea, which backs up the pundit’s point about his lack of output at the top end of the pitch.
Another Cunha & Mbeumo: £100m "monster" now wants to join Man Utd
Manchester United could have the chance to bring in another ‘proven’ Premier League talent…
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Robbie Walls
Jul 26, 2025
Therefore, United should be delighted that Sancho has agreed personal terms with Juventus and is now closing in on an exit, with the finer details of the transfer fee just to be ironed out, because he is even worse than Antony, and possibly a bigger flop despite a smaller fee.
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.
He is currently at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru for a routine assessment
Shashank Kishore02-Sep-2024
Suryakumar Yadav played the red-ball Buchi Babu Tournament recently•PTI
Suryakumar Yadav has been ruled out of the opening round of the 2024-25 Duleep Trophy to nurse a hand injury he sustained during last week’s pre-season fixture for Mumbai at the Buchi Babu Invitational Tournament in Coimbatore. Suryakumar has been advised rest and is currently at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru for a routine assessment.Suryakumar didn’t bat in the second innings of the fixture against TNCA XI last week, after injuring his hand while fielding on the third day. At the time, the Mumbai team management confirmed the move was precautionary keeping in mind his participation in the season-opening Duleep Trophy.Suryakumar, India’s T20I captain, recently expressed keenness to pitch for a Test comeback. Having not played any first-class cricket in over a year, Suryakumar made himself available for the pre-season Buchi Babu Tournament to tune up for red-ball cricket with India slated to play 10 Tests over the next five months, starting with the two-match series against Bangladesh from September 19 in Chennai.Related
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Suryakumar picks up hand injury during Buchi Babu Tournament
Suryakumar wants to 'earn the Test spot again'
Suryakumar, whose only Test so far came last year against Australia, was named in the India C squad, led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, who will be taking on Shreyas Iyer’s India D in Anantapur. India A and India B will simultaneously play the other opening-round fixture at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.Recently, fast bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Umran Malik had also been ruled out of the opening round of Duleep Trophy because of illness, and Ravindra Jadeja had been withdrawn, though no reason was provided for him by the BCCI. Navdeep Saini and Gaurav Yadav will replace Siraj and Malik for the India B and C squads respectively.Meanwhile, Nitish Kumar Reddy has been declared fit by the NCA. His inclusion was subject to fitness after he was diagnosed with a groin injury that led to his withdrawal from India’s T20I squad to Zimbabwe in July.Revised squads for Duleep Trophy first roundIndia A: Shubman Gill (capt), Mayank Agarwal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel (wk), KL Rahul, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Tanush Kotian, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan, Vidwath Kaverappa, Kumar Kushagra, Shaswat Rawat.India B: Abhimanyu Easwaran (capt), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (wk), Musheer Khan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Navdeep Saini, Yash Dayal, Mukesh Kumar, Rahul Chahar, R Sai Kishore, Mohit Awasthi, N Jagadeesan (wk)India C: Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt), Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar, Abishek Porel (wk), B Indrajith, Hrithik Shokeen, Manav Suthar, Gaurav Yadav, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Anshul Khamboj, Himanshu Chauhan, Mayank Markande, Aryan Juyal (wk), Sandeep WarrierIndia D: Shreyas Iyer (capt), Atharva Taide, Yash Dubey, Devdutt Padikkal, Ishan Kishan (wk), Ricky Bhui, Saransh Jain, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Aditya Thakare, Harshit Rana, Tushar Deshpande, Akash Sengupta, KS Bharat (wk), Saurabh Kumar
Compared to their nearest competitors, this has been a quiet transfer window so far over at the Emirates Stadium for Arsenal.
Did you expect anything less? While Manchester City have spent a shedload on Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Tijjani Reijnders, Manchester United have added Matheus Cunha to their ranks.
Matheus Cunha
Over in Merseyside, Premier League winners Liverpool have already confirmed the arrival of Jeremie Frimpong to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold. Florian Wirtz is also set to arrive from Bayer Leverkusen in a British transfer record £116m fee too.
So, Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta better whack out the cheque book soon with plenty of new recruits needed, particularly in attack.
The latest on Arsenal's transfer plans this summer
Two of the biggest priorities at the Emirates are bolstering the wide positions and signing a brand new centre forward.
Out wide, we’ve seen notable links to the likes of Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams and Real Madrid’s Rodrygo.
Athletic Bilbao'sNicoWilliamscelebrates scoring their third goal
As for the striker position, it’s all about Benjamin Sesko. Arsenal reportedly opened talks regarding a deal for the Slovenian a few weeks ago. Now, according to German reporter Florian Plettenburg, there is a ‘positive’ feeling around the deal, but no agreement is in place yet over a deal that could reach £68m to £85m.
If a deal cannot be done for the RB Leipzig star, then it’s likely Arsenal will aim to conclude a deal for Sporting superstar Viktor Gyokeres.
The Gunners were interested in the Swede’s services last summer and that interest has remained over the last year. What’s the latest on this one? Well, amid interest from Premier League rivals, Manchester United, it appears as though Gyokeres would prefer the Gunners.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
That’s according to Saturday’s edition of Portuguese newspaper, Record. They suggest that north London and Arsenal is now a ‘dream’ destination for the 27-year-old attacker.
As a result, Record reveals that Man United are ‘no longer an option’ for the Sweden international. That’s despite the fact the Red Devils are now coached by Gyokeres’ previous manager at Sporting, Ruben Amorim.
According to previous reports, Arsenal have already lodged an offer worth £55m, of which £10m are bonuses.
What Viktor Gyokeres could bring to Arsenal
The great debate of the 2025 summer transfer window for Arsenal fans is whether Sesko or Gyokeres would be the better signing.
Well, as far as the raw numbers dictate, it would be the latter. There are few better finishers in the game right now than the Sporting sensation with the Swede scoring a ridiculous haul of 54 goals in 52 games throughout all competitions in 2024/25.
In the league alone, Gyokeres trumped Sesko considerably with the former now being described as “the best striker in Europe” by the Athletic, while former Chelsea defender Mario Melchiot even posed the question: “Is he the best striker in the world right now?”
That question is a tricky one considering the level the big Swede has been playing at, but regardless of that, he’d surely be a sensational signing for Arteta’s attack.
They need goals and in the form of the Sporting star, they would find more of them. But, what qualities could be bring just outside of the goals?
Well, there are echoes of a certain Alexis Sanchez here. While the Chilean was certainly better on technique alone and he boasted better close control with the ball, they do have similar builds and running styles.
Indeed, one of the most notable traits Gyokeres can bring to the game is his bulldog-like style. His slightly stockier frame means he is a “human battering ram” in the words of the Athletic’s Mark Carey.
Outlining what makes him so difficult to deal with, Peter Kisfaludy, who was academy director at Gyokeres’s former Swedish club Brommapojkarna, once said: “He is a box player but he can also drive forward with the ball because he is fast and strong.”
What Arsenal have arguably lacked since the days of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Sanchez up front is pace. Gyokeres would bring that, but like Alexis, he’d also bring the physicality to stand up to the test of rugged Premier League defences.
Alexis Sanchez in English football
Season (club)
Games
Goals
Assists
2014/15 (Arsenal)
52
25
12
2015/16 (AFC)
41
17
10
2016/17 (AFC)
51
30
18
2017/18 (AFC & MUFC)
40
11
9
2018/19 (Man Utd)
27
2
4
Stats via Transfermarkt.
The Chile superstar has a similar bulldog-like approach, described by FourFourTwo as someone who “plays like he hates losing”, hassling defenders and never giving them a moment’s peace.
Ultimately diminutive in size, Sanchez has a compact build like the Swede and his muscular frame, particularly in the upper half of his body, meaning he could drive forward and burst past defenders with the same sort of power we see from Gyokeres.
There are obvious differences, we cannot deny that, but by luring the Sweden international away from Lisbon, Arsenal may finally find a ruthless centre forward with the same level of efficiency, one who’s capable of replicating the South American’s incredible impact at Arsenal.
Can you just imagine Alexis in this current Arteta side? We can only dream.
He's a dream for Rice: Arsenal are about to submit bid for £84m "magician"
The outrageously talented international would be game-changing for Arsenal.
Liverpool have put paid to any notion of second-season syndrome under Arne Slot’s wing by attacking the transfer market with vicious intent.
The Reds surpassed expectations by winning the Premier League last term, and they did without a proper focal frontman. Sure, Luis Diaz filled in nicely as a false nine, but Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota both flattered to deceive, and the former is at risk of being sold.
Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota converse on the bench
If and when that happens, Liverpool will need to sign a new centre-forward, and though Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak appears to be off the market after securing a route back into the Champions League.
A whole host of names have been linked with a move to Anfield, and one of the most recent belongs to Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres, having reportedly made contact with the Swedish goalscorer in May.
Manchester United currently lead the race, and maybe that hints the 27-year-old might not be the best option on the market for the Merseysiders.
Still, Liverpool desperately need a new number nine.
Why Liverpool need a striker
Last season, Mohamed Salah led Liverpool to the Premier League title. Football is a team sport, and the sum of a brilliant team is greater than its individual parts, but the Egyptian King proved an exception to that rule.
Across 52 matches in all competitions, Salah scored 34 goals and supplied his teammates with 23 assists. He leapt his way into the upper level of the all-time Premier League scoring charts, now fifth with 186 goals, one strike behind Andy Cole and two ahead of the retired Sergio Aguero.
His talismanic campaign, making good on a promise, has crowned him a two-time English league winner, picking up the sweeping gamut of individual accolades too.
Why does this matter? We were going to discuss Liverpool’s interest in a new striker, after all. Well, Liverpool’s main man turns 33 in just a few days, and though he’s extended his record-breaking contract by two years, he cannot be expected to heave the bulk of his attacking peers in the same way.
Liverpool need someone more reliable than Nunez, who only scored seven goals last term. The likes of Gyokeres have been touted, sure, but Liverpool might have found an even better option.
Liverpool hold talks for new striker
According to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Liverpool are still interested in Eintracht Frankfurt centre-forward Hugo Ekitike, despite Chelsea making all the noise in recent weeks.
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike
In fact, the reporter claims Liverpool have “held concrete talks with the player’s camp”, perhaps just awaiting clarity on the futures of their expendable forwards.
The major sticking point is that Frankfurt want €100m (£84m) for their rising star, but given that he’s yet to fully grow into his skin, this perhaps skates beyond the line of plausibility.
Why Liverpool should sign Hugo Ekitike
Ekitike only scored four goals across 33 senior outings for Paris Saint-Germain, thus choosing to make his name away from the bloated Parisian superpower.
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike
He hasn’t looked back. After finishing the 2023/24 campaign in good form, Ekitike stepped into his first full term on strong footing, wrapping things up with 22 goals and 12 assists across 48 fixtures.
Once hailed as “the next Mbappe” by journalist Graeme Bailey, it’s easy to see why he’s held in such high regard, fostering a keen-edged offensive style and marrying it with his rounded underlying qualities.
Sporting’s Gyokeres might be among the hottest commodities on the market, but Liverpool’s data-driven system would be sure to reveal Ekitike as the more desirable pick.
Matches (starts)
33 (31)
Goals
15
Assists
7
Shots (on target)*
3.5 (1.5)
Big chances missed
16
Pass completion
76%
Big chances created
12
Key passes*
1.3
Dribbles*
1.6
Duels won*
4.2
The key thing is he’s finding his feet in front of goal and boasts a combative and creative underlying skill set. For sure, Gyokeres has proven to be a more clinical goalscorer in Portugal, but Ekitike’s multi-faceted game suggests his ceiling his higher, having already been hailed by analyst Ben Mattinson as “one of the best centre-forwards out there.”
Further to that point, Nunez was as prolific as they come for Benfica before Liverpool paid the big bucks to bring him over to England, scoring 34 goals across 41 games in 2021/22.
Ekitike, however, bespeaks completeness through his data. As per FBref, he ranked among the top 10% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues last year for assists, the top 6% for shot-creating actions, the top 4% for progressive carries and successful take-ons and the top 19% for ball recoveries per 90.
Athletic and dynamic, the archetype for greatness is right there, especially when considering he’s five years Gyokeres’ junior too.
Eintracht Frankfurt's HugoEkitikecelebrates
Journalist Bence Bocsak recently discussed Anfield’s interest in the “unique talent”, going on to say, “For the right price, Ekitike would be the perfect forward at Liverpool under Arne Slot.”
Finances will, of course, hold sway in the decision-making, and Liverpool (like Chelsea) aren’t likely to fork out something in the ballpark of £84m for a raw centre-forward, his potential untapped.
Ekitike truly is the perfect profile to unify Liverpool’s frontline over the coming years. Would Gyokeres bring a consistent supply of goals? Yes, he would. But is he the perfect man for the job?
In Ekitike, Slot can fashion a superstar, and that’s the Liverpool way.
Worst sale since Mane: "World-class" Liverpool star now in talks to leave
Liverpool may be set to lose one or two of their first-team regulars this summer.
The transfer window is just around the corner, and it looks set to be a big one for Arsenal.
While Mikel Arteta’s side have had to contend with a torrent of injuries this year, it’s still become increasingly clear that they do not have the attacking options at their disposal to get over the line.
For example, the only player to reach double digits for goals and assists in the squad this year has been Bukayo Saka, who’s done so despite missing almost four months of action with a hamstring injury.
So, with this in mind, it’s hardly a surprise to see the North Londoners being linked to so many talented attackers in recent weeks, including one who has won the Premier League in the past and even been compared to Saka.
Arsenal's winger search
While the priority for Arsenal this summer will likely remain a new centre-forward, the club have still been linked with a plethora of talented wide players, such as Nico Williams and Rayan Cherki.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The former has a release clause of £48m in his current deal, which doesn’t seem too steep considering he’s still just 22 years old and has managed to rack up a tally of 11 goals and seven assists in 44 games this year.
However, Cherki could be even cheaper, with some reports claiming he could be available for just £30m, which would be a steal, as in just 43 games this season, the young Frenchman has scored 12 goals and provided 19 assists.
Rayan Cherki
Yet, if the club want to go all out on a superstar striker this summer, they might have to go for a genuine bargain on the wing, someone like Leroy Sané.
According to a recent report from Football Insider, Arsenal have maintained their interest in the Bayern Munich star, and, alongside Chelsea, are currently the frontrunners to secure his signature.
While the competition from the Blues is far from ideal, the good news is that the £245k-per-week star wouldn’t cost anything in transfer fees, thanks to his current deal expiring in the summer.
It might still be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but Arsenal should do what they can to bring Sané to the Emirates, as he would add some real quality to the attack, and he’s even won comparisons to Saka in the past.
How Sané compares to Saka
So, before we get into some of the other reasons Arsenal should be looking to sign Sané this summer, let’s examine this comparison to Saka and where it comes from.
Leroy Sane for Bayern Munich
Well, in this instance, it comes from FBref, which compared players in similar positions at last summer’s European Championships and concluded that the Englishman was the third most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the German in the entire competition.
We can better understand their similarities by looking at some of the underlying metrics in which they rank closely, including but not limited to expected assists, progressive passes, passing accuracy, shot and goal-creating actions and more, all per 90.
Expected Assists
0.09
0.11
Progressive Passes
3.04
3.57
Passing Accuracy
83.8%
83.8%
Shot-Creating Actions
3.03
3.30
Goal-Creating Actions
0.43
0.47
Successful Take-Ons
2.17
2.00
However, on top of their statistical similarities, they are also both predominantly right-sided, left-footed players who have played and thrived under Arteta’s coaching, with the German spending several years with him at City.
Aside from the similarities to their best player, though, why should the Gunners bring the Bayern star this summer?
Well, first and foremost, while he has spent plenty of time off the right, he’s just as capable on the left, meaning he could provide some genuine competition to both Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard next season on top of being able to rotate with others in the side.
Moreover, even though he’s closer to the end than the start of his career, the “world-class” international, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has still been seriously effective this term, racking up 13 goals and six assists in 44 appearances, totalling 2348 minutes.
That means the former Premier League winner is currently averaging a goal involvement every 2.31 games, or every 123.57 minutes, which is undoubtedly the sort of output that would give the North Londoners a serious boost.
Ultimately, Arsenal should be going all out to sign Sané this summer, as not only does he share some key similarities with Saka, but he remains a productive attacker and, best of all, he’d be free.
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Glasgow Rangers will be on the lookout for a new manager this summer after Barry Ferguson’s time as the interim head coach comes to an end.
The Scottish boss came in to replace Philippe Clement on a short-term basis and has the job until the end of the 2025/26 campaign, when a decision will be made on the holder of the position on a long-term basis.
Ferguson has not done too much to further his claim to take the job on permanently after a fairly unimpressive collection of results in the Europa League and the Scottish Premiership so far.
His side failed to score in three of their four Europa League outings, eventually getting knocked out by Athletic Bilbao, and the Scottish manager has only won three of his seven top-flight games in charge, most recently drawing 2-2 with St Mirren.
The Light Blues may, therefore, have to look further afield to find their manager for next season and beyond, because Ferguson does not look up to the task of returning Rangers to their former glory on the evidence of his interim period in charge.
In fact, a fresh report on the club’s search for a new head coach suggests that the club are looking at other options to come in and replace the former Scotland international in the Ibrox dugout.
Rangers considering moves for two managerial candidates
According to TEAMtalk, the Scottish giants have whittled their shortlist of managerial candidates down to two in their search for a new tactician.
The report claims that former RB Leipzig manager Marco Rose has emerged as a contender for the job, as the Gers hierarchy are said to be thinking about him for the job.
It states that the pending takeover will put the club in a better financial situation, and that they are looking for an exciting managerial appointment to take the team in the right direction.
Rose is said to have been sounded out about the job and that he is open to taking on a new role next season, having left his position at RB Leipzig in March.
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The German head coach, however, is not the only manager on the shortlist. TEAMtalk adds that the Light Blues are seriously considering a swoop for former Ibrox boss Steven Gerrard.
It states that the English manager, who left Saudi Pro League side Al Ettifaq in January, would be interested in a return to Glasgow to manage the team for a second time.
Steven Gerrard
In fact, TEAMtalk reports that many managers see the job as an attractive prospect because of the potential to win domestic trophies, as well as the prospect of Champions League or Europa League football, which Gerrard has not had since his first spell in Scotland.
With all of this in mind, the 49ers and Kevin Thelwell, who is set to take up the position of sporting director this summer, must move to bring the Liverpool legend back to Ibrox ahead of a swoop for Rose.
Why Steven Gerrard would be better for Rangers than Marco Rose
The German boss is, certainly, a strong candidate for the job because he has achieved relative success in both Austria with RB Salzburg and Germany with RB Leipzig.
Rose won two titles in two seasons in the Austrian Bundesliga before making his way to his home country with Borussia Monchengladbach, with whom he finished fourth and eighth before joining Borussia Dortmund and finishing second in the 2021/22 campaign.
The 48-year-old boss then joined Leipzig and finished third and fourth in his first two seasons, before leaving the club in sixth place in the division this season.
This suggests that Rose, despite winning the German Cup in the 2022/23 campaign, regressed during his time at Monchengladbach and Leipzig, as their respective league positions dropped the longer he stayed.
Nathan Patterson, Steven Gerrard
Rangers must, now, swoop for Gerrard instead because he would be an even better appointment than the German head coach, as he is a proven quantity at Ibrox and in Scottish football.
The 4-3-3 boss joined the Light Blues in the summer of 2018 and led the club to second-placed finishes in the Premiership in the 2018/19 and 2019/20 seasons, before winning the league title in his third year in Glasgow.
Gerrard’s team, incredibly, went unbeaten in the 2020/21 campaign in the top-flight, winning 32 matches and drawing six, to beat Celtic to the title.
It was a remarkable accomplishment by the manager, whose reputation was described as “amazing” by former England defender Glen Johnson, who won the league title for Rangers for the first time in ten years.
Former Rangers manager Steven Gerrard.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Michael Beale, and Philippe Clement have all attempted to replicate the success that Gerrard had at Ibrox, but failed and were all relieved of their duties without winning the league title.
The former Liverpool midfielder’s experience and success at Ibrox are exactly why he would be an even better appointment than Rose, because he knows what it takes to win the Premiership and has proven that he can put together a team to do exactly that.
Steven Gerrard (Premiership)
20/21
21/22
Matches
38
12
Wins
32
8
Draws
6
3
Defeats
0
1
Points
102
27
Points per game
2.68
2.25
League position
1st
1st
Stats via Transfermarkt
As you can see in the table above, Gerrard only lost one of his last 50 Premiership matches in charge of Rangers, leaving the club at the top of the table after 12 matches in the 2021/22 campaign when he left to join Aston Villa.
The Gers have lost seven of their 34 games in the league in the current season, which illustrates just how impressive that record across 50 outings was, and they clearly need a manager who can bring a winning mentality back to Glasgow.
Steven Gerrard
Therefore, bringing Gerrard back to Ibrox in the hope that he can recapture the spark that he had in his first spell at the club could be a brilliant move for the 49ers and Thelwell to make.
The out-of-work tactician could bring the feel-good factor back to Ibrox, more so than Rose, who has no experience in Scotland or prior connection with the fanbase, and it is a move that seems to make a lot of sense on paper.
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Three things hurt India considerably in the three-match spin-fest at the Premadasa: their luck at the toss, their execution of the sweep, and their resource deployment
Sidharth Monga09-Aug-2024India have just lost an ODI series in what can objectively be termed pretty extreme conditions. In no bilateral ODI series of three matches or fewer have so many wickets fallen to spin: 43 out of 54, which also includes three run-outs, leaving just eight for the quicks. Only once has more spin been employed in a three-match ODI series, back in 1997-98 when Zimbabwe toured Sri Lanka.ESPNcricinfo LtdHaving not won an ODI series against India since 1997, having lost the T20Is 3-0, Sri Lanka took a calculated risk. They were missing a handful of their first-choice quicks because of injuries, and did what they needed to do to make the ODIs competitive. They prepared pitches that would offer appreciable turn and natural variation to spin bowlers, and enjoyed a bit of luck in winning all three tosses and getting the best of batting conditions.At any other venue, batting first in a day-night game is fraught with danger because dew can handicap spinners in the evening, but this is where the R Premedasa Stadium’s history is worth knowing. There was a time not long ago when it used to be impossible to chase in day-night matches at this venue, dew or no dew. The stadium was built in low-lying marshy land, and the underlying moisture would come up to the surface of the pitch in the evening, giving fast bowlers a significant advantage.Related
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In the decade before the 2011 World Cup, 32 of the 45 day-night matches at the Premadasa were won by sides winning the toss. Before that World Cup, though, the playing surface was raised by three-and-a-half feet, and it did the trick. Sri Lanka chased successfully in their quarter-final and semi-final. The relevance of this history lesson now is that if you make a dry track, you need not worry about it getting better to bat on with the evening moisture or dew playing a significant role.Sri Lanka got their strategy right, had the rub of the green, and bowled superbly despite India getting off to three quick starts, thanks almost exclusively to Rohit Sharma, and defeated a side that had gone unbeaten through last year’s World Cup before the final, and one that had been dominating Sri Lanka in recent years.ESPNcricinfo LtdWe don’t have the HawkEye data to back it up, but the commentators suggested that it turned more and more as the matches progressed, and it does bear out in the batters’ output against spin. However, there seems to have been a clear difference between the sides in terms of approach. Sri Lanka seemed to be more conservative against spin while India looked to attack them more. It gave India a slightly better scoring rate but hurt them significantly with the wickets lost.In his analysis of his team’s batting, Rohit made an interesting point. He said India didn’t play the sweep shot as often or as well as Sri Lanka did. His observation was spot-on on both counts. Not only did Sri Lanka employ the various varieties of sweep more often, they also fared much better when they did. There is a good reason why India didn’t try it as often: they a lost a wicket on every fifth attempt.ESPNcricinfo LtdIf played well, the sweep brings more than just the immediate runs scored. It makes the fielding captain defend more areas of the field, opening up spaces elsewhere. That is particularly true if you play the reverse-sweep well. The threat of the reverse-sweep can force captains to deploy a deep point and open up the extra-cover region. It also messes with the spinners’ length.Historically, India haven’t been the greatest of sweepers. Improving on all kinds of sweep was the endeavour when Rahul Dravid and Rohit led the side. As with all things, there is a delicate balance: you improve on this new shot but don’t disregard your traditional strength, which is to get to the pitch of the ball or go right back. That India weren’t excellent on that front in this series is something that will concern them, especially Virat Kohli, who was twice caught on the front foot without getting anywhere close to the ball, giving him little chance to recover against the ball that didn’t turn.ESPNcricinfo LtdThese numbers don’t automatically make India a poor team against spin. Over the same period since 2019, India have the best average against spin in ODIs and only England and South Africa have scored quicker than them. Nor do those numbers necessarily make them the best batting unit against spin. It probably suggests that when there is appreciable assistance for spinners, India perhaps don’t do enough to force the opposition bowlers out of their comfort zones. This is something Rohit has said India will continue to work on.The one other thing that stood about India’s series loss was their less-than-optimal use of bowling resources. Even that possibly came down to their obsession with keeping a seam-bowling allrounder ready should Hardik Pandya not be available. That is possibly why they persisted with Shivam Dube through the series when the conditions called for a spin-bowling allrounder in Riyan Parag. Sri Lanka’s spinners, then, not only fared better but also bowled a lot more than India’s: 81.1% of their team’s overs to India’s 65.3. Some of this might have been down to there being more assistance for spinners in the second innings but the make-up of India’s XI perhaps also had something to do with their willingness to pay a short-term price for what they believe is a long-term pursuit.