Depth over daredevilry: Suryakumar's solo show saves the day for Mumbai Indians

He didn’t get off to his usual quick start, yet ended up with an unbeaten 73 on a slow wicket to secure MI’s playoffs dream

Sidharth Monga22-May-20252:17

Aaron: Bowlers’ Plan B is Suryakumar’s Plan A

Suryakumar Yadav has a general cheery disposition towards life, but at the break between innings at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday, he sounded extra pleased with himself. This had been one of his anomalous knocks: he was barely a run-a-ball in the first 20 balls, got to fifty in 36, and ended up with a strike rate of 169.76 despite playing for as long as 43 balls.Yet Suryakumar knew he had taken Mumbai Indians (MI) to an above-par score on a slow pitch where the ball gripped for the spinners and the fast bowlers who bowled cutters into the pitch. Now imagine the level of adjustment needed. You think a night match at Wankhede, you think you need to score 200 at the very least if you lose the toss. Here, Suryakumar batted thinking 160 was par, and 180 came about only because the last two overs went for 48.At the break, Suryakumar said this was an innings he had been hoping for a long time. “That it’s a difficult situation, I go into bat and try to bat till the end. And get a score that is above par,” Suryakumar told the broadcast.Related

Aaron: Santner showing his worth in Mumbai Indians colours

Du Plessis: MI's counterpunch cost us in last two overs

Suryakumar, Santner and Bumrah lead MI into playoffs

Now Suryakumar has had the most unbelievable run of 13 consecutive scores of 25 or more, which is now a world record, but that is not enough for him. He was waiting for an innings where he stood out. “It’s been 13 games now,” Suryakumar said later. “My wife told me a sweet story today. She said, ‘you have got all the awards except Man of the Match’. So this award is really special today. From the team’s point of view, this knock was important. Also this trophy [was important] for her.”Elite athletes want to win games, but they also want to do as much as they can on their own. So far Suryakumar hasn’t really had a shot at a solo showing. With their qualification for playoffs on the line, this game was as good a time as any. As he said, it didn’t come easy. He walked in at 48 for 2 in the last over of the powerplay. It became 58 for 3 soon, and the spinners handcuffed him and Tilak Varma soon after.It is rare to see Suryakumar get beaten four times in the first eight balls of spin he plays. He just couldn’t get the right length to attack. You wondered where the sweep shot was. It arrived against the ninth ball of spin, and even that a mis-cue. This was a slow pitch not conducive to dominating spin. Suryakumar would have to adjust his sights much lower and bide for his opportunity.Suryakumar Yadav unlocked deep pockets to write Mumbai Indians’ playoffs story•BCCINot a fan of taking it deep, Suryakumar was forced to do so here as Delhi Capitals (DC) kept bowling their best slower bowlers to try to get him out. He scored just 27 off 23 balls from Kuldeep Yadav, Vipraj Nigam and Mustafizur Rahman.Suryakumar said he knew the pitch was going to be slow so it wasn’t really a shock to his system, but even that par assessment of 160 looked in doubt when the last two overs began. They would need to score 30 off the last two to give themselves an even chance, that too provided there wasn’t any dew.When he finally got pace on ball, Suryakumar scored 28 off eight balls in those last two overs from Mukesh Kumar and Dushmantha Chameera. With a little help from Naman Dhir, he had taken MI to 180. He scored only 26 of his 73 runs behind square, which is a rare event for Suryakumar. The conditions and smart bowling forced him to look deeper into his drawer. The most complete T20 batter of this age showed the drawer has deep pockets.

Brian Snitker Suggests Grounds Crew Is to Blame for Austin Riley's Defensive Woes

Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley has struggled defensively of late, committing as many as five errors over the team's last 15 games.

Riley ranks fifth in MLB with seven errors on the season, and, amid a tumultuous stretch at the hot corner, Braves manager Brian Snitker has come to his defense.

Following Atlanta's 5–3 loss vs. the San Diego Padres on Sunday, during which Riley committed yet another defensive mishap, Snitker addressed the third baseman's recent woes at third base. Snitker seemed to suggest that the field conditions at Truist Park have been lacking, and that part of the reason for Riley's surge in defensive mishaps was the grounds crew.

"I don't think it's all on him if you want to know the truth," Snitker told reporters, via MLB.com's Mark Bowman.

On the play in question, Riley misplayed a ground ball at third base, allowing Luis Arraez to reach base safely. Arraez was plated a couple of batters later courtesy of a two-run shot from Gavin Sheets.

As Bowman pointed out, four of Riley's five errors over the last 15 games have occurred at home. Snitker seemed more willing to deflect the blame onto the Truist Park grounds crew rather than hold his player accountable for his poor spell on defense.

The 2025 season has not gone to plan for the Braves, who sit at 25-27 on the year following Sunday's loss.

Sahibzada Farhan takes confidence from 'brilliant powerplay' against India despite loss

The opener exuded confidence ahead of Pakistan’s first game of the Asia Cup in Abu Dhabi, against Sri Lanka

Danyal Rasool22-Sep-20251:39

Chopra: Clear difference in Pakistan’s intent with the bat

Pakistan may be sitting at the bottom of the Super Four table after another fairly convincing defeat against India, but their best performer on the night felt the game showed what Pakistan were capable of. Sahibzada Farhan, who dominated the first ten overs of the contest and scored a 34-ball half-century, was confident Pakistan were well set up to put themselves on the board against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.”The way we batted today, the boys are very confident,” Farhan said, speaking after the game against India. “The wickets in Abu Dhabi are true and the ball comes onto the bat, and we’ll play to win.”Unlike Sri Lanka, who have played two of their four games in Dubai, Pakistan’s four matches at the Asia Cup have all taken place there. Without a formal training session, they will go into a game which may end up proving an eliminator for the losing side, with Sri Lanka having begun the Super Fours with defeat to Bangladesh. Farhan, though, dismissed the idea that preparation was a concern.Related

Similar goals, similar problems: SL, Pakistan resume borderline sappy yet competitive rivalry

“We’re very well prepared. The boys are confident ahead of the Sri Lanka game because this wasn’t a one-sided game; it was one we took right to the end.”That increased optimism is largely down to Farhan himself. His start, particularly in the way he took down Jasprit Bumrah in the powerplay, as well as the aggression against Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel in the four overs that followed, took Pakistan to 91 for 1 in ten overs, their highest midway total against India. Despite a post-drinks slowdown which robbed them of momentum, Pakistan posted 171, requiring India to complete the highest successful chase of the tournament for victory.”I worked a lot on my six hitting,” Farhan, who hit three sixes and is Pakistan’s highest run-scorer of the tournament, said. “When I used to score runs before, there were very few boundaries among them. If we’d won this game, it would have been very valuable to me. Performing against India is very highly rated but I just regret we didn’t win the game today.”The mistake we were making in previous matches was losing wickets early on and not utilising the powerplay. This time around our powerplay was brilliant, with 91 in 10 overs. There was a collapse in the middle and we’ll look to rectify that.”When, with a six of Axar, Farhan reached his half-century, he opted to celebrate in a manner that raised eyebrows at the time, with Farhan cocking his bat and miming the firing of a gun. It was just one of the flashpoints in an ill-tempered game between the two sides, though Farhan said there was nothing to read into it.”That celebration was just a spur of the moment. I rarely celebrate when I get to fifty,” he said. “But when I got there I suddenly got the idea of celebrating, and so I did without knowing or caring how people would interpret it. We should play aggressive cricket against any team, not just India, the way we played today.”Farhan hoped Pakistan and India aren’t done with each other yet in the Asia Cup. “We’d love to be able to meet India again in the final.”Their trip to Abu Dhabi is likely to have a huge say in determining how realistic that ambition is.

The new Nuno Santo: "World-class" manager wants to hold talks with Wolves

Wolverhampton Wanderers supporters will already be fearing the worst regarding their side’s bottom-of-the-table position in the Premier League.

Only a sorry two points have been accumulated so far this season, with the Old Gold hierarchy ultimately left with no choice but to sack Vitor Pereira, after Wolves slipped to their disastrous eighth loss of the campaign already away at Fulham on Saturday.

Now, the hunt is on to appoint a miracle worker in the West Midlands, who can turn around this awful start, with a whole host of names being tipped to take on the vacancy.

The latest on Wolves' hunt for a new manager

The only certainty at the moment is that Gary O’Neil will not be re-entering the Molineux dug-out.

Indeed, rumours had begun to circulate that O’Neil was the favourite to take over from Pereira and return in dramatic circumstances. But, the ex-AFC Bournemouth head coach has since withdrawn himself from the race, after holding advanced talks.

Moreover, Michael Carrick is also on Wolves’ radar, with the former Middlesbrough manager still looking for work after being let go by Boro.

With three caretaker matches in charge of Manchester United also under his belt, he could potentially relish the chance of being a saviour for Wolves in the top division.

Carrick’s replacement at the Riverside Stadium in Rob Edwards is also high up the alleged priority list, having previously lined up for Wolves as a player, before earning his managerial stripes at Luton Town and beyond.

Yet, the most out-there name being linked to the Wolves vacancy right now could be viewed as Erik ten Hag, with reports from ESPN indicating that the Dutchman is ‘interested’ in holding talks with the Molineux outfit over the vacant job.

It’s stated that Ten Hag would like to return to the Premier League after his torrid spell at Manchester United, having had his already tattered managerial reputation put through the wringer again when axed three games into his Bayer Leverkusen stint this season.

Still, even with his back-to-back failures hanging over him, ten Hag has been a success in his career elsewhere, as Wolves potentially prepare to welcome a new Nuno Espirito Santo-style figure to Molineux.

How Ten Hag can be Wolves' new Nuno Santo

Despite his sketchy recent track record, the ex-Ajax manager would also be seen as an upgrade on O’Neil walking through the door.

Indeed, despite being the butt of many a Red Devils joke by the time of his dismissal, the 55-year-old guided United to 44 top-flight wins from his 85 games in charge. O’Neil has only 25 league wins next to his name on the contrary.

With other high-profile managers also struggling to get a tune out of the Premier League giants, since he left the Theatre of Dreams, it’s clear the problems run far deeper in Manchester than just who occupies the stressful dug-out.

Nuno has also been up against it in the top division since exiting Wolves, with spells at Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest not exactly going to plan. But, having overseen 73 wins in charge of the Old Gold in the top-flight, he is still heralded as one of the finest bosses they have possessed in the elite division in recent memory.

Despite his wobbles, Ten Hag will hope he will be seen as a similarly ambitious appointment, like when Nuno entered the Wolves dug-out in the Championship after successful stints in La Liga and Liga Portugal, when taking in his glittering managerial numbers above.

The unemployed boss collected three Eredivisie titles as manager of Ajax, with a Champions League semi-final run also being spearheaded by the Dutchman, who has been noted as being a “world-class” operator by his former United midfielder in Fred.

An FA Cup success also came his way during his hot-and-cold reign in Manchester, as the 55-year-old attempts to become a much-loved name at Molineux by steering Wolves away from certain relegation.

If he pulls that unbelievable feat off, he will definitely be seen as the second coming of Nuno – with Ten Hag also regularly setting his teams up in the Portuguese’s preferred 4-2-3-1 make-up – as another bold coup of an appointment potentially goes down a treat.

After all, landing Ten Hag would surely be seen as a more exciting development than retreading old ground with O’Neil.

Wolves want Rob Edwards after Gary O'Neil snub, timeline of appointment revealed

Is the former Luton Town boss the right man for the job?

ByHenry Jackson Nov 4, 2025

Spanish newspaper drops bombshell on 'new Messi' amid possible offer from Man Utd

Manchester United have been boosted in their efforts to sign a player who has been compared to Lionel Messi, with an offer potentially incoming.

Neville hails Amorim's "best week" at Man Utd

A feeling of positivity has finally returned to Old Trafford, following three Premier League wins in a row, with Saturday’s 3-2 win at home to Brighton another big step in the right direction.

In fact, United legend Neville even believes that has been Ruben Amorim’s “best week” in charge, finding plenty of positives in the last three games.

“I think that it feels like his best week in the job. I think where we’ve all been with it, I wouldn’t have been surprised if we talked about him losing his job. I was thinking he was under massive pressure after going into the international break in October. I felt as though that change could be imminent.

“But the victory at Anfield shows you how things can turn around and then obviously this was so important today. He’s not out of the woods yet and it’s certainly not time to get carried away but I think Manchester United are now where they thought they probably would be.”

Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, two of United’s most expensive signings of all time, are beginning to purr, and the Red Devils are now being linked with a move for an equally exciting attacking player.

Man Utd boosted in Kubo chase

A newspaper in Spain claims to have a “bombshell” update regarding the future of Real Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo. They report he is expected to leave the Spanish club in 2026, with Manchester United in line to bid for him.

The Japanese starlet is also wanted by the likes of Tottenham and Everton, both of whom have shown an interest, and he may cost as little as £35m as Sociedad have decided to cash in for less than his release clause rather than risk his value plummeting any further after a run of bad form.

Kubo is a special talent who has even been dubbed the ‘new Messi’ in his homeland, while Zinedine Zidane also once spoke highly of him when was out on loan from Real Madrid, even though he failed to excel at the Santiago Bernabeu in the end.

Kubo is primarily a right winger, coming in onto his left foot like Mbeumo, and while fitting him into the team may not be easy, competition for places and elite squad depth can only bed a good thing for Amorim.

Forget Sesko: Man Utd have Van Persie 2.0 who's 'one of the best in the PL'

Manchester United have found their next Robin van Persie in this star, and it is not Benjamin Sesko.

ByDan Emery Oct 27, 2025

Still only 24, there is still so much more to come from the Japan star, and if United can pip others to his signature, they could have a future Old Trafford superstar on their hands, both on the pitch and in terms of marketing.

Arsenal's new Xhaka is becoming "one of the best Emirates era signings"

Arsenal are so good at set-pieces it’s boring. Their long throw-ins are ridiculous. They need to find other ways of scoring.

Those are not our words but the words of various pundits and neutrals in recent weeks.

Mikel Arteta’s men have won all three of their Champions League encounters and sit top of the Premier League.

It’s not been a captivating start to the new campaign for the Gunners but they’ve been super effective. Their core strengths, namely set-pieces and their defensive record, have formed the bedrock of Arteta’s success in recent years.

Arsenal are as solid as they’ve ever been, conceding just one open play goal all term in the top-flight. Yet, with a reliance on dead-balls again, some wonder just how sustainable this model will be.

The fact is, that as Arsenal showed this week, they are not over-reliant on those situations and have a great deal more than that in their locker.

Despite what pundits say, they are not boring. You don’t beat Atletico Madrid, one of the most defensively sound sides in Europe, 4-0 if you’re dull.

Indeed, their win over Diego Simeone on Tuesday evening was a statement to the rest of their continent, and while they did score from two set plays, their performance in the final third was perhaps their most impressive of the campaign.

Gabriel, Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Martinelli found themselves on the scoresheet but truth be told, it was Arsenal’s midfield that helped springboard them to this win.

The progression of Arsenal's midfield under Mikel Arteta

At this current moment in time, it feels like this squad of Arsenal players are the most complete set they have ever had under the Spaniard.

The backline has been bolstered beyond belief and they now arguably have the greatest depth in defence across Europe’s top five leagues, ensuring that no matter who plays, they will be solid.

Mikel Arteta’s first Arsenal XI

GK – Bernd Leno

RB – Ainsley Maitland-Niles

CB – Sokratis

CB – David Luiz

LB – Bukayo Saka

CM – Lucas Torreira

CM – Granit Xhaka

CAM – Mesut Ozil

RW – Reiss Nelson

LW – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

CF – Alexandre Lacazette

The forward line has been less of a priority but when you spawn Bukayo Saka from the academy and sign Gabriel Martinelli for just £6m, there wasn’t a huge amount wrong with it until last season. No player hit double figures for goals for the first time since the 1923/24 campaign.

The midfield, however, has really taken Arsenal to the next level in recent years.

Gone are the likes of Thomas Partey, Jorginho and Granit Xhaka. They all play elsewhere now but in a bid to replace them, they have done so superbly well.

Granit Xhaka

Declan Rice was never going to flop and indeed, despite setting the club back a whopping £105m, has been a game breaker.

His tally of nine goals and ten assists in 2024/25 was a career high, while that pair of free-kicks against Real Madrid will never be forgotten. In the words of Sky Sporters reporter Sam Blitz, he’s also now “the best set-piece taker in the world”. It’s hard to disagree with that statement considering all four of his assists this season have come from dead-ball scenarios.

He’s now surrounded by some of the best midfield talents around. Tempo-setter Martin Zubimendi, another Martin in Odegaard and Eberechi Eze all make the Englishman’s job easier by either sitting behind him in Zubimendi’s case or providing the creative spark as Odegaard and Eze do so well.

When Odegaard is fit, it really does feel as though the midfield has everything you could want: power, creativity, goals and reading of the play.

Arsenal's new Xhaka is playing his part

When Xhaka arrived at Arsenal in 2016 under the stewardship of Arsene Wenger, it was a deal that was met with scepticism.

The Gunners had spent £30m on a talent from the Bundesliga, a rather unknown one at that, and the opening few years of his time in north London were a rollercoaster.

Xhaka was a defensive midfielder by trade when he arrived but his defensive work simply wasn’t up to scratch, quickly becoming known as a walking red card, picking up two in his opening season.

While the Swiss midfielder’s discipline did improve, fans grew impatient with his displays over a number of years and it all came to a head under Unai Emery.

He was now the captain but was swiftly relieved of his duties after chucking the armband to the floor and gesticulating towards the Emirates crowd when he was booed off the field during a game with Crystal Palace.

Xhaka’s revival under Arteta, therefore, was quite the sight. The Spaniard gave him a freer role as a left-sided 8 and he repaid the manager’s faith by delivering the finest campaign of his career to date in 2022/23.

That season, the now 33-year-old scored nine times and registered seven assists. The redemption arc was complete, only for him to leave in the summer of 2023 for Bayer Leverkusen.

Now back in the Premier League with Sunderland, Xhaka has rolled back the years, providing three assists in his first eight matches for the Black Cats.

But, who embodies the spirit of Xhaka in the present Arsenal squad? You may well think the aforementioned Rice is a strong candidate but in Zubimendi, they have someone who delivers similar attributes.

Now, it must be stated, the former Real Sociedad star is certainly classier on the ball and more disciplined than Xhaka ever was in Arsenal colours.

Yet, there are certainly parallels. Xhaka arrived as a defensive midfielder, a deep-lying playmaker, before going on to become a threat in the final third.

The same can be said of Zubimendi. He was declared “the best #6 in the world” by some after his dominant display during Arsenal’s 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid.

Zubimendi vs Atletico Madrid

Minutes played

73

Accurate passes

41/46 (89%)

Touches

56

Key passes

3

Big chances created

1

Accurate long balls

2/2

Accurate crosses

1/1

Distance covered

8.3km

Successful dribbles

1/1

Interceptions

2

Clearances

3

Stats via Sofascore.

That he may well be, but the 26-year-old is also a threat in the final third, just as Xhaka became in the latter stages of his Gunners career.

Zubimendi has already scored twice in the Premier League, netting a brace in the 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest.

His vision and eye for a pass are simply awe-inspiring too. Xhaka was known for a defence-splitting pass but Arsenal’s new Spaniard is cut from a similar cloth in that regard.

He provided a delicious assist for Viktor Gyokeres’ first goal for the club in pre-season and has often been the man to provide the pre-assist.

It was Zubimendi’s lovely ball in behind the West Ham defence for Eze that eventually led to Rice’s goal in the game and to pinpoint another example, he very nearly provided a remarkable assist for Gyokeres again on Tuesday night, popping the ball up and playing it behind.

The Basque midfielder has been a sensational addition, billed as “one of the best Emirates era signings” by Arsenal podcaster and content creator, Jamie Kent.

He’s not had a bad game yet and perhaps saved his finest performance in the famous red and white for Simeone’s men earlier in the week.

The big-money summer arrival completed 89% of his passes, created that big chance for Gyokeres and left the field with three key passes. He also won three of his five duels.

An all-round package, there is a reason that former Ballon d’Or winner Rodri has said that he is “leaving him the keys to the [national] team.”

As aggressive and eccentric as Xhaka he may not be, but the passing range and ability to pop up with key attacking contributions are certainly alike. You may well argue that Zubimendi is the best of both Xhaka and Rice. What a mighty fine combination that is.

Mandhana back as No. 1 in ODI batting rankings

Laura Wolvaardt dropped to tied-second alongside Nat Sciver-Brunt

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jun-2025India opener Smriti Mandhana is back to No. 1 on the ICC’s ODI rankings for women’s batting. It is the first time since 2019 for Mandhana (727 rating points) at the top. South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt (717) – who lost 17 rating points – dropped to tied-second alongside England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt.In early May, Mandhana had scored 51 against South Africa and 116 in the final against hosts Sri Lanka in a tri-series, which were has last two ODI appearances.Wolvaardt, in her five ODI appearances in 2025, has averaged 28.20 with a top score of 43. She scored 27 and 28 in the first two ODIs of the ongoing series against West Indies.Related

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England’s Amy Jones and Australia allrounder Ellyse Perry round out the top five. Mandhana is the lone Indian in the top ten, with Jemimah Rodrigues and Harmanpreet Kaur on 15th and 16th respectively.The top of the ODI bowling charts stayed the same, with England left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone well ahead of Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner and Megan Schutt. But West Indies spinner Afy Fletcher’s four-wicket haul against South Africa in the second ODI helped her gain four spots up to 19th.There were no changes in the ODI allrounders’ top ten either. Gardner leads the list, with West Indies’ Hayley Matthews at No. 2 and South Africa’s Marizanne Kapp at No. 3. New Zealand’s Sophie Devine, who announced her decision to retire from ODIs after the World Cup in September to be hosted by India, is ninth among allrounders and 13th among batters.

Sunderland told Lucumi price set to plummet by over 50% in January

Sunderland had one of the busiest transfer windows in the Premier League, with Regis Le Bris’s side having the 5th highest net spend of the entire league.

Earlier in the window, Sunderland brought in some of their most expensive ever players ever, such as Habib Diarra, Simon Adingra and Enzo Le Fée. The Black Cats were still pushing for deals on deadline day as they signed Ajax’s Brian Brobbey in the window’s final hours.

However, one deal they didn’t manage to complete was that of Jhon Lucumi. Sunderland placed numerous bids with Bologna for the centre-back that culminated with a £24 million deadline day offer that was rebuffed.

Bologna had already sold centre-back Sam Beukema to Napoli in the window and were reluctant to let another defender go. They were also hoping to get Lucumi to sign a new contract, but this has not yet materialised, providing Sunderland with the opportunity to reignite the transfer saga in January.

Sunderland given hope in Lucumi transfer

Jhon Lucumi for Bologna.

Renato Villa spent six years at Bologna and retired there after making nearly 200 appearances for the club. In a recent interview, he spoke about Bologna’s current defensive options and was pressed about Lucumi’s future: “Selling him now would have brought in £21.7 million, while if you sell him in January, you’ll only get £9 million. It’s an evaluation the club will surely have made, weighing up the technical and financial factors.”

As an alternative to Lucumi, Sunderland agreed a deadline loan deal with RB Leipzig for Lutsharel Geertruida, paying just over £2 million as a loan fee, and they have the option to sign him permanently next summer for £20 million. Despite bringing in another option though, with Geertruida only guaranteed to be on Wearside for one year, Sunderland may go back in for their top target when his price drops, providing he does not sign a new contract.

Space for Geertruida and Lucumi

While both are good options for Le Bris, they are two very different defenders. Last season, Lucumi played considerably more of the pair; his extra minutes equalled almost 12 full games. Their defensive strengths had significant variations, with Geertruida on the front foot with more interceptions, whereas Lucumi was better at tackling dribbling players and getting blocks in.

As well as the ways they vary statistically, they also vary stylistically. Lucumi is a traditional centre-back, while Geertruida is a little more versatile and fluid in his position, having previously been utilised at centre-back and full-back. This means that if Lucumi were to join in January, there may still be a place for Geertruida as cover along all of the backline.

Overall, Sunderland seem to still have the funds available to sign Lucumi, especially for the cut-price, as they submitted that deadline day bid for him and only signed Geertruida on loan. If they feel they can accommodate both players in their squad, this would be the best strategy, and having multiple defensive options won’t hurt their chances of Premier League survival.

Grêmio faz sondagem pelo atacante chileno Alexis Sánchez

MatériaMais Notícias

Observando o mercado em busca de nome impactante para o seu setor ofensivo, o Grêmio segue analisa oportunidades de nomes vindos da Europa onde, depois da chegada de Juan Manuel Iturbe, outro nome aventado seria o do chileno Alexis Sánchez.

O Tricolor chegou até mesmo a contatar pessoas que pudessem fazer uma aproximação a representantes do atleta de 34 anos de idade. Informação essa, aliás, que partiu de um ex-jogador do Grêmio e hoje comentarista, o também chileno Fernando Astengo, em participação na ‘Radio Touch’.

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>Já atualizou sua camisa de 2023? Confira os novos uniformes do Imortal!

Segundo Astengo, ele chegou a conversar abertamente com o presidente do Imortal, Alberto Guerra, em que um dos temas foi a possibilidade de contatar o staff de Alexis Sánchez e ter maiores informações sobre sua situação no mercado. Entretanto, não há detalhes se as conversas tiveram qualquer evolução para algo mais concreto.

Há bastante tempo no futebol europeu, o jogador que foi bicampeão da Copa América com o Chile, em 2015 e 2016, acumula passagens por Barcelona, Arsenal, Manchester United, Inter de Milão e, na última temporada, Olympique de Marselha.

Depois de sua saída do Arsenal, foi em território francês que Alexis conseguiu se reencontrar com os melhores desempenhos e os números são capazes de traduzir essa evolução. Enquanto entre 2017 e 2022 ele não conseguiu passar da barreira dos dez gols em uma temporada, somente em 2022/2023 foram 18 tentos em 44 compromissos.

Man City plot move for standout La Liga talent who is loved by Hansi Flick

Manchester City have enacted something of a rebuild across the last two transfer windows and could now be set to continue their spending spree once the January window opens, according to a report.

Manchester City look to overcome mixed Premier League start

Despite making some impressive summer signings, Manchester City have lost consecutive Premier League fixtures against Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion.

Pep Guardiola has changed the guard in several positions and may need time to let new faces settle in at the Etihad Stadium, albeit he will be hoping for an improved return on the club’s investments after the international break.

Manchester City's Erling Haaland shakes hands with managerPepGuardiolaafter being substituted

Still, Joe Cole preserves optimism that one of Manchester City’s main men can go on to thrive this campaign and has claimed that Phil Foden is the best player in the Premier League when he is in form.

The former England international told talkSPORT: “He had a difficult season last year. We don’t know the problems he had off the pitch or injuries or what it was, but what you have to do is keep faith with these types of players.

“When Phil Foden plays to the best of his ability, like the season before last, he’s the best player in the country, you know, but there’s only one player who can produce that type of level of performance over the last 15 years consistently. That’s Lionel Messi. And there’s a reason he’s the greatest player in the world.”

Intriguingly, Guardiola could add a new superstar to the fold amid Manchester City’s plan to launch an ambitious move to sign Vinicius Junior in January, albeit it remains to be seen whether they could tempt him away from the Spanish top-flight.

Remaining on that topic, the Citizens could be set to raid La Liga for a rising young star who could now have a pivotal decision to make on his future.

Man City could launch January move for Dro Fernandez

According to reports in Spain, Manchester City want to sign Barcelona talent Pedro ‘Dro’ Fernandez, who is viewed as a breakout star in his homeland after entering La Blaugrana’s second string at 17 years of age.

Predominantly an attacking midfielder, the Spain Under-17 star is also wanted by Chelsea and has registered four goals in 14 appearances for club and country at various youth levels.

"Unbelievable" Man City player in demand as clubs queue up to sign him

Would selling him make any sense?

ByHenry Jackson Sep 6, 2025

Adored by Hansi Flick for his contribution during Barcelona’s pre-season, he has already got off the mark at first-team level by scoring in a friendly against Vissel Kobe, potentially opening the door to further senior opportunities down the line.

Nevertheless, he now faces an intriguing decision amid interest from the Premier League, which could force his club to offer him a contract extension with guarantees that his developmental needs will be met.

Guardiola always has an eye out for prodigious talent and may have spotted an opening to convince one of Europe’s stars to move to the Etihad Stadium.

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