Tag Futebol

A forward who was once valued at nine figures has held talks over a summer move to Chelsea, with Enzo Maresca’s side rumoured to be laying groundwork over transfers ahead of the first window on June 1.

Chelsea target quick transfer deals before Club World Cup

The Blues will be taking part in this year’s edition of the Club World Cup, and it has been reported that Chelsea could stand to receive a hefty financial windfall if they perform well in the competition.

Related Fabrizio Romano: Chelsea now want to sign £50m star "by the end of May"

The reliable journalist says BlueCo want a deal done as soon as possible.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini May 10, 2025

BlueCo are therefore taking the CWC seriously, and they’ll have a limited window to do business and officially sign players before the tournament kicks off. From June 1 to June 10, Chelsea will be able to acquire squad upgrades ahead of the CWC, before the window then reopens from June 16 to September 1.

Race for Champions League qualification with 2 games remaining

Points

2. Arsenal

68

3. Newcastle United

66

4. Man City

65

5. Chelsea

63

6. Aston Villa

63

7. Nottingham Forest

62

Reports suggest the west Londoners are fully intent on completing deals in that period, with Fabrizio Romano recently stating that Chelsea want to seal a move for Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen “by the end of May”.

Chelsea are involved in an airtight battle to finish in the top five and confirm their spot in the Champions League draw for next season, and the result of this race will have a knock-on effect when it comes to their transfer plans, as confirmed by Maresca.

However, in the meantime, Chelsea remain busy with their recruitment plans as they also aim to bring in new forwards. The Stamford Bridge hierarchy wish to acquire both a new winger and a striker for Maresca, as per journalist Simon Phillips and other reliable sources, and they’re now being linked with soon-to-be out-of-contract Bayern Munich star Leroy Sane.

Leroy Sane holds talks over joining Chelsea on free deal

The £244,000-per-week Germany international was closing in on a new deal in Bavaria, but he recently changed representatives, employing super-agent Pini Zahavi.

While Sane remains open to extending his contract, Zahavi has submitted a counter-offer to their initially agreed extension – with his camp now demanding a £10m-per-year salary plus £2.5m in add-ons tied to appearances (Florian Plettenberg).

Bayern are intent on standing firm and have no intention of improving their original proposal, though, leaving the door open for Sane to potentially leave the Allianz Arena despite his excellent form over the second half of 2024/2025.

Sane is thought to be keen on a move to Chelsea as an alternative to remaining at Bayern, with journalist Graeme Bailey sharing another update to The Boot Room.

Bailey reports that Sane’s representatives have held talks over a move to Chelsea, even if he would prefer to stay at Bayern, with his contract ticking down towards expiry on June 30.

Every day that passes and no new deal is agreed, Sane’s return to the Premier League grows more likely, as the player and Vincent Kompany’s side find themselves in a stalemate.

Signing the experienced high-level forward for nothing would be a coup, especially considering he was once valued at £137 million during his time at Man City.

Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic side moved one step closer to clinching a fourth successive Scottish Premiership title when they beat Kilmarnock 5-1 at Parkhead on Saturday.

The Hoops have won the last three league titles, bringing Scotland’s top-flight title back to Parkhead in every single campaign since their city rivals won it in the 2020/21 campaign, and they still have a chance to secure a domestic treble.

They face St. Johnstone, who they lost 1-0 to in the league earlier this month, in the semi-finals of the SFA Cup next weekend, as they look to book a place in the final of the competition.

Celtic, of course, already won the League Cup earlier this season, beating Rangers on penalties in the final, which means that they can clinch a domestic treble by winning the title and the SFA Cup in the next month or so.

With the league almost wrapped up, Rodgers decided to make some changes to his starting line-up for the clash with Kilmarnock on Saturday, to provide some other players with opportunities to impress.

One of those rarely-seen stars to come back into the XI was long-serving winger James Forrest, who went into the match without a single goal in all competitions this season.

James Forrest's performance against Kilmarnock

The 33-year-old forward was selected to start on the right side of the attacking trident for Celtic, as German winger Nicolas Kuhn dropped down to the bench to accommodate him.

It was only his sixth start in the Premiership this season and it was a chance for him to show Rodgers that he deserves more minutes between now and the end of the campaign.

Unfortunately, Forrest went on to make it 26 matches in all competitions without a goal to show for his efforts at the top end of the pitch, despite Celtic’s dominant performance and 5-1 win.

The Scottish forward, who scored seven goals in 28 games in all competitions in the 2023/24 campaign, had a fairly uneventful time on the field in the win over Kilmarnock, as you can see in the table below.

Minutes

60

Shots

2

Shots on target

0

Pass accuracy

98%

Key passes

0

Successful crosses

0

Successful dribbles

0

Duels won

1/2

Forrest ended his time on the pitch, which lasted 60 minutes, with zero shots on target and zero chances created, although he was slightly unlucky with the latter.

The Celtic academy graduate got in on the right side of the box and fizzed a ball across the face of the goal that a defender in the middle of the goal failed to properly clear, leading to Daizen Maeda scoring a tap in from a yard or two out.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Some may argue that Forrest should have an assist for that goal, as it was his ball in that led to Maeda’s shot, but it did not officially count due to the interference from the Killie defender.

The experienced wide man, despite his lack of action outside of his involvement in Maeda’s goal, was not the worst performer on the pitch for the Hoops, though, as Adam Idah failed to take his chance to impress.

Adam Idah's performance against Kilmarnock

The Ireland international came in for just his 16th league start of the season and, like Forrest, had a chance to stake a claim for more minutes in the coming weeks.

Idah had come off the bench to create two chances and one ‘big chance’, winning five of his six duels, in the defeat to St. Johnstone, which convinced Rodgers to bring him in from the start for the clash on Saturday.

However, his performance against Kilmarnock from the start suggests that he is not ready to be Celtic’s go-to man in the number nine position heading into the final weeks of the campaign.

Minutes

60

Shots

0

Dribbles completed

0/1

Key passes

0

Pass accuracy

68%

Possession lost

11x

Duels won

1/6

As you can see in the table above, Idah offered very little in his 60 minutes on the pitch in the 5-1 win, with zero shots and zero chances created for his team, whilst also losing 83% of his duels.

He was even worse than Forrest, who at least completed 98% of his passes and helped to create Maeda’s goal, and must now be ruthlessly ditched by Rodgers for the SFA Cup semi-final clash.

Idah, whose last goal was the strike against Hibernian in March in the clip above, should be taken out of the team after his dismal showing on Saturday.

The Celtic star who should replace Adam Idah

Maeda started on the left flank, and scored, in the win over Hibernian and should be moved into the middle of the front three for the semi-final clash next weekend, replacing Idah in the side.

The Japan international has scored a staggering 31 goals in 45 matches in all competitions for the Scottish giants this season, which shows that he has the quality to be a consistent goal threat for Rodgers and that is why he should move back into the number nine role next time out.

That switch would, of course, open up a position on the left wing for the clash with St. Johnstone in the SFA Cup, and Jota should be given the nod to come in from the start.

The Portuguese forward, who joined the club from Rennes in the January transfer window, has enjoyed a strong return to Parkhead in the last few months.

Jota has scored four goals, created three ‘big chances’, and registered two assists in six starts in the Premiership this year, which shows that he has made a big impact at the top end of the pitch as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

Therefore, Rodgers must ruthlessly ditch Idah from the starting XI in order to bring the Portuguese speedster into the side on the left wing, whilst also moving Maeda back into a central position. This could improve Celtic’s attack and give them a greater chance of progressing through to the final of the competition.

Rodgers could revive Kuhn by playing him in a brand new role at Celtic

Brendan Rodgers could help Nicolas Kuhn get back to his best by changing his position.

ByDan Emery Apr 9, 2025

However you want to slice it, he is a three-format monster and Sri Lanka’s first serious entry into the space-age batting genre

Andrew Fidel Fernando19-Jun-2025Roughly 70 overs into a scorching third day against Bangladesh in Galle, Pathum Nissanka smokes Bangladesh’s fastest bowler through the covers, flicks him past the keeper next ball, and soon speeds from the 150s into the 160s.He had faced a little over 200 deliveries by this stage, but even this far into a long day, Bangladesh’s bowlers are finding there is still so little room for error with this guy. While they labour in their run ups, feet picked off the ground as if out of wet sand, Nissanka is taut, poised and clinical. If your length is off, he has laid into a crisp drive, a rasping cut, and a dismissive pull, almost before you’ve looked.Bangladesh’s seamers are tall and imposing. Nissanka is compact and lean. But in this moment, on a flat Galle surface, Nissanka strikes you as the bully. In some passages, he is so intent on working every possible scoring opportunity that on his own he feels like a SWAT team storming every room of a building in search of suspects (runs).Related

Pathum Nissanka is raising his bar one notch at a time

Nissanka 187 leads SL's solid reply after Bangladesh post 495

His first 50 took 88 balls, as he let Lahiru Udara make the early charge while he settled in, but his next 50 took 48 balls, the next one 74, and he was roughly on track to make another 75-ish ball 50 when he was dismissed late in the day. His 187 off 256 balls (a strike rate of 73), is largely why Sri Lanka traveled at close to four runs an over, giving them a greater chance of moving into a winning position. But this 187, his third Test hundred in as many continents, is not Nissanka’s highest international score. That would be his 210 not out in ODIs.Any way you slice it, Nissanka is Sri Lanka’s first serious entry into the space-age batting genre. You know the type by now, right? The Harry Brooks, Glenn Phillips, Yashasvi Jaiswals of the world – the kind possessed of an ultramodern batting brain that takes the lessons from the shorter formats and sprinkles them effortlessly into the longest. Already, batters such as Virat Kohli, Steven Smith, and even Babar Azam, feel like prototypes of these. With the newest generation, the batting IQ is more elastic, the skills are more transferable, and the transitions are observably smoother. Getting stuck? Hitting a wall? Retreating into your shell? Ew. What is that?Sri Lanka have had three-format monsters before, but for the likes of Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, they had had to go through the effort of embracing aggression and innovation. For Nissanka, rapid and emphatic evolution is a natural component of his cricketing journey. Nissanka’s first Test hundred had been a hugely stodgy 252-ball 103 in the Caribbean, after he had broken into the red-ball team on the back of a first-class average in the mid 60s.Following that, he had a lean spell in Tests, and became a white-ball specialist while he overcame a bad back injury. Having picked up new skills, he returned to Tests, and hit a 127 not out at better than a run-a-ball at The Oval last year, in what was Sri Lanka’s funnest Test win of 2024.

“Until this match, I’d never hit a Test hundred in Sri Lanka. I’d wanted to break my own mental barrier. Thankfully, today I was able to do that.”Pathum Nissanka after his 187

He may be 27, but it is clear that already, we are looking at Nissanka 2.0. Cricket may still be lugging an almost 150-year old multi-day format, but as more nations are drawn into the sport’s gravity, and the populations in cricketing centres continue to explode, even the oldest format is probably changing as quickly as it ever has.If we are to be critical of the batter that has top-scored in this match so far, it is that he didn’t score enough runs down the ground. Yes, Nissanka has strong wrists and prefers the funkier anglings of the bat, even against the juiciest half volleys. But modern batting is also about accessing all 360 degrees of the ground. So sorry, we will be filing the wagon wheel of Nissanka’s biggest Test innings under “Areas for improvement”. When you are a three-format batter in the third decade of the three-format age, these are the breaks.Nissanka, helpfully, also thinks of his batting as having format-specific holes that need to be filled. “Until this match, I’d never hit a Test hundred in Sri Lanka,” Nissanka said after his 187. “I’d wanted to break my own mental barrier. Thankfully, today I was able to do that.”Another of Nissanka’s answers reveals a generational change. Asked how he and Dinesh Chandimal had planned to bat in what turned out to be the biggest partnership of the innings so far – a 157-run stand – Nissanka said they had planned to “just bat normally”. Chandimal was once one of the most aggressive Sri Lanka batters of his youth. But to him, batting normally meant hitting 54 off 119 balls. Nissanka also faced 119 balls in that partnership. But he crashed 103 runs.Pathum Nissanka brought up his fifty in 88 balls•Ishara S Kodikara/AFP via Getty ImagesScoring faster is actually a team directive, Nissanka revealed. “When we came into this series, we had a target that in this [World Test Championship] cycle, we’d raise our run rate. We tried that, and we have been successful so far. Hopefully, we can take that forward into other matches.” This, actually, is pretty standard stuff for a Test team in the mid 2020s.It took an exceptional second-new-ball delivery from Hasan Mahmud to dismiss Nissanka. It snaked in viciously, flicked the edge of his front pad, and crashed into the stumps. Nissanka missed out on a Test double century by 13 runs, and did express regret about it. But he didn’t seem that cut up. Don Bradman has 12 double-hundreds on his own, and Kumar Sangakkara has 11. Only ten batters ever have made ODI double tons. Nissanka is already part of the more elite club.If Nissanka’s goal is three-format domination, this innings, his biggest in Tests, is a good staging post. Sri Lanka’s hope is that for him, as for some hypermodern others, success in one format carries seamlessly into match-winning batting in another, and another. Sri Lanka don’t have any Tests to play in the next ten months after this series ends. But with huge T20 assignments coming up, they still desperately need Nissanka in roaring form.

It was a performance of ups and downs that further endears you to a cricketer

Vithushan Ehantharajah07-Aug-2023The sun shone throughout the evening in Manchester, and it’s important to put that on the record given the last few weeks here.An entire men’s Ashes was ruined by two days of rain at the end of the fourth Test, followed by a Manchester Originals home opener against London Spirit scuppered in both competitions. The blokes managed to get on for 80 balls, of which Jos Buttler thrilled for 32 of them. Ultimately, it was for nothing.Proximity to such an engaging seven weeks of England and Australia duels means the Hundred needs to thrive more than ever. Even before the parallel men’s and women’s Ashes, there was an understanding at HQ this third season had to harness the power of what was always likely to be a public-enrapturing block of international cricket. And while pockets of the country remain untouched by the harsh, bright hues of the Hundred’s colour palette, the cities exposed to this flash jamboree needed to make it count.Part of that requires attachment. And for the longest time, before the Hundred even got off the ground, you wondered how those in the stands could truly vibe with nebulous concepts. Yet as Emirates Old Trafford welcomed an eventual 11,692 for the men’s portion of this doubleheader, the parochialism from the stands hit you like grapes on Ricky Ponting.The cheers for Buttler’s boundaries were loud. The palpable disdain when replays of the direct hit run out from Moeen Ali showed Buttler might have grounded his bat over the line even louder. They chuntered when Phoenix opener Ben Duckett inadvertently got in the way of a shy at the stumps after popping one into the leg side during the third set of the chase. Moeen, cheered to the rafters here three weeks ago when gliding to a half-century in whites for his country, was jeered off after being trapped by a vicious yorker from local boy Richard Gleeson. They even booed Kane Richardson simply for being Australian.Related

• Moeen Ali, England's silent warrior, gloriously walks into sunset once more

• Rain frustrates Originals and Spirit after Buttler's fireworks

• Ferguson, Henry to replace Shaheen and Rauf at Welsh Fire

• Usama Mir overshadows England stars with bat and ball to lead Originals win

But it was Usama Mir, one of Originals own as of, well, a few weeks ago, that was the most evocative presence this Monday night. Most of it good, some of it bad, all of it endearing. A performance of ups and downs that further endears you to a cricketer, if it is even possible to have greater admiration for one who fizzes leg spin and smokes boundaries.Uncapped in T20s for Pakistan, and with just six appearances in ODIs, Mir essentially undertook an overseas Vitality Blast gig with Worcestershire with a view to breaking into the Hundred. A route in looked tricky given only domestic players can be Wildcard picks, but 19 wickets in 11 matches at an economy rate of 7.29 impressed Buttler enough to ratify his inclusion after Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga pulled out for the second year in succession.”We had Hasaranga down to come, and Usama Mir was playing for Worcester and doing brilliantly, so bring him in,” said Buttler at stumps, after a 49-run win had been banked thanks to the 27-year-old’s 32 off 14 and 2 for 27.It felt like Originals – and the competition more broadly – fell on their feet when Usama came out at 105 for 6 with 24 balls to go. A tournament that relies on highlight reels has another walking one, it seems.Usama Mir interacts with fans after the game•ECB/Getty ImagesThe wily Benny Howell dipped into his box of tricks and pulled out a slower, length ball he had to go fetch after it was carted over cover. Richardson was then swung over mid off before being short-arm flayed over midwicket for six two deliveries later. Even Adam Milne, who can usually get by on fear of his pace when bowling to the lower half of a batting order, was reverse-ramped twice. At times it looked like Mir had extra joints in his arms, such were the angles created and areas accessed.That feel for the game did not quite carry onto the field, at least not straight away. Will Smeed was shelled on six, after skying a pull around the corner off Josh Little, leading to Mir running back and failing to take over his shoulder. The fall to the ground, as he attempted to clasp it a second time, was comical.The second drop – Jamie Smith on 15 – was even worse, looping to him off a regulation edge after a smart cutter from Paul Walter. An error compounded by the fact Smith had carted Usama’s second and third deliveries for six. But Walter got his man with the very next delivery – caught long on. And when Mir trapped Dan Mousley lbw followed by Shadab Khan, his rival for Pakistan’s leggie allrounder spot, we knew whose day it was. Particularly given Mousley did not review his decision despite impact outside the line after the umpires had made an error in chalking off Phoenix’s review when Moeen’s unsuccessful one came back with an umpire’s call.That review was only reinstated with 25 balls to go, by which point this game was long gone with 75 runs still to get. The deficit would eventually be whittled down to 49 runs, with subdued glee from the Originals “faithful” as Phoenix were dismissed for 111. In a season primarily of rain and tight finishes, we have our second blowout.Ironically, it was one of Lancashire’s own, Liam Livingstone, who was likeliest to make this tighter than it was. It was at this corresponding fixture in the 2021 season – the first Hundred match at Emirates Old Trafford – that Livingstone was booed. This time around, the man who carried the inaugural season on his back managed just 27 off 25, before county team-mate Tom Hartley dismissed him caught-and-bowled. Those cheers carried a genuine sense of a dangerman snared, rather than a pantomime villain vanquished.Through surprise packages and familiar faces, something is brewing among the Originals. It might be that local fans are feeling this new competition. It might be that Manchester just likes its cricket. It might be that it wasn’t raining.The next fixture here is in 13 days (the derby with Northern Supercharges), immediately followed by another three days after versus Southern Brave – the last two fixtures of the group stage. By then, we will know whether Originals are in it to win. And maybe also if this local support is something real.

Neither team has played much T20I cricket of late, and both have many niggles to sort ahead of bigger challenges

Firdose Moonda26-Aug-2021Focus on Stirling and O’Brien
For Ireland, the need is more urgent. They head to the T20 World Cup in less than two months with scant match time under their belts. Since the start of the pandemic in March last year, Ireland have only played three T20I games, against South Africa last month, and lost them all. There, they were asked to chase on each occasion, twice targets of 165 or lower, and once, 190. Ireland never managed more than 140 in reply.Related

Getkate, Kevin O'Brien star as Ireland level series

'If Ireland don't qualify for World Cup, we've got no excuses'

Curtis Campher gets maiden Ireland T20I call-up

Sean Williams to step away from international cricket

Batting big, and batting quickly, will be one of their chief aims in this series and they will pin their hopes on the two big names: Paul Stirling and Kevin O’Brien. Stirling struggled against South Africa but batted the Southern Brave to a trophy-winning total in the men’s Hundred, and Irish captain Andy Balbirnie is hoping he brings that confidence and form into this series.”Paul is so down to earth, you probably can’t even tell when he is on cloud nine,” Balbirnie said. “He should be playing in every T20 league in the world. He is that good. Apart from his parents, I am his biggest fan. This team is a much better team with him in it.”O’Brien is a bigger concern. He managed just two runs in three innings against South Africa, with two ducks, but Balbirnie is banking on him turning that around. “He is a confident guy, we all know that. He didn’t get the scores he wanted against South Africa but he is someone who is very important for this group. He has lots of runs in the bank and hopefully he can produce the goods.”This is Curtis Campher’s maiden T20I call-up•Getty ImagesThe search for match-winners
If the stalwarts don’t step up, Ireland have some youngsters waiting in the wings. Balbirnie confirmed that left-hand batter Neil Rock and South Africa-born allrounder Curtis Campher will both make their debuts in the series opener, with William McClintock set to feature at a later stage. “Exposure (for the new players) is an important thing,” Balbirnie said. “We want these guys to experience it (international cricket) here rather than on a big stage. This is a unique series in that we have a World Cup at the end of the summer and we want to make sure we have 15 players who can all win games.”Ireland will be without their most successful bowler from the South Africa series, Mark Adair, who will sit out the first few matches as he recovers from a back spasm. They have Craig Young, Josh Little and Barry McCarthy in the squad to make up the pace attack.The Williams factor
Zimbabwe’s gaps on the team-sheet are more glaring, with Test captain Sean Williams sitting out the T20 series ahead of his decision to step away from the international game after this tour. Williams arrived in Ireland six days after the rest of the squad and will only be available for the ODIs, leaving the squad without the experience of 47 caps. While newly appointed captain Craig Ervine was hesitant to be drawn into commenting on Williams’ decision, saying only “that is for him and Zimbabwe Cricket to sort out”, he stressed the need to have senior players in the squad. “It’s important to have senior players here. Having guys like Brendan Taylor, Sikandar Raza and Sean Williams helps because they bring experience,” he said.Sean Williams and Lalchand Rajput have a chat during a Zimbabwe training session•Abu Dhabi CricketCoach under pressure?
Among the rumblings over Williams stepping away is an unhappiness with coach Lalchand Rajput. Zimbabwe media has reported that Williams is among several players who cannot see how the team will progress under Rajput and the stats may indicate why. Since he took over in August 2018, they have won two out of ten Tests, four out of 24 ODIs, and seven of 28 T20Is, making the shortest format their best. Rajput’s contract is up at the end of next month and it’s difficult to see him staying on unless results improve.For Ervine, the focus needs to shift to long-term planning for the 2022 T20 World Cup and 2023 50-over World Cup, sooner rather than later. “We have to look ahead and try to get as many games as possible. We also have to test out different areas,” Ervine said. “I don’t think we can wait to do that, especially because while the T20 World Cup will be going on, it will be a quiet period for us. We must use these T20s wisely.”While Zimbabwe are well aware of what their familiar names can do, now is the time for the next batch to stake their claim. Wessley Madhevere and Blessing Muzarabani are their headline acts but the likes of Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, whose career is just 14 white-ball matches old, Milton Shumba, who has played three Tests at the age of just 20, and Tadiwanashe Marumani, who has made his international debut this year, need to show they can step up.The five-match T20I series starts with two games in Dublin before moving to Bready, with the ODIs due to be played in Belfast.

Manchester United’s defeat against Everton on Monday night once again highlighted the issues of Ruben Amorim’s reluctance to move away from his 3-4-2-1 system.

The Red Devils spent 77 minutes playing against just 10 men, but he refused to budge from his philosophy, which no doubt cost the side a chance of claiming all three points.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s first-half strike was enough to secure all three points for the Toffees, with the hosts’ impressive five-game unbeaten run coming to an abrupt end.

Since the final whistle, the manager has come under fire for his stubbornness in implementing a more attacking system, especially after the visitors’ early dismissal.

During the loss to David Moyes’ men, one first-team member massively failed to take advantage of the rare starting opportunity that was handed his way in the Premier League.

Joshua Zirkzee’s stats against Everton for United

After Benjamin Sesko’s knee injury against Tottenham Hotspur, Joshua Zirkzee was handed his first Premier League start of the campaign against Everton yesterday.

The Dutchman had previously had to settle for minutes off the substitutes bench, but the clash at Old Trafford was his maiden start of the 2025/26 league season.

However, he was unable to take advantage of the opportunity that was handed his way, with the 24-year-old struggling to match the demands of the manager’s system.

He featured for the entirety of the contest, but was only able to post a measly tally of 35 touches, with only five of his total touches coming within the opposition’s penalty area.

Zirkzee also completed just 15 passes at a success rate of just 60%, which resulted in the forward gifting the ball back to the opposition on 12 separate occasions.

His lack of quality was further outlined in his tally of one big chance missed and just four duels won, with James Tarkowski often pocketing the stand in centre forward.

Not just Zirkzee: United star must not start again under Amorim

In the 12 months since Amorim’s arrival, many United players have often struggled to match the expectations placed upon them – ultimately leading to their lowly Premier League finish last season.

Their performances, as seen by Zirkzee yesterday, will have led to the £200m spending spree during the summer window, but it should only be the start of the overhaul.

The midfield department should be next on the hierarchy’s agenda, with the manager no doubt wanting added reinforcements in such an area of the pitch.

Casemiro is getting towards the end of his current deal at Old Trafford, with Kobbie Mainoo seemingly not fancied by the manager after failing to start a single league game in 2025/26.

However, the defensive unit should also be one that the board are targeting, especially given the failures in that area over the past couple of seasons at Old Trafford.

Luke Shaw is one player who remains in such an area, but like Zirkzee, he’s often failed to deliver when called upon by Amorim over the last 12 months.

The Englishman has now spent over a decade on the books of the Red Devils, but ultimately, he’s entering the latter stages of his career – something which is starting to show.

He’s started every league game to date in 2025/26, but that’s not without question, with his performance against Everton one that failed to catch the eye for the right reasons.

The 30-year-old featured for the entire contest, but was only able to win 50% of the aerial duels he entered and was even dribbled past on two separate occasions.

Minutes played

90

Touches

110

Passes completed

83

Aerials lost

50%

Dribbled past

2x

Interceptions

1

Clearances

1

Crosses completed

0

He also only made one interception and one clearance, subsequently being unable to keep the side’s second clean sheet of the Premier League campaign.

Shaw’s tally of zero completed crosses out of his attempted four showcases his inability to find a teammate in attacking areas, which led to criticism from Gary Neville.

The former United star, now turned pundit, stated that the player is becoming a “waste of time” at United and that his performances at Old Trafford aren’t fooling anyone.

His latest showing under Amorim is further evidence that he’s unable to match the levels he did during the early years of his career – with Amorim needing to exclude him from his starting eleven.

Shaw and Zirkzee are certainly nowhere near the levels the club need if they are to be successful in the Premier League, with the hierarchy needing to offload them to free up funds in January.

Not just Zirkzee: Man Utd man who was among the 'world's best' must be axed

Manchester United’s flaws were brutally exposed in Monday’s dismal defeat to Everton.

ByRobbie Walls Nov 25, 2025

Are Tottenham Hotspur finding their feet under Thomas Frank’s stewardship?

Certainly, we have seen green shoots in recent matches. After that dismal home defeat to Fulham at the end of November, Spurs battled to a 2-2 draw at St. James’ Park before beating Brentford in the Premier League and Slavia Prague in the Champions League.

Two clean sheets from two games, but Tottenham still could do with reinforcements in the rearguard. Namely, ENIC Group are planning to help Frank piece together a lasting project with a new left-back.

Destiny Udogie picked up a hamstring injury against Newcastle United and will be out until the New Year. But the Italian defender has been out of sorts this season anyway, and Tottenham are ready to take action.

Spurs' search for a left-back

Udogie quickly established himself as one of the most dangerous up-and-coming full-backs in Europe after joining Tottenham from Hellas Verona. Better known for his time on loan with Udinese across multiple years, the Italian was hailed as “the best left-back” in the country by Clinton Morrison on BBC Sport a few months into his arrival under Ange Postecoglou’s wing.

However, Udogie’s persistent injury issues have stunted his growth, and the 23-year-old has been told he “needs to wake up” by one coach this term, lacking awareness and dynamism. With Ben Davies getting on – and rarely getting off the bench – competition is needed, especially with the Lilywhites making headway in the Champions League.

That’s why Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange are circling in on Eintracht Frankfurt star Nathaniel Brown, with TEAMtalk revealing that the 22-year-old German international is on Tottenham’s wishlist ahead of the winter window.

A versatile wideman with no qualms about playing further upfield, Brown would add depth and new dimensions to Frank’s team, though this is a sentiment shared with rivals, Arsenal and Manchester United also among the suitors named.

He would cost upwards of £50m, but Brown has the potential to become one of the best in the business, and he would slot right into Frank’s set-up.

What Brown would bring to Spurs

Brown, a German-born player with American heritage, boasts blistering pace and a desire to progress play whenever he can. However, he is also defensively sound, mixing between duties seamlessly.

As per FBref, Brown ranks among the top 9% of full-backs across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists and the top 3% for tackles per 90, underlining his dynamism and ability to mix defence with attack.

In this, he has something of a likeness to Udogie, the finest iteration of the Italy star, and while Spurs’ talented wide defender has fallen by the wayside of late, his profile remains tailor-made for a starring role in one of Europe’s top outfits.

Brown, moreover, is on an upward trajectory, with analyst Spencer Mossman claiming earlier in 2025 that he is “one-two years away from being the most coveted left back” in the world. Already, several of the Premier League’s biggest sides want to bring him over, suggesting that he is indeed ahead of that prediction already.

Frankfurt has a rather porous defence this season, and that is a concern, but Brown is one of the standouts, showcasing an impressive mix of qualities. Furthermore, he rode the crest of a wave into the current campaign, having played so well in the Bundesliga last year.

Matches (starts)

10 (6_

6 (6)

Goals

0

1

Assists

1

2

Touches*

47.5

47.8

Accurate passes*

26.8 (85%)

25.7 (84%)

Chances created*

0.7

1.0

Succ. dribbles*

0.3 (27%)

0.5 (38%)

Recoveries*

3.8

3.4

Tackles + interceptions*

1.5

3.1

Clearances*

1.1

1.2

Duels (won)*

2.9 (46%)

3.8 (51%)

As we can see from the respective left-backs’ Champions League campaigns, Brown is enjoying greater success, with his staggering duel success rate something to note.

Last season, talent scout Jacek Kulig said Brown is “moving to another level”, so perhaps it is the right time for him to take the leap of faith over the channel and down N17 to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

What Tottenham decide to do remains to be seen, but Frank needs a few more instruments in his tactical toolbox, and Brown could mark his crowning signing as improvements start to reveal themselves.

Spurs have a "freak" teen talent who's a bigger star than Williams-Barnett

Tottenham Hotspur have already struck gold one player who is setting Europe alight in 2025/26.

ByEthan Lamb 5 days ago

Chelsea are now leading the race to sign a “superstar” Premier League player, who wants to leave his current club.

Blues back on track after Everton victory

The Blues brought a four-game winless run across all competitions to an end on Saturday afternoon, courtesy of a 2-0 victory against Everton at Stamford Bridge, with goals from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto securing all three points.

Enzo Maresca will no doubt be buoyed by Palmer’s return to form, with the Englishman spending the majority of the campaign on the sidelines due to a groin injury, before breaking his toe, although he is yet to fully recover.

Maresca certainly isn’t lacking options top-quality options in midfield, with Palmer featuring in an advanced role against Everton, ahead of Enzo Fernandez and Reece James at the base of midfield, while Moises Caicedo is still yet to return from a suspension.

However, signing another new midfielder is on the agenda, according to a report from Caught Offside, which states Chelsea are now leading the race to sign Kobbie Mainoo, who wants to leave Manchester United, amid a lack of game time.

A whole host of clubs are in the race for Mainoo, with the Blues now in pole position, alongside Bayern Munich, although Napoli’s interest could pose a problem.

The midfielder, who Frank Lampard is a “massive fan” of, is keen to receive consistent minutes wherever he ends up next, which means a move to the Italian club is attractive, especially given the way Scott McTominay’s career has panned out since moving to the Serie A.

"Superstar" Mainoo could be exciting signing for Chelsea

Nicky Butt has made it clear he doesn’t want United to offload the youngster, saying: “If Mainoo was playing for another Premier League club, United go and buy him for £70m or £80m,”

“Now we’re going to sell him and he’ll be a superstar elsewhere like McTominay, Elanga, Henderson – we can mention loads of them.”

However, it would be understandable if the 20-year-old were to push for a move next month, given just how sparsely he has featured this season, with the starlet still yet to start a game in the Premier League.

Delap upgrade: Chelsea already have one of the "best strikers in Europe"

Chelsea have yet another exciting forward set to join their ranks in the coming months.

ByEthan Lamb 2 days ago

When the Englishman, who is represented by the same agent as Liam Delap, has been given the opportunity, he has often impressed, particularly catching the eye with his dribbling and tackling over the past year, when compared to other midfielders.

Kobbie Mainoo’s key statistics

Average per 90 (past year)

Successful take-ons

1.13 (90th percentile)

Progressive carries

1.91 (82nd percentile)

Tackles

2.77 (87th percentile)

Non-penalty goals

0.14 (79th percentile)

That said, Mainoo may find game time hard to come by at Chelsea too, considering Maresca already has Fernandez and Caicedo at his disposal, so a move to Stamford Bridge may not be ideal.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl was unable to make it five wins out of five in the Scottish Premiership when his team faced Falkirk at Ibrox on Sunday.

The former Sheffield Wednesday boss had won his first four league games in charge of the Light Blues, beating Livingston 2-1 in the last Premiership outing before the weekend’s 0-0 draw with Falkirk.

It was a drab performance that had a goalless draw written all over it and that is, unfortunately, what it turned out to be, as Rohl’s side were unable to find the breakthrough.

Huge question marks remain over many of the players brought in by former sporting director Kevin Thelwell, including Thelo Aasgaard after he struggled again on Sunday.

Why Rohl must drop Thelo Aasgaard

The summer signing from Luton Town is a talented player. His stunning goal against Dundee United and his return of five goals in five games for Norway proves that.

However, the English-born flop has failed to provide any kind of positive consistency to the pitch with his performances for the Scottish giants this season, which is why he has been so disappointing to watch.

Aasgaard did not register a single shot on target and only created one chance for his team in 68 minutes against Falkirk, per Sofascore, which really sums up his season, as the attacking midfielder has scored one goal and provided one assist in 21 appearances.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

That is why Rohl should drop the Norwegian talent from the starting line-up for a run of matches to provide someone else with an opportunity, whilst giving the ex-Luton star a chance to recharge and come back stronger.

At the age of 23, Aasgaard is a young player who may just need more time to adapt to the expectations at Ibrox. However, that same patience may not be afforded to Bojan Miovski, who looks like an even bigger problem for the manager.

Why Miovski is a bigger problem than Aasgaard for Rangers

The Macedonia international felt like a sensible signing for Rangers when they bought him for Girona, as he had proven himself in the Premiership, even scoring against the Gers, during his time with Aberdeen.

Unfortunately, though, he has not hit the ground running at Ibrox this season, with one goal in ten games in the Premiership so far this season for the Light Blues, per Sofascore.

His only goal came against Falkirk in Russell Martin’s last game in charge, but he was unable to repeat that feat in the reverse fixture on Sunday, as the left-footed flop struggled badly throughout the match.

Minutes

68

90

Shots

3

2

Key passes

1

0

Duels won

5/10

3/11

Dribbles completed

2/3

0/0

Fouls won

2

1

As you can see in the table above, Miovski was even worse than Aasgaard, who has scored as many goals as the striker in the league this term, at the weekend, as he offered less at the top end of the pitch and lost 73% of his duels.

The Norway international, meanwhile, carries a bit of a physical presence and can hold his own against Premiership defenders, as shown by his 50% duel success rate against Falkirk.

Miovski, who was described as “dreadful” by reporter Mark McDougall, has lost 63% of his duels overall in the Premiership this season, which shows that he has been a flop in and out of possession in the league so far for Rangers.

At 26, the Macedonia international should have come in to hit the ground running in what should be the prime years of his career, especially with his prior experience in Scotland, but the opposite has happened.

Rangers have a talent who could be sold for more than Igamane & Aribo

Rangers have an “unbelievable” talent who may go on to be sold for more than the likes of Hamza Igamane and Joe Aribo.

ByDan Emery Nov 26, 2025

That is why Miovksi is an even bigger problem for Rohl and Rangers than Aasgaard is because his performances are even more alarming, whilst he does not have the same mitigation or time ahead of himself to improve that the Norwegian talent does.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Santos derrotou o Agua Santa por 4 a 2 nesta segunda-feira (15), pela terceira fase da Copinha 2024. A partida foi a reedição do encontro da última rodada do Grupo 26 da competição. Os gols da partida foram marcados por Davi Gomes e Luiz Eduardo marcaram pelo Água e Enzo Monteiro, Miguelito, Thiago Balieiro e Gabriel Bontempo para o Peixe.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasPalmeiras é eliminado da Copinha 2024 pelo Aster, a grande surpresa da competição.Palmeiras15/01/2024São PauloSão Paulo x Novorizontino: onde assistir ao vivo, horário e escalações do jogo pelas oitavas da CopinhaSão Paulo15/01/2024CorinthiansCorinthians x CRB: onde assistir ao vivo, horário e escalações do jogo pelas oitavas da CopinhaCorinthians15/01/2024

➡️ Tudo sobre o Peixe agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Santos

⚽ COMO FOI A PARTIDA?

O primeiro tempo foi bem movimentado. O Água Santa abriu o placar logo no inicio, mas não conseguiu superar os meninos da Vila. O Santos virou a partida ainda na primeira etapa e deixou o jogo em 4 a 1 no ínicio do segundo tempo. O Água até ensaio uma reação com um gol, mas não ameaçou o Peixe.

✅ O QUE VEM POR AÍ?

O adversário do Santos na próxima fase sairá do confronto entre Portuguesa e Cruzeiro. A partida ainda não tem data definida.

Tudo sobre

Santos