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After officially welcoming Kyogo Furuhashi and sealing the return of Demarai Gray, Birmingham City have reportedly set their sights on two more arrivals this summer.

Kyogo instantly sets sights on Premier League

Whilst things didn’t work out at Rennes, Kyogo remains undeniably talented. It wasn’t so long ago that he was the star of the show at Celtic and even earning reported interest from Manchester City. Now, however, he is set to take St Andrew’s by storm after arriving in a deal that could eventually cost Birmingham around €12m (£10m).

The Japanese forward has instantly set his sights on the Premier League too, telling Birmingham’s official website after putting pen to paper: “I’m very happy to be here. I’m looking forward to working together with you all.

“I get fired up more in bigger games, but I score goals because of team-mates, so I’m grateful for that. I’d like to achieve the same here, and hopefully my goals will make everyone happy.

“I have good memories (from Celtic) with lots of titles, so it was a wonderful three and a half, four years. Lots of fans still say hello to me, so I felt I was really lucky. But this is a new place, and I’d like to do my best here.

“I’m here to help the team. I’d like to express what I can do on the pitch. I don’t want to talk a lot, but there’s a chance that we can go up to the Premier League. We all want to aim for that and after nine months, it will be great if we share the happiness of achieving that.”

What would once be a dream target could yet become realistic for the Blues next season, as Tom Brady and Tom Wagner reportedly turn their focus towards two more potential arrivals for Chris Davies.

Birmingham now eyeing Hara alongside free agent

As reported by Caught Offside, Birmingham and Wagner are now eyeing a move to sign Taichi Hara from Kyoto Sanga as well as an unnamed South Korean winger who is close to becoming a free agent. Both could yet arrive and take the Blues’ list of incomings to as many as 11 in another transformative summer at St Andrew’s.

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Named target Hara has already featured in Spain with Alaves and in Belgium with Sint-Truiden, but currently plies his trade in Japan with Kyoto Sangra. It’s there that he has earned plenty of praise from Japanese Football, with the X account taking the chance to speak about the forward’s “great” form back in September.

At 26 years old, Hara could now get the chance to add English football to what is a diverse CV if Birmingham push on with their interest and make their move this summer.

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da bet7k： Após deixar a Seleção Brasileira depois da Copa do Mundo de 2022, Tite está próximo de voltar a treinar um clube no Brasil. Com a saída de Jorge Sampaoli do Flamengo, Tite aceitou a proposta do Rubro-Negro e deve assumir o time carioca na reta final da temporada 2023.

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da bwin： + Garanta a sua vaga no curso que formou craques como Pet, Dante e Léo Moura! Cupom: LANCE1000

Ao longo de sua carreira, Tite conquistou 15 títulos. O primeiro deles foi a Série A2 do Campeonato Gaúcho, sob o comando do Veranópolis. As maiores conquistas do treinador aconteceram em 2012, quando ele levou o Corinthians ao título da Libertadores e Mundial de Clubes.

O Timão abriu conversas com Tite após demitir Vanderlei Luxemburgo, mas as negociações não evoluíram e o treinador recusou o Corinthians pela quarta vez. O último título conquistado por Tite foi a Copa América de 2019, com a Seleção Brasileira.

+ Renove o seu estoque de camisas do Timão com o cupom LANCEFUT 10% OFF

VEJA TODOS OS TÍTULOS CONQUISTADOS POR TITE

➤ Campeonato Gaúcho A2: 1993 (Veranópolis)
➤ Campeonato Gaúcho: 2000 (Caxias), 2001 (Grêmio) e 2009 (Inter)
➤ Copa do Brasil: 2001 (Grêmio)
➤ Copa Sul-Americana: 2008 (Inter)
➤ Campeonato Emiradense: 2010 (Al-Wahda)
➤ Supercopa dos Emirados Árabes: 2011 (Al-Wahda)
➤ Libertadores: 2012 (Corinthians)
➤ Mundial de Clubes: 2012 (Corinthians)
➤ Campeonato Paulista: 2013 (Corinthians)
➤ Recopa Sul-Americana: 2013 (Corinthians)
➤ Campeonato Brasileiro: 2011 e 2015 (Corinthians)
➤ Copa América: 2019 (Brasil)

It has been all but confirmed that Matheus Cunha is going to depart Wolverhampton Wanderers this summer.

Their talismanic number ten seems set to join Manchester United for £62.5m, the value of his release clause, with Fabrizio Romano giving the move the famous “Here We Go” as recently as Tuesday.

For the Old Gold, losing a player as impactful as Cunha will be a huge blow. He has been pivotal in the past two seasons, helping to keep them in the Premier League. In the top flight in 2024/25, the Brazilian scored 15 times and assisted six goals in 33 appearances.

Dealing with such a sale will not be easy for the West Midlands outfit. However, he might not be the only key player set to leave Molineux this summer. Nelson Semedo could also be on his way out.

The latest on Semedo’s Wolves future

Just like Cunha is going forward, Semedo is pivotal for this Wolves side defensively. The Portugal international has also had a huge part to play for the Old Gold’s survival this season, but could be in line to depart the club, too.

According to a report from A Bola last Tuesday, a Portuguese news outlet, the player has ‘confirmed that Benfica is trying to sign him’ this summer, on what would be a free transfer. His deal at Molineux expires in a few weeks.

Indeed, the report suggests that Semedo has explained a return to his former side is something that ‘appeals to him’ this summer. He came through the academy as an As Aguias player, and was born in Lisbon.

There is no doubt that losing Semedo would be a blow. He played 34 times for the club in the Premier League in 2024/25, grabbing four assists and taking over the captaincy in the second half of the campaign.

He is also one of the highest earners in the squad, on £80k-per-week. If anything, that reflects his importance on the Old Gold, and given Cunha earns £90k-per-week, that seems to be a trend throughout their squad, for the most part.

There is one example of a high earner whose performances at Molineux do not match up to how much he earns. In fact, he is earning even more money per week than Semedo.

The Wolves player earning more than Semedo

Wolves have put in some disappointing performances at times over the past few years, almost getting dragged into relegation fights in the Premier League. One man who has never really shown his best form for the Old Gold is Goncalo Guedes.

Over two seasons for Wolves, the former Benfica academy star has played just 51 times, having been loaned out back to his boyhood side, and Spanish side Villarreal. He has managed just seven goals and six assists in those appearances.

This season was another frustrating campaign for the 28-year-old, who was once said to be “two years ahead of his age” by former Benfica boss Jorge Jesus. He made 29 Premier League appearances, but could only muster five goals and five assists. He also scored twice in the Carabao Cup against Burnley at the start of 2024/25.

Incredibly, Guedes is one of the players at Molineux who earns more per week than Semedo. Like Cunha, he is on £90k-per-week, although it certainly feels like it is not as reflective of performance as it is for their outgoing number 10.

It certainly seems like Wolves should look to cash in on Guedes this summer. His returns have not quite been what they would have wanted, and they could recoup some of the £27.5m fee they paid for him, whilst also saving money on wages.

If he does depart Molineux, it seems he will not be the only high-earner to leave. With that being said, it does feel like a case of what could have been for Guedes in that famous Old Gold shirt.

Wolves flop who left Pereira "furious" must never play for the club again

Wolves could be busy during the summer transfer window

By
Ross Kilvington

May 27, 2025

A career-best innings led his team to a position of dominance and suggested du Plessis still has a role to play

Firdose Moonda28-Dec-2020It was right there. Faf du Plessis’ first Test double-ton was just over Dimuth Karunaratne’s head. He could see it when he tried to hit Wanindu Hasaranga over the top for the money shot that would have taken him to 200.So he stepped forward and struck the ball and may have already imagined it clearing Karunaratne, bouncing a couple of times until it bobbled over the boundary, at which point he would have stretched out his arms, taken off his helmet and soaked in the satisfaction.But no… du Plessis had put a foot wrong, for only the second time in his innings. The first was 21 deliveries earlier when he raised his back foot as Niroshan Dickwella attempted a stumping. A review could not conclusively prove whether his foot was sufficiently off the floor at the moment the bail lifted and he was afforded the benefit of the doubt. He was on 191 at the time and quietly worked his way in ones and twos to 199, and the moment of presumed glory. When it came, he moved down the track, but didn’t get to the pitch of the ball. The catch was simple and the result, for the South African change-room, stunning.Dean Elgar, who is also among the small club of batsmen to be dismissed on 199, sat with his head cradled in his arms. Mark Boucher rocked back in his chair and shook his head. Quinton de Kock covered his mouth with his hands. Morne Morkel, who grew up on this ground and called du Plessis getting a double on social media shortly after he reached his hundred, may have shuddered from his new home in Australia. And du Plessis gritted his teeth and glanced at where Karunaratne had taken his 200 from him before walking back a warm applause from almost everyone the stadium, the Sri Lankan fielders included.Related

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There isn’t much use ruing what could have been, except for that there may not be a better opportunity for du Plessis. This was the day that South Africa put up the highest score at SuperSport Park, established two new partnership records against Sri Lanka, for the fifth and seventh wickets, had two other batsmen secure career bests and were facing an opposition that, at one stage, had only two bowlers at their disposal.No disrespect to Sri Lanka – in fact only sympathy because bad luck and maybe enforced bad planning as a result of the pandemic left them severely depleted – but the quality of their bowling was compromised. Suranga Lakmal was ruled out of this match, and Kasun Rajitha and Lahiru Kumara could only play limited roles, leaving it to Vishwa Fernando to carry the pace-bowling load.Maybe that’s what it needed for South Africa to start to rediscover their batting rhythms. After Aiden Markram and Elgar translated their domestic form onto the international stage once again, Temba Bavuma broke a 14-innings half-century drought (and probably should have gone on to break his soon-to-be-five-year century drought but walked) and du Plessis, who has not played a game of red-ball cricket since he stepped down as Test captain in January, showed why South Africa can be damn grateful he didn’t retire as well.That du Plessis still has it we knew that from the recent IPL, as well as the subsequent T20 series against England. He seemed to have lost it a little in Tests, though. In 14 innings since the 2018-19 series against Sri Lanka, he had scored two half-centuries and, in the last 11, failed to cross 36. But he had other things on his mind.Series in India and at home to England – his last as captain – came and went amid a turnover of coaching staff. He also became embroiled in a race controversy after using the controversial phrase “we don’t see colour” when explaining why Bavuma had been dropped. While that may sound benign, in South Africa, where colour has been definitive in deciding opportunity for centuries, it was a naive and careless statement to throw out and it haunted du Plessis. He struggled for runs, he struggled for consistency and in the end, it seemed he was struggling to justify why he was putting himself through it all.

Becoming a daddy can make a big difference to someone’s priorities and character, and maybe scoring daddy-hundreds could do that too

He stood down and stepped away, which seems to have done him as much good as it has others who have relinquished the captaincy. Look no further than the last South African to score a double-hundred – Hashim Amla in the New Year’s Test against England in 2015-16. Amla was still the captain in that game but had already decided he was going to resign and his breezy innings was a demonstration in being unburdened. After that match, Amla spoke freely for the first time about the difficulties of being a player of colour in a largely white team in the early 2000s. Letting go of the leadership seemed to liberate Amla, and it may do the same for du Plessis.Before this innings, du Plessis had nine Test hundreds to his name, all of them under 150. Of all the things he has done in whites, which include leading South Africa to series wins against Australia home and away, daddy-hundreds eluded him.But just a few months ago, du Plessis became a father for the second time. When his first daughter, Amelie, was born, he spoke about how having a child changed him. With his second, Zoey, there has also been a profound impact with his wife Imari describing their youngest child as the “woman who can command him”. Becoming a daddy can make a big difference to someone’s priorities and character, and maybe scoring daddy-hundreds could do that too. Supposedly, they are the hallmark of a great player, rather than just a good one.If there’s one thing South Africa need now, it’s greats. They have lost their golden generation that lifted the Test mace in 2012 and are in a process of rebuilding. Going into this match none of their batsmen averaged over 40 and their seam attack had just 12 caps between them. They are favourites to win this match, but there is still much work to be done.Some of that work is the ushering of younger batsmen through the rigours of international cricket. du Plessis shared in significant partnerships with Bavuma, Wiaan Mulder and Keshav Maharaj. Even if he didn’t say much, by watching du Plessis and feeding off him, all three would have learnt a little more about what it takes to perform at this level. In that, du Plessis is doing more than just enhancing his reputation in the twilight of his career, he is doing the job of mentoring the next generation, which will be worth more to South Africa than the difference between 199 and a double-hundred.

Mascherano’s team reached 41 points, climbing to fifth place in the Eastern Conference

Messi scored another braceThe Argentine played the full 90 minutesThey will face Cincinnati next SaturdayGet the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowWHAT HAPPENED?

After Lionel Messi had two goals and two assists to lead Inter Miami to a commanding 5-1 win over the New York Red Bulls, manager Javier Mascherano said the forward is in rare company and pointed to the fan appreciation shown in Harrison, N.J., for the Argentine.

“I was with him for eight years at Barcelona, with the national team, at airports, hotels – especially in places he hasn’t visited often, people go crazy," Mascherano explained. "He generates all of this. I think the admiration is total, but it’s not just because of the kind of footballer he is. I think he’s a role model, someone who transcends the sport. Any sports fan feels admiration for athletes like Messi, Michael Jordan, Rafael Nadal — people who have made history in their sport. We are very privileged to witness this up close.”

The manager was relieved after the victory saying the upcoming full week without matches will be key for players to recharge after a demanding stretch. Mascherano is well aware of the marathon run of games ahead following their Club World Cup participation.

“This was a difficult period with all the travel and little rest – the match against Cincinnati reflected our fatigue. Now we have a long week, and we’ll use it to let the guys who are most tired get some rest,” the coach said.

He admitted there are defensive issues that still concern him:

“If you want to be competitive, you have to be very solid defensively. We've been okay, but we need to improve.”

The Herons thrashed the New York side on the road thanks to braces from Messi and Telasco Segovia, along with a goal from Jordi Alba – securing their sixth win in their last seven MLS matches.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT TELASCO SEGOVIA SAID

The Venezuelan, who scored twice on the night, expressed his excitement: “I’m happy for the goals – even more for the win. We want to win everything: MLS, Leagues Cup. We’ll fight for both. We have the greatest player in history on our side, and with him, anything is possible.”

Getty Images SportDID YOU KNOW?

Messi extended his tally to 18 goals this season and has now contributed to 25 of Inter Miami’s goals. He also recorded his sixth brace in the team’s last seven games.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR INTER MIAMI?

The Herons will take a short break due to the MLS All-Star Game, especially after a stretch of midweek matches following their Club World Cup participation. The not-so-great news is that Messi has been called up for the All-Star event, meaning he won’t get the rest Mascherano would have preferred. Even so, Inter Miami will return to action next Saturday at home against FC Cincinnati — the team that defeated them 3-0 last Wednesday.

The left-arm pace bowler has earned his first national call-up ahead of a possible England tour

Andrew McGlashan23-Jul-2020The postponed men’s 2020 T20 World Cup is an unfortunate outcome of the chaos in the sporting world created by Covid-19, but for a player like Daniel Sams it could yet work in his favour with the chance of another Big Bash season to push his claims.Sams, the 27-year-old left-armer who plays for the Sydney Thunder and New South Wales, was one of three uncapped players named in Australia’s enlarged 26-man training squad ahead of a potential tour to England in September.He earned his call-up on the back of a prolific BBL last season where he claimed 30 wickets for the Thunder – comfortably ahead of the next-best haul of 22. The BBL’s recent expansion to a full home-and-away season makes record hauls of wickets and runs somewhat skewed, but Sams’ success is put in further context by the fact that only four players have ever taken more wickets in a T20 league anywhere.ALSO READ: Australia’s limited-overs squad: hopes of a recall, and an eye to the futureWhether he makes the final cut for the England trip which will include three T20Is – should that tour get confirmed as is expected – will be decided in the next few weeks when the squad is trimmed to 18-20 players but even if he doesn’t make it, Sams knows he’s firmly in the mix and has the next BBL season up his sleeve.Daniel Sams has been compelling with his left-arm pace•Getty Images and Cricket Australia”It doesn’t hurt me, put it that way,” he told ESPNcricinfo of the extra year he now has in hand. “It gives me more opportunity to put performances on the board. If I can have another good BBL, it pushes my case forward a bit more so probably does advantage me a little bit more.”The chance to play international cricket in the next couple of months is something that took Sams by surprise when he received the phone call from national selector Trevor Hohns while he was on a week off from New South Wales training.T20 has been his dominant format so far with just 11 one-day and five first-class matches under his belt. He began with the Sydney Sixers in 2017-18 as an injury replacement, taking what remains a career-best 4 for 14 on debut, before switching to local rivals the Thunder where the last two seasons have brought 45 wickets.”My biggest goal is to get to the Australian team, however that looks, and at the moment that looks like white-ball,” he said. “That isn’t to say I don’t want to get there with red ball, that could be a little bit away, but I want to play for Australia so am trying to take this opportunity as far as can.”Learning how to stay “level” in the middle has been a key part of his development and before last season, he started focusing a lot more on the mental side of the game which he believes has been a significant help.”I’ve always done a little bit of it, but I really started to get into it at the start of last season,” he said. “Working on mindfulness and awareness, being aware of what your body is feeling whether that’s at home or on the cricket field and they need two runs to win off the last ball. If you can be aware of what’s going with your own body, you are aware if there’s tension and you may not perform.