da bet vitoria： Pablo Maia não viajou com o restante da delegação do São Paulo para Quito, no Equador. Assim, a Cria de Cotia não estará presente contra a LDU, pelas quartas de final da Copa Sul-Americana, nesta quinta-feira (24).
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da bet esporte： O volante deixou o confronto contra o Botafogo ainda nos minutos iniciais da partida. Mas o jogador não sofreu nenhuma lesão física. Na verdade, o que tem acometido o atleta é um quadro de indisposição estomacal e enjoos.
Assistido pelo departamento médico, será poupado para o confronto desta semana. Inclusive, Pablo Maia não participou dos treinamentos desta segunda-feira (21) e desta terça-feira (22).
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Sem Pablo Maia, Luan surge como uma opção. Inclusive, foi Luan quem entrou no lugar do volante neste sábado (19). Entretanto, a Cria de Cotia é o único novo desfalque. Embora ele não tenha viajado com o restante da equipe, Dorival Júnior poderá contar com duas grandes novidades na competição: Lucas Moura e James Rodríguez, que foram inscritos nesta semana.
da cassino： It was obvious that Celtic were going to need to sign a new left-back to bolster their squad in the summer transfer window as the 2024/25 campaign came to an end.
da dobrowin： Greg Taylor’s contract at Parkhead expires this summer and there is still no update on whether he will be renewing or if the defender has found a new club to join.
Celtic defender Greg Taylor
Jeffrey Schlupp spent the second half of the season on loan from Premier League side Crystal Palace and has since returned to his parent club, where his contract is due to expire at the end of this month.
This is why it was important for the Hoops to add to their squad in that position, and that is exactly what they have done with the signing of Kieran Tierney on a free transfer from Arsenal.
Brendan Rodgers will be looking at the squad and how it could look in the years to come, hence signing Tierney on a five-year deal, and he will also be looking at other positions in the squad.
One current star who does not have a clear successor in place is club captain Callum McGregor, who remains the first-choice holding midfielder for the Hoops.
Why Callum McGregor is so important for Celtic
The former Scotland international is not a classic holding midfielder, in the sense that he is not a midfield destroyer who is dominant defensively, but the Celtic maestro is exceptional when it comes to setting the tempo and controlling a game.
McGregor sits at the base of the midfield for the Scottish giants and uses his ability on the ball to dominate matches in possession, by passing teams into the ground.
24/25 Premiership
Callum McGregor (per 90)
Percentile rank vs midfielders
Passes made
79.78
Top 1%
Pass accuracy
94.3%
Top 1%
Long pass accuracy
64.1%
Top 5%
Cross accuracy
44.4%
Top 4%
Touches
96.30
Top 1%
Stats via FotMob
As you can see in the table above, the left-footed star ranked incredibly highly among his positional peers in a host of possession and passing statistics, which shows that he was one of the best passers, if not the best, in the division.
McGregor also added a big goal threat to his game in the 2024/25 campaign, with a return of eight goals in 35 matches in the Scottish Premiership, after he had only scored two goals in the league in the previous season.
The Scottish star is important to Celtic and Rodgers, though, because of his metronomic passing qualities, and the Hoops are interested in a midfielder who could be their next version of McGregor.
Celtic have long-standing interest in Premier League midfielder
According to The Celtic Star, the Premiership champions have a long-standing interest in West Ham United’s central midfielder Andy Irving.
The report claims that the Hoops were interested in a deal to sign the left-footed star last summer but a change in management at the London Stadium, with Julen Lopetegui replacing David Moyes, put an end to any chance they had of signing him.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
It states that a managerial change once again put a stop to Celtic’s interest in the recent January transfer window, as their attempt to sign the midfielder was turned down because Graham Potter wanted to run the rule over him during the second half of the season.
The Celtic Star does not reveal whether or not the Hoops are expected to go back in with a third attempt to sign the 25-year-old star, but it is clear that the club have an interest in him.
Rodgers must now push for the Hoops to go back in with another offer for the Premier League midfielder, because he could be McGregor 2.0 for the Bhoys.
Why Andy Irving could be the next Callum McGregor
The 25-year-old star could be the perfect signing to be a back-up option and potential successor to the captain due to his age and style of play.
Irving, who described his Scotland debut against Liechtenstein as “perfect”, is six years younger than McGregor and could be the long-term option for Rodgers at the base of the midfield.
Callum McGregor
The Hammers midfielder came on for the last 31 minutes against Liechtenstein and completed 23 of his 25 attempted passes (92%), whilst also creating two chances for his teammates, in what was an impressive cameo off the bench.
Irving, however, did not get too many opportunities to showcase his ability in the Premier League during the 2024/25 campaign, as he played just 178 minutes across ten appearances in the division for West Ham.
In that limited game time, though, the Celtic target showed why he could be a really good fit for Rodgers at Parkhead next season if the club were to snap him up.
24/25 Premier League
Andy Irving (per 90)
Percentile rank vs midfielders
Passes made
60.00
Top 8%
Pass accuracy
90.0%
Top 16%
Long passes made
3.89
Top 5%
Long pass accuracy
87.5%
Top 4%
Cross accuracy
50%
Top 11%
Touches
87.78
Top 6%
Stats via FotMob
As you can see in the table above, Irving excelled in possession when coming off the bench for West Ham, ranking highly among Premier League midfielders in a host of passing and possession-based metrics.
The Scottish whiz also showcased his ability to score goals, as McGregor did in the 2024/25 campaign, with nine goals in 28 matches in the Austrian Bundesliga during the 2023/24 season, whilst playing for Klagenfurt.
These statistics suggest that the potential is there for Irving to be a midfielder who can control and dictate games for Celtic from a number six position, due to his promising cameos in the Premier League as a dominant and reliable passer.
In a Hoops team that dominates possession week-in-week-out and competes for the title every year, the 25-year-old star could thrive as a tempo-setter who can enjoy plenty of touches of the ball.
More exciting than Osmand: Celtic in the running to sign "terrific" winger
Celtic are interested in a deal to sign a winger who would be an even more exciting signing than Callum Osmand.
ByDan Emery Jun 12, 2025
Therefore, Celtic should make it third time lucky with another move for Irving before the end of the summer transfer window to add brilliant depth to their midfield, whilst also securing their long-term successor to McGregor.
There’s a lot going on down Anfield Road this summer, and there’s more yet to come for Liverpool’s Arne Slot as the Premier League-winning manager pieces together a squad capable of sustaining title charges across so many years.
Few predicted Liverpool would be crowned champions after Jurgen Klopp stepped down from his post, but the Merseysiders proved a cut above their rivals to win the title at a canter. However, now is the time for investment, having spent nominally in last summer’s market.
Whether the Reds manage to offload Darwin Nunez and bring in a flashy new striker remains to be seen, but there’s little question that Jeremie Frimpong, who has already signed, and Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz, who are on the verge, will improve the Merseysiders and then some.
It’s all going swimmingly, but Liverpool will be frustrated by their failure to sign Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth, the centre-back instead signing for Real Madrid last month in a £50m deal.
Why Liverpool wanted Dean Huijsen
Analyst Ben Mattinson remarked last season that Huijsen was “the most in-demand centre-back in the world”, and after such an impressive breakout campaign with Bournemouth, it’s clear to see why.
Bournemouth's Dean Huijsen.
The archetypal modern centre-half, Huijsen, only 20 years old, can do it all, defending with steely tenacity and spraying balls forward with the artful elegance of a midfield maestro.
As per FBref, he ranked among the top 7% of Premier League positional peers last term for shot-creating actions, the top 15% for progressive passes, the top 9% for progressive carries and the top 4% for interceptions and blocks per 90.
With Virgil van Dijk approaching the autumn of his illustrious Liverpool career, the left-sided Huijsen would have been the perfect fit, but instead Liverpool will have to turn their attention elsewhere.
Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen
The Spain international is off the cards, then, but FSG may yet authorise a move for an up-and-coming defensive star.
Liverpool enter race for new CB
According to Portuguese outlet A Bola, Liverpool have joined Chelsea in the race for Benfica centre-back Tomas Araujo, who has an €80m (£68m) release clause in his contract.
Tomas Araujo for Benfica.
The 23-year-old might be higher on Chelsea’s list at the moment, but that’s not to say Liverpool won’t accelerate their plans in the coming weeks, once other areas of the field have been dealt with.
It’s worth noting that Benfica do not want to sell their prized defender, but if Liverpool are serious, they may be able to tempt the player to push for an exit before the start of the 2025/26 campaign.
What Tomas Araujo would bring to Liverpool
Liverpool wouldn’t have just made themselves known as suitors for Huijsen because many of their divisional rivals had registered interest; the Reds’ data-driven approach would have seen the Dutch-born talent profiled extensively.
He is indeed off the cards, but Liverpool could sign a similar player in Araujo, who has been hailed for his “magnificent” rise to prominence in Portugal by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Benfica defender Tomas Araujo
Having graduated from Benfica’s academy and having completed a season-long loan with Gil Vicente in 2022/23, Araujo has now completed 68 senior matches with the Eagles, winning the Taça da Liga last season (effectively the Portuguese version of the League Cup).
Limited to just 20 appearances across all competitions in 2023/24, having returned from his promising loan spell, Araujo has now become a mainstay in Benfica’s first team, going from strength to strength to attract the attention of Liverpool.
And when collating his data from the 2024/25 campaign with Huijsen’s, you begin to see that Liverpool could actually strike gold in signing this second choice, for he matches up with the Spaniard nicely indeed.
Matches (starts)
32 (26)
28 (28)
Goals
3
1
Assists
2
2
Touches*
63.9
66.9
Pass completion
84%
86%
Key passes*
0.5
0.4
Dribbles*
0.1
0.6
Ball recoveries*
3.3
5.4
Tackles + interceptions*
2.7
3.4
Clearances*
6.1
1.5
Duels (won)*
3.6 (56%)
5.1 (60%)
Matching Huijsen across ball-playing metrics, Araujo has also proved himself to be more accurate in the duel and more active across tackling and intercepting areas, albeit making far fewer clearances than his fellow Iberian.
Curiously, Araujo also recovered more balls, which speaks highly of his athleticism and energy, covering ground. This would be especially important in the Premier League, which is played at a higher pace than the Liga Portugal.
And furthermore, Araujo is also a capable right-back, playing out wide when the situation demands it. The fruits of this can be found in his 0.6 dribbles per game, also maintaining a crispness in his passing while creating openings for his teammates in a similar vein as Huijsen.
He might not have the goalscoring advantage on Real Madrid’s new recruit, who already is an expert at using his rangy frame in the box, but then he has shown on occasion an ability to find the back of the net with a leaping effort.
A balanced defender who has proven his ability to shake things up on the biggest stage, Araujo is the real deal. Across the 2024/25 Champions League season, he ranked among the top 17% of central defenders for shot-creating actions and the top 1% for tackles per 90 (FBref).
Given Liverpool’s pressing need for more depth and quality in the rearguard, especially with Ibrahima Konate’s future uncertain and Jarell Quansah linked with a transfer to Bayer Leverkusen, Araujo could be the perfect fit.
The Benfica star’s ball-playing and -carrying strengths indicate a style which Huijsen has performed so well in the Premier League, so now it’s up to FSG to steal ahead of Chelsea in the transfer tussle.
Perfect for Isak: Liverpool told £75m bid for PL star will be accepted
Liverpool may need to sign a new left-sided forward this summer.
Tourists have avoided defeat at Lord’s for 33 years and counting. Can they rise to the occasion again?
Andrew Miller28-Aug-2024Big picture: Sunny weather, sunny times?Is there a danger that a competitive Test series might break out in London over the coming fortnight? This is a city where Sri Lanka, remarkably, have not lost a single Test in six visits since August 1991. Admittedly, five of those have been draws at Lord’s, although next week’s return to The Oval for the first time since Murali’s match in 1998 will be a reminder that one of the more disparaged of touring teams have long had the ability to confound expectations on their infrequent England visits.Related
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Which is, to a greater or lesser extent, what Sri Lanka managed to do over the course of four improbably competitive days at Emirates Old Trafford. England eventually landed their fourth Test win out of four this summer, but not before they’d been made to struggle for the upper hand with ball and, latterly, bat, as Joe Root dropped anchor in a distinctly unBazballian 62 not out from 128 balls to oversee a taxing 205-run chase.The subplots along the way were many and varied. What might have happened on the first evening, for instance, if England hadn’t bowed to the umpires’ assertion that it was too dark to bowl their quicks, and simply gone off for bad light instead of offering Milan Rathnayake 12 overs of spin in which to move towards the highest score by a No.9 on Test debut?England assemble for their team photo at Lord’s•Getty Images
Conversely, what might have happened had England not managed to wrangle a ball-change after 41 overs of Sri Lanka’s second innings, by which stage Angelo Mathews was channelling his 2014 glory days while Kamindu Mendis was on course for his third Test hundred in the space of four calmly authoritative Test appearances?As had been the case in the Oval Ashes Test 12 months earlier, England had made their bed and deserved to have to sleep in it with their treatment of their original ball. They had sacrificed new-ball swing in the quest for a scuffed-up surface and some of the prodigious reverse that Asitha Fernando in particular had harvested. And even if their replacement ball was the same age as the original, it was like comparing a 41-year-old Hollywood actress with a vagrant who’s lived his adult life in a ditch. Dhananjaya de Silva, Sri Lanka’s captain, confirmed he had spoken to the match referee about the ball-change after the Test, and with such issues an increasingly frequent aspect of the English Test summer, this is clearly a loophole that deserves to be tightened up for future engagements.All things being equal, however, it was hard to argue that Sri Lanka were robbed in the course of the first Test. Few sides that struggle to 6 for 3 in the first innings, then 1 for 2 in the second, can expect to get away unpunished, although seeing as one of the reasons for those scorelines was a notably fallow display from the otherwise sturdy Dimuth Karunaratne, who averages a tick below 41 in his 92 Tests, and who made 87 runs for once out on his last trip to Lord’s in 2016, there is reason to believe that history won’t repeat itself this week.For starters, the team as a whole are now better acquainted with English conditions. Their preparation prior to the Old Trafford Test had been a low-key warm-up against England Lions in Worcester, which unsurprisingly proved insufficient to get them fully up to speed. And, after an intermittently damp experience in Manchester, the weather for London over the coming few days should be distinctly sunnier. There is no proven correlation between warm weather and heightened Sri Lankan performances, but anecdotal evidence from the past 40 years would tend to back up the suspicion that they tend to like it hot.Either way, Sri Lanka have been granted the window in the calendar that they have been crying out for since their first forays to England in the 1980s. Here we are, in the thick of a full Test series at the sharp end of the English summer, as opposed to a one-off afterthought, as was the case from 1984 to 1998, or an early-season trial by seam and swing, as per 2002 onwards. The onus is on the class of 2024 to live up to the billing they’ve been afforded. And in spite of most expectations, that’s more or less what they managed in the first match of three.Dan Lawrence, Brendon McCullum and Harry Brook arrive at practice•Getty Images
Form guideEngland WWWWL (last five Tests, most recent first) Sri Lanka LWWWLIn the spotlight: Ollie Pope and Asitha FernandoOllie Pope has made a winning start to his Test captaincy career, which is not to be sniffed at – many great leaders, including his England predecessor, didn’t manage that feat. But when it comes to his day job as England’s No.3, Pope’s main challenge is compartmentalisation, and two glaringly sub-par performances reinforced the sense that his game isn’t quite where he wants or needs it to be. In the first innings he was bowled neck-and-crop by an admittedly excellent ball from Asitha; but in the second, his tendency towards skittishness in the early stages of an innings resulted in an ill-conceived reverse-sweep to slip – the very same shot that underpinned his GOAT-contender innings at Hyderabad in the winter. On the face of it, he’s still in credit this summer, with 251 runs at 41.83 after four Tests. However, there’s been something intangibly unsettled about his batting post-Hyderabad. Whether it’s a mindset or technical issue, only he can truly say, but he won’t get a chance to focus fully on a remedy in his current stand-in role.Asitha Fernando was phenomenally good at Old Trafford. He led the line for Sri Lanka in each innings, easing past 50 Test wickets in the space of 15 Tests as he mixed conventional seam and swing with prodigious amounts of reverse – which in itself was quite the feat given how lush the outfield had been all match long. His challenge now is to back that performance up at Lord’s (and The Oval) in the coming days. England will no doubt be better prepared for his unassuming threat, having had a good sighting of his probing methods, but Aaqib Javed, Sri Lanka’s bowling coach, likened his effortless each-way movement to that of Pakistan’s Mohammad Asif, and for Test cricket’s connoisseurs, there really is no higher praise. Just ask Kevin Pietersen. If he can keep England guessing with new ball and old, so much the better for Sri Lanka’s hopes of keeping the series alive.Team news: Stone in for Wood, SL consider KumaraAs ever, England were proactive in their team announcement, confirming on Tuesday that they would be making one enforced change to their XI from Old Trafford. Mark Wood is out of the series with a thigh strain, so Nottinghamshire’s Olly Stone slots back in as the like-for-like option, ahead of the uncapped 20-year-old left-armer, Josh Hull, who will be using this week to soak up the international atmosphere. Stone hasn’t played a Test since 2021, having since had two screws inserted in his back, but he’s been fit and firing across formats all summer long, and has tended to look the part in his limited England appearances to date. In three Tests since 2019, he’s picked up ten wickets at 19.40.England: 1 Dan Lawrence, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope (capt), 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Jamie Smith (wk), 7 Chris Woakes, 8 Gus Atkinson, 9 Matthew Potts, 10 Olly Stone, 11 Shoaib BashirSri Lanka have also confirmed their playing XI ahead of the game. They had put up a good fight in the end, of the first Test with Kamindu and Asitha their stand-out performers, but their main issue came right at right at the top of the order. Nishan Madushka has retained his role as opener but could muster only four runs across both innings in the first Test. Pathum Nissanka will slot in at No. 3 as Kusal Mendis lost his place despite deputising well in England’s second innings. Dinesh Chandimal has recovered from a gruesome blow to the thumb at Old Trafford to retain his spot. On the bowling front, Lahiru Kumara has been recalled to provide some extra muscle, at the expense of the left-armer, Vishwa Fernando.Sri Lanka: 1 Dimuth Karunaratne, 2 Nishan Madushka, 3 Pathum Nissanka, 4 Angelo Mathews, 5 Dinesh Chandimal, 6 Dhananjaya de Silva (capt), 7 Kamindu Mendis, 8 Milan Rathnayake, 9 Prabath Jayasuriya, 10 Asitha Fernando, 11 Lahiru KumaraSanath Jayasuriya talks to his Sri Lanka team before the second Test•Getty Images
Pitch and conditions: Sun set to shineThe weather is set fair, and Lord’s in the sunshine can be tough place for a bowler. There have been some formidable snore-draws in the County Championship this summer, with Middlesex passing 600 twice and 550 once and Glamorgan’s Sam Northeast surpassing Graham Gooch’s 333 as the highest individual scorer at the venue. That said, West Indies didn’t detain England’s bowlers for long in their visit in July, thanks to Gus Atkinson’s 12 wickets on debut. Pope noted that the pitch had a grassy tinge to it on the eve of the match, but expected to play pretty slow while the sun was out.Stats and trivia This will be Sri Lanka’s ninth Test at Lord’s since 1984, which will draw the ground level with Harare as their most frequent overseas venue. They have played at least that many Tests in six home venues, with the SSC in Colombo top of the pile on 45. Sri Lanka have never won a Test at Lord’s … but they very rarely lose at the venue either. They famously drew on their initial visit in 1984, while the most recent of their two defeats came in 1991, at the hands of Graham Gooch, Phil DeFreitas and Phil Tufnell. Since then, Sri Lanka have secured draws in all five of their visits to Lord’s, with their defiance in 2006 and 2014 proving critical in landing a series draw in the first instance, and a series win in the second. Despite his second-innings century at Old Trafford, Kamindu’s average has slipped from its previous heights … though not by much. His mark at the start of the series was 107.00 from three Tests; it is now 92.16 from four, with three hundreds and two further fifties in his seven innings to date. Dimuth Karunaratne needs 72 more runs to reach 7000 in Tests.Quotes”It’s good we’re getting pushed. Sri Lanka were impressive last week, especially the way they batted. When you come to England, you expect different conditions and the conditions weren’t your classic English-style pitches but at the same time, for the guys to go and put together some good scores and set us a chase from a hundred deficit is a credit to them.” Ollie Pope expects England to come out on top but respects the challenge that Sri Lanka have posed “Overall, Pathum is the best batter in the country at the moment. He has a good mindset and he has a good technique. If we can get him into the team, that’s great. I have been talking about it for a while now. I think he will adjust to any format.” Dhananjaya de Silva is all confident about Pathum Nissanka’s skills
Match abandoned without a ball bowledSri Lanka vs NepalSri Lanka and Nepal came to Lauderhill searching for their first wins, hoping to put their T20 World Cup 2024 on track. However, incessant rain, heavy enough to trigger flash-flood alerts for local residents, left both teams splitting one point apiece. That means Sri Lanka are almost certainly out of Super Eight contention while Nepal’s chances of qualification also take a hit. South Africa, currently Group D toppers, were confirmed a place in the Super Eight.For Sri Lanka to now qualify, they first need the Bangladesh vs Netherlands fixture on June 13 in Kingstown to be a washout, then they need to defeat Netherlands in their last group game on June 16. They also need South Africa to beat Nepal by a big margin on June 14, and then for Nepal to beat Bangladesh by a small margin on June 16.
Nepal could still qualify if they manage big wins against South Africa and Bangladesh in their last two games, and if Netherlands don’t win both their remaining matches.However, the Lauderhill weather now puts upcoming games at the venue under the scanner. The venue is set to host three Group A games – USA vs Ireland on June 14, Canada vs India on June 15 and Ireland vs Pakistan on June 16 with rain forecast through the week.
After the chaos and jubilation of Thursday night, Manchester United returned to their usual selves on Sunday afternoon, as the Red Devils slipped to a 15th Premier League defeat of the season at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
In many ways, it was the same old story for the hosts at Old Trafford, with Ruben Amorim forced to watch on as his lacklustre side squandered a litany of chances, before being punished late on by a sublime Pablo Sarabia free-kick.
Indeed, on a different day, Alejandro Garnacho could well have walked away with a hat-trick of assists, having picked out both Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount inside the box, while also seeing Rasmus Hojlund come agonisingly close to getting on the end of his clever pull-back.
The struggling Dane – who has scored just once in all competitions since mid-December – also failed to pick out Kobbie Mainoo when advancing into space in the second-half, with Match of the Day pundit Alan Shearer subsequently stating that the “damaged” 22-year-old “isn’t ready” to be United’s starting striker.
24 goals in 88 games for the Red Devils makes for grim reading for the £64m man, with it no surprise that the addition of a new centre-forward is high on the agenda this summer – alongside the capture of Wolves talisman, Matheus Cunha.
Latest on Man Utd's search for a forward
With all of United’s eggs now in the Europa League basket, there remains an anxious wait as to whether or not INEOS will have a Champions League budget to work with next season, with so much resting on success on the continent.
Cunha stats
Regardless of what happens between now and the end of May, however, it does appear that the Old Trafford hierarchy are intent on adding Cunha to their ranks, with Fabrizio Romano outlining that the Red Devils are leading the race for the Brazilian’s signature.
The 25-year-old has scored 14 goals in the league this season – including against Amorim’s side on Boxing Day – with The Athletic previously outlining that he is viewed as a solution for one of the two number ten berths in the 3-4-3 set-up.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
That same report had indicated that Ipswich Town starlet, Liam Delap, is being considered as a potential upgrade at centre-forward, although the Englishman is evidently not the only candidate, as revealed by Manchester Evening News journalist, Samuel Luckhurst.
As Luckhurst has noted, United have remained in contact with the agent of RB Leipzig sensation, Benjamin Sesko, having previously missed out on the Slovenian superstar back in the summer of 2022.
The interest in the 6 foot 5 striker – who has a £58m release clause in his current deal – appears to extend even further back than that, with prior reports outlining that the Red Devils rejected the chance to sign him for just £2.5m from NK Domzale as a teenager back in 2019.
This summer could then finally see the 21-year-old arrive at the Theatre of Dreams, with Sesko potentially set to represent the perfect upgrade on both Hojlund and Delap.
How Man Utd could upgrade their centre-forward ranks
For all United’s success in Europe – as they currently remain unbeaten in the Europa League – the fact of the matter is they have been simply abject domestically, having found themselves just two points above 17th-placed West Ham United.
A key issue has been the club’s woes at the top end of the pitch after scoring just 38 times in 33 top-flight games – almost half of what champions-elect Liverpool have recorded at the summit (75).
With Hojlund and the now stricken Joshua Zirkzee scoring just six league goals between them, the need of a new number nine is bordering on desperation – enter, Sesko.
RB Leipzig's BenjaminSeskoin action with Borussia Dortmund's Marcel Sabitzer and Pascal Gross
Described as a “monster” of a striker by analyst Ben Mattinson, the 41-cap international has enjoyed another fine campaign in Germany, netting 20 times in 41 games in all competitions, including four goals in eight Champions League appearances.
Including his time at sister club Red Bull Salzburg, Sesko has now scored 12 league goals or more in each of his last three seasons. The 22-year-old Delap, for instance, has only broken into double figures for the first time in 2024/25, in what is his first campaign in a top-tier league.
Games (starts)
29 (27)
32 (29)
Goals
12
12
Big chances missed
10
10
Goal frequency
182mins
198mins
Assists
5
2
Big chances created
5
3
Key passes*
0.6
0.6
Pass accuracy*
67%
62%
Successful dribbles*
1.3
1.2
Aerial duels won*
56%
45%
As indicated in the table above, it is the Leipzig star who comes out on top too across a string of attacking and defensive metrics, showcasing just why United have been wise to maintain contact with his representatives in recent years.
A player with “incredible potential” – in the words of Jurgen Klopp – what particularly stands out is Sesko’s venomous shooting ability, having already chalked up a stunning catalogue of long-range, pinpoint efforts in his career thus far.
While there may be fears over enduring something of a Hojlund repeat, considering the potential price tag and age of the Slovenian hero, Sesko – unlike the current United man and Delap – has proven himself at the elite level over a number of seasons now.
He would represent the high-potential talent that Amorim and co are craving, who can make an instant impact.
RB Leipzig's BenjaminSeskobefore taking a penalty
For the third campaign in a row, the Red Devils look set to dip into the market for a new number nine – they simply can’t afford to get it wrong again…
He's a lot like Cunha: Man Utd hopeful of signing "frightening" £50m star
Manchester United are eyeing up a deal for a star who could be their own Matheus Cunha.
غاب لامين يامال نجم برشلونة بعد عودته من فترة التوقف الدولي عن مباراة نهاية الأسبوع الماضي ضد فالنسيا، في الدوري الإسباني لكرة القدم.
وقد تم استبعاد اللاعب صاحب الـ18 عاماً من قائمة هانز فليك لمواجهة نيوكاسل يونايتد في سانت جيمس بارك، حيث بقى في برشلونة لمواصلة تعافيه.
وبحسب صحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية فإن لامين يامال كثف برنامجه التأهيلي حيث قضى الصباح بأكمله في مركز تدريبات النادي سعياً للعودة في أسرع وقت ممكن.
ووصل لامين يامال للمدينة الرياضية في وقت مبكر في صالة الألعاب الرياضية وبقى قرابة أربع ساعات وهي فترة تدريب ماراثونية، نظراً لأن تمارين التعافي عادة ما تكون أقصر وأسهل.
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وقد عمل لامين يامال مع أخصائيي العلاج الطبيعي الذين بقوا في برشلونة وكذلك تياجو ألكانتارا والذي عاد لطاقم هانز فليك، لكنه لم يسافر مع الفريق بهدف تسريع عودته.
ومن المتوقع أن يكون لامين يامال متاحاً لمباراة ريال أوفييدو في الدوري الإسباني في 25 سبتمبر، على الرغم من أن مشاركته غير مضمونة ويأمل الجهاز الفني أن يكون المرشح للفوز بجائزة الكرة الذهبية جاهزاً تماماً لمواجهة باريس سان جيرمان في 1 اكتوبر.
ويواصل بالدي وجافي العمل على تعافيهما من الإصابة، ويتابع برشلونة حالة لاعب خط الوسط الإسباني وسيقرر ما إذا كان سيتم إدارته أو سيخضع لعملية جراحية في أقرب وقت.
دافع المدير الفني لفريق ليفربول، آرني سلوت، عن أحد لاعبيه بشكل قوي قبل مباراة يوم السبت ضد نظيره فريق إيفرتون، في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.
ويستعد ليفربول لخوض مباراته في الجولة الخامسة من الدوري الإنجليزي ضد إيفرتون على ملعب “الأنفيلد”.
ويتعرض فلوريان فيرتز للكثير من الانتقادات كونه لم يثبت جودته حتى الآن، حيث لم يسجل أو يصنع رغم أن تكلفة انتقاله إلى ليفربول من باير ليفركوزن بلغت 100 مليون جنيه إسترليني كمبلغ ثابت، إلى جانب إضافات.
وقال سلوت، في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “ليفربول إيكو” الإنجليزية: “إن وصف فيرتز بالفنان فقط لا ينصفه، إنه فنان، ولكنه قد يكون شرسًا كذلك، وإلا فلن يصل إلى مستواه الحالي، إنه يبذل قصارى جهده هنا في النادي ليتطور أكثر فأكثر”.
وأضاف: “هذه هي العقلية التي يمتلكها، ويمكنك أن ترى هذه العقلية أيضًا عندما يفقد الكرة مرة أو مرتين، لن يختبئ، إنه يريد الكرة الثالثة والرابعة، في رأيي إنه يتأقلم بشكل جيد للغاية”.
وواصل: “يتحسن أداؤه مع كل مباراة، يحرص دائمًا على الاستحواذ على الكرة والاحتفاظ بها، ويحاول جاهدًا، ويتحسن مستواه باستمرار ويزداد معدل لياقته البدنية، لعل هذا هو الأهم لأننا لسنا مضطرين لتعليمه كيفية لعب كرة القدم، عليه فقط أن يتكيف مع مستويات اللعب الشاقة في الدوري الإنجليزي”.
وأردف: “لا نخوض نقاشات مطولة حول الرسوم المالية، أحيانًا ترى تصريحًا على سبيل المثال يخص فان دايك، وإذا قارنا سعره الآن بالتضخم الحالي، لقلنا أن قيمته باهظة للغاية، وهكذا”.
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واسترسل: “أرنولد كذلك، كان لديه شهر واحد فقط في عقده مع ليفربول ورحل إلى ريال مدريد مقابل 10 ملايين جنيه إسترليني، هذا هو واقعنا الحالي، ماذا لو قمنا ببيعه قبل عامين؟ كانت الصفقة حينها مقابل 240 مليون جنيه إسترليني، هذا هو الواقع الجديد”.
واستدرك: “سنواجه غدًا لاعبًا اشتراه مانشستر سيتي مقابل 100 مليون جنيه إسترليني (جاك جريليش) وهو الآن في إيفرتون، هذا هو العالم الذي نعيش فيه، ولا أعتقد أننا نتحدث عنه كثيرًا، ولكن أحيانًا على سبيل المزاح أو التعليق”.
وشدد: “ما يختلف بالنسبة لـ لوريان هو أنه انتقل إلى نادٍ جديد، حيث من المحتمل أن نتعامل مع الأمور بشكل مختلف تمامًا داخل الملعب وخارجه، إنه ليس الدوري الهولندي، وأعتقد أن الدوري الألماني يقع بين الدوري الهولندي والدوري الإنجليزي”.
واستأنف: “ربما يكون هذا أيضًا سبب حبه هو وإيكتيكي للقدوم إلى هنا، لأنهما يرغبان في اتخاذ الخطوة التالية في مسيرتهما، لدينا كل هؤلاء اللاعبين من الطراز الرفيع وعليهم أن يعتادوا على بعضهم، لا أعتقد أن الأمر يتعلق به أو بأي لاعب آخر يرى ما لا يراه الآخرون”.
واستدل قائلًا: “مهما بلغت مهارتك، عليك أن تعتاد على بعضكما، ماذا تريد؟ متى تظهر نفسك؟ كان ترينت أرنولد ومحمد صلاح مثالًا رائعًا على ذلك، إذا بدأ ترينت هجمة، كان مو يعرف بالفعل كيفية الركض في العمق لأن الآخر سيرسل كرة عرضية، هذه الأشياء تكتسبها من اللعب كثيرًا معًا”.
واختتم: “لذلك، على الرغم من تقديري لمدى جودته (فيرتز) كلاعب، لن أضعه في نفس المستوى مع البقية، هذا لن يكون منصفًا لبقية اللاعبين، ولن يكون منصفًا له أيضًا”.
The Australia allrounder bowled a searing spell with the new ball to bag 7 for 22 in the third ODI on Sunday, helping bowl out England for 75
Annesha Ghosh08-Jul-2019Ellyse Perry’s 7 for 22 in the third women’s Ashes ODI in Canterbury – the best figures by an Australian woman in the format – really began to take shape in the series opener last Tuesday. Perry struck with her second ball, returning match figures of 3 for 43, and followed it up with 1 for 40 in the next game, setting herself up for the Sunday blockbuster in the third and final ODI of the multi-format Ashes.Ten overs, four of them maidens – there were 49 dot balls overall – from Perry proved too much for England, who rolled over for 75 in a chase of 270. Along the way, she bested current assistant coach and former Australia allrounder Shelley Nitschke’s 7 for 42, from August 2005. It was also the ground where, in the 2015 Ashes Test, Perry had bowled a match-winning spell of 6 for 32 on the fourth day to return match figures of 9 for 70.This one helped Australia get a 6-0 lead on the points table.”You can call me what you like, but I’m not sure that’s the case,” Perry laughed when asked, after the match, if she considered herself the best allrounder in the game. “I honestly think today just went my way, which is nice, but across the series there has been some great performances. For us to start [the Ashes] the way that we have, and be six points clear, is the absolute dream start so all of us are really chuffed and myself especially.”Consistently clocking upwards of 70mph through the three ODIs, capitalising on the movement on offer, and often punishing the largely inconsistent England top five, Perry chipped away at the opposition line-up with an unbroken seven-over opening spell that fetched her an ODI best of 5 for 18. The pick of that haul – Sarah Taylor’s wicket – came via an incisive outswinger that rose late after landing, leaving Taylor in two minds with her footwork and eliciting a feather.”Fortunately I’ve played here [at the St Lawrence Ground] before,” Perry said at the post-match presentation. “The slope works really well for us, so it was nice to attack the stumps and let it swing down the hill a bit.”Ellyse Perry holds the record for Australia’s highest women’s Test score•Getty ImagesBefore snaring her sixth and seventh wickets – Anya Shrubsole and Sophie Ecclestone respectively – in her second and final spell starting in the 19th over, Perry had Amy Jones spoon one to substitute Nicola Carey at mid-on for her first wicket. The dismissal meant Jones, featuring in the line-up as a specialist batsman and not designated wicketkeeper in the presence of Sarah Taylor, with ODI scores of 79, 54, 76, 91, 18 and 80 to her name since the Sri Lanka tour in March, fell to Perry for a third time in her opening over in as many games. Jones’ scores in the series now read: 0, 5 and 0.”I don’t really think about Amy, to be honest. It is more about having some really clear plans about the way that we want to start,” Perry said when asked about strategies for the England opener.Perry attributed her success with the new ball to the work she has been doing with Australia’s bowling coach Ben Sawyer, who joined the support staff in September last year, ahead of the home series against New Zealand, replacing Ashley Noffke. He is also the head coach at Sydney Sixers, the WBBL side that Perry plays for.”Ben Sawyer has been absolutely brilliant since he came in to work with the group,” Perry said. “I worked with him back home in Australia too – he is the head coach at the Sydney Sixers and I think that he has really helped develop a lot of our players.”Perry has shared pace-bowling duties with Megan Schutt and Delissa Kimmince so far this Ashes, and they have had their share of success with the new ball and in the middle overs.”It seems like there is a real clarity in the way that Shooter [Schutt] comes out and bowls, and myself and then if Nic [Carey] or DK [Kimmince] or Tayla [Vlaeminck] are playing, everyone just knows their roles and that has been really nice,” Perry said.Now if the allrounder carries the batting form she showed glimpses of in her 62 in the second ODI into the upcoming Test in Taunton, starting July 18, an encore of her record-breaking 213 not out – the highest Test score by an Australian woman – from the 2017 Ashes Test might well be on the cards.
Chelsea have now made contact over the signing of a defender, having stepped up their interest in recent weeks, but there may be competition for his signature from one of their London rivals, according to a report.
Blues keen to strengthen in defence
The Blues have set their sights on multiple defenders ahead of the summer transfer window, with Flamengo right-back Wesley Franca now emerging as a target, having held talks over a deal for the Brazilian in recent days.
On the opposite side of the backline, Enzo Maresca’s side could look to bring in Sunderland left-back Dennis Cirkin, having started to work on a deal, though there is set to be stiff competition for his signature from a number of Premier League clubs.
Maresca is clearly keen to bolster his options at full-back, and the manager is also driving a move for Brighton & Hove Albion goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, who could be brought in as a replacement for Robert Sanchez.
Chelsea "doing work" on signing "top-class" £20m ex-Tottenham player
The west Londoners are now interested.
By
Emilio Galantini
Mar 8, 2025
Signing a new goalkeeper may be an important task this summer given the catalogue of errors Sanchez has made this season, but there is also a desire to strengthen in the centre-back department.
According to a report from TEAMtalk, Chelsea have now made contact over the signing of Feyenoord’s David Hancko, having stepped up their interest in the centre-back over the past few weeks.
Feyenoord'sDavidHanckocelebrates scoring their third goal
However, there may be competition for Hancko’s signature, with Tottenham ramping up their interest of late, while Atlético Madrid and Juventus are also named as potential suitors – and he is said to be enticed by the idea of joining the Italian club.
Feyenoord would be willing to sanction the defender’s departure for £42m this summer, making him a relatively affordable option should the Blues choose to formalise their interest in the summer.
"Freak technician" Hancko could be a solid signing
The Feyenoord star has received high praise from freelance scout Ben Mattinson, who has lauded him for his ability to drive the ball forward from defence.
The former Sparta Prague man’s attacking ability is underlined by his impressive goal and assist record in the league over the past five seasons.
Season
League appearances
Goals
Assists
2020-21
24
5
2
2021-22
30
7
5
2022-23
34
2
4
2023-24
34
5
2
2024-25
23
3
2
Journalist Diederik de Groot has also described the Slovakia international as the “best defender” he’s ever seen at Feyenoord, and he has been in impressive form this season, emerging as one of the most consistent performers in the squad.
Hancko has certainly earned the chance to prove himself in the Premier League, and a £42m fee seems reasonable, so Chelsea should continue to monitor his performances before potentially launching a bid in the summer.