MatériaMais Notícias
O Botafogo perdeu em casa para o Cuiabá na 30ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro e perdeu parte da gordura na liderança, ficando seis pontos à frente do Palmeiras, mas com um jogo a menos. O gol da partida foi marcado por Isidro Pitta no segundo tempo. O Cuiabá subiu para o 10º lugar. Veja os melhores momentos no vídeo acima.
Tottenham Hotspur’s exit from the Carabao Cup last night was evidence of the hot and cold nature of Thomas Frank’s tenure at the helm so far in 2025/26.
Coming into the clash against Newcastle United, the Lilywhites claimed a superb 3-0 victory against Everton in the Premier League – but such a showing at St James’ Park was the polar opposite.
Fabian Schar and Nick Woltemade’s efforts either side of the break secured the win for Eddie Howe’s men, with Frank’s first chance of claiming a trophy in North London evaporating in front of his eyes.
The Dane only made four changes from his starting eleven that defeated the Toffees on Sunday night, but little players failed to cover themselves in glory on Tyneside.
One player in particular was handed a second successive start last night, with such a run now expected to come to an end after his dismal display against the Magpies.
Brennan Johnson’s evening to forget against Newcastle
After Mohammed Kudus’ summer arrival from West Ham United, winger Brennan Johnson has often had to resort to minutes off the bench to make an impact for Spurs.
Such a decision may have come as a surprise to many of the Lilywhites faithful, especially after the Welshman ended last year on 18 goals – even scoring the winner in the Europa League final.
However, 2025/26 has been a different story for the 24-year-old, with his performances night and day from his spell under Ange Postecoglou last campaign.
His showing against Howe’s side was yet another disappointment – with his withdrawal in just the 65th minute highlighting his lack of positive impact in the North East.
Johnson only achieved a total of 28 touches, whilst losing possession on 14 occasions, subsequently gifting the ball back to the opposition every other time he was in control of the play.
Other figures such as zero dribbles and crosses completed further demonstrate his lack of creativity, something which Kudus has possessed in abundance – as seen by his tally of four assists for the Lilywhites.
Such was the level of disappointment around his showing, one Spurs analyst labelled the former Nottingham Forest star as a “passenger” – which proves Frank made the right decision by replacing him with the Ghanaian this summer.
The Spurs player who now looks finished under Frank
Alongside Johnson, numerous other players struggled to match the expectations placed upon them by the Spurs faithful ahead of the meeting with Howe’s men.
Joao Palhinha has been an excellent addition for the Lilywhites, offering the side the perfect ball-winning option at the heart of the midfield, but he was forced to operate out of position last night.
The issues at the back saw the Portuguese international drop into a centre-back role – ultimately taking away his best quality, as seen in his tally of zero tackles won.
Despite his lack of impact, Palhinha certainly left more of a positive impression than Richarlison, with the centre-forward once again ensuring an evening to forget.
After being dropped to the bench against former side Everton on Sunday, Frank recalled him to his starting eleven – handing the Brazilian the opportunity to prove his worth.
However, for the eighth game in a row, the 28-year-old was unable to find the back of the net, with his underlying figures showcasing his lack of impact against the Magpies.
Richarlison managed to complete just nine passes during his 78-minute display, whilst also losing possession on eight occasions, often being unable to provide the local point Frank has craved.
Minutes played
78
Touches
29
Passes completed
9
Possession lost
8x
Big chances missed
2
Dribbles completed
0
Chances created
0
Crosses completed
0
In front of goal, the Brazilian was just as wasteful, registering three shots on target, but two of which were defined as big chances missed – leading to one analyst labelling his showing as “unacceptable”.
His dismal display was further highlighted by his inability to complete any dribbles, crosses or create any chances for his teammate, with the manager desperately needing a solution to his problems.
Randal Kolo Muani was brought on in the second half, with the Frenchman producing numerous mazy runs which could see him handed the chance to start from the off against Chelsea.
As for Richarlison, his double on the opening day of 2025/26 has certainly fooled people into thinking he can be the talisman Frank needs to achieve success in North London.
However, there’s no denying that the Brazilian has ultimately failed to match those standards in recent weeks, as seen by his goal drought, which dates back to the 20th of September.
It’s clear he’s not the man the Lilywhites need to progress to the next level, with his career at the club pretty much all but over – which should open the door for a potential January exit.
Fewer touches than Kinsky: Frank must axe 5/10 Spurs dud after Newcastle
Tottenham Hotspur crashed out of the Carabao Cup against Newcastle United last night.
ByEthan Lamb Oct 30, 2025
The BCB has stated that neither the player nor the BCCI has approached it for an NOC
Mohammad Isam14-May-2025Delhi Capitals’ (DC) signing of Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman for the remainder of IPL 2025 has hit a snag, with the BCB stating that it hasn’t been approached for a no-objection certificate (NOC).Usually, the IPL only announces signings after a player has received an NOC from his home board. According to its CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury, however, the BCB had yet to receive a request for one.”Mustafizur is supposed to go with the team to the UAE according to the schedule,” Chowdhury told ESPNcricinfo on Wednesday. “We have not received any communication from IPL officials. I have also not received any such official communication from Mustafizur either.”Related
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IPL to allow temporary replacements for last leg of 2025 season
Mustafizur is part of the Bangladesh T20I squad that is due to play back-to-back away T20I series against UAE and Pakistan, both of which clash with the IPL. On Wednesday, hours after the IPL announced his signing as a replacement for Jake Fraser-McGurk, Mustafizur flew out to Dubai with the rest of Bangladesh’s squad.Bangladesh are due to play two T20Is in the UAE on May 17 and 19, followed by five in Pakistan on May 25, 27 and 30, and June 1 and 3. Those two series are in conflict with the IPL; DC are set to play their last three league matches on May 18, 21 and 24, followed by the playoffs should they get there.ESPNcricinfo has sought a response from DC on this development.
The two teams couldn’t be having more contrasting seasons, meaning there isn’t really too much at stake on Saturday
Ashish Pant02-May-20252:47
Chopra: CSK’s is a ‘flawed batting order’
Big picture: RCB aim for the magic 16 pointsRoyal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) taking on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Bengaluru is arguably one of the biggest clashes in the IPL. But there is a distinct vibe missing from this game this time around, and CSK’s season has a lot to do with that.There was hardly any crowd outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium when CSK arrived for their training session ahead of Saturday’s game. This was very different from last year, when both sides of the street outside the venue were packed even on the eve of the game, and a sizeable crowd had gathered inside to watch the players train.Make no mistake, the RCB-CSK clash will still get top billing. The tickets have been sold out for weeks, and the stadium will be packed to the rafters to watch MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli go head-to-head (for one final time?). But the buzz is missing.Related
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CSK have lost eight out of ten games, and were the first team to be knocked out of IPL 2025. Even their training session on the eve of the fixture against RCB wasn’t as intense as it might otherwise be. Shaikh Rasheed and Ayush Mhatre started the session with R Ashwin, Anshul Kamboj and Noor Ahmad bowling in one set of the nets, while Vijay Shankar went ahead at another.Ravindra Jadeja walked in for a bat half an hour after the training began, but intense rain stopped the session for about 40 minutes. CSK picked up pace after the rain break, with Sam Curran, Jadeja, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra and Dewald Brevis all having a go. Dhoni, Shivam Dube and Matheesha Pathirana were the notable absentees from the training session.It was quite different at the other end in the RCB camp. Currently on 14 points, a win at home will take RCB to 16, and make their playoffs chances and a potential top-two finish even stronger. They started their training session with Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal sharing one net, and Jitesh Sharma in another, with Dinesh Karthik keeping a careful watch, while Romario Shepherd was having a hit in a third net. RCB also had a wristspinner very similar to Noor, bowling at Kohli and Padikkal.Form guide: RCB on a highRoyal Challengers Bengaluru: WWWLW
Chennai Super Kings : LLLWLThe big questionIn the spotlight: Krunal Pandya and Khaleel AhmedWith the limelight on Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Krunal Pandya has quietly flown under the radar. He has picked 13 wickets this season, which is his best ever in a season. But, more importantly, all his wickets have come in RCB wins. In the seven matches RCB have won, Krunal has 13 wickets in 26 overs at an economy of 8.2, while in the three matches that RCB have lost, he has no wicket to show in six overs, with his economy zooming to 10.5. Krunal has the second-most wickets by a spinner this season, behind Noor, and has been RCB’s go-to spinner in the middle-overs, where he operates at an economy rate of 8.18. Krunal is coming into the game on the back of a Player-of-the-Match performance against Delhi Capitals, where he was frugal with the ball, and scored an unbeaten 73 with the bat.1:47
Chopra: ‘Phenomenal signing’ Krunal has ‘catapulted’ RCB’s season
While there has been little to write home about CSK’s bowling this season, Khaleel Ahmed has been pretty consistent, especially at the start. No other bowler has more powerplay wickets than Khaleel this season (nine), while he has also bowled 106 dot balls, the highest for any bowler. In terms of dot balls, this is already Khaleel’s third-best season, and he still has four games to go. Khaleel has the second-most wickets for CSK behind Noor, and had an interesting battle with Phil Salt and Kohli when these two teams met earlier this season. He will want to continue the good run of form going forward.Team news and probable XIIsSalt had missed RCB’s previous game due to illness, and his availability remains unconfirmed. If he misses out, Jacob Bethell could retain his place at the top of the order. RCB are unlikely to make any other changes to their side. Padikkal could come in as the Impact Player in place of Suyash Sharma, and vice versa.Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 1 Virat Kohli, 2 Jacob Bethell, 3 Devdutt Padikkal, 4 Rajat Patidar (capt), 5 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 6 Romario Shepherd, 7 Tim David, 8 Krunal Pandya, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Yash Dayal, 12 Suyash SharmaCSK went with an unchanged side last time, and are unlikely to tinker with the XI unless they want to give some of the other members of the squad a game. In that case, Vansh Bedi could slot in to replace Deepak Hooda.Chennai Super Kings: 1 Shaik Rasheed, 2 Ayush Mhatre, 3 Sam Curran, 4 Ravindra Jadeja, 5 Dewald Brevis, 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Deepak Hooda/Vijay Shankar/Vansh Bedi, 8 MS Dhoni (capt, wk), 9 Anshul Kamboj, 10 Noor Ahmad, 11 Khaleel Ahmed, 12 Matheesha Pathirana2:10
Cricinformed: Virat Kohli – RCB’s backbone
Pitch and conditions: Rain in the airThere has already been a rain-shortened game in Bengaluru, and there is rain in the air for Saturday as well. There are thunderstorms predicted for early to late evening, with the temperature expected to hover around the 30 degree mark. The surface has been under covers for the better part of three days, and there could be something in it for the bowlers all through.Stats and trivia: CSK’s batting woes CSK have the lowest strike rate (121) against spin, and have lost the most wickets (31) to that type of bowling in this IPL. Their run rate in the powerplay (7.91) is also the least for any team this season. Tim David has fallen to Noor twice in three T20 innings, and averages just four against him. Kohli has fallen to spin just twice in eight innings this IPL, and averages 109.5 against it. Noor has the most wickets in middle overs (7 to 16) in IPL 2025: 13. Dhoni averages 40.6, and has the most runs against RCB in the IPL: 894Quotes”There’s a lot of motivation in the squad. There’s opportunities for some players to get a chance, and to show that they can play at this level. Plus they’re a very proud group. We’re very proud to play for CSK. Massive fan base, and so you want to put in good performances to please the fans as well. I think the players really understand their responsibility, and give 100% effort for every single match.”
“First and foremost, it’s a mental shift that you need to make when you come into IPL cricket where you need to understand that the game has evolved a lot and you have to be with the times. Yes, a lot of work went into the shots that I want to play.”
Abdullah Shafique scored an impressive 66 off 38 balls, but lacked support as Lahore Qalandars slumped to an eight-wicket defeat
Danyal Rasool11-Apr-2025
Jason Holder took four wickets on debut•PCB
Islamabad United got their title defence off to a robust start, brushing aside Lahore Qalandars by eight wickets in the PSL 2025 opener. An all-round performance included starring roles with the ball from Jason Holder, who took 4 for 26, and with the bat from Colin Munro, whose unbeaten 42-ball 59 guided United through the start of a potentially tricky chase. In the end, though, the holders made short work of a chase of 140, taking any jeopardy out of it long before the winning runs were struck with 14 balls still to go.United won the toss and fielded first, starting tidily against Fakhar Zaman, whom they cramped with the short ball. Riley Meredith got rid of the veteran opener when he failed to get on top of a hook, and Qalandars struggled to get going on a pitch that didn’t allow run-scoring as freely as the Rawalpindi Stadium has in the past. Naseem Shah went for 17 in Qalandars’ third over, when Abdullah Shafique targeted him, but spinners Imad Wasim and Shadab Khan struck back quickly with a double-blow, sending Daryl Mitchell and Sam Billings on their way.Abdullah Shafique timed the ball beautifully but found little support•PCB
Shafique looked elegant from one end, timing the ball beautifully against pace and using his feet against the spinners. He was the only one able to take Imad on, highlighted by a lofted six straight back over the bowler’s head. Time and again, he attempted to break the shackles, but wickets at the other end made it impossible.Sikandar Raza and Shafique struck up a breezy 35-run partnership, but three wickets for two runs derailed Qalandars. Holder, whose variations had proved difficult to handle early on, took two of them, dismissing Jahandad Khan and knocking back David Wiese’s stumps off successive balls, and followed up by ensnaring Shaheen Shah Afridi. Shafique’s resistance finally ended when he became the ninth man out, for 66 off 38, before Shadab’s third wicket wrapped the innings up with four balls to spare.Colin Munro’s unbeaten 59 steered Islamabad through their chase•PCB
United didn’t get off to the whirlwind start they have developed a reputation for in these circumstances, though that was perhaps more down to the trickiness of the surface than the skill of the Qalandars bowlers. Shaheen couldn’t find early swing, and it was 38-year-old left-arm orthodox spinner Asif Afridi who tested the batters most. He sent Andries Gous off in his first over and kept United on a leash, allowing just eight in his three overs in the powerplay.But United had time to fend off Qalandars’ early intensity, and gradually, Sahibzada Farhan and Munro began to grow into the chase. Farhan struggled with his timing but managed to punish enough poor deliveries to smoke three sixes in his 24-ball 25, while Munro kept picking off United’s bowlers from the other end. A slap down the ground off Jahandad’s first ball set him on his way, and once Salman Agha got together with him, they began to break Qalandars down. A wayward 12th over from Wiese produced 17 runs that brought the asking rate down to about a run a ball, and from there, Qalandars lost the leverage to exert any pressure on their opponents. Agha played a characteristically useful knock, a slap over mid-off against Haris Rauf immediately following Wiese’s over and cementing his side’s dominance.Another boundary, followed by Munro slapping Shaheen for an inside-out six, saw United power home with momentum on their side, and when Jahandad was carved over extra-cover by Agha, United made official the victory they had been cantering to for some time.
The Bangladesh captain isn’t keen on making personnel changes though. He just wants mindset changes
Mohammad Isam25-Feb-2025
Najmul Hossain Shanto’s Bangladesh suffered yet another ICC event setback•AFP/Getty Images
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has said that the same group of players should be given more opportunities to be “responsible for the team’s performance” in future ICC tournaments. The comment comes after Bangladesh’s early exit from the Champions Trophy following which their senior players have come under fire.Shanto started the post-match press conference on Monday by saying that they need to make “changes”. “I have said it a lot of times in the past, but we [have] made the same mistakes over and over again,” he said. “We have to focus on how we want to improve our batting. I hope after this tournament, we will make some changes as a batting unit, which will bring improvement in our batting.”That had everyone on alert. Bangladesh have been crying out for a fresh approach in ODIs so there was some hope that the captain himself was about to address the issue. However, Shanto later clarified that he meant the changes should be within the mindset of the existing batting group, and not changes in personnel.”We have to be more responsible for the team when we go out to bat. We cannot keep chopping and changing [personnel]. We have to keep giving our existing resources more opportunities. I think we are taking it lightly. We have to be more responsible.”Related
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Ravindra and Bracewell win the middle overs to knock out Bangladesh
Shanto also threw his weight behind Mushfiqur Rahim, who has been struggling for runs. The former Bangladesh captain has managed just one fifty in ODIs since the end of the 2023 World Cup and averages a tick over 31. He was dismissed for a first-ball duck against India before falling to a rash shot against New Zealand for 2.There were thoughts that Mushfiqur could be replaced by the incoming Mahmudullah, who missed Bangladesh’s first game of the Champions Trophy due to an injury, with Jaker Ali taking the gloves. However, instead of swapping the two veterans, Bangladesh dropped Soumya Sarkar from the top of the order with Shanto going one slot up. “There’s no auto-choice in this team,” Shanto said. “Soumya bats in the top order, Riyad [Mahmudullah] bhai plays in the lower-middle order. Keeping Soumya would have forced us to make a lot of changes in the line-up. We needed Riyad bhai given how he batted in the last four or five innings.”I wasn’t worried about Mushfiq [Mushfiqur] last five innings. His wicketkeeping was very important. We have seen his contribution to the team over the years. He didn’t score runs in the last two or three matches but I am sure he can come back in the next game.”Mushfiqur Rahim has managed just one half-century in his last nine ODIs•ICC via Getty Images
Bangladesh’s biggest issue on Monday was handing four wickets to offspinner Michael Bracewell as they lost their way in the middle overs. Their approach of playing very defensively, coming under pressure and trying to hit their way out looked questionable as they accumulated about 30 overs worth of dot balls. Shanto admitted that Bangladesh, who finished on 236 for 9, were well short of a par score.”It was a good wicket, worth at least 280 to 300 runs. I think (Bracewell) bowled well but we fell to some soft dismissals,” he said. “We made the mistakes with the bat. We could have batted better against him on this wicket. There was some poor shot selection. We could have planned better, which wouldn’t have given him so many wickets. He bowled well but we made some poor executions.”We have room for improvement. We don’t score 300-plus totals regularly. The number of dot balls was mainly because we lost wickets in a cluster in the middle overs. Maybe, if we had two big partnerships, we wouldn’t have suffered so much today. We have to build the habit of scoring 300 runs regularly. For that, we need better practice wickets.”Bangladesh’s sub-par batting in both the group-stage matches against India and New Zealand again brings into question whether they are prepared for ICC tournaments. Shanto said that they have to find a way to show improvement at the highest level, rather than just waiting for a team performance, once in a while.”We only win at home. We don’t win regularly in overseas conditions. We have to find out how we can do well in ICC tournaments,” Shanto said. “We need a collective improvement. There are days when the top order is doing well, another day only the middle order is doing well. There are days when we field well. It is a haphazard situation. I think only a collective performance can help us do well against big teams in these tournaments.Shanto stood by his pre-tournament declaration that Bangladesh were targeting to win the Champions Trophy. He said that the team had the same desire but their collective efforts didn’t match the dream. “I think the whole team dreamt of winning the Champions Trophy. If we don’t dream big, how can we play?” he questioned. “We are here to win, not just to compete. We didn’t get the desired result. We can’t just be dreaming of a big result, we have to play accordingly too. Our focus is on the next match now.”
A new era awaits Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium this forthcoming Premier League campaign.
Thankfully, despite season after season of relegation panic, their swansong offering at Goodison Park wasn’t drenched in the worry of Championship football potentially coming to the Toffees’ new state-of-the-art home, as Everton finished in a comfortable 13th final spot under David Moyes.
Now, it’s up to the Scotsman to deliver more success to the blue half of Merseyside, with more signings presumably in the works to ensure they improve on their 13th position this time around.
Everton have been busy in the transfer department so far this summer.
Indeed, the Toffees have managed to welcome in five new faces ahead of their upcoming adventure into fresh surroundings, with both Thierno Barry and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall sticking out as notable purchases up top and through the middle.
While Dewsbury-Hall offers plenty of Premier League experience, the top-flight side might well venture down the more untested route when recruiting other midfield assets, with Sunderland’s 18-year-old gem Chris Rigg reportedly on their shopping list.
However, much in the same ilk as the former Chelsea man, Everton could also offer an escape route to another outcast struggling towards the top end of the Premier League, as talks continue to occur between the Toffees and Manchester City reserve star Jack Grealish.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Journalist Dominic King has taken to X to suggest that Grealish would be receptive to the idea of moving to Moyes’ outfit, with talks also ramping up – as per football journalist Mike Joyce writing for the Times – as Everton attempt to bring the £300k-per-week midfielder in on loan, despite those wild wage costs.
Further reports from one Toffees insider note that Grealish is “in agreement” to join Everton on loan.
The Birmingham-born 29-year-old won’t be viewed as a complete lost cause, with the idea of Grealish getting back to his prior best enabling Everton to win a temporary star who possesses shades of Ross Barkley’s game when he was at his peak at his boyhood club.
Before finding out the hard way how unforgiving football can be – with a limp 12 goals and 11 assists coming his way for Chelsea from a century of appearances – Barkley was a rip-roaring success story at his boyhood employers with runaway efforts like this one against Newcastle United.
In total, the 33-time England international would power home a respectable 27 efforts from 179 Toffees outings, on top of also picking up 25 assists, leading to one of his former Everton bosses in Roberto Martinez, heralding his overall ability as “incredible.”
Grealish would be showered with the same adoration when he was still pulling on Villa claret and blue, as seen in Brendan Rodgers branding him as “marvellous” to watch when situated in the Leicester City dug-out.
All this lavish praise was warranted, too, as the ex-Villans captain bettered Barkley’s Everton tally by amassing a bumper tally of 32 goals and 43 assists in the West Midlands, leading to the Citizens splashing out an excessive £100m on the attacking menace’s services.
|
Grealish’s numbers at City by season |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Season |
Games |
Goals |
Assists |
|
24/25 |
31 |
3 |
4 |
|
23/24 |
33 |
3 |
3 |
|
22/23 |
50 |
5 |
11 |
|
21/22 |
39 |
6 |
4 |
|
Sourced by Transfermarkt |
|||
Unfortunately for Grealish, this dive into the unknown at the Etihad backfired, leaving the 29-year-old now in a position where he needs to breathe life back into his faltering playing days, off the back of a 2024/25 campaign where a middle-of-the-road seven-goal contributions were averaged.
Often chucked out to the left wing under Guardiola, it could well be a masterstroke to come by Moyes if he places Grealish back into his preferred number ten spot, with that freedom perhaps reawakening his Villa best, gifting the much-loved Toffees boss his new Barkley in the process.
After all, Barkley managed to recover his career from the brink when he joined Luton Town in 2023.
The same could soon happen for Grealish, therefore, who was once even labelled as a “magician” when strutting his stuff for his hometown side by ex-Premier League regular Ashley Cole.
It will be up to Moyes and Co. to get this magic back out of him after an underwhelming stint in Manchester, with a version of Grealish back at his very best, an unbelievable weapon to possess.
Just imagine him & Ndiaye: Everton aiming to sign PL star alongside Dibling
As Everton chase Southampton’s Tyler Dibling, David Moyes also wants the Toffees to sign a “magic” Premier League winner who was once worth £100m.
By
Ben Gray
Aug 10, 2025
Chelsea have now reached a verbal agreement for one of their next potential signings of the window, but must wait for Christopher Nkunku to leave before finalising the deal.
The west Londoners are not exactly strapped for cash, and estimate that Chelsea are currently enjoying a profit margin of around £108 million when it comes to their balance sheet.
Enzo Maresca’s side have brought in around £388 million through player sales (£220m), Club World Cup prize money (£87.5m) and qualifying for the Champions League combined (£80m), with around £280 million spent on summer transfers.
This puts them in superb stead when it comes to the Premier League’s PSR laws, but they remain forced to sell players due to their pact with UEFA.
Chelsea reached an agreement with UEFA last month after breaking their separate FFP rules, and, as part of their settlement, it was agreed that BlueCo must produce a positive transfer balance by September – or risk not being able to register new players for their European A-list squad.
Essentially, Maresca’s squad must be balanced out financially with outgoings to make up for their plethora of incomings.
Chelsea are currently in talks to sign Alejandro Garnacho and Xavi Simons, according to widespread reports, so they must make headway when it comes to selling more undesired players pretty soon.
Chelsea completed exit deals for Kepa Arrizabalaga, Basir Humphreys, Noni Madueke, Marcus Bettinelli, Mathis Amougou, Djordje Petrovic, João Félix, Ishe Samuels-Smith, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Armando Broja and Lesley Ugochukwu earlier in the window, but more are certain to follow.
Maresca confirmed that Nicolas Jackson isn’t part of the squad for their opening Premier League game against Crystal Palace, stating the Senegalese will be allowed to leave Cobham, while Bayern Munich are currently in talks to sign Nkunku, who’s keen to join them.
The Frenchman bagged 15 goals in all competitions last season, finishing 2024/2025 as one of their top scorers, but he struggled to earn a consistent starting place under Maresca despite some impressive showings.
Nkunku displayed flashes of his quality at the CWC too, though his future appears far away from west London, especially since his exit could “unlock” a long-awaited deal for Simons.
Chelsea reach verbal agreement to sign RB Leipzig star Xavi Simons
That is according to journalist Rudy Galetti, who wrote on X this week that Chelsea have reached a verbal agreement to sign the Dutchman.
However, they’re currently waiting for Nkunku to leave before formalising the deal – making his exit imperative.
The 22-year-old playmaker bagged 11 goals and eight assists in all competitions across 24/25, prompting Leipzig to reward Simons with a £192,000-per-week contract – making him the highest-paid player in their history.
The former PSG ace only made his move there a permanent one in January, but if he has his way, Simons could soon become one of the Premier League’s newest stars.
MatériaMais Notícias
Com dois tempos distintos, o Fluminense estreou da melhor forma possível no Campeonato Brasileiro ao vencer o América-MG por 3 a 0 no Independência. Em campo, um nome se destacou e fez com que o Tricolor ficasse com os três pontos: o jovem Lelê, que foi o principal destaque do Volta Redonda pelo Campeonato Carioca. Fernando Diniz teceu muitos elogios ao atacante, que marcou um gol e deu uma assistência.
+ Confira e simule a tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro
O comandante também explicou a estratégia de poupar jogadores importantes visando o duelo contra o The Strongest, na terça, no Maracanã, pela Libertadores. De acordo com a visão de Diniz, o time começou bem, mas oscilou com alguns erros e foi se adaptando ao jogo.
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– Acho que começamos o jogo bem, a gente tinha uma estratégia de variar o jogo curto e o jogo longo. Logo no primeiro minuto já tivemos uma chance clara com o Pirani. Aí depois teve um lance com o Cano no meio, que ele errou o passe, e acho que aquilo tirou um pouco da confiança do time. A gente sabia que o América ia exercer uma pressão muito forte. A gente foi se adaptando ao jogo. No primeiro tempo, já começamos a jogar um pouco mais com a bola longa. No segundo tempo corrigimos, o jogo estava pedindo um outro tipo de abordagem. Colocamos o Lelê para poder, junto do John Kennedy, fazer um jogo de posse, um pouquinho mais verticalizado. Encaixou super bem, conseguimos fazer três gols. Ainda tivemos o pênalti e outras três chances claras para marcar. Foi um segundo tempo excelente – analisou, antes de completar:
+ATUAÇÕES: Lelê muda a partida com assistência e golaço na estreia do Fluminense pelo Brasileirão
– O Pirani eu acho que começou bem, mas o jogo foi ficando muito físico. A gente estava com dificuldade para fazer as aproximações que treinamos. A partir daí, para o Pirani o jogo deixa de ser interessante. É um jogador muito leve. Ele teve alguns erros que, na minha análise, estavam muito perto do acerto. Ele quase acertava, mas perdia um pouco do equilíbrio, do domínio e acabava perdendo a bola. Na dinâmica do jogo, ele não fez um jogo ruim – disse Diniz.
– Ao contrário do Lelê, que tem capacidade de sustentar um jogo físico muito grande, é um jogador de velocidade e de finalização. A partida do Lelê hoje foi excelente, principalmente os 30, 35 minutos do segundo tempo. Depois ele cansou um pouco, tanto ele quanto o John Kennedy. São jogadores de força, de velocidade e que têm boa técnica. Acho que a aquisição do Lelê vai nos ajudar muito, assim como o Pirani – concluiu.
Além disso, Diniz falou sobre o pênalti perdido por Germán Cano quando a partida ainda estava empatada. O técnico ressaltou que foi uma decisão do campo e que o argentino é um dos três melhores cobradores do Fluminense.
– Na realidade, a gente tem três possíveis batedores. O Ganso, o Arias e o Cano, mais ou menos nessa ordem. O Cano estava treinando mais esses dias, é um cara acostumado a bater pênalti e a marcar gols. Então são três possíveis batedores. O Lima também bate muito bem, poderia bater, mas é uma coisa que eles decidiram ali no campo. Poderia ter sido tanto o Ganso quanto o Cano – salientou.
+ Use o cupom LANCEFUT na compra da nova camisa do Tricolor e ganhe 10% OFF
O Fluminense volta a campo na próxima terça-feira, pela segunda rodada do Grupo D da Copa Libertadores. O adversário será o The Strongest, no Maracanã, às 19h (de Brasília). Pelo Brasileirão, a equipe mede forças com o Athletico-PR, no sábado, dia 22, às 16h, também no Maracanã.
If there is one area of the squad Arsenal need to reinforce this summer, it’s the attack.
Despite finishing as runners-up in the Premier League for the third campaign on the bounce last season, Mikel Arteta’s side produced the best defence for the second successive year.
So, while the additions of Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga are great, the Gunners really need to add more goals to the squad.
Fortunately, that seems to be the board’s intention, as reports now link the club to an exciting centre-forward who would be a dream teammate for fellow transfer target Eberechi Eze, and no, it’s not Viktor Gyokeres.
Arsenal target Eze's dream centre-forward
While Arsenal have been linked with a considerable number of talented internationals this summer, one of the most prominent has been Eze.
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In fact, if reports are to be believed, the Gunners have advanced from being interested in the Crystal Palace star to making an offer worth around £45m for him.
With an abundance of experience playing in the Premier League, the former QPR star will surely be a hit at the Emirates, especially as the club is still in the market for someone who’d be his perfect striker.
At least that’s according to a recent report from Germany, which claims that Arsenal are still very much interested in RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko.
In fact, the report has revealed that the Gunners are still in talks with the Bundesliga side over their tremendously exciting poacher, although it does concede that he’s no longer their number one target.
If the North Londoners are intent on signing the Slovenian international, it’ll cost them a pretty penny, with the story revealing that Leipzig want at least €80, which is about £69m.
However, given his ability, potential and attributes, he may just prove worth it, especially as he could be Eze’s dream striker.
Why Sesko would be perfect for Eze
As you’d expect with most strikers, one of the first positives to Sesko is his output, as while he’s not on a par with the absurd numbers Gyokeres is capable of producing, he’s still an effective attacker.
For example, in 45 appearances for Leipzig last season, totalling just 3258 minutes, the 22-year-old “monster,” as dubbed by journalist Eduardo Hagn, was able to score 21 goals and provide six assists.
In other words, the former RB Salzburg gem averaged a goal involvement every 1.66 games, or every 120.66 minutes.
Appearances
45
Minutes
3258′
Goals
21
Assists
6
Goal Involvements per Match
0.60
Minutes per Goal Involvement
120.66′
Moreover, you have to take into account the competitions in which forwards play in, as, according to Opta, the Bundesliga is the fourth-best league in the world, while the Portuguese league comes in as the eighth best – behind the Championship and Belgian Pro League.
The second reason the Palace star would love playing alongside Sesko is that he looks ready to develop into a truly complete striker.
For example, he’s 6 foot 5, can hit speeds of 35.69 km/h and is incredibly effective with the ball at his feet. being great with the ball at his feet.
Don’t just take our word for it though, as FBref ranked him in the top 8% of forwards in the Bundesliga for percentage of successful take-ons and the top 11% for outright successful take-ons last season, all per 90.
Furthermore, by looking at his heat map from this season, we can also see how comfortable he is playing deeper or in the penalty area, suggesting he’d be able to help in build up as well as finish chances.
Ultimately, while he might cost a king’s ransom, Sesko looks like he could be something seriously special, and therefore, Arsenal should be doing what they can to sign him, especially as Eze would love him.
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