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da betsson： Em momentos opostos na tabela, Corinthians e Botafogo se enfrentam na sexta-feira (22), às 20h, na Neo Química ARena, pela 24ª rodada do Brasileirão. O Timão possui apenas três pontos de distância para o Santos, primeiro time na zona do rebaixamento, e quer encerrar com a sequência de quatro jogos sem vitórias. Já o Glorioso vive uma fase ruim, mas tem a chance de ampliar a vantagem na liderança, já que o Palmeiras foi derrotado pelo Grêmio.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalpites de HojePalpite: Corinthians x Botafogo – Campeonato Brasileiro – 22/9/2023Palpites de Hoje22/09/2023BotafogoTécnico do Botafogo indica que lançará Tchê Tchê como ponta contra o Corinthians; veja provável escalação!Botafogo21/09/2023BotafogoApós acordo, torcida do Botafogo terá direito à venda antecipada de ingressos para duelo com o CorinthiansBotafogo21/09/2023

da bet7k： + Renove o seu estoque de camisas do Tricolor com o cupom LANCEFUT 10% OFF

ONDE ASSISTIR / TRANSMISSÃO: Premiere e tempo real do Lance!

Para o duelo contra o Botafogo, Vanderlei Luxemburgo terá os retornos dos zagueiros Bruno Méndez e Gil, suspensos na última rodada. O treinador corintiano deve usar os titulares, mas pode preservar alguns veteranos ao longo da partida, como Fagner, Fábio Santos e Renato Augusto.

Líder do Brasileirão, o Botafogo vai a campo em busca de se reencontrar com as vitórias na competição. A equipe passa por uma oscilação após ter perdido para Flamengo e Atlético-MG (além de amargar uma eliminação da Sul-Americana com revés para o Defensa Y Justicia, da Argentina).

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O técnico Bruno Lage cogita fazer alterações na equipe para o duelo na Arena Corinthians. No encerramento da preparação, o comandante escalou a equipe com Gabriel Pires entre os titulares e Tchê Tchê atuando pelo lado direito do ataque, próximo a Victor Sá e Tiquinho Soares.

Recuperado de um choque sofrido diante do Atlético-MG, Lucas Perri está confirmado na meta. Di Plácidoserá titular na lateral direita.

+ Já pensou em ser um gestor de futebol? Participe da nossa Masterclass com Felipe Ximenes e descubra oportunidades

CORINTHIANS X BOTAFOGO
24ª RODADA DO CAMPEONATO BRASILEIRO

Local:Neo Química Arena, São Paulo (SP)
Data e hora:segunda-feira, 21 de setembro de 2023, às 20h00 (horário de Brasília)
Árbitro:Paulo César Zanovelli da Silva (Fifa-MG)
Assistentes:Nailton Junior de Sousa Oliveira (FIFA-CE)
Árbitro de vídeo:Rafael Traci (FIFA-SC)
Onde assistir:Premiere e no tempo real doLance!

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CORINTHIANS

Cássio; Bruno Méndez (Fagner), Gil, Lucas Veríssimo e Bidu (Fábio Santos), Moscardo, Maycon e Giuliano (Renato Augusto); Rojas, Yuri Alberto e Wesley (Pedro).Técnico:Vanderlei Luxemburgo.

Desfalques: Paulinho (recuperação de cirurgia no joelho)

Pendurados:Cássio, Lucas Veríssimo, Caetano, Fagner, Fausto Vera, Gabriel Moscardo, Matheus Bidu, Maycon, Roni, Guilherme Biro, Ruan Oliveira e Yuri Alberto.

BOTAFOGO

Lucas Perri; Di Plácido, Adryelson, Victor Cuesta, Marçal; Marlon Freitas, Gabriel Pires (Júnior Santos) e Eduardo; Tchê Tchê, Victor Sá e Tiquinho Soares.Técnico:Bruno Lage

Desfalques:Rafael e Patrick de Paula (lesionados)

Pendurados: Rafael, Matías Segovia, Philipe Sampaio, Hugo e Janderson

Leeds United won the Championship title with a whopping 100-point haul in the 2024/25 campaign to earn promotion back up to the Premier League.

Daniel Farke will now be aiming to guide the team clear of relegation, knowing that the last six teams promoted from the second tier have all been relegated at the first time of asking.

The Whites scored 95 goals in their 46 matches in the Championship, and they did so without a natural number ten type magician in the squad, as they had in the past with Pablo Hernandez, and as Farke had in the past with Emiliano Buendia.

Instead, old-school wingers like Manor Solomon and Dan James provided quality in the final third, whilst Brenden Aaronson was the main number ten and ended the season with just two assists in 43 league starts.

Bristol City (A)

0

0

Burnley (H)

0

0

Sunderland (A)

0

0

Sheffield United (H)

0

0

Coventry (H)

0

0

Coventry (A)

0

0

Burnley (A)

0

0

Sunderland (H)

0

0

Sheffield United (A)

0

0

Bristol City (H)

0

0

As you can see in the table above, the USA international did not deliver a single goal contribution in his ten appearances against the other teams in the top six, as he struggled badly against the better teams in the division.

Why Leeds needs to sign their next Pablo Hernandez

Aaronson’s lacklustre form in front of goal, despite being a regular starter in a dominant team, suggests that he will not be good enough to make the step up to the Premier League next season.

That thought is, of course, backed up by the fact that he only managed one goal in 36 games in the top-flight during his first year in England in the 2022/23 campaign, which shows that he has already failed to make the step up to that level.

Therefore, Leeds need to acquire a new number ten option to score and create goals in the Premier League, and they should target a traditional playmaker in the Pablo Hernandez mould to improve their options in the middle of the park.

The Spaniard delivered 36 goals and 41 assists in 175 appearances for the West Yorkshire outfit in all competitions, which shows that he provided quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals on a regular basis whilst playing on the wing or as an attacking midfielder.

Hernandez was a joy to watch during his time at Elland Road, as shown by some of the fantastic goals in the clips above, and Leeds do not have a similar kind of player in their current squad.

That is why the Whites should make signing their next version of the Spanish maestro a priority between now and the end of the summer transfer window ahead of their return to the Premier League.

Leeds have interest in Championship playmaker

According to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds United are ‘believed’ to have a genuine interest in Sheffield United attacking midfielder Gustavo Hamer this summer.

The report claims that the Championship champions are one of the teams eyeing up the Dutch playmaker, although it reveals that he has fallen down the shortlist and is not the number one priority at this moment in time.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

It adds that the Whites were interested in a deal to sign the Blades star in the summer transfer window in 2024, and that they had an offer of £13m turned down by their rivals.

Given that he is not at the top of their wishlist for number tens, it remains to be seen if Leeds will snap the 28-year-old star up before the window slams shut at the start of September.

He is reportedly valued at a fee of around £18m by Sheffield United, but this latest report by the Yorkshire Evening Post does not reveal if they would be willing to pay that much for the midfielder.

Why Leeds should sign Gustavo Hamer

The Whites should press ahead with a swoop for the Championship star, despite him not being one of their top targets in that position, because he could be their next Pablo Hernandez.

Like the Spaniard, Hamer is a diminutive playmaker who can play out wide or in the middle as a number ten, having played off the left 33 times for Sheffield United this season.

The Dutch star, who was hailed as “outstanding” by former boss Chris Wilder, has showcased his quality in the Premier League and in the Championship with the Blades in the last two campaigns.

In the 2024/25 campaign, the former Coventry City magician scored nine goals, created 11 ‘big chances’, and delivered seven assists in the Championship, which shows that he provided quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

Hamer’s performances for Sheffield United in the Premier League in the previous season, despite their relegation from the division, suggest that the potential is there for him to be a great addition for the Whites.

Goals

4

Top 16%

xG

2.98

Top 24%

xA

4.55

Top 12%

Assists

6

Top 10%

Chances created

70

Top 3%

Crosses completed

33

Top 5%

Dribbles completed

28

Top 13%

As you can see in the table above, the Dutchman ranked highly among his positional peers as both a scorer and a creator of goals from a midfield position, as he was directly involved in ten goals in the top-flight.

This shows that he does have the ability to make an impact in front of goal in the Premier League. Whereas, as aforementioned, Aaronson flopped in his last season at that level.

Therefore, Hamer could arrive at Elland Road this summer as a long-term successor to Pablo Hernandez in West Yorkshire, as he is a natural playmaker who has shown that he can make a difference in the final third with goals and assists at an impressive rate.

Leeds open talks with agent of "talented" Champions League level star

The 49ers mean business this summer…

1 ByTom Cunningham Jun 27, 2025

It is now down to the club to decide who their number one target is for the number ten position, but these statistics suggest that the Blades star would be an excellent choice.

da mrbet： Amid rumours that they’ve already had to reject a bid worth £45m to sell Anthony Elanga, Nottingham Forest have now reportedly opened talks to sign a possible replacement.

Nottingham Forest reject Newcastle's Elanga bid

da apostaganha： After securing a shock place in the Europa Conference League in an excellent season last time out, Nottingham Forest are in no position to sell key players. But that hasn’t stopped certain clubs from testing the waters. Among them, Newcastle United reportedly formalised their interest in Elanga with an offer worth £45m earlier this week, only to see that bid rejected by those at the City Ground.

There’s still plenty of time remaining in the summer transfer window, however, and Forest will be well aware that Newcastle could yet come calling a second time.

If that does happen, then preparing for Elanga’s exit in a worst-case scenario would not be a bad idea for all involved at the City Ground. Already, on that front, Forest have attempted and failed to sign Timothy Weah from Juventus and have also been linked with versatile AC Milan midfielder Yunus Musah.

Whether either of those options possess the quality to replace Elanga is the big question. One man who is unlikely to face problems in that regard is Igor Jesus. The Botafogo forward is reportedly on his way to the Midlands alongside teammate Jair Cunha following their Club World Cup campaign.

The former has already stolen plenty of headlines with his winning goal against Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain and is seemingly about to take the Premier League by storm.

Related Nottingham Forest open talks to sign "elite" new star after Weah rejection

They’ve instantly turned towards another option.

Posts ByTom Cunningham Jun 27, 2025

Jesus and Cuiabano may not be the only Club World Cup stars to arrive, either, amid reports that Forest have opened talks to sign another attacking target.

Nottingham Forest open talks to sign Pepe

According to ESPN Brazil, Nottingham Forest have now opened talks to sign Pepe from FC Porto, who are demanding over €15m (£12m) to sell their 28-year-old winger this summer.

An experienced winger who scored at the Club World Cup for Porto in a 4-4 draw against Al-Ahly this summer, Pepe would offer Forest instant depth and may even be asked to replace Elanga if the Swede joins Newcastle.

League stats 24/25 (via FBref)

Pepe

Elanga

Minutes

1,991

2,501

Goals

3

6

Assists

2

11

Key Passes

31

50

The pressure would instantly be on Pepe if he did step in for Elanga and although his experience could prove to be invaluable, questions will be asked about his ability to match the 22-year-old’s output.

As a versatile backup who can play all across the frontline, however, the Porto man represents an ideal choice as Forest step into European football. At just over £12m too, it’s not a deal that Evangelos Marinakis will need to splash out on for Nuno Espirito Santo in the coming months.

Newcastle United have accepted that a move for long-time transfer target Bryan Mbeumo may not work out this summer, with the Brentford forward reportedly preferring to sign for Manchester United.

Whether that will happen is another matter, and no longer the Magpies’ concern, for Eddie Howe and the powers that be have turned their attention to alternative options, Anthony Elanga and Mohammed Kudus among the targeted.

While Newcastle are in talks with Callum Wilson for a new contract, the ageing striker failed to register a goal contribution in the Premier League last season as he battled through injury problems, and some extra firepower to complement Alexander Isak wouldn’t go amiss.

Newcastle plotting to sign new striker

Brighton & Hove Albion’s Joao Pedro is right at the top of the shopping list, but Newcastle may well be plotting to sign an even more exciting centre-forward.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to Football Insider, Newcastle are considering an official move for Porto’s Samu Aghehowa in the coming months, having been keeping tabs on the prolific striker.

Though the 21-year-old has an £82.5m release clause in his contract, he could be sold for considerably less, with a fee of £63m mooted.

Manchester United are also interested as they search for an upgrade on Rasmus Hojlund, and the Premier League competitors may well battle it out for the number nine.

What Samu Omorodion would bring to Newcastle

Tall, powerful and blessed with swift pace, Aghehowa has the fundamental skills to become a fearsome marksman in the Premier League, more still a perfect counterpoint to ther breezy dynamism of Isak.

He might not be the finished article, but this wouldn’t actually be a negative: Aghehowa would join a Newcastle team blessed with “the best striker in the Premier League” in Isak, as has been said by pundit Jamie Carragher, and Wilson, an experienced poacher.

It’s a fantastic mix, and one which could see Aghehowa springboard into the ascendency. Who knows, he might even prove an even bigger star than Pedro with some careful man-management over the coming years.

Though Pedro has impressed since joining Brighton from Watford in a deal worth around £30m two years ago, scoring 30 goals and providing ten assists across 70 matches, 18 of those strikes have come from the penalty spot.

Aghehowa’s ceiling is higher.

Joining Porto from Atletico Madrid last summer just weeks after a move to Chelsea collapsed, Omorodion has thrived in Portugal, scoring 25 goals across 42 matches in all competitions, including a six-goal haul in the Europa League that saw him fire two past Man United.

League 24/25 – Samu Omorodion vs Joao Pedro
Stats (* per game)	Omorodion	Pedro
Matches (starts)	30 (23)	27 (23)
Goals	19	10
Assists	3	6
Shots (on target)*	2.7 (1.1)	1.7 (0.7)
Big chances missed	18	7
Pass completion	79%	75%
Big chances created	5	11
Key passes*	0.6	1.1
Dribbles*	0.4	1.1
Duels won*	3.3	4.9
Stats via Sofascore

Hailed as a “monster in the making” with a “complete profile” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Aghehowa has the mark of an elite-level goalscorer, and while Brighton’s Brazilian forward is more creative and dynamic, Newcastle must invest their chips in the man who could become one of the deadliest number nines in the business.

The dream XI Newcastle can build: No Gordon; Joao Pedro & £120m trio sign

Newcastle are looking to make sweeping changes as they step back into the Champions League.

1

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 10, 2025

A look at the former captain’s plans, instincts, vision, charisma and philosophy

Mohammad Isam10-Mar-2020.Forming a core group
After Bangladesh had slipped in ODIs and T20Is in 2014, the BCB decided to split the captaincy for the first time. Mushfiqur Rahim had the Test job, while Mortaza, who had just recovered from an injury, was given white-ball duties. This was going to be a test case for the BCB, particularly because of Mortaza’s injury history which cut short his two previous captaincy stints.Very early in his third stint, Mortaza wanted to do away with Bangladesh’s culture of relying on individuals and wasn’t afraid of rebuking his team when he saw a lack of seriousness. At the same time, Mortaza slowly began to form a core group of senior cricketers from the 2015 World Cup squad, who would be the pillars around whom his team would be built.ALSO READ: ‘Nobody should forget what Mortaza has done for Bangladesh cricket’He had four senior players in the squad already – Shakib Al Hasan, Iqbal, Rahim and Mahmudullah – but two of them were low on confidence. Mahmudullah’s form had been iffy for the preceding two years, but he found some form when he was asked to bat higher up the order in a couple of matches leading up to the World Cup. Mortaza and coach Chandika Hathurusingha sensed that Mahmudullah could do with a bit of freedom for which he needed to be promoted, as he was a stroke-maker suited to playing on-the-rise shots, particularly on occasions when field restrictions were still in effect. Mahmudullah had a good tournament and his 103 from No. 4 against England in Adelaide helped Bangladesh progress to the knockouts for the first time.Mahmudullah believes that Mortaza’s fight for the cause of every cricketer in his team set him apart from all the other captains.
“You must have seen how we spend time together,” Mahmudullah told ESPNcricinfo. “We have a special bond. He fought for every individual player. I am a big example. I was in deep trouble at one point. He was right next to me. He gave me extraordinary support not only as my captain, but as my brother and friend. I will forever be thankful to him. We spent a lot of time together.”Mortaza also helped Iqbal out of a similar rut during the 2015 World Cup. It was an ordinary campaign for the batsman, who was accused by social media trolls of being in the team due to the influence his uncle Akram Khan – former Bangladesh captain, chief selector and later board director – wielded.Mortaza took Iqbal under his wing and gave him all the confidence he could. The result: Iqbal turned things around quickly, slamming two ODI hundreds and a Test double-hundred against Pakistan soon after the World Cup.Building a team
The encouraging performance from Rubel Hossain and Taskin Ahmed in the 2015 World Cup, and the emergence of Mustafizur Rahman prompted Mortaza to ask the then BCB administration to prepare pace-friendly pitches for the ODIs against India. In the first ODI, he went in with a four-man pace attack.It was a wild idea coming from a Bangladesh captain but Mortaza sensed that the best way to counter India’s batsmen would be pace. His four-card trick reaped instant rewards, with Mustafizur leading the way as Bangladesh won the series 2-1.Iqbal said that Mortaza’s insistence that they could beat India rubbed off on the rest of the group, and the team started to believe.ALSO READ: Who will replace Mortaza as Bangladesh captain?“I think one of his greatest quality was how he kept on saying ‘we can win, we can win’, all the time,” Iqbal told ESPNcricinfo. “When he said we can beat India in the ODI series in 2015, it seemed impossible. They were the No. 1 side in the world [ranked No. 2 in ODIs at the time]. But he kept saying it, and that positivity spread around the team. Slowly we also started to believe that we can win.”Mortaza kept this belief in pace at home for much of his captaincy, but Ahmed’s form quickly declined while Rahman lost confidence in his cutters – his main weapon – after his shoulder surgery in 2016. Mortaza himself took the new ball from time to time when the other pacers struggled for form. But for five years, he fought for his belief in the idea that pace works against certain teams even at home, and tried to instill that in his team.An instinctive captain
His winning mentality spurred many progressive ideas for the Bangladesh team management, and one of them was to establish the need for four frontline bowlers. He was keen to cash in on allrounders like Shakib and Rahim (as keeper-batsman), who provided balance to the side with their dual roles. He often said that replacing Shakib meant bringing in two players, so when Shakib was around, and when Rahim kept wickets, it freed up two places for Mortaza, and more often than not, Mortaza picked bowlers.Mortaza was also an instinctive captain who didn’t shy away from deciding to take himself off in the middle of a spell. He once said: “I don’t wait for two or three overs like many captains. If I see that it isn’t happening for a bowler, I will change him after an over. It doesn’t happen with planning, sometimes you just have to make those changes.”Liton Das walks off after his dismissal•BCBA captain with a vision
Mortaza wanted a long-term vision for his team, so he was constantly looking for missing pieces of the puzzle. One of his biggest challenges was to find a suitable opening partner for Iqbal.
For example, in 2018, he publicly gave Anamul Haque the assurance to make the opening slot his own. Haque ultimately failed to do so, but more recently, Mortaza revealed that Liton Das had told him that he only wanted to play as an opener. Mortaza kept that request in mind, and towards the end of his captaincy tried to help Das settle down as an opener too.Mortaza didn’t shy away from backing erratic players either. He famously backed Hossain when his career was derailed by a criminal charge before the 2015 World Cup. Time after time, Sabbir Rahman failed to maintain discipline but Mortaza’s belief in his hitting abilities hardly wavered. Mortaza also backed players with more limited ability like Arafat Sunny, a domestic veteran who came good for a brief period at the highest level. He was also lucky to find Mohammad Saifuddin towards the latter part of his stint.His X-factor, his charisma
Mortaza’s life story, particularly his comebacks from crippling injuries, have often been enough to inspire team-mates, but on occasion, he has had to dig deep. Shane Jurgensen, the former Bangladesh coach, and Iqbal have described two separate incidents where Mortaza’s mere presence changed the mood of the entire team.Incidentally, both those moments came after a Test series drubbing, heading into an ODI series, and both against West Indies, although six years apart. In 2012, after Bangladesh went down 2-0 to West Indies at home, Mortaza took the entire team from Khulna to his hometown Narail for a day out. Jurgensen claimed that the team got into a different mood after that.A similar thing happened in the West Indies in 2018, after Bangladesh were hammered in the Test series. Mortaza wasn’t supposed to head to the West Indies as he hadn’t fully recovered from an injury. He arrived a couple of days before the first ODI, and Iqbal says that one look at him, and the dressing-room atmosphere changed.”I have played a lot of matches with Mortaza so sometimes it takes a bit of time to realise certain aspects of a particular individual,” Iqbal said. “I understood why this guy is so special during our 2018 West Indies tour. We were really down after the Test series. You can imagine the team atmosphere, but then when Mortaza arrived for the ODI series, the whole mood of the team changed. Something just clicked within the team seeing Mortaza.”On both occasions, Bangladesh went on to win the ODI series.Mortaza Mortaza rings in the changes•BCBHis philosophy, a lasting legacy
Mortaza was once asked whether an upcoming match against South Africa, with the series tied at 1-1, was going to be his greatest challenge.”Every challenge is different but there is no bigger challenge for me than to raise my son and daughter.”It wasn’t a jaw-dropping reply but the coming years would reveal that it summed up the person he was, and the philosophy he often tried inculcate. While Mortaza wanted his team to give their 100%, he never wanted them to lose sight of the fact that there was more to life than just cricket, and their careers. He spent countless hours chatting with many of his team-mates in his room, sipping cups of tea, and sharing stories.Iqbal said that Mortaza brought a very Bangladeshi quality to the team setting. “How he treated every player isn’t something common for professional sports teams. You won’t find it anywhere else in the world. But due to our culture, you needed a captain who would really take care of a player who is in poor form,” he said.Mahmudullah said that Mortaza’s focus on the small contributions really made a big difference within the team environment.”A captain is also a player. A lot of times, you need to perform. Even during his crunch time, he kept building the team. He was always worried about the team. He stood tall,” Mahmudullah said. “He always wanted us to perform for each other, enjoy another’s performance. He never overlooked small achievements and contributions. He always addressed those small things, and praised whoever had done it. I think it was a great quality.”

Manchester United finished 15th in the Premier League last season, with emphasis on the word ‘last’.

Ruben Amorim didn’t mince his words when talking about the need to turn things around and use the 2024/25, and all the baggage that came with it, as a springboard for the future, finally ending these endless years of frustration for one of the game’s biggest superpowers.

Fixing the frontline was always going to be among the chief priorities for the Old Trafford side, and INEOS started on a strong footing there, signing Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a £62.5m fee, the Brazil forward rejecting interest from a host of Premier League suitors to join the Red Devils.

Efforts for Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo are ongoing, but the pointers suggest that the right-sided forward will join up with Amorim’s squad in the coming weeks, having expressed a burning desire to make the switch.

This is all well and good, but Man United still need to sign a central striker.

Why Man Utd need a new striker

By all accounts, Amorim wanted to commence pre-season with Marcus Rashford, Antony, Jadon Sancho and Alejandro Garnacho all sold. That hasn’t happened, and they have all informed the hierarchy of their wish to depart.

More concerning, perhaps, is Rasmus Hojlund’s continued presence in the Man United senior squad.

The Danish striker, 22, was well out of sorts last term, and has been heavily linked with a summer exit, Inter Milan showing the most interest in his signature.

​​​​​

Hojlund is clearly a talented forward, but after such an abject run across the recent campaign, it might be a good idea for him to leave, not least because Sir Jim Ratcliffe openly admitted that the young talent was inherited from the past regime, and that he would “have to sort that out”.

Well, whether Hojlund goes or not, United’s movements in the market thus far suggest that a central frontman is on the agenda.

And they’ve been locked in talks for one of the best that Europe has to offer.

Man Utd open talks for new striker

According to talkSPORT, Manchester United have made a fresh enquiry for Eintracht Frankfurt centre-forward Hugo Ekitike, who is one of the hottest commodities in the market this summer.

Ekitike has been coveted by a host of Premier League sides this summer, with United joined in their interest by Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool.

However, with the Gunners closing in on Gyokeres, Jason Wilcox might feel he has a good shot at securing the talented Frenchman’s signature.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Frankfurt value their man at €100m (£85m), a figure they are unwilling to budge on and suitors are as yet unwilling to meet.

What Hugo Ekitike would bring to Man United

Ekitike is only 22 years old, but he’s already established himself as “one of the best strikers out there”, as said by analyst Ben Mattinson.

After leaving Paris Saint-Germain for Frankfurt in January 2024, initially on loan, he’s only gone from strength to strength, scoring 22 goals and supplying 12 assists across 48 matches in all competitions last season.

Ekitike’s natural finishing ability is neat and all, but his high-speed movements and all-round presence in the final third have led journalist Graeme Bailey to dub him “the next Mbappe”, with such a skill set surely perfect for the frontline Amorim is trying to build, namely with Mbeumo circling in on the Theatre of Dreams.

Runners – and confident ones at that – were in short supply at Old Trafford last season. Adding Mbeumo and Ekitike would do wonders, building back up a will to win and work which would pour over to the rest of the squad.

He’s certainly performing at a superior level to Hojlund, and could in that sense prove the perfect centre-forward for Mbeumo to combine with and rekindle the United attack.

Goals scored

0.53

0.18

Assists

0.28

0.00

Shots taken

4.00

1.44

Shot-creating actions

3.55

1.53

Touches (att pen)

6.88

3.32

Progressive passes

1.86

0.82

Progressive carries

3.27

1.26

Successful take-ons

1.83

0.40

Ball recoveries

3.06

1.57

Tackles + interceptions

0.81

0.22

Quite comprehensively, Hojlund was outstripped by his French counterpart, like bark from a sun-weathered tree.

Ekitike’s dynamic movements and innate creative flair suggest he could be perfect for a pair of goal-focused wide forwards such as Cunha and Mbeumo.

Of course, Mbeumo isn’t only about goalscoring. The Cameroonian racked up seven assists in the Premier League last season, creating 17 big chances across the campaign and averaging 1.8 key passes per game, as per Sofascore.

He also finished the campaign ranked among the top 9% of Premier League attacking midfielders and wingers for crosses completed per 90 (FBref), so he would be well equipped to turn provider for the rangy striker when required.

The fact that the Red Devils have tweaked their strategy and appear to be intent on signing Prem-proven quality alongside the rising phenoms from overseas like Ekitike bespeaks the new era, incipient but inspired by the struggles of recent years, of ensuring that a corner will be turned.

United were at their nadir last season, and no mistake. However, Amorim is a tactician worth his salt, and he might just piece together a squad capable of competing at the top once more, with the likes of Mbeumo playing with the perfect frontman in Ekitike.

Let’s see how this one pans out over the coming weeks.

Cunha 2.0 for Amorim: Man Utd in talks to sign "unstoppable" £35m star

Manchester United are still planning to make some attacking signings this summer.

2 ByAngus Sinclair Jul 8, 2025

The Saudi Pro League is reportedly prepared to pay a record-smashing €350 million for Kylian Mbappe and hand him a Cristiano Ronaldo-esque contract.

Vinicius Jr was wanted in the Middle EastMarquee signings being sought in that regionFrench superstar has no interest in moveFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

World Cup winner Mbappe has emerged as a top target for teams in the Middle East after they failed to lure club colleague Vinicius Junior away from Santiago Bernabeu. It was claimed that a €300m (£259m/$348m) fee could change hands there, with a €1 billion (£863m/$1.2bn) contract being lined up.

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No deal was done for the Brazil international, but the Saudi Pro League remains in the market for “high-profile players that can elevate the league’s global image”. According to , a €350m (£302m/$406m) offer has been readied for Mbappe.

The France international would be handed terms that “match or come very close to Ronaldo”, with the five-time Ballon d’Or-winning Portuguese superstar working on a record-breaking deal at Al-Nassr.

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No sale will be sanctioned as Real Madrid consider their French ‘Galactico’, who has been handed the No.10 shirt in the Spanish capital, to be “absolutely untransferable” as their “biggest commercial and media asset”.

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Mbappe has also “shown no inclination” that he wants to leave the Bernabeu. He is focused on “establishing his legacy among Europe’s elite” and believes his efforts to be in peak condition for the 2026 World Cup “would be compromised by a move to the Saudi league”.

KL Rahul has been given time off, while Washington Sundar could play the semi-finals if Tamil Nadu get there

Shashank Kishore08-Jan-2025Devdutt Padikkal, Prasidh Krishna and Abhimanyu Easwaran will all turn out for their respective sides’ fixtures in the knockout phase of the 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy from January 9 in Vadodara. KL Rahul has requested for a break, while Washington Sundar may be available semi-finals onwards if Tamil Nadu get to that stage.While Padikkal and Prasidh will fly out with a majority of the Indian contingent from Sydney on Wednesday, Abhimanyu was granted permission to fly out a day in advance. He was subsequently booked on an earlier flight by the Cricket Association of Bengal to be able to link up with the state squad in Vadodara, after stops in Singapore and Ahmedabad.On Wednesday, Abhimanyu will train with the rest of the Bengal squad ahead of their pre-quarter-final fixture against Haryana. Akash Deep, the other Bengal player in the India squad, has been ruled out because of a back niggle, which kept him out of the final Test in Australia, and will instead head to the Centre of Excellence (earlier the National Cricket Academy) in Bengaluru.Related

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Prasidh and Padikkal are expected to join the Karnataka squad by January 10, ahead of their quarter-final game against Baroda a day later. Initially part of only the India A squad that was on a shadow tour prior to the Border-Gavaskar series, Padikkal was an addition to the Test squad following Rohit Sharma’s late arrival because of the birth of his son. Padikkal featured in India’s 295-run win in Perth, but wasn’t picked in any of the subsequent Tests.Prasidh, meanwhile, played the last Test in Sydney – his first Test appearance in a year. He finished with a match haul of six wickets, including the wickets of Steven Smith in both innings. Padikkal and Prasidh had impressed in both the four-day fixtures for India A prior to the Test series.For Abhimanyu, the game against Haryana will be his first official fixture in two months, after he spent all five Tests in Australia on the sidelines. Having been in the race to be a back-up opener who may have been in with a shout to play in Perth in Rohit’s absence, scores of 7, 12, 0 and 17 in four innings for India A in Australia dented his chances of earning a Test debut.Prior to the India A tour, though, he had been in rip-roaring form, hitting four first-class hundreds in four matches across the season-opening Duleep Trophy and the Ranji Trophy that followed.In the aftermath of India’s 3-1 series loss in Australia, which also meant conceding the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after ten years, head coach Gautam Gambhir had stated his desire to see Test players making themselves available to play domestic cricket wherever possible.”I would always like everyone to play domestic cricket,” he had said. “That is how much importance domestic cricket needs to be given. Not only one game. If they are available and they have the commitment to play red ball cricket, everyone should play domestic cricket. As simple as it can get. If you don’t give importance to domestic cricket, you will never get the desired players that you want.”

It seems that whatever malaise had slowed Warner down, he’s over it

Jarrod Kimber12-Nov-2021David Warner was the most dominant batter in the IPL for years. And then he played a few bad games, and the team he had captained for an IPL victory not too long ago dropped him mid-year and sacked him from his leadership job.When I said he was dominant, he had an average of 52 with a strike rate of 145 from 2014 until 2020. And half a bad year where he made runs, but far more slowly than anyone would have liked, was enough for Sunrisers Hyderabad to let him go. In the eight innings he played in IPL 2021, he was run-out twice. And they moved on from the most incredible batter they – or maybe anyone in the IPL – have ever had.Related

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It was not the first time Warner had struggled. In 2018, when he was banned from the Australian team, he went on to play in Canada for the Global T20 league’s Winnipeg Hawks. He averaged 13.6 with a strike rate of 114.7. He then turned up for the CPL with St Lucia Stars and made nine, 11 and seven in his first three games. Even as he started to make some more runs for the Stars, people began to wonder if this was some kind of irreversible decline in form.Was Warner’s effectiveness tied to being an Australian player? Had his mojo been sucked out with the sandpapergate scandal? These were the weird thoughts that seemed to float around.Obviously not, as he then went straight back to the IPL and made 692 runs at a strike rate of 143.86 in 2019.

While he is no longer the kid with the double-sided bat slogging 90mph-plus into the crowd, he’s been the Warner that Sunrisers had in this tournament. Not the one they dropped this year, but the one who dominated the IPL over six seasons

The Sunrisers’ over-reaction might have had less to do with six bad games from Warner and more to do with their own poor roster construction. But it was a big decision to make on the back of such a small sample size. However, people took a few bad games and assumed that Warner was in an irreparable decline. At 35, hell, once you pass 32, people start looking for signs that you are done.Watch cricket live on ESPN+

Sign up for ESPN+ and catch all the action from the Men’s T20 World Cup live in the USA. Match highlights of the second semi-final is available in English, and in Hindi (USA only).

And there are plenty of signs that Warner isn’t the same batter he once was, as he’s clearly just not. He made his mark by flat-batting Dale Steyn into the MCG crowd when he was 22 games into a professional career and hadn’t yet played a first-class match. In that game, he had a strike rate of 206, clearing the massive boundary six times.In all, he has hit that many maximums or more ten times, but only once since 2012.5:44

Jayawardene: ‘Warner’s contribution was crucial’

It is also really the period where he went from being a hitter to a batter. Or, more importantly, a Test player. Since being that kind of a batter, Warner has changed from a T20 hitting machine to a hard-running match-up guy who knows how to make very consistent runs. His body has changed too, and there is a reason he doesn’t bowl legspin – or even medium pace – anymore as his shoulder will not allow it.None of this means he can’t hit sixes anymore, he still takes down a lot of spin, and if Warner can time the ball well, he will score them off quickly. But he isn’t the beast who dumped Vinay Kumar a bunch of rows back in a Test at the WACA.And that is why it is strange that people saw the IPL form and the slow start to this tournament against South Africa and assumed Warner was past it. Most of what Warner does now is just smart cricket. He knows how to make runs in T20s. Like any batter, Warner will go through a bad patch because T20s can be like that. If Warner wasn’t the most consistent scorer in the modern T20 format, then KL Rahul was, and he went through a similar run not that long ago.And it seems that whatever malaise had slowed Warner down, he’s over it. This is already Warner’s best-ever T20 World Cup, and it’s not a tournament that he generally does that well in. In fact, part of Australia’s problems can probably be traced back to the fact that they have Warner and Aaron Finch at the top. But despite them being big-name T20 stars, they haven’t even always opened for Australia at this global tournament together.So far, Finch has not really fired this time, but Warner has. He made 65 from 42 against Sri Lanka, had two failures against England and Bangladesh, but then bounced back by scoring 89* against West Indies from 56 balls. His Sri Lanka knock probably helped the team win the game, the West Indies one did too, but they were half on the plane while bowling in that innings.This innings against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup semi-final was something else. This was a knockout match against an incredible bowling line-up that goes deep. Warner survived Shaheen Shah Afridi early on and took on his good match-up against legspin with Shadab Khan. And when Mohammad Hafeez bowled a double bouncer, he was so quick to work out that it was a no-ball and get to it so he could swing it over the ropes. That was again proof of how smart he is.This innings helped set up Matthew Wade and Marcus Stoinis at the end. And had he just reviewed his caught behind, he might well have been able to navigate Australia through their collapse much easier.Warner has changed. While he is the fourth leading run-scorer at this tournament, with a strike rate just under 150, he has only hit seven sixes. But while he is no longer the kid with the double-sided bat slogging 90mph-plus into the crowd, he’s been the Warner that the Sunrisers had in this tournament.Not the one they dropped this year, but the one who dominated the IPL over six seasons.

يشهد اليوم الأحد الموافق 26-11-2025، العديد من المواجهات القوية والمثيرة على المستويين المحلي والقاري، حيث تتجه أنظار عشاق كرة القدم إلى عدد من المباريات الحاسمة في دوري أبطال إفريقيا وكأس الكونفدرالية، إلى جانب قمم نارية في الدوريات الأوروبية الكبرى.

يشهد اليوم الأحد 26 نوفمبر 2025 العديد من المواجهات الكروية القوية والمثيرة على المستويين المحلي والعالمي، حيث تتجه أنظار عشاق كرة القدم إلى الملاعب العربية والإفريقية والأوروبية لمتابعة قمم نارية في مختلف البطولات.

في الملاعب المصرية، تتواصل منافسات الدوري المحلي بإقامة ثلاث مباريات مهمة أبرزها لقاء فاركو ضد الإسماعيلي في الإسكندرية، بينما يخوض طلائع الجيش مواجهة متكافئة أمام زد إف سي في إطار سعي الفريقين لتحسين موقعهما بجدول الترتيب.

أما على الصعيد الإفريقي، يخوض بيراميدز اختبارًا قويًا أمام التأمين الإثيوبي في دوري أبطال إفريقيا، في حين يدخل المصري البورسعيدي مواجهة حاسمة أمام الاتحاد الليبي ضمن منافسات كأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية، في سعي ممثلي الكرة المصرية لبلوغ الأدوار المتقدمة القارية.

وفي أوروبا، تسرق موقعة مانشستر سيتي وأستون فيلا الأضواء ضمن مباريات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، حيث يبحث السيتيزنز عن استعادة صدارة الترتيب، بينما يأمل أستون فيلا في تحقيق مفاجأة أمام حامل اللقب، كما ينتظر عشاق الكرة العالمية كلاسيكو الأرض بين ريال مدريد وبرشلونة في الدوري الإسباني، في مواجهة تُعد الأبرز هذا الأسبوع.

أما في إيطاليا وفرنسا وألمانيا، فيتواصل الصراع بين الأندية الكبيرة، إذ يلتقي يوفنتوس ولاتسيو في قمة الكالتشيو، بينما يصطدم ليون بستراسبورج في الدوري الفرنسي، وتقام مواجهة قوية في البوندسليجا بين باير ليفركوزن وفرايبورج. مواعيد مباريات اليوم الأحد 26-11-2025 والقنوات الناقلةمواعيد مباريات الدوري المصري اليوم

كهرباء الإسماعيلية ضد سيراميكا كليوباترا، الساعة 5:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة ON Time Sport 1.

فاركو ضد الإسماعيلي، الساعة 8:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة ON Time Sport 1.

طلائع الجيش ضد زد، الساعة 8:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة ON Time Sport 2. مواعيد مباريات دوري أبطال إفريقيا اليوم

سيمبا ضد نادي نسينجيزيني، الساعة 4:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

ماميلودي صنداونز ضد ريمو ستارز، الساعة 4:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

التأمين الإثيوبي ضد بيراميدز، الساعة 6:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة ON Time Sport 2.

الترجي الرياضي ضد نادي رحيمو، الساعة 7:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

ستاد مالي ضد إف سي نواذيبو، الساعة 7:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

أهلي طرابلس ضد نهضة بركان، الساعة 9:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

مولودية الجزائر ضد نادي كولومب، الساعة 10:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية. مواعيد مباريات الكونفدرالية اليوم

كايزر تشيفز ضد نادي سيمبا، الساعة 4:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

ستيلينبوش ضد نادي 15 أغسطس، الساعة 4:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

أوتوهو أويو ضد فيروفياريو دي مابوتو، الساعة 5:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

دجوليبا ضد القوات المسلحة، الساعة 7:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

النجم الساحلي ضد نيروبي يونايتد، الساعة 8:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة ON Time Sport 2.

المصري ضد الاتحاد الليبي، الساعة 9:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

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أرسنال ضد كريستال بالاس، الساعة 5:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة beIN Sports 2 HD.

بورنموث ضد نوتنجهام فورست، الساعة 5:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة beIN Sports 5 HD.

أستون فيلا ضد مانشستر سيتي، الساعة 5:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة beIN Sports 3 HD.

ولفرهامبتون ضد بيرنلي، الساعة 5:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة beIN Sports 4 HD.

إيفرتون ضد توتنهام هوتسبر، الساعة 7:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة beIN Sports 2 HD. مواعيد مباريات الدوري الإسباني اليوم

مايوركا ضد ليفانتي، الساعة 4:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة beIN Sports 8 HD.

ريال مدريد ضد برشلونة، الساعة 6:15 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة beIN Sports 1 HD.

أوساسونا ضد سيلتا فيجو، الساعة 8:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة beIN Sports 3 HD.

رايو فاييكانو ضد ألافيس، الساعة 11:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة beIN Sports 3 HD. مواعيد مباريات الدوري الإيطالي اليوم

تورينو ضد جنوى، الساعة 2:30 ظهرًا بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر Starz Play App.

هيلاس فيرونا ضد كالياري، الساعة 5:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر Starz Play App.

ساسولو ضد روما، الساعة 5:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر Starz Play App.

فيورنتينا ضد بولونيا، الساعة 8:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر Starz Play App.

لاتسيو ضد يوفنتوس، الساعة 10:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر Starz Play App. مواعيد مباريات الدوري الفرنسي اليوم

ليل ضد ميتز، الساعة 5:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر beIN Sports 6 HD.

أنجيه ضد لوريان، الساعة 7:15 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر beIN Sports 6 HD.

أوكسير ضد لوهافر، الساعة 7:15 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر beIN Sports 5 HD.

رين ضد نيس، الساعة 7:15 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر beIN Sports 4 HD.

ليون ضد ستراسبورج، الساعة 10:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر beIN Sports 4 HD. مواعيد مباريات الدوري الألماني اليوم

باير ليفركوزن ضد فرايبورج، الساعة 5:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر منصة “شاهد”.

شتوتجارت ضد ماينز، الساعة 7:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر منصة “شاهد”.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنــــا