Filho de Loco Abreu estreia pelo sub-20 do Botafogo com a camisa 7 no Carioca da categoria

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Depois da vitória do Botafogo sobre o César Vallejo, que é comandado pelo ídolo Loco Abreu, o clube carioca contou com uma novidade em sua equipe sub-20. Diego Abreu, filho do ex-atacante uruguaio fez suaestreia com a camisa do Alvinegro. Ao usar o número sete, o jovem participou do revéspara o Resende por 1 a 0.

+ Confira e simule a tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro

Cabe salientar que, aos 20 anos, o atacante chegou ao Botafogo porempréstimo de duas temporadas com uma cláusula fixada de compra. Apesar de ter pedido a camisa 13 em sua chegada, Diego utilizou a sete, pois os titulares utilizam a numeração de 1 a 11 na categoria.

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No momento, o Glorioso soma nove pontos em cinco partidas e ocupa a terceira colocação no primeiro turno do Estadual, ao lado do rival Flamengo O Vasco está na liderança com 12 pontos e 100% de aproveitamento.

+Após goleada do Botafogo, Luís Castro desabafa sobre críticas: ‘Mexeu com a nossa dignidade’

– Isso é só o começo – publicou Diego Abreu em seu perfil oficial no Instagram.

O time sub-20 volta a campo na próxima quinta-feira para visitar o Corinthians, às 15h, no Parque São Jorge, pela oitava rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro da categoria.

+De homenagens no campo até irritação na entrevista: o reencontro entre Loco Abreu e Botafogo

A equipe profissional volta a campo na próxima segunda-feira para medir forças com o Bahia, em Salvador, na Arena Fonte Nova. O confronto é válido pela segunda rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro, e o time carioca tenta se manter no pelotão de frente.

'Not the only way to the pros' – With more than 300 Division 1 programs, women's college soccer still a prime path for aspiring professionals – but the landscape is shifting

Legislation, NIL deals, academies and the elimination of the draft are reshaping the role of colleges in U.S. women's soccer

For generations, young girls who loved soccer could dream of playing at a high level in America, but rarely beyond the college years. Unlike their male counterparts, the idea of pursuing soccer as a profession simply wasn’t an option.

It wasn’t until the early 2000s, with the launch of the Women’s United Soccer Association in 2001, that professional soccer became a legitimate career path for women in the U.S. Although the league was short-lived, its arrival and – and a decade later, the establishment of the National Women’s Soccer League in 2013 – changed the landscape of the sport in the country.

Collegiate athletes weren’t facing a hard stop at graduation. This shift not only elevated the level of play at the collegiate level, but also transformed how young players, coaches, and families approached the game. College soccer remains a legitimate path for female players in the country to launch  professional careers, even as the opposite is happening for the men's collegiate game. 

The steady rise of Major League Soccer and the investment in MLS academies has created alternative routes that now dominate the development system, putting men's college soccer at a crossroads.

On the women's side, there is crossroads of a different type – the NWSL eliminated the college draft, opening up more direct pathways for aspiring pros, especially for younger players. Still, college soccer in the U.S. overall remains healthy – in fact, there are 330 women's Division 1 collegiate programs.

"College soccer is the best option for female soccer players to go pro," Andrea Morrow, assistant soccer coach at Boston College, told INDIVISA. "Fortunately, for women's soccer players, they are not required to complete a certain number of years or semesters before entering their pro career."

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    College soccer still holds value

    In the U.S., college soccer is still the most common avenue for aspiring professionals. For decades, it was the only route.

    "Research shows that women soccer players typically reach their peak between the ages of 25 and 30," Morrow said. "Those who enter college at 17 or 18-years-old and graduate in four years are looking at being 21 or 22, which is still a few years before they would reach their 'peak.'

    "Some would argue for developmental purposes it's best that they go to college because this provides them the luxury of maximizing their time without having to sacrifice an education or funds, regardless of scholarship, as athletic departments provide nutritional benefits, athletic training, professional coaching, mental health support, etc." 

    Morrow, who played and now coaches college soccer, said the opportunity goes beyond just developing athletic skills. It's also about education.

    "Females and their families value education," she said. "In today's world, the pay for a short career is not more valuable than a degree that will set them up for a majority of years." 

    International players also play at the college level in the U.S. Rachel Daly, an English international who could have played for a top club academy in her home country, instead opted to attend St. John's in New York to play Division 1 soccer. She was drafted sixth overall in 2016 by the Houston Dash.

    Similarly, Deyna Castellanos, a Venezualan international, left her country to play for Florida State and was later awarded a professional contract with Atlético Madrid and ultimately played in the NWSL.

    "Until there are viable professional academies for women's pro clubs in the U.S., college is still the route to women's professional soccer," said Amphone Keovongmanysar, associate head coach for the Columbia University women's soccer team. 

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    NWSL academies

    Youth academies are a vital part of the men's game, with 29 MLS academies currently running alongside 122 other elite academies under the MLS NEXT umbrella. These academies serve as the main feeder for MLS semi-pro and pro teams. On the women's side, there are only five youth academies paired with NWSL teams and they all operate under different systems.

    Those five clubs include the North Carolina Courage, Portland Thorns, Houston Dash, Racing Louisville and Seattle Reign. Each club have their own age groups and methods, and unlike the men's side, the academy teams play in external leagues. The biggest leagues for female amateur players in the U.S. are the Girls Academy and ECNL. 

    Each year, there are a handful of women's players who forgo college soccer and go straight to the pros. Those players are typically playing up several age groups for club teams that compete in ECNL and Girls Academy top divisions.

    Mallory Swanson was one of the first notable players to make the choice to bypass the collegiate game. She played in the ECNL for Real Colorado and was committed to play collegiately at UCLA, but instead turned pro in 2016 when she joined the Washington Spirit. That launched her career full speed ahead, with her USWNT debut coming later that year.

    More recently, players such as Trinity Rodman and Alyssa Thompson – both powerhouse stars for the USWNT – opted to directly turn pro. And while those are notable exceptions, it's not necessarily a trend. That said, an expansion of academies on the women's side could change the status quo.

    "Academies could create an alternate pathway to go pro," Morrow said, "but this would / could put a financial strain on professional clubs. They would be responsible to provide the resources for those years between the players' youth careers and professional careers."

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    Name, Image and Likeness

    Rachel Breton, a former professional player for Sky Blue FC (now NJ/NY Gotham FC), has been coaching for years. Asked about the importance of college soccer, and the pathway to pro for female players, Breton says "College soccer is pretty critical," adding that "unlike the NWSL, you don't see a lot of older players in the MLS."

    Haleigh Drake, a coach for Cedar Stars in the ECNL and at Stevens College, stressed that playing collegiately has numerous benefits, but that it is not the lone route to the professional game, especially for rising young talent.

    "College soccer gives you a great professional experience post-club soccer, a competitive high-risk habitat and exposure to NWSL scouts and clubs," she said. "However, that's not the only way to the pros. While college is the most 'elite' playing experience you'll get at the moment, it's not the only way to get to the pros. I think 3 or 4 years ago it was college then pro. Now, it's whoever is good enough, straight to pro." 

    Complicating matters is legislation over name, image and likeness, which took effect in 2021. Four years into the new age of college sports, where athletes are allowed to profit from their successes through NIL deals, everyone is still trying to find out what the new normal will be. The complex, often murky, world of NIL has touched every corner of college sports.

    NIL permits collegiate athletes to monetize their personal brand through endorsements, public appearances, and commercial partnerships. So players who previously sought to turn pro earlier in their careesr now have the possibility of being compensated while playing collegiately. The largest NIL payments tend to come in college football and basketball, but the value of deals for women's soccer players has increased. 

    That's an important to note when you consider that in 2013, when the NWSL was first formed, the best players were making $30,000 or less. And while NWSL salaries have grown dramatically, NIL deals at the collegiate level present players with more financial options. In fact, it's providing opportunities to players even before they reach the collegiate level.

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  • LOTTO / Lucas Flores Piran

    'It means a lot to be their first'

    Loradana Paletta may just be 14-years-old, but she's beyond experienced when it comes to turning heads on the soccer field. When she's not breaking ankles with her quick feet and ability to accelerate and decelerate on a dime, she's making ground-breaking moves off the field.

    In July, Paletta became first NIL partner for Italian sportswear brand LOTTO. The then-middle schooler out of Syosset, New York began playing soccer when she was 4, and now, 10-plus years later, she's in high school and a standout member of the U.S. Youth National Under-17 team. Partnering with LOTTO was an opportunity for Paletta to invest in her journey to become "a pro."

    "It means a lot to be their first," Paletta told INDVISA. "It's a big thing to take in, to carry, but it means I'm doing it with them."

    That came less than a year after Nike signed 13-year-old soccer phenom McKenna "Mak" Whitham to NIL, making her the youngest women's soccer player – and youngest athlete in any sport at the time – to sign an NIL deal with Nike.

    "It means everything to me," Whitham told ESPN. "And it motivates me even harder. I mean, not every kid gets to get signed by Nike."

    And it goes beyond NIL. In June, a federal judge approved terms of a sprawling $2.8 billion antitrust settlement that will upend the way college sports have been run for more than a century. In short, schools can now directly pay players through licensing deals – a concept that goes against the foundation of amateurism that college sports was built upon.

    The settlement calls for roster limits that will reduce the number of players on all teams while making all of those players – not just a portion – eligible for full scholarships. This figures to have an outsize impact on college sports such as soccer, which don’t produce as much revenue as, say, college football.

    Last month, 10 Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives asked the NCAA how college sports’ major governing body plans to protect the interests of female athletes, as the largest portion of NIL and revenue-sharing payments continue to be directed to male athletes. The NCAA said its investment in women’s sports has “continuously and significantly increased in the last several years.” 

Same agent as Gyokeres: Man Utd battling Saudi clubs to sign £75k-p/w ace

Still on the hunt for incomings even with Bryan Mbeumo seemingly on the way, Manchester United are now reportedly battling against clubs in the Saudi Pro League to sign a midfield ace.

Mbeumo waiting to undergo Man Utd medical

After going back and forth in negotiations with Brentford, it looks as though Manchester United have finally taken a step closer to signing Mbeumo this summer. The Red Devils are now reportedly finalising any add-ons in an offer that will exceed the £60m mark, while Mbeumo is now waiting for approval to undergo a medical at the club.

The forward is on course to become United’s second arrival of the window, but he’s unlikely to be the last. If recent reports are anything to go by then INEOS are still on the hunt for a goalkeeper and a striker this summer.

The big question on that front has been just who will arrive to fill that quota. The likes of Emiliano Martinez have been among the headlines on the goalkeeper front, but whether Aston Villa sell one of their star men to a rival even in the face of PSR troubles remains to be seen.

He's better than Cunha: Man Utd close in on signing "phenomenal" star

Manchester United look set to complete their second signing of the summer after Matheus Cunha.

ByEthan Lamb Jun 25, 2025

Meanwhile, when it comes to strikers, it did look as though Ruben Amorim could get a shock reunion with Viktor Gyokeres. United were certainly in the race, reportedly making the Swede their No.1 target, but ultimately he set his sights on Arsenal with negotiations still ongoing.

That may not be the last time that the Red Devils interact with his representatives, however. Reports are now suggesting that another one of their clients are on United’s radar this summer.

Man Utd now battling to sign Ndidi

According to talkSPORT’s Alex Crook, Manchester United are now battling to sign Wilfred Ndidi from Leicester City this summer. The experienced midfielder is attracting plenty of interest following the Foxes’ relegation, including from the Saudi Pro League, and is now free to leave the King Power Stadium if his £9m release clause is triggered this summer.

Represented by the same agent as Gyokeres, United shouldn’t find it too complicated to open discussions for a midfielder who could provide Amorim with a bargain solution to his Casemiro problem.

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Progressive Carries

0.70

0.24

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1.20

0.84

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4.92

6.20

While Ndidi’s arrival wouldn’t steal the same headlines as Cunha or Mbeumo, it would have importance in its own right. Carrying the ball at a far better standard while proving more effective off the ball, Ndidi is more athletic than the ageing Casemiro and could crucially offer the quality in depth that Amorim requires.

Earning around £75,000-a-week at Leicester, Ndidi wouldn’t exactly disrupt United’s wage bill either. That, alongside his £9m release clause, makes him a viable option for INEOS and the Red Devils in the coming months.

How to get Root out? SL are still searching for answers

Joe Root has scores of 42, 62 not out, 143, and 103 so far in this series. In general, he averages 67.55 against Sri Lanka, having hit 186 and a 228 in his last series against this opposition as well, those mammoth scores coming in Galle.He sweeps and reverse-sweeps well, tends to be proactive against the seamers, and on the occasions in which he chooses to defend, has one of the best techniques in the game.It is no surprise, that in the approach to the third Test, much of Sri Lanka’s team discussion has centred around this question: “How do we get Root out?”Related

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According to senior batter and former captain Dimuth Karunaratne, Sri Lanka have rifled through several plans to Root already, but have been forced to go back to square one by Root’s consistent excellence in this series. They are brainstorming again.”We’ve tried a few things against Joe but they were always unsuccessful,” Karunaratne said. “I think the turning points in the matches have been those Joe Root innings. Even when we’ve played at Galle, he’s hit big runs, but the batters around him haven’t scored as heavily. We really need to minimise the runs he’s scoring.”Homework for Sri Lanka’s bowlers is likely to have been dominated by watching replays of Root bat, with analysis of the likeliest strategies that will bring about his dismissal.”We need to look at his past performances more closely, see where he’s got out, and what kinds of things we can do on these pitches. We need to make a new plan based on that.”Counterintuitively, Karunaratne thinks perhaps this can come about by attacking him less.”Maybe sometimes we attack him too much and he takes advantage of that. Some players don’t like it when we ask them to be less aggressive. Sometimes boring batters out can also be a tactic.”Sri Lanka’s other major problem, however, has been the failure of their senior batters, who between them have produced six fifties in 16 combined innings. Karunaratne, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, and Dhananjaya de Silva – have all had a fifty-plus score, and yet have not made significant impressions.”The seniors have talked a lot about how to perform and ease the pressure on the juniors. The juniors have been doing well, especially Kamindu Mendis. Some people adapt very fast to conditions and some struggle. That’s the way the game is. Every game is quite tough.”For Karunaratne, the fact that Root has scored 153 more runs than the next-best England batter, is proof that batting has been difficult.”In England the conditions are tough for batters, and we saw that even their openers struggled, as well as their No. 3. Apart from Joe Root the others also struggled despite this being home conditions for them. We’re playing after a very long time here.”

Sarah Bryce hits 51 not out to keep Welsh Fire burning

Trent Rockets slip to third straight defeat after under-powered batting effort

ECB Media03-Aug-2024Welsh Fire made it three wins from four in the Hundred as they beat Trent Rockets – who have now lost three in a row – in a controlled chase with two balls to spare.Rockets skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt won the toss and opted to bat but lost both openers to their first ball: Bryony Smith played on against the impressive Freya Davies, and Grace Scrivens also chopped on facing Beth Langston.The Rockets’ powerful and dependable middle order of Sciver-Brunt and Ash Gardner went some way to repairing the damage after Natalie Wrath had hit a 24-ball 28. They were 33 for 2 after the 25-ball Powerplay, and 60 for 3 at the halfway mark.But when Sciver-Brunt overbalanced against Jess Jonassen and was stumped for a predictably excellent 37 from 26, Welsh Fire were right on top. Gardner and Heather Graham were able to press the accelerator to an extent, but a total of 130 seemed under par, with all of the Fire bowlers proving tricky to get away, Davies excellent up top and Aussie Jonassen picking up two wickets with her ever-accurate left-arm spin.Fire also lost two early wickets, Sophia Dunkley brilliantly caught by Kirstie Gordon and Tammy Beaumont lbw to England colleague Sciver-Brunt to provoke a few jitters on the bench.But West Indian superstar Hayley Matthews and Scottish keeper Sarah Bryce rebuilt, taking the score up to 49 from 33 balls before Sciver-Brunt repeated her lbw trick to get rid of the dangerous Matthews.From there Jonassen and Bryce kept the required run-rate in check in, putting on 38, and Georgia Elwiss took over once Jonassen was out, adding a further 44 with the impressive Bryce, who ended up with an unbeaten 51 from 39 balls.”We knew if we just built partnerships together, there were runs out there, with big pockets where you could run hard, and I think we did that really well,” Bryce said. “Jess is a great runner. They say winning is a habit and we have had some tight games when different people have stood up at different times and I think as a team that is really exciting.”

Aston Villa now seriously interested in signing "aggressive" 13-goal rival

Setting their sights on weakening their top four rivals ahead of next season, Aston Villa are now reportedly seriously interested in signing an attacking star who has already scored at Villa Park before.

Aston Villa still reeling from UCL disappointment

11 days on from their defeat against Manchester United which cost them Champions League qualification, Aston Villa will still be collecting themselves and wondering what might have been. Their first reaction, of course, was anger directed at PGMOL and referee Thomas Bramall. Those in the Midlands took aim at the decision to use the 35-year-old in such an important game after Morgan Rodgers’ effort was controversially ruled out.

The Villans released a statement on the matter not long after their fate was confirmed at Old Trafford, which read in part: “Aston Villa can confirm the club has written to the PGMOL to raise concerns over the selection process of match officials following today’s game with Manchester United at Old Trafford.

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“With such high stakes surrounding today’s fixture, the club believe a more experienced referee should have been appointed. Of the 10 referees to officiate across the Premier League today, Mr. Bramall was the second least experienced.

“The decision to disallow Morgan Rogers’ goal, which would have given the club a 1-0 lead with 17 minutes remaining in the match, was a major contributing factor to the club not qualifying for the Champions League.”

Lucas Chevalier for Lille.

11 days on, that anger may have turned into major disappointment, but Villa must simply move on and turn their focus towards the transfer market. Already, their sporting director, Monchi, has reportedly set his sights on the likes of Lucas Chevalier and even a Premier League rival in a bid to improve Unai Emery’s side and weaken another.

Aston Villa seriously interested in Jackson

According to Simon Phillips, Aston Villa are now seriously interested in signing Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea this summer and face competition from the likes of Atletico Madrid in pursuit of the forward’s signature.

Having lost Jhon Duran in the January transfer window, the Villans have been without a natural backup for Ollie Watkins for the last six months but could finally solve that problem when the summer arrives. Villa Park have already had a glimpse of Jackson’s goalscoring prowess too, given that he scored at Villa Park in Chelsea’s 3-1 FA Cup win in the 2023/24 campaign.

The Senegal international has shown signs of his quality since then in the 2024/25 season, in which he scored 13 goals in all competitions and earned impressive praise from Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca.

The Italian told reporters in November: “He is doing very well with us. Since we started, he has been open minded in what we ask him, and sometimes we require different things from him.

“He’s has an open mind and wants to learn and he’s doing very well, not just in goals and assists, but also the way he works off the ball. The way he presses, he is always aggressive and we are very happy.”

"World-class" player now announces club exit after reported Tottenham talks

A “world-class” player has now announced he’s set to leave his club this summer, which follows reports that he’s held talks over a move to Tottenham.

Ange Postecoglou makes trophy claim ahead of Europa League final

Next week, Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou has a golden chance to make good on his early-season suggestion that he “always” wins silverware during his second season in charge.

Levy personally wants '40 goals a season' striker at Tottenham next season

The Spurs chairman is a particular fan.

ByEmilio Galantini May 15, 2025

This quote, while arguably taken out of context, was quickly picked up by the media and used to take aim at Postecoglou on more than one occasion. Following a season of record-breaking lows in the Premier League, where they’ve tasted defeat on 20 separate occasions, the Australian could now make that statement a reality.

The Lilywhites play Man United in a crunch Europa League final which could rescue their season. Spurs have an opportunity to both end their trophy drought and qualify for the Champions League in just 90 minutes of football, so the pressure is well and truly on Postecoglou’s squad.

Son Heung-min

7.05

Pedro Porro

6.98

James Maddison

6.98

Dominic Solanke

6.88

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall are all set to miss their clash in Bilbao through injury, with Tottenham facing an uphill battle akin to the majority of their 2024/2025 campaign.

Postecoglou, though, appears determined to end Spurs’ long wait for a winners’ medal and isn’t lost on the significance of May 21.

“For me personally, well you know great, it’s another trophy I can reminisce in my old age about, but more importantly what it means for the club,” said Postecoglou on the Europa League final.

Tottenham Hotspur manager AngePostecogloulooks on

“I’ve always said it’s the significance of what it does to people that really impacts you. A lot of the success I’ve had has been stuff that’s pretty significant. It’s been at clubs where Yokohama hadn’t won a Championship for 14 years, Australia had never won a continental championship, Brisbane had never won one, South Melbourne – my first job – hadn’t won in seven years, Celtic had been one year but trust me that’s a long time in Scotland.

“When you look at the historical backdrop of this club and what it’s been through in the last 20-odd years, I feel like it could be a turning point in terms of the way the club is perceived, but also more how it perceives itself, which I think is the biggest thing.”

Jonathan David confirms Lille exit after rumoured talks with Tottenham

Off the field, chairman Daniel Levy appears set for a ‘sell to buy’ summer as things stand, meaning the free agent market could be very useful to him as Spurs look to reinforce the squad for next term.

One of 2025’s most coveted Bosman deals comes in the form of free-scoring Lille star Jonathan David.

Lille'sJonathanDavidcelebrates scoring their first goal with Edon Zhegrov

The Canada international has bagged over a century of goals for Lille since joining them five years ago, with Tottenham among the clubs to have spoken to David’s representatives about a potential free transfer.

David, branded a “world-class” player by ex-Canada boss Iain Hume, is set to be a man in demand, and he’s now confirmed an imminent Ligue 1 departure.

Making a statement on social media, David announced that he’ll be leaving Lille when his contract expires on June 30.

“I wanted to tell you myself that after so many years at the club, it’s time to say goodbye,” said the striker, via LW.

Lille'sJonathanDavidcelebrates scoring their fourth goal

“I’ve had five wonderful seasons here. I know that it hasn’t always been easy but I hope that with my goals and celebrations, that I’ve managed to bring you some joy. Notably the Ligue 1 title and the Trophee des Champions and I think that with these two trophies together, we have brought a lot of pleasure and joy.”

The 25-year-old is a big-game player as well as a prolific marksman in France. This season, David boasts Champions League strikes against the likes of Atlético Madrid, Real Madrid, Liverpool and Juventus, showcasing how he can cut it against Europe’s most elite opposition.

In truth, it is curious why he hasn’t sealed a move until now, and there’s no doubt he’d be a stellar capture for Spurs on a free.

Newcastle have strong interest in £25m PL ace who Howe called "magnificent"

Newcastle United are now showing strong interest in signing a Premier League player who Eddie Howe called “magnificent”, according to a report.

Magpies pushing for the Champions League

Newcastle are in a strong position to qualify for next season’s Champions League, while also ending their 70-year trophy drought by winning the EFL Cup earlier this season, which should make St. James’ Park an attractive destination for new signings this summer.

Howe’s side have performed very well, but the manager is looking to upgrade his squad in several areas this summer, including in midfield, having now joined the race for Manchester City’s James McAtee, who could be available for a fee of just £26m.

There is also a desire to strengthen in forward areas, with Ademola Lookman on the shortlist, while Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi could be brought in to bolster Howe’s centre-back options, having been keen on the Englishman for quite some time.

In-demand player would rather join Newcastle despite offer from Barcelona

The Magpies could land his signature…

1 BySean Markus Clifford May 4, 2025

Another area in which Newcastle could look to strengthen is between the sticks, with Nick Pope now arguably in the twilight years of his career at 33-years-old, and they have their eye on an option from within the Premier League.

That is according to a report from Caught Offside, which states Newcastle are showing strong interest in signing Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, who is in line to leave the Saints after their relegation to the Championship.

Ramsdale will be able to leave for just £25m following his side’s relegation to the second tier, and the goalkeeper is eager to remain in the Premier League, with West Ham United believed to be leading the race for his signature.

Pope’s injury setbacks mean the Magpies are looking to bring in a goalkeeper capable of competing for a starting spot, and the Southampton shot-stopper fits the bill, although the requirement to abide by financial fair play rules could hinder their chances of getting a deal over the line.

Newcastle United’s final Premier League fixtures

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Arsenal (a)

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May 25th

Ramsdale could be "magnificent" signing for Newcastle

The Saints have endured a torrid campaign in the Premier League, collecting just 11 points all season, but it is difficult to be too critical of their goalkeeper, given that he is ranked as the best-performing player in the squad.

Howe has also been left seriously impressed by the Englishman in the past, describing him as “magnificent” during their time working together at AFC Bournemouth.

Southampton's AaronRamsdalelooks dejected after the match

Not only that, but the 26-year-old caught the eye during his time with Arsenal, with Mikel Arteta singling him out for praise after an impressive performance at Anfield, describing his goalkeeper as “fantastic”.

Pope has been a fantastic servant to Newcastle, but with the Englishman now in the latter stages of his career and out of contract in 2026, a long-term replacement could be required, and there are plenty of signs that Ramsdale may well be a solid option.

Everton now make contact to buy "impressive" £29m+ defender for Moyes

Everton are free to build for next season due to David Moyes’ rescue mission since returning to Merseyside, and his side are now said to be lining up a move for a talented star from the continent, per reports.

Everton set to embark on new era that could produce big changes

The Toffees are in a position to call on a better sense of financial stability under the Friedkin Group’s ownership, which could pave the way for some exciting arrivals to make their way into the fold at Bramley Moore Dock.

Seemingly, Everton aren’t afraid to ruffle feathers and Ben Doak is a surprise target despite his obvious links with Liverpool. Internal talks have been held over a shock move that may cost £25 million to £30 million to complete, albeit Crystal Palace and Bournemouth also want to sign the Scotland international.

On the flip side, the Blues could be set to lose Dominic Calvert-Lewin to Tottenham Hotspur on a free transfer amid his contract standoff. Now, a departure for the Three Lions international is moving closer, as Ange Postecoglou’s side have already made advances to bring him to North London.

Moyes has done an incredible job at Goodison Park after coming into an environment where Everton weren’t safe from relegation by a long shot. Since his arrival, two losses in 11 matches have alleviated fears of the drop, and the Scot deserves plaudits for getting results with a group of players who may be cast aside this summer to make way for new reinforcements.

Moyes loves him: Everton now plotting surprise move for "rapid" £30m winger

The Toffees could make a shock move for a forward, who is admired by manager David Moyes.

ByDominic Lund Apr 2, 2025

Now, Everton are said to have made an approach for a talented defender that could be set to embark on a new challenge once the window opens.

Everton make approach for Feyenoord defender David Hancko

According to journalist Santi Auona on X, Everton have made an approach to sign Feyenoord defender David Hancko, who is also attracting interest from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen and Serie A giants Juventus ahead of the summer.

Equating to an asking price of £29.7 million, Hancko has proved his worth this campaign across all competitions, registering four goals and four assists in 41 appearances.

Labelled “impressive” by Ben Mattinson, the Slovakia international has been a constant for Feyenoord on Eredivisie duty this term, winning 103 duels and making 117 recoveries in total.

Capable of featuring on the left-hand side in addition, Hancko could be a solid signing if Everton can manage to push a deal for his signature over the line, making this one to keep an eye on.

For Gujarat Titans, a famous win comes with a wake-up call

For once, GT’s high-performing top order left the undercooked middle order with a lot to do, and they came through, with a little help from MI’s planning and execution

Vishal Dikshit07-May-20253:24

Should Hardik have stepped up to bowl the last over?

After dominating several games in IPL 2025, Gujarat Titans (GT) were finally thrown in at the deep end by Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede on Tuesday.GT had been riding on the form of their top three batters – Shubman Gill, B Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler – who had scored about 76% of the team’s runs until this game. The three had taken all their innings deep, with two of them usually scoring well in tandem. And on four occasions, Buttler had even seen the innings through.Until Tuesday, and some part of Wednesday, happened. Each of the three have now passed the 500-run mark (Gill and Buttler got there in this game) in IPL 2025 – which has never happened for a single team in a season before – but this was the first time in this IPL that none of the three got to 50. And also the first instance where all three had been dismissed within 15 overs.Related

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Rain, no-ball and a run-out fumble: Titans stun Mumbai to win a classic

GT’s bowlers had again ensured that the task for the batters was below-par chase – of 156, later reduced to 147 off 19 overs – but this was the first time that GT’s middle order had been left to fend for itself, to an extent. When Gill became the third man out, they needed 43 off 31. It’s not an equation that would scare any middle order, but with wickets falling regularly, the rain coming and going, a moist pitch that made the ball zip around, GT’s middle order had been exposed in a wildly see-sawing, low-scoring game.Sherfane Rutherford had not batted since April 19. Shahrukh Khan had faced all of 43 balls in the season. Rahul Tewatia was averaging 9.33 from eight innings. Rashid Khan had faced just 11 deliveries. Gerald Coetzee had not batted in nearly four months. They made up Nos. 6 to 8.But it was not all doom and gloom. Rutherford had hit some lusty blows earlier in the season, and when he joined a well-set Gill in the 12th over, GT still had to contend with two overs from Jasprit Bumrah and one from Trent Boult. So GT had to go after the other bowlers, who would bowl the remaining 30 of the 48 balls off which GT had to get 77.2:04

‘Bumrah can make the best batters look silly’

As soon as Rutherford came on, though, Hardik Pandya one-upped GT’s plans by bringing on offspinner Will Jacks for the left-hand batter, with MI ahead on the DLS equation at that stage. All of Jacks’ five wickets this IPL have been of left-hand batters, a list glowing with the names of Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant and Travis Head, among others. The dice was worth throwing, and the trick also worked for three balls, which Rutherford struggled to get bat on. The fourth was an edge, but it raced away for four, and Rutherford reacted with mighty inside-out swings to fetch ten more off the next two balls.The equation was a more gettable 62 off 42 now. Was it the right time to bowl one of Bumrah’s last two? It’s a matter MI will ponder when they assess the loss, because when Hardik gave the ball to the inexperienced Ashwani Kumar instead, Rutherford smashed his short delivery for a six to put GT ahead of the par score by the time the over ended and the covers came on for the first rain interruption.In the break of 25-odd minutes, Bumrah looked like he was itching to bowl. He was tossing the ball around in his hand, restlessly moving around to keep himself warm, and he rushed onto the field as soon as it was time to resume.3:53

Abhinav Mukund: ‘MI bowlers let the game drift a bit in the middle overs’

Bumrah struck almost immediately. His movement off the pitch shattered Gill’s stumps, and when Boult trapped Rutherford in the next over, the noise from the faithful Mumbai crowd would have rung in GT’s ears. The match was far from over. It was 38 to win from 24 now, Boult had bowled out, and Hardik decided to go all-in and finish Bumrah’s quota too. MI needed wickets and Hardik wanted to finish off GT’s middle order before it was too late.Shahrukh, however, was in no mood to see Bumrah off quietly. He took the gamble, and he succeeded, too. An over-pitched delivery outside off from Bumrah and Shahrukh hit it through the covers for four. Bumrah was not going to let this one pass without a classic riposte, though. He sent down a searing yorker that looked out of the syllabus for Shahrukh, and Bumrah followed it by shattering the stumps next ball when the batter missed with his wild heave.Ashwani was back for the 18th, and nailed his yorker to trap Rashid lbw, and GT fell well behind the DLS par score again with only three runs coming off Ashwani’s five balls. It was raining again, but not hard enough to take them off immediately. Coetzee then – perhaps not fully aware yet that he had killed two birds with one stone – hammered the last ball of Ashwani’s over for four. That released some pressure by reducing the asking rate, and also made sure Tewatia would be on strike next over. But first, another, longer rain break with 24 needed off two overs.1:20

‘It’s incredible what Rahul Tewatia does’

This was a period MI would not be proud of. Most of their players retired to the dressing room, and there emerged no clear candidate to bowl the last over once it became clear there wouldn’t be time for two. No one could be seen warming up until the last minute, and there was no apparent burning desire like the GT players and coaches were exuding as the clock ticked towards the cut-off time. Tewatia had his pads on in the dugout throughout, head coach Ashish Nehra was either in the match officials’ ears or almost wiring Tewatia’s brain to prep him for the last over.When it finally came down to 15 to win from six, Hardik made another contentious call, of bowling Deepak Chahar, a powerplay specialist, over himself.If Tewatia was the ice-cool presence that smoked the first delivery right back for four, Coetzee’s nerve-busting energy sent the ball crashing over the long-off boundary for six two balls later. Chahar overstepped next ball, and even though the two-required-from-three equation went down to the last ball, GT’s thrilling win under pressure against a top-quality bowling attack, clinching the crunch moments in a game with sharp twists and turns, proved that their batting was not only about their top three.They will also accept that their middle order’s night was far from perfect in what was their 11th game, which could even act as the perfect wake-up call before the playoffs.

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