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While Arsenal have sat idly by for much of the early stages of the transfer window, watching Manchester City and Liverpool strengthen significantly, Andrea Berta is now closing in on his first deal since arriving at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners are frantically trying to agree a move for either Benjamin Sesko or Viktor Gyokeres, but they have now tied up a move to sign Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad.

It’s one of football’s worst-kept secrets since January that the Spaniard is set to head to London with reports in January suggesting a deal was already being worked on.

Well, this week it was reported that a fee has now been agreed between the two clubs, one that will see Arsenal pay a fraction more than the midfielder’s £51m release clause, so they can manage their payments in instalments.

David Ornstein further revealed on Friday morning that Zubimendi is now in the English capital to meet Arsenal officials and complete the formalities of his move to the Premier League.

So, who’s next? Well, it could be a creative midfielder.

Arsenal move closer to signing another midfielder

Arsenal supporters are simply crying out for a striker to sign this summer, so it may come as a concern that deals for Sesko or Gyokeres don’t look like they’re no closer to completion.

That can’t be said of a move for Zubimendi, nor, according to reports, can it be said for a player who was plying his trade in the Premier League throughout 2024/25.

Back in May, it was reported that the Gunners had lodged a bid worth £30m to sign Leicester City’s creative marvel, Bilal El Khannouss.

Transfer Focus

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

Since then, there has not been much of an update on their pursuit of the Morocco international until now.

Indeed, Africa Foot report ahead of the weekend that Arsenal are now ‘close to agreeing a deal’, having already agreed personal terms with El Khannouss’ agents.

A fee is yet to be agreed between the north Londoners and Leicester, with the report concluding that Berta and Co must now meet the Foxes’ financial demands.

El Khannouss could be available for a cut-price fee considering his side were relegated from the top-flight only last month.

Why El Khannouss would be a good signing for Arsenal

Now, we know what you’re thinking. Why sign someone from one of the worst teams we’ve seen in the Premier League across recent years?

Well, if anyone wearing Leicester blue last season could come out of the campaign with their head held high, then it was the Moroccan who caught the eye with his passing ability from midfield.

El Khannouss was certainly one of Leicester’s players of the season – that isn’t hard of course – but he did play well, registering three goals and six assists in all competitions. Those are far from mindblowing numbers, but at the age of 21, there is a lot of potential to work with here.

Indeed, across the season, the attacking midfielder ranked among the top 14% of positionally similar players in the English top-flight for progressive passes and in the best 10% for passes into the final third, underlining his ability to play through the lines and pick out his teammates in promising positions.

That is no doubt his strong point. As outlined by data analyst Ben Mattinson, El Khannouss has a “killer final ball”, while he boasts an “elite weight of pass” and, importantly, “releases runners early.”

This should be music to the ears of the forward players at Arsenal, but particularly for any future striker that Arsenal sign, namely Sesko.

El Khannouss vs Odegaard: 2024/25 PL
Stat (per 90 mins)	El Khannouss	Odegaard
Shots	1.24	1.86
Shot-creating actions	3.16	4.80
Pass completion %	75%	82%
Long pass completion	58%	55%
Key passes	1.72	2.44
Progressive passes	5.36	10
Successful take-ons	1.36	0.97
Stats via FBRef.

The Slovenian is a powerhouse striker and as the goal below showcases, he loves to get in behind.

Arsenal may well possess one of the best passers of a ball in the game in Martin Odegaard, but the addition of El Khannouss would no doubt help Sesko settle in even quicker should they both arrive at the Emirates.

At this stage of his career, you could well argue that the Leicester star is like a younger version of Odegaard, setting the tempo and feeding elite balls into the strikers.

Considering the lack of joy Leicester had in 2024/25, playing for a ball-dominant side like Arsenal would be a match made in heaven for the young creative star.

He's like Auba: Berta closes in on signing "the new Haaland" for Arsenal

Are Arsenal finally closing in on the signing of a new striker?

1

By
Matt Dawson

Jun 19, 2025

Throughout the years, countless players have rejoined Celtic for a second spell after departing.

Fraser Forster returned in 2019, following in the footsteps of Willie Fernie, Bertie Auld, Frank McAvennie, Andy Walker, Charlie Mulgrew, Charlie Nicholas​​​​​​​, Emilio Izaguirre and countless others who have done so before him at Parkhead.

Kieran Tierney will soon be added to this list, his return from Arsenal all but officially confirmed, after Jota re-signed in January, so could another fans’ favourite be doing the same this summer?

Jota's incredible Celtic return

Back in the summer of 2023, after two successful seasons at Celtic, Jota was sold to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad for a record-equalling fee of £25m.

Well, after a miserable stint in the Middle East, following by an equally unspectacular six months in France with Stade Rennais where he scored just once in ten games, Jota returned to Glasgow for £8m in January, a mere 18 months after leaving.

The Portuguese winger marked his return with a goal at Fir Park on his second debut, also on target during Premiership victories over Dundee United, Aberdeen and Heart of Midlothian, as well as the Scottish Cup semi-final win over St Johnstone on Easter Sunday.

However, after making just 16 appearances in Hoops, Jota ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament at Tannadie in April, on the day Celtic clinched the title, with Brendan Rodgers later confirming that he would be sidelined for “between six and nine months”.

A heartbreaking blow for a 26-year-old, who was just happy to feel at home again, but could he be re-united with another fans’ favourite, with Celtic returning to Roazhon Park for their shopping?

Celtic could seal stunning Jota repeat

Jota’s return to Glasgow was incredibly unexpected but it no doubt raised the excitement levels among the green and white side of the city. So, surely they couldn’t do it again?

Well, think again. Indeed According to a report by French outlet Foot 7 Sur, Kyōgo Furuhashi will leave Stade Rennais this summer, just six months after arriving in Brittany, claiming that the Japanese forward ‘could return’ to Celtic.

Like Jota in the six months before him, Kyōgo has failed to make any sort of impact at les Rouge et Noirs following his January move, playing just six times, of which only one was a start.

He has also failed to find the net and featured as an unused substitute on six occasions. Dismal reading, indeed.

Kyōgo Furuhashi’s Stade Rennais career
Statistics	Kyōgo
Appearances	6
Starts	1
Minutes	120
Goals	0
Assists	0
Matches an unused sub	6
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt

Despite his complete lack of success in France, not featuring in any of Rennes’ last five fixtures of the Ligue 1 season, Kyōgo will always be a modern icon at Celtic, as Jota is.

The first Japanese import of the Ange Postecoglou era, Kyōgo scored 85 goals in 170 appearances for the Hoops, leaving him amongst the club’s highest-scorers of modern times.

Celtic players to score 75+ goals (1997-present)
Players	Tenure	Games	Goals
Henrik Larsson	1997-04	292	2204
Leigh Griffiths	2014-21	262	123
James Forrest	2009-present	528	110
John Hartson	2001-06	198	106
Kris Commons	2011-17	227	89
Odsonne Édouard	2017-21	179	87
Kyōgo Furuhashi	2021-25	170	85
Chris Sutton	2000-06	197	84
Gary Hooper	2010-13	138	82
Anthony Stokes	2010-16	192	76
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt

Yatao of the Celtic star describes Kyōgo’s performances for the club as “world-class”, while Graeme Macpherson of the Scotsman asserts that he is Celtic’s best striker since Henrik Larsson.

Thus, all Celtic supporters would be excited about the possibility of him returning this summer, and reports suggest this hope is not as fanciful as it may first appear.

Brentford set to go at Celtic with £60m Mbeumo windfall to sign "breathtaking" star

The Bhoys are set to witness movement in both directions this summer…

1

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Jun 6, 2025

Pundit Jamie O’Hara has given his approval as Tottenham Hotspur set their eyes on a new managerial target, with current head coach Ange Postecoglou growing more and more likely to be dismissed at the end of the season.

Tottenham shortlist to replace Ange Postecoglou as sack gains traction

As per reliable media sources, like The Telegraph, it is increasingly likely that Postecoglou will leave Spurs this summer, even if the Lilywhites end up winning the Europa League.

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3 ByEmilio Galantini Apr 23, 2025

Tottenham face Bodo/Glimt in the Europa semi-finals next Thursday, right after their tough journey to Anfield, where Liverpool could be officially crowned Premier League champions by defeating Postecoglou’s side.

Even a draw would be enough to clinch Liverpool this year’s domestic crown and begin their trophy celebrations, so Arne Slot’s men are likely to be in top form against a Spurs side who have suffered 18 defeats in the league this season.

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

Aston Villa (away)

May 18th

Brighton (home)

May 25th

A loss on Merseyside would also equal the record for most Premier League defeats in a single campaign for Tottenham, a record which Postecoglou will be extremely keen to avoid, but one which highlights why the 59-year-old could soon part company.

If Tottenham opt to hand the former Celtic boss his P45, there are a number of potential candidates linked with the hot seat.

Spurs’ rumoured managerial shortlist includes the likes of Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola, Fulham’s Marco Silva, Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner and Brentford’s Thomas Frank – a list which underwhelms some critics given the four tacticians have just one major trophy between them.

Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi has admirers within Tottenham, after he guided the Serie A champions to a Champions League final in 2023 and is currently just in pole position to win a second consecutive Scudetto.

However, it is highly unlikely the Nerrazzuri would be willing to let their most successful manager in years go so easily, and Inzaghi will have watched fellow big-name managers like Antonio Conte and José Mourinho fall short in N17.

Jamie O'Hara thrilled as Tottenham eye Burnley boss Scott Parker

The Mail reported this week that Tottenham are also targeting Burnley boss Scott Parker, and while he isn’t exactly a name in the ilk of Inzaghi, pundit O’Hara told talkSPORT why the 44-year-old could be a great appointment.

“Now, this is interesting, it says Ange is set for a summer exit as Spurs keep tabs on Parker,” O’Hara said.

“I think I’d like Scott Parker. I think I’d like Scott Parker at Tottenham. There’s something about him, I’ve worked with Scott, I’ve been in the dressing room with Scott, he’s a top bloke, a brilliant captain, his football I like, his identity I like. Is it a step too far early doors? Maybe, but maybe he needs a platform like Tottenham.

“I think he’d be alright, I wouldn’t mind it.”

The Englishman clinched promotion to the Premier League with both Fulham and Burnley, with Pep Guardiola once endorsing him as one of England’s most exciting young coaches.

However, the jury is out on whether Parker is ready to manage a huge club like Spurs, regardless of his connection.

Leeds United are back in action once again this evening as they prepare to travel to Oxford United in the Championship for the first of their two Easter matches.

The Whites play after Sheffield United face Cardiff City earlier in the day and this means that they could go eight points clear of third place with a win, if results go their way.

Daniel Farke has already shown that he is willing to make bold selection decisions ahead of big games, having already played a blinder by dropping Illan Meslier recently.

Why Illan Meslier was dropped by Leeds

The French dud was dropped by the German head coach after making two crucial mistakes in the 2-2 draw with Swansea at Elland Road at the end of last month, dropping a cross onto Harry Darling for the first goal and being beaten too easily for the second strike.

Meslier conceded 2.73 more goals than expected and made three errors that directly led to goals in the Championship before finally being taken out of the team in favour of Karl Darlow.

The English shot-stopper has prevented 0.56 xG in his three appearances since he came into the XI, without making a single error, and provided a solid presence between the sticks.

His ability to claim crosses and take danger out of situations has been appreciated by the fan base, as shown by the post from reporter Beren Cross above.

Farke could, now, repeat the trick he played by dropping Meslier by dropping another regular starter in Joel Piroe, whose performances have dipped of late.

Why Joel Piroe should be dropped

The Dutch centre-forward started the 2-1 win over Preston North End and came off the pitch without a goal or an assist to show for his efforts for the eighth game running.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Piroe started all eight of those matches, returning zero goals and zero assists, and has only scored one goal in his last ten starts in the Championship for Leeds.

The left-footed forward was described as “anonymous” by reporter James Marshment in February, and that is one of the issues with his performances for the Whites because the striker does not offer enough in his general play without goals to go with it.

Appearances

42

xG

15.06

Goals

15

Key passes per game

0.8

Pass accuracy

77%

Ground duel success rate

33%

Aerial duel success rate

18%

Dribble success rate

31%

As you can see in the table above, Piroe is regularly dominated by Championship defenders in duels on the ground and in the air, whilst he does not excel as a passer, creator, or dribbler in possession.

This means that the former Swansea City attacker has been a lightweight in the Whites starting XI in the past eight matches as a starter, because of his poor all-round displays as well as his lack of impact in the final third.

Therefore, Farke could repeat his Meslier trick by ruthlessly ditching Piroe from the team to unleash Patrick Bamford, who recently came off the bench to win six of his nine duels against Middlesbrough.

The English number nine could provide more physicality at the top end of the pitch, as the Dutchman has been too easy for defenders to play against, as Leeds look to get their Premier League promotion over the line in the coming days.

Farke already his next Rutter in Leeds "weapon" who's shining out on loan

Daniel Farke may have his next Georginio Rutter in this Leeds star who is out on loan.

ByDan Emery Apr 16, 2025

Who goes out if Jadeja is fit to return, and will Rahul’s unavailability have any bearing on the selection?

Karthik Krishnaswamy12-Feb-20241:33

Can the Vizag pitch be replicated in other Indian venues?

Kuldeep Yadav or Axar Patel? And is there a case for Kuldeep Yadav Axar Patel? India’s selectors and team management could spend a considerable length of time mulling over these questions in the lead-up to the third Test against England, which begins in Rajkot on Thursday. The issue is complicated by the fact that the selection isn’t a straight shootout between like-for-like players, and will potentially be swayed by the news that KL Rahul has been ruled out. The selection of India’s third spinner, in the end, is likely to hinge on three questions.Will Jadeja be fit to start?Injuries led Ravindra Jadeja and Rahul to miss the second Test in Visakhapatnam. While Rahul has been ruled out of the Rajkot Test, Jadeja’s availability remains subject to clearing a fitness test.If Jadeja is fit to play, he is expected to come back in for either Kuldeep or Axar, with Kuldeep perhaps likelier to keep his place given the wicket-taking threat he brings to India’s attack, particularly when conditions are batting-friendly. He picked up three first-innings wickets in Visakhapatnam, and over the course of the match was also the most economical of India’s spin trio, with his stump-to-stump line and wristspinner’s threat of extra bounce limiting England’s use of the sweep and reverse-sweep. He’s also looked in better rhythm of late than Axar, whose wide release and skiddiness off the surface didn’t quite make the impact India may have desired when they used him in an unbroken 14-over spell in the second innings, when the ball had begun to keep low frequently.Related

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Since the start of 2023, Axar has taken just eight wickets in 11 Test innings at an average of 49.00 and a strike rate marginally below 100. He has averaged 56.71 with the bat in the same period, but India are likely to value Kuldeep’s wicket-taking ability over Axar’s all-round utility if Jadeja returns in Rajkot.If Jadeja doesn’t play, India’s selection is simpler: both Kuldeep and Axar play alongside R Ashwin as they did in Visakhapatam.R Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav in deep conversation•BCCIHow will Rajkot’s pitch play?Rajkot is reputed to be among the most batter-friendly venues in India, with one caveat. By nature, the SCA Stadium is full of runs – Cheteshwar Pujara and Jadeja have each made a triple-century here, and two double-hundreds apiece – but there have been times when the pressure of results has led Saurashtra, the home team, to prepare square turners. As a result, while there have been 20 first-class totals of 500 or more here, there have also been 20 all-out totals of 150 or less.The last two first-class games at the SCA Stadium summed up its yin-and-yang nature: a drawn Ranji Trophy match in January featuring a Pujara double, and a Rest of India win over Saurashtra in the Irani Cup in October, when the third and fourth innings produced totals of 160 and 79.The venue has hosted two Tests so far: a high-scoring India-England draw in 2016 and an innings win for India over West Indies in 2019, when the hosts declared on 649 for 9. Wristspinnners made a significant impact in both Tests, with Adil Rashid picking up seven wickets in the 2016 game and Kuldeep bagging a second-innings five-for against West Indies.The flatter the pitch is, the more India will value Kuldeep’s bowling. A square turner, however, could make them think of picking Axar – either alongside or instead of Kuldeep.If India wish to go all-out aggressive, Axar Patel could slot in as a batting allrounder•BCCIWill Rahul’s absence influence this selection?If Rahul was fit, he would have replaced Shreyas Iyer, whom India have left out of their squad. Now that Rahul isn’t available, though, India could end up with Rajat Patidar, who made his debut in Visakhapatnam, and one of Sarfaraz Khan or Devdutt Padikkal – both of whom are uncapped – at Nos. 4 and 5. While Jadeja, Ashwin and KS Bharat give India a good amount of depth on paper, the lack of experience above them and the concerns surrounding Bharat’s form could lead India to look for ways to slot Axar into their XI.The most defensive way to do this would be to leave Kuldeep out. The all-out aggressive option would be to pick Axar – or Washington Sundar – as a batting allrounder and play him ahead of Sarfaraz or Padikkal, but that wouldn’t exactly address any concerns over depth.A third way would be to play just one fast bowler in Jasprit Bumrah and surround him with four spin options. If reverse-swing comes into the picture as it did in Visakhapatnam, however, and the pitch doesn’t break up a great deal over the first three days, India may want a second quick to share Bumrah’s workload. The composition of their squad suggests India are looking to persist with the two-seamer combination, with Mohammed Siraj back after being rested for the second Test, Mukesh Kumar retained, and Akash Deep called up as an extra option.

Unscheduled break puts spotlight on captain’s faltering form in recent months

Matt Roller28-Jan-2022Are we heading into the final stages of Eoin Morgan’s England captaincy?Morgan was so quick to confirm his desire to stay on after the T20 World Cup semi-final loss to New Zealand in Abu Dhabi that his future has hardly been raised. “I’m still offering enough to the side,” he said in the post-match presentation; Chris Silverwood, England’s coach, later revealed that Morgan had been making plans for the 2022 tournament on the team bus back to Dubai after that defeat.But Morgan’s absence from the final three games of England’s series in Barbados – he has been ruled out through a minor quad injury – does beg the question. He turns 36 in September, a month before the T20 World Cup in Australia, and Jos Buttler – his heir presumptive – is at a natural inflexion point in his career with his Test future in doubt.Morgan’s batting has reached a point where it is increasingly difficult to justify his place in England’s middle order. Since the start of 2021, he has averaged 16.36 with a strike rate of 108.43 for England. It is still a relatively small sample size, but the evidence at domestic level has been not better: across 28 innings for Middlesex, London Spirit and Kolkata Knight Riders, he has averaged 18.13 with a strike rate of 118.13.Morgan has always been a streaky player. His peaks and troughs have been extreme across a 15-year T20 career, and the volatility of middle-order batting in T20s – particularly since he shuffled down from No. 4 to No. 5 or 6 – has created what Buttler called “a myth” around Morgan’s form. “I think the longer you go without contributing a significant score, the closer you are to actually contributing – and that’s coming from experience,” Morgan said before the World Cup.And it was not long ago that Morgan was in the best hitting form of his career. In 2019 and 2020, he averaged 40.71 with a strike rate of 158.32 in T20 cricket, the third-highest in the world behind Andre Russell and Kieron Pollard among those who batted 40 times or more. At 5.25 crore (£560,000 at the time) he was one of the bargains of the auction for the 2020 IPL.But his recent run has been a tough watch. There have been occasional glimmers of form – five sixes in a Hundred game at The Oval, a cool-headed finish in the IPL and a late swing for victory at Old Trafford – but for the most part it has been a struggle, as highlighted by his only real innings of note for England: 40 off 36 balls on a slow, low Sharjah pitch, playing second fiddle to an extraordinary century from Buttler.His performances in Barbados continued the trend, with 30 runs off 41 balls across his two innings. In the first, he came in at 10 for 3 and missed the first six balls he faced in a maiden from Jason Holder, eventually scoring off his ninth ball thanks to a thick edge. The pitch was tough, but much flatter in the second game, when he picked out long-off for 13 off 12 balls – and then dropped two catches, one of them straightforward, during West Indies’ run chase.Perhaps all he needs is a break. Morgan’s schedule in the last year has been relentless: India tour, IPL (first half), isolation at home, T20 Blast, England’s home summer, yet more isolation, the Hundred, a short break, IPL (second half), World Cup, Abu Dhabi T10. He admitted towards the end of the Hundred that he was exhausted, and opted against playing in the BBL or PSL either side of this tour in favour of time off.Related

• Death-bowling problems rear their head again to take shine off England win

• Eoin Morgan will make decision on his future himself, says Chris Silverwood

• Eoin Morgan remains determined to stay on as England captain

• Morgan ruled out of T20I series after sustaining quad injury

“The break for every player, coach and support staff gets more necessary with all the restrictions around Covid,” he told magazine last month. “If I’ve ever gone through a rough patch and had the chance to take a break from it, I’ve always put the bat down and gone and enjoyed the rest for what it is.” Depending on February’s IPL auction – where he has a base price of Rs. 1.5 crore (£150,000) – he may yet get a longer break than anticipated.As for Morgan’s captaincy? It is impossible to put a value on the intangibles of leadership but there have been the first hints of cracks appearing. Morgan said at the toss in the first T20I that he was hoping to bat first, having chosen to bowl 23 times in a row dating back to September 2016 – a tacit admission that his insistence on chasing had been a factor in England making a par score of 166 for 4 in November’s semi-final defeat when their batting-heavy strategy and the conditions meant they needed more.Their death bowling has been poor for a while. Morgan was widely given credit for his calming influence on Jofra Archer in the Super Over in the 50-over World Cup final in 2019, having learned from Ben Stokes’ nightmare in Kolkata three years earlier; but that same influence could not stop Chris Jordan (twice), Chris Woakes and Saqib Mahmood all conceding 20 or more runs in a single death over during Morgan’s last three T20Is.What would England’s limited-overs set-up look like without Morgan? Phil Salt’s assertive debut half-century on Wednesday, out of position at No. 6, underlined the depth of talent in England’s T20 batting. Buttler is an inexperienced captain, but Morgan’s implementation of a signalling system with Nathan Leamon, the white-ball analyst, has made him replaceable. It is often assumed that Morgan would move to a coaching or mentoring role, but he may prefer to spend his thirties cashing in on the franchise circuit – or spending time out of the game altogether.Morgan’s legacy as England’s greatest-ever white-ball captain is already secure and has been reinforced by the depth of talent coming through the ranks under his watch. With a men’s ICC event scheduled for each of the next 10 years – including the defence of England’s 50-over title in 2023, by which stage he will be 37 – there is no perfect time for Morgan to step down. But it feels increasingly like this winter’s T20 World Cup is his natural endpoint.

The struggling New York Yankees got off to another rough start during Sunday's game against the Houston Astros, and tempers flared early for manager Aaron Boone.

Boone was issued a one-way ticket to the locker room after he was ejected during the third inning for arguing balls and strikes with home plate umpire Derek Thomas. Boone hadn't even made his way onto the field before Thomas issued him a warning, and he ejected soon after as Boone continued to air his grievances.

It was only after he was ejected that Boone left the dugout to give Thomas an earful, but that proved to be difficult as third base umpire Jordan Baker came forth to separate the pair by standing in between them. After a while, Thomas, seemingly ready to move on from the incident, wasn't even looking in Boone's direction, though that didn't stop the Yankees manager from continuing to bark at him.

The ejection was Boone's fifth of the season, which leads MLB.

The pitch that set Boone off was a low called strike against Ryan McMahon. After Thomas signaled for a called strike, the broadcast mics overheard someone from the Yankees dugout, likely Boone, shouting in disagreement.

New York was trailing 2–0 at the time of Boone's ejection, having surrendered a solo home run to Jose Altuve in the first inning and an RBI double to Christian Walker in the third.

More big names are expected to join Tom Brady at Birmingham, with Stephen Carr telling GOAL why marquee signings in the transfer market can be completed. The former Blues defender has also been discussing, in an exclusive interview, why plans for a new stadium – which could attract NFL games – and Premier League promotion dreams can come to fruition.

• Winning mentality: Brady's role at Birmingham

  Birmingham tumbled into League One during Brady’s first season as a minority stakeholder of the club. They did, however, bounce back in style when claiming the third tier title in record-breaking fashion last term.

  With big-spending owners on board, the Blues are aiming high. They want to beat Ryan Reynolds, Rob Mac and Wrexham to the top tier, with both clubs generating plenty of noise away from the field – with documentary series opening up a window to the world.

  Seven-time Super Bowl winner Brady has helped Birmingham to spread their word, with the American football legend fully signed up to an exciting project in the West Midlands. He is helping to bring a winning mentality to St Andrew’s.

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• Amazon Prime Video
  

  Transfer business: Birmingham backed to land big names

  With the Blues’ mass appeal continuing to grow, Carr – speaking in association with – told GOAL when asked if more household names will head to Birmingham: “I think so. I think that’s what they are aiming for. The stadium that they just released, you can see what they are building – that is for the Premier League, that’s not for the Football League. That has to be a Premier League stadium.

  “I know there is all the other stuff with it, the NFL and everything, but it is being geared up now where they want to go. Very ambitious. But there is a limit to what you can spend, it’s as simple as that. You see it at Newcastle as well – the richest club in the world but they can’t go out and buy whoever they want. That’s where they need plans.

  “They do need a good few players. If they stay in the Championship, consolidate and then build. They need players coming in. It’s what they can bring in, what they are restricted with and what they can spend. They have always had a good academy there, they produce some good young players. But you see with the stadium and everything, they are very ambitious.

  “It’s amazing for the area, it needs it. In the long-term, I think you will see top players. But they need to get into the Premier League to get those players because you are limited in what you can spend. They can’t go and throw money at trying to get to the Premier League. You need to get up, but it’s going to take a bit of time. It’s not simple. The Championship is getting harder and harder. You see it’s stacked at the moment.

  “For the future, that’s the goal. The stadium shows how much money they will be spending. That stadium is only worth something if you are in the Premier League, it’s not for the Championship – with the costs and all that. You see Tottenham’s stadium and what they spent, they spent a fortune, but they are in the Premier League. That’s a Premier League stadium, so hopefully they do it and get up. I think you will see spending. I think it will be controlled, it won’t be stupid, but you will see bigger names coming back to Birmingham.”

• NFL & Taylor Swift: Grand plans for Birmingham

  Another former Blues star, Clinton Morrison, told GOAL recently when asked about NFL games and Taylor Swift concerts at Birmingham: “The city in its own right is the second city in the country behind London. It’s a massive city and a city that probably hasn’t had as much investment as others – like Manchester and others in the UK. There is a lot of scope for growth economically in the city.

  “The owners have got big dreams of bringing this all-purpose stadium in. We have seen it with a couple of other stadiums around the country where they have managed to incorporate other events and generate revenue that way. I believe it is only a good thing what they are planning. Whether that materialises or not is another thing. I believe they have to have Premier League status in order to achieve and attract that magnitude of event.”

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• Birmingham City
  

  Promotion push: When will Birmingham reach the Premier League?

  Birmingham, who continue to work under the guidance of manager Chris Davies, are very much in the Championship top-six picture this season. They sit eighth in the table at present, one point outside the play-off places and only five adrift of the second automatic promotion spot.

  They will be back in action on Saturday when taking in a trip to Southampton. They have six more games through to the end of the calendar year, at which point another transfer window will open and more fresh faces could be welcomed through the doors.

MatériaMais Notícias

Depois da vitória do São Paulo por 2 a 1, contra o Fluminense, Zubeldía saiu na defesa de Patryck e Juan, duas Crias de Cotia bastante contestadas.

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➡️ Vai dar Brasil? Aposte no Lance! Betting e fature com a Copa América

Segundo o técnico, antes de assumir o cargo de treinador, é preciso se ‘descontaminar’ das opiniões que vieram antes e escalar um time com base no que está sendo visto nos treinamentos e no seu trabalho. Ao falar de Patryck, tomou como exemplo a convocação do lateral para a Seleção Sub-17.

➡️ Siga o Lance! São Paulo no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Tricolor

– Um técnico novo, no caso eu, chega livre do conhecimento das críticas com alguns jogadores e tem liberdade para tomar suas decisões com base nos treinos. É preciso tomar decisões não pelo o que dizem e sim pelo que vejo. Se o Patryck jogou pela Seleção Sub-17, por que não pode jogar aqui? – disse durante a coletiva de imprensa.

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– Oscilou, normal para um jovem. Sei de futebol e jovens, terá partidas boas e ruins. Tomara que tenha mais partidas boas, senão ele saberá as consequências- completou.

Quanto a Juan, que tem um pouco mais de experiência no profissional, o colocou logo na sucessão de Calleri, destacando as qualidades do jovem centroavante.

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– O mesmo com Juan. Possivelmente ele é o centroavante mais centroavante do elenco, depois de Calleri. Questionamentos para um centroavante que não está marcando vai ter, mas se a equipe tem gols de outra posição, seu trabalho hoje foi muito bom, gerou situações de gol – concluiu.

✅ FICHA TÉCNICA
SÃO PAULO 2 X 1 FLUMINENSE
6ª RODADA – SÉRIE A DO CAMPEONATO BRASILEIRO

🗓️Data e horário: segunda-feira, 13 de maio de 2024, às 20h (de Brasília);
📍Local: Morumbis, em São Paulo (SP);
⚽Gols: Bobadilla e Arboleda (São Paulo); Igor Vinícius (GC – Fluminense)
🟨Árbitro: Anderson Daronco (FIFA-RS);
🚩Assistentes: Lucio Beiersdorf Flor (RS) e Tiago Augusto Kappes Diel (RS);
🖥️VAR: Pablo Ramon Goncalves Pinheiro (FIFA-RN).

➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários de todos os jogos do Brasileirão

⚽ ESCALAÇÕES:

SÃO PAULO (Técnico: Luis Zubeldía)
Rafael; Igor Vinícius, Arboleda, Alan Franco e Patryck; Bobadilla, Alisson e Nestor; Luciano, Juan e André Silva.

FLUMINENSE (Técnico: Fernando Diniz)
Fábio; Marquinhos, Antônio Carlos, Manoel e Diogo Barbosa; Martinelli, Lima e Alexsande; Keno, Jhon Arias e Kauã Elias.

Tudo sobre

Luis ZubeldíaSão Paulo

أشاد مارك برايس مدرب منتخب الكاميرون بقدرات نجم هجوم الفريق ونادي ليفانتي، كارل إيتا إيونج، موضحًا أن الأخير قادر على اللعب في صفوف برشلونة.

إيونج برز بشكل ملحوظ خلال هذا الموسم مع ليفانتي، وقدم عروضًا مميزة مع الفريق الإسباني حيث سجل 6 أهداف وقدم ثلاث تمريرات حاسمة خلال 12 مشاركة مع فريقه بالدوري الإسباني.

وأدى مستوى إيونج المتميز مع ليفانتي إلى ارتباطه بالانتقال إلى كبار الأندية الأوروبية، وأبرزها برشلونة حيث زعم أن الدولي الكاميروني لديه شرط جزائي في عقده مع ليفانتي يقدر بنحو 30 مليون يورو.

اقرأ أيضًا.. نجم ريال مدريد السابق مشيدًا بـ لامين يامال: يستطيع التفوق على ميسي

ويرى مدرب منتخب الكاميرون، مارك برايس، أن إيونج يستطيع بالفعل اللعب مع برشلونة، بينما صرح اللاعب الشاب من قبل عن رغبته في اللعب لصالح تشيلسي.

وقال برايس في تصريحات نقلها موقع ”tribalfotball”: “أعتقد أن إيونج بإمكانه اللعب لبرشلونة، مع إمكانياته نعم، هناك دائمًا مجال للاعب جديد في الفريق إذا كانت لديه الصفات اللازمة”.

وأضاف في حديثه عن إيونج: “انظروا إلى لامين يامال، قبل عام لم يتوقع أحد أنه سيلعب مع الفريق الأول، والآن أصبح لاعبًا أساسيًا”.

واختتم: “إيتا إيونج أيضًا لديه هذه الإمكانات، إنه لاعب خطير ولا يمكن التنبؤ بما سيقوم به ويمكنه مفاجأة أي فريق، وهذا أمر قيم لأي فريق كبير”.