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Barcelona presidential hopeful Xavier Vilajoana has accused Joan Laporta’s board of “lying” about the club’s financial situation and called for transparency over Lionel Messi’s 2021 exit. A new independent report commissioned by the former board member claims that Barca’s debt has ballooned to €4.12 billion, sparking questions about the club’s claims of economic recovery and whether Messi’s departure was really driven by finances at all.

• Report exposes record debt as Laporta faces fresh scrutiny

  The foundations of Laporta’s presidency have come under renewed fire following the publication of the “Economic X-ray of FC Barcelona (2005-2025)” report – a detailed, independent analysis presented at the Foment de Treball headquarters in Barcelona. Commissioned by Vilajoana, a former Barca director and now potential presidential challenger, the study paints a worrying picture of the club’s financial trajectory. According to the report, Barcelona’s total debt has reached €4.12 billion, the highest in European football history, marking a 293% increase since 2021.

  It directly challenges Laporta’s long-standing narrative that his administration “saved” the club from economic collapse. The report claims that even excluding the Espai Barca project €2.82 billion, operational and financial debts still exceed €1.3 billion – more than what Laporta inherited from Josep Maria Bartomeu’s regime.

  Perhaps most damningly, it accuses the club of using €929 million from asset sales (TV rights, Barca Studios, VIP seats) to finance everyday operations rather than long-term recovery – a strategy that Vilajoana calls “deceptive and unsustainable.”

  As pressure mounts, Vilajoana has demanded answers from Laporta, insisting that the club’s financial story has been “twisted to mislead members.”

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  ‘Pretending the numbers balance is not saving the club’ – Vilajoana slams Laporta’s management

  Speaking during the report’s presentation, Vilajoana issued a scathing assessment of how the Laporta administration has handled finances, membership relations, and transparency.

  He accused the board of covering up a worsening financial situation, saying: “In these four years, Laporta has sold nearly €900 million of inherited assets. Without that inheritance, accumulated losses would already exceed €1 billion, a figure equivalent to the total value of the current first-team squad.

  “The economic data reveal a situation far more delicate than the president has publicly admitted. The study detects accounting manipulation practices intended to present a recovery that does not match the Club’s financial reality.

  “In total, more than €380 million would have been included in the accounts without a real basis, altering the perception of debt and results. These operations do not reduce actual debt; they only hide it. Pretending the numbers balance is not saving the club, it is deceiving it."

• ‘Let Laporta tell us the truth’ – Messi’s departure questioned amid claims of deceit

  Among the most striking claims in Vilajoana’s report is the suggestion that Messi’s departure may not have been purely financial. The former Barca director called on Laporta to “finally tell the truth” about why the Argentine legend was allowed to leave.

  “Messi’s departure was based on financial reasons. It was said that the club couldn't afford the best player in the world. If the reason was financial, I don't see it anywhere now,” Vilajoana stated. “Let Laporta tell us the real reason why Messi was let go. Messi should be left alone. The club is his home, regardless of the president. It would be a mistake to try to take over a figure like him.”

  He also used the report to highlight cuts to La Masia, which he argues have jeopardised Barcelona’s most reliable long-term asset: “Laporta lives off La Masia’s successes while reducing investment. Since his term began, he has cut La Masia’s investment from €40m to €25m. If we are to learn anything from this economic disaster, it’s that La Masia is Barca’s best asset.”

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  Vilajoana to launch presidential project ahead of 2026 elections

  While the report sharply criticises the club’s leadership, Vilajoana’s message was not one of despair but of renewal. He announced that he will formally present his electoral project on November 27, outlining an alternative vision built on transparency, accountability, and youth development. 

  “If I run, it will be with the intention of proposing, explaining, and persuading,” he said. “I don't like 'Frankenstein' projects everyone should forge their own path. I'm going to work on mine.”

  Closing his address, Vilajoana expressed cautious optimism that the club can recover if leadership changes course: “I’m optimistic because we’ll deal with it when we can. Barca has a solution, but it requires will and responsibility. What we can’t do is say that everything is fantastic for four years.”

  As Barcelona prepare for next summer’s elections, the controversy surrounding Messi’s departure and Laporta’s financial stewardship is certain to dominate the campaign trail. Whether Laporta chooses to respond to the accusations or continue to deflect remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Barca’s financial narrative is once again under the microscope.

Corbin Bosch and Nandre Burger stifled Zimbabwe with the ball, and rookie Rubin Hermann struck his maiden T20I fifty to secure South Africa’s place in the T20I tri-series final – while knocking the hosts out – in a seven-wicket win in Harare.Zimbabwe’s total of 144 for 6 was too little to trouble South Africa. Their third loss in as many outings also makes the last two league games dead rubbers. South Africa and New Zealand, both on four points, have their spots in the final assured with Zimbabwe still on zero points with one more fixture remaining for them.It was another insipid batting display from Zimbabwe after Rassie van der Dussen opted to bowl first. They posted the lowest powerplay score of the tri-series and managed just 55 for 3 in the first ten overs. Only Brian Bennett’s counterattacking 61 gave the innings a degree of respectability.South Africa then overcame an early stutter in the chase courtesy Hermann’s 63 and van der Dussen’s 52 not out. They won with 16 balls to spare.Brian Bennett celebrates fifty during his 78-run stand with Ryan Burl•Zimbabwe Cricket

Bennett turns it around

Bennett faced only 10 balls in the powerplay and was starved of strike as Zimbabwe crawled to 29 for 2 in six overs. His first boundary came in the eighth over, a back-foot cut off George Linde, and he finally blossomed during a 78-run fourth-wicket stand with Ryan Burl that gave the innings some direction.Legspinner Nqaba Peter bore the brunt of Bennett’s charge, hit over his head and past deep square leg for fours, then over wide long-on for a six that landed on the roof of the Sports Club. Linde, brought on to stem the flow, couldn’t halt the assault either: Bennett cut him behind square for four and launched a six onto the midwicket grass banks in the 13th over, then repeated the four-six combo in the 15th. The second six, that just cleared long-off, brought up Bennett’s half-century off 38 balls.He then got away with a thick edge for four off Ngidi and followed it with a Douglas Marillier-style ramp past short fine leg. But Ngidi had the final word, bowling him with a slower yorker off the last ball of the 16th. Bennett’s 61 off 43 helped Zimbabwe add 60 runs between overs 11 and 16.

Bosch earns the rewards

Bosch capitalised on early pressure from Ngidi and Nandre Burger, with Zimbabwe crawling to 17 in the first three overs.Brought in for the fourth over, Bosch struck with his third ball – a full delivery on middle stump – dismissing Wessly Madhevere caught at mid-off. In the next over, he bowled short and angled into Clive Madande, who spooned a catch back to the bowler.Corbin Bosch was tough to put away•Zimbabwe Cricket

But it was in the death overs that Bosch really showed off his skills. Mixing yorkers on the stumps with wide-line deliveries, he gave away just six runs each in the 18th and 20th overs, stifling Zimbabwe’s attempt of a late flourish. Bosch ended with 4-0-16-2 and didn’t concede a single boundary.Burger also returned a tidy performance with 1 for 20 in four overs, delivering 15 dots across spells in the powerplay and death overs. The duo combined to allow only 22 runs to be scored in the final four overs, leaving South Africa a target of 145 to chase. Zimbabwe’s second-highest run-scorer was Burl with 36 in 31 balls, who despite staying unbeaten till the end, failed to get the slog-overs connection that Zimbabwe desperately needed.

Maposa delivers a scare

Without Blessing Muzarabani, who was unavailable owing to a bereavement in his family, Zimbabwe needed someone else to step up with the new ball. And it was Tinotenda Maposa who brought the fire.He tested the aggressive Lhuan-dre Pretorius with a short ball in the second over that forced the batter to miscue a shot to mid-on where Sikandar Raza took a screamer. Extra bounce was at the forefront again in the fifth over as Maposa got a short and wide ball to rise enough to induce the edge off Reeza Hendricks’ bat when he tried to play the cut.The two openers combined for only 10 runs in 20 balls.

Hermann’s encore, Rassie clinical

Hermann top-scored with 45 on his T20I debut in the tri-series opener against Zimbabwe, and with his 36-ball 63 on Sunday flattened them again. Combining with van der Dussen, Hermann was the majority contributor in a 106-run partnership for the third wicket that lifted South Africa from a tricky 22 for 2 to the position of ease.He was on top of Zimbabwe almost right away, driving Maposa uppishly for four off his second delivery. He then dispatched Raza’s loose deliveries in the tenth over by flat-batting a short ball to long-on for four and pulling another half-tracker over deep midwicket for six. Left-arm spinner Wellington Masakadza was then slapped for six down the ground and swatted for four through the leg side, and by the 12th over, Hermann had brought up his maiden T20I fifty in only 29 balls when he hit Maposa for six down the ground.Van der Dussen’s unbeaten innings of 52, that included six fours, complemented Hermann’s beautifully. In the powerplay, he used his wrists well to dispatch Trevor Gwandu for fours to fine leg in the powerplay, took a backseat when Hermann was hitting it well, and then picked up his pace when South Africa grabbed pole position again.Hermann’s poles were eventually flattened by Richard Ngarava in the 16th over, and he walked back disappointed. After his debut, he had said he wanted to be the “guy who finishes games” for South Africa, and this was yet another opportunity squandered. But by then, the equation read 17 runs required in 27 balls and the game was wrapped up within the next 11 deliveries.

Former England captain has long association with Lord’s through Middlesex and the Hundred

Matt Roller25-Jun-2025

Eoin Morgan will represent MCC’s interest on the board of London Spirit•Alex Davidson/ECB/Getty Images

Eoin Morgan has been appointed to the board of directors at London Spirit, where he will represent the interests of Lord’s owners Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) while sitting alongside their incoming co-owners, the ‘Tech Titans’.The ‘Tech Titans’ – officially Cricket Investor Holdings Limited – are a consortium of Silicon Valley technology entrepreneurs led by Nikesh Arora, the chief executive of cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks. They bid £144 million for a 49% stake in London Spirit earlier this year, with the deal expected to be ratified soon after lengthy contractual negotiations.Related

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MCC will retain its 51% share in the franchise and their position as majority partners will be reflected on the Spirit board. They will have four out of seven board seats, with their new joint-venture partners appointing the other three directors.Morgan captained London Spirit’s men in the first two seasons of the Hundred, and has a long association with Lord’s dating back to his early years at Middlesex. He has recently been ratified as MCC’s incoming chair of cricket, replacing the former England batter Claire Taylor, and his new role with London Spirit is the result of his experience and knowledge of franchise cricket.MCC has also appointed Rob Lawson, their chief executive and secretary, and incoming committee member Julian Metherell to the London Spirit board, but is yet to choose its final director. Metherell emerged as a key figure during the investment process, and was personally thanked by chair Mark Nicholas for his role in negotiations after the Titans’ investment.The eight Hundred deals are approaching ratification after extensive negotiations around key documents, including the participation agreement with the ECB. Richard Gould, the ECB’s chief executive, told ESPNcricinfo earlier this month that the process had taken “longer than we thought” but that it had reached “a really good state of play”.London Spirit’s women’s team, the defending Hundred champions, have also announced an overhaul of their leadership team, with Charlie Dean taking over as captain from Heather Knight, who has been ruled out of the tournament with injury, and Chris Liddle replacing Ashley Noffke as head coach. Knight, the former England captain, will stay with the squad in a mentorship role, with Kira Chathli, who was part of the title-winning Oval Invincibles side in 2022, taking her place in the squad.Noffke is taking up a new role on the Pakistan coaching staff. “Ashley was a highly respected coach, who will be much missed at Lord’s,” Fraser Stewart, London Spirit’s general manager, said. “I would like to place on record our thanks for the hard work, dedication and excellence he brought to the role, and his key part in securing our first title.”

Aston Villa are on the rise under Unai Emery, with NSWE backing the manager in the transfer market. However, the club have also cashed in on a number of Villa Park stars down the years – but who is the club’s record departure?

Here is a detailed look at Villa’s most expensive sales in their history, as per Transfermarkt, with an in-depth view of the top 10.

1

Jack Grealish

£100m

Man City

2021

2

Jhon Duran

£64m

Al-Nassr

2025

3

Moussa Diaby

£50m

Al-Ittihad

2024

4

Douglas Luiz

£42.35m

Juventus

2024

5

Christian Benteke

£32.5m

Liverpool

2015

6

James Milner

£26m

Man City

2010

=7

Carney Chukwuemeka

£20m

Chelsea

2022

=7

Stewart Downing

£20m

Liverpool

2011

=7

Jaden Philogene

£20m

Ipswich Town

2025

10

Cameron Archer

£18m

Sheffield Utd

2023

11

Ashley Young

£17m

Man Utd

2011

=12

Cameron Archer

£15m

Southampton

2024

=12

Danny Ings

£15m

West Ham

2023

=12

Matt Targett

£15m

Newcastle

2022

15

Dwight Yorke

£12.6m

Man Utd

1998

16

Gareth Barry

£12m

Man City

2009

17

Diego Carlos

£10m

Fenerbahce

2025

18

Tim Iroegbunam

£9m

Everton

2024

19

Jordan Amavi

£8.9m

Marseille

2017

=20

Fabian Delph

£8m

Man City

2015

=20

Ugo Ehiogu

£8m

Middlesbrough

2000

Here's a detailed look at Aston Villa's top 10 sales… 10 Cameron Archer £18m to Sheffield Utd, 2023

The first time Aston Villa sold Cameron Archer was in 2023 to newly promoted Sheffield United. Archer had a respectable campaign at Bramall Lane which resulted in Villa activating a buy-back clause in 2024, only to sell him again months later.

The Blades shelled out £18m to sign the forward, with their subsequent relegation perhaps playing a part once Villa sensed they could get some more money for him, with play-off winners Southampton the latest beneficiary.

9 Jaden Philogene £20m to Ipswich, 2025

Jaden Philogene swapped Villa Park for Portman Road in January 2025, looking to help keep Ipswich Town in the Premier League.

The Villa academy graduate had loan spells at Stoke City, Cardiff City, and Hull City in the Championship before the club cashed in.

8 Carney Chukwuemeka £20m to Chelsea, 2022

Young midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka starred for a brief period of time in the Aston Villa first team after coming through the academy.

Chukwuemeka’s impressive performances caught the eye of Chelsea, who added the midfielder to their growing list of young signings in 2022 for £20m. However, he has already been linked with an exit without making his mark at Stamford Bridge.

7 Stewart Downing £20m to Liverpool, 2011

Stewart Downing was Martin O’Neill’s first signing of the 2009 transfer window and his time at Aston Villa was short and sweet. After two seasons, Liverpool and Kenny Dalglish took Downing to Anfield and the left-winger would spend two years with the Reds.

The Anfield side spent a reported £20m to bring the England international to Merseyside, though the fee has officially remained undisclosed.

6 James Milner £26m to Man City, 2010

Premier League icon James Milner initially joined Aston Villa on loan in 2005 as part of Newcastle’s deal to re-sign Nolberto Solano.

Milner would go on to impress at Villa Park and signed on a permanent basis three years later in 2008, making a total of 126 appearances before signing for Man City in a £26m deal in 2010, from which point he continued to carve out a successful top-flight career.

5 Christian Benteke £32.5m to Liverpool, 2015

Powerful striker Christian Benteke first made his mark in England with Aston Villa after arriving from Genk in 2012, and the Villans would make a huge profit on the Belgian three years later.

It was again Liverpool who came calling and paid an eye-catching £32.5m fee for the forward, though his transfer to Anfield didn’t work out, and he was on the move again 12 months later.

4 Douglas Luiz £42.35m to Juventus, 2024

More recently, central midfielder Douglas Luiz was sold by Aston Villa to Juventus in 2024 after spending five successful years with the club.

A transfer was reportedly worth €50m (£42.35m), with Villa soon taking Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea to the Midlands in return. Amadou Onana has since become his successor at Villa Park.

3 Moussa Diaby £50m to Al-Ittihad, 2024

Another big-money exit in 2024 to help balance the FFP books was Moussa Diaby, who moved to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad for around £50m.

The France international only spent one campaign in England, but his displays were enough for Villa to more or less break even on the fee they paid Bayer Leverkusen a year earlier.

2 Jhon Duran £64m to Al-Nassr, 2025

Jhon Duran was going from strength to strength at Villa Park when the surprise decision was made to sell the Colombia international to Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr in January 2025.

The forward cost Villa just £18m, so a £64m exit represented a huge profit and the chance for Duran to go and play alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.

1 Jack Grealish £100m to Man City, 2021

Unsurprisingly top of the list as Aston Villa’s most expensive sale is Jack Grealish, whose £100m move to Manchester City in 2021 was a British record at the time.

The attacking midfielder dazzled in claret and blue in the Championship and the Premier League and departed Villa after making more than 200 games for his boyhood club. His deal as the most expensive between British clubs has since been eclipsed by the likes of Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo.

Chelsea’s approach to recruitment has long revolved around stacking their squad with some of the brightest young prospects in world football.

In the past few years, they have paid significant sums to secure teenagers such as Estevão, Kendry Páez and Mamadou Sarr.

This summer alone, they have added some of the most exciting youth prospects in Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund, Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United and Jorrel Hato from Ajax.

The logic is simple: bring in rising stars before their price goes up and commit them to long contracts, typically seven years or more.

By doing so, Chelsea not only protect themselves against paying premiums later – as they did with Enzo Fernández’s £107m transfer in 2023 – but also keep themselves compliant with Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) by spreading transfer fees across the length of those deals.

The result is the youngest squad in the Premier League, with an average age of just 23 years and five months.

Not all of these gambles work out, however. A number of players have grown frustrated at limited minutes and moved on.

This summer alone saw exits for Renato Veiga, Carney Chukwuemeka, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Christopher Nkunku.

And in previous years, Chelsea have made high-profile misjudgements by letting go of talents like Mohamed Salah, Kevin De Bruyne, Declan Rice and Romelu Lukaku too early.

Yet there are also success stories that show the model can deliver.

Nowhere is that clearer than with Cole Palmer.

Cole Palmer's stunning Chelsea stint so far

When Chelsea paid Manchester City £40m for Palmer in 2023, the deal was met with scepticism.

Could a player who had mostly been used sparingly by Pep Guardiola truly justify such a fee?

Two years on, the answer is an emphatic yes. Palmer is now the beating heart of Enzo Maresca’s side and widely regarded as the club’s most important player.

Since his arrival, Palmer’s market value has soared from €32m (£28m) to €120m (£110m), as per Transfermarkt.

He was central to Chelsea’s resurgence last season, guiding them to a fourth-place finish, a UEFA Conference League triumph and a Club World Cup title.

His influence was decisive in both finals, scoring twice against PSG in the Club World Cup and picking up man of the match awards in each.

Palmer’s output has been remarkable: 45 goals and 29 assists in his first 100 appearances for the club.

Beyond numbers, his creativity and ability to dictate games in the final third have been transformative.

It is no surprise he won the PFA Young Player of the Season award, or that he broke into the England team in 2023, scoring in the Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain.

Statistically, Palmer excels across multiple areas.

Matches Played

37

Goals

15

Assists

8

Progressive Carries

120

Progressive Passes

214

Source: FBref

His 2024/25 season included 37 appearances with 23 goal involvements, averaging 6.03 progressive passes per 90 and 5.70 shot-creating actions.

He is not just scoring and assisting, but consistently advancing Chelsea’s play in possession.

For all the criticism of the club’s scattergun transfer policy, Palmer stands as proof that sometimes they get it spectacularly right.

How Jamal Musiala compares to Palmer

For every Palmer success story, there is a cautionary tale.

Jamal Musiala’s departure is one Chelsea fans continue to regret.

Having been part of the Blues’ youth system, he left for Bayern Munich in 2019 for just €200k (£175k).

Today his market value is estimated at €140m (£130m), and he is widely considered among the best attacking midfielders in world football.

At Bayern, Musiala has blossomed into a superstar.

In 207 matches, he has scored 64 goals and provided 39 assists, while also cementing his place in the German national team with 40 caps and eight goals.

Former England youth teammate Jude Bellingham once roomed with him, and Musiala’s decision to represent Germany over England has only heightened the sense of loss.

Manchester United skipper Bruno Fernandes summed it up simply: Musiala is “one of the best number 10s in the world.” The statistics underline his world-class profile.

In 2024/25, he managed 14 goal involvements in 25 Bundesliga matches, with 1.55 shots on target per 90 and an outstanding 45.6% accuracy, as per FBref.

He edges Palmer in dribbling influence too, recording 39.6 carries per 90 compared to Palmer’s 33.0.

While Palmer is the superior progressive passer (6.03 per 90 to Musiala’s 5.35), Musiala’s ability to destabilise defenders with his direct running offers a complementary, if different, threat.

The irony is stark: Chelsea now pay premiums to secure players like Palmer, while having allowed Musiala to leave for a fraction of his current worth.

Injuries have unfortunately stalled his 2025/26 campaign – a broken leg at the Club World Cup means he will miss large portions of the season – but his trajectory remains upwards.

The Palmer-Musiala contrast highlights the dual nature of Chelsea’s youth model.

They are capable of landing gems that transform the team, but just as easily let diamonds slip through their fingers.

Maresca must drop Chelsea dud who was as bad as Chalobah vs Bayern

Chelsea lost to Bayern Munich in their first Champions League game of the season.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 18, 2025

Sunderland have made a solid start to life in the Premier League and could now be about to make a late swoop for a rapid forward.

Sunderland see off Brentford in dramatic fashion

Harnessing the power of their home support, Sunderland claimed their second victory of the league campaign under Regis Le Bris after Wilson Isidor’s last-minute winner over Brentford maintained their 100% record at the Stadium of Light.

Despite going behind courtesy of Igor Thiago’s header, Enzo Le Fee converted from the spot before the Black Cats’ fanbase were sent into raptures in stoppage time.

Speaking post-match, Le Bris praised his side for their resilience after taking advantage of the fine margins that presented themselves on a day of ecstacy in the North East.

He stated: “Three points, another tough game with fine margins. I think the first half was positive, we controlled this part of the game without creating many chances or scoring, I think it was the main regret of the first half.

“Second half was totally different – more chaotic, more open. I’m happy because these two sides of the performance are really important, you can be well-organised and feel that we can control this part.”

Romano: Sunderland submit new £24m bid to sign Le Bris' "priority target"

His club are fighting hard to keep him.

By
Callum Kemp

Aug 28, 2025

With focus quickly shifting to deadline day, Sunderland are lining up a late bid for FC Midtjylland winger Dario Osorio, who is also attracting interest from Ligue 1 outfit Lille.

On the same token, the Black Cats have submitted an offer for PSV Eindhoven midfielder Joey Veerman and there is a good chance that he could sign on the dotted line once all is said and done.

Making late moves, Sunderland now have a striker in their sights that would add an element of pace to their forward line if they can pull off a deal.

Sunderland "keen" on RB Leipzig striker Lois Openda

According to Florian Plettenberg on X, Sunderland have made their interest known in RB Leipzig forward Lois Openda, who is also wanted by the likes of Juventus and Aston Villa before the window slams shut.

His current employers are set to demand a fee near the £35 million mark for his signature, and Philipp Hinze has added to these reports via the social media outlet, claiming Openda may be able to leave on loan with a mandatory purchase option.

Sporting’s Conrad Harder has been billed as a Leipzig replacement for the Belgium international, who has registered 41 goals and 18 assists in 93 appearances for the German top-flight outfit.

Hitting a top speed of 38.86 kilometres per hour in the Bundesliga last term, per their official website, Openda is deemed a similar player to Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior by Football Transfers’ comparison algorithm, coming as a result of his ability to race in-behind.

Reinforcements in the forward areas are on the agenda for Sunderland and a move to bring the talented forward to Wearside would be a fitting end to a strong window for the Black Cats.

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O meia Lucas Fernandes e o atacante Matías Segóvia sofreram uma lesão durante uma atividade realizada no Espaço Lonier no último domingo (18). A dupla está fora da partida do Botafogo diante do Cuiabá e será dúvida nos próximos compromissos da temporada.

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Lucas Fernandes chegou ao clube no início do ano passado e vem sendo muito utilizado nesta temporada. O meia era um dos cotados para a assumir a vaga de Eduardo, que está suspenso e será desfalque no próximo jogo do Glorioso.

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Matías Segovia chegou recentemente ao clube e rapidamente caiu nas graças da torcida, mas vem tendo dificuldades em adquirir sequência. O atacante vinha se recuperando de uma fratura na mão e, por conta desta nova contusão, terá que prolongar seu retorno aos gramados.

Apesar dos desfalques, Luís Castro deve contar também com os retornos de Gabriel Pires e Danilo Barbosa. Cuiabá e Botafogo se enfrentam na quinta-feira (22), às 20h, na Arena Pantanal, pelo Brasileirão.

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Enquanto esteve em campo, durante 68 minutos, o atleta participou ativamente das jogadas ofensivas. Tanto que esteve presente nos lances dos dois gols do triunfo rubro-negro. No primeiro, deu o passe para AyrtonLucas, que foi derrubado na área. Na cobrança, Pedro foi certeiro e colocou o Flamengo na frente, mas sentiu a coxa direita e teve que ser substituído.

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Na etapa final, Cebolinha voltou a decidir ao dar um ‘passe açucarado’ para Everton Ribeiro, de letra, marcar um golaço no Maracanã. O atacante já havia tido uma grande atuação contra o Athletico-PR, quando carregou por dentro e sofreu pênalti de Fernandinho. Diante do Maringá, construiu a jogada em velocidade e recebeu na frente para driblar o goleiro e estufar a rede.

+ Victor Hugo agrada Sampaoli e fala sobre adaptação em mudança de função no Flamengo: ‘Consigo fazer bem

Desde que chegou ao Flamengo, o atleta buscava seu espaço e tentava ser aquele jogador da época de Grêmio. Por lá, conquistou a Libertadores, Copa do Brasil e Recopa. No Benfica, foi comandado por Jorge Jesus, mas apesar de evoluir e adquirir maturidade, não se firmou no Velho Continente.

Everton também foi destaque na campanha do título da Copa América 2019, com a Seleção Brasileira. Além de erguer o troféu, foi artilheiro do torneio, ao lado de Paolo Guerrero, e eleito o melhor jogador da decisão contra o Peru. Apesar de deixar sua marca no início do processo que antecedeu a Copa de 2022, perdeu espaço com Tite e ficou de fora do Mundial do Qatar.

+ Filipe Luís, do Flamengo, se forma na licença B e já pode ser técnico de times das categorias de base

O Flamengo volta a campo neste sábado, às 16h, para medir forças com o Bahia, na Arena Fonte Nova. Cebolinha estará à disposição para dar sequência à boa fase. Além de mostrar, mais uma vez, para Sampaoli que pode lutar por uma vaga no ataque rubro-negro.

As the start of West Ham United’s pre-season fixture list beckons, fair to say supporters are not happy.

On Saturday, the Hammers will face Swiss side Grasshoppers, before traveling to the United States for the Premier League Summer Series, where they’ll take on Manchester United, Everton and then Bournemouth.

Ahead of these matches though, supporters are not in high spirits, after star player Mohammed Kudus was sold to their fiercest rivals Tottenham for a reported fee of £55m.

Nevertheless, could the acquisition of a replacement lift the mood?

West Ham targeting new signings

As noted by Jacob Steinberg and Will Unwin of the Guardian the Hammers were forced to sell Kudus to avoid breaching the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability rules, so Graham Potter will need to rebuild his squad on a tight budget.

Well, West Ham did make their first signing of the summer earlier this week, with El Hadji Malick Diouf arriving from Slavia Prague, the 20-year-old, Senegalese international left-wing-back joining for £19m.

Nevertheless, this does not fill Kudus’ rather large void, hence why, as reported by Football Insider, West Ham have stepped up their interest in signing Marcus Tavernier from Bournemouth.

Simon Jones of the Daily Mail has previously claimed that Tavernier is valued at around £30m by the Cherries, with İstanbul giants Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş sighted as also being interested in securing his signature.

Transfer Focus

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The 26-year-old has three years remaining on his contract by the South Coast, so Bournemouth are not under pressure to sell, but could he be on the move this summer?

How Marcus Tavernier would improve West Ham

Tavernier joined Bournemouth from Middlesbrough for around £10m three years ago, and has been a key figure for the Cherries ever since.

Then-manager Gary O’Neil described him as “technically gifted”, while current boss Andoni Iraola praised his “quality”, and Tavernier’s importance at Bournemouth has increased since the Spaniard’s arrival in Dorset.

Marcus Tavernier’s Bournemouth Premier League career by season
Statistics	2022/23	2023/24	2024/25
Appearances	23	30	29
Starts	19	25	20
Minutes	1,749	2,133	1,940
Goals	5	3	3
Assists	4	4	6
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt

Bryant Marques of Total Football Analysis highlights Tavernier’s ability to drive into space and his excellent ‘ball-carrying capacities’, able to create shooting angles thanks to his outstanding ‘individual technique’.

Meantime, Ahmed Shooble of the Athletic outlines how he was once the ‘Premier League’s most prolific dribbler’, impressed by his ‘versatility’ and ability to conduct direct attacks.

This skill set is certainly reminiscent of Kudus, suggesting he would be an ideal replacement, so let’s assess how the duo compared last season.

Marcus Tavernier vs Mohammed Kudus 2024/25 PL comparison
Statistics	Tavernier	Kudus
Minutes	1,940	2,590
Goals	3	5
Assists	5	3
Shot on target %	29.8%	28%
Shot-creating actions per 90	4.55	3.72
Chances created	43	29
Big chances created	9	4
Attempted take-ons	65	208
Take-on success %	47.46%	48.42%
Touches per 90	60.5	52.2
Average Sofascore rating	7.05	6.82
Statistics courtesy of FBref.com, Squawka and SofaScore

As the table outlines, in the Premier League last season, it is Tavernier’s statistics that come out on top almost across the board.

Kudus has attempted more take-ons than anyone else in the division in both of the last two seasons, while only Lamine Yamal registered more across Europe’s top five leagues last time round, which is certainly impressive company to keep.

Nevertheless, what is noteworthy is the fact that Kudus only completed 1% more take-ons than Tavernier, suggesting that many of his dribbles take him down a blind alley.

Meantime, the Englishman had the edge when it came to assists, shooting, chances created and touches, which is impressive.

Thus, while Kudus is, almost inarguably, the more eye-catching talent, could Tavernier ultimately prove to be the more effective player?

West Ham now battling to hijack Inter Milan move for "gifted" £22m defender

The Hammers could continue their summer spending.

By
Tom Cunningham

Jul 16, 2025

Rohit Sharma has said that “three hours of bad cricket” does not define this Indian team and it would be unfair to judge his players on the basis of that.”I am not going to look too much into this Test match honestly because those three hours [when India were bowled out for 46] are not going to dictate what this team is,” Rohit said after India lost the first Test to New Zealand by eight wickets. “Even here, there are a lot of good things that happened as well along with the three-four hours of bad cricket.”I think it’s important to keep a consistent message in the group, which is that whenever we are put under pressure, we try to make a way into the game in whatever possible way – that is what we have been talking about.Related

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“And we really found a way to come back into this game with the bat in the second innings. Of course, we lost a Test match. That’s why it probably won’t make sense what I am talking about. But I honestly feel there have been a lot of good things that happened in this game. So it’s just about keeping a very calm atmosphere, not to send panic messages.”After conceding a lead of 356, India made a sterling comeback in the second innings with Rohit and Yashasvi Jaiswal giving them a good start before Virat Kohli and Sarfaraz Khan’s partnership took them forward. And when Rishabh Pant and Sarfaraz joined forces, India started dreaming of the unimaginable – a win.While that didn’t happen, Rohit was proud of India’s fightback.”It was brilliant, especially being behind in the game, it is easy to let the game drift away, but that is not what this team is all about. This team wants to stay in the game as long as possible and not give it to the opposition that easily. After day one [two], obviously nothing went our way. We got bowled out for 46 and then they were 190 [180] for 3 and for us the start of that second [third] day was very important, to not let them get too far ahead.Sarfaraz Khan played the way he knows best•AFP/Getty Images

“But that partnership between Rachin [Ravindra] and [Tim] Southee actually just went a little ahead than what we thought. But again, in the second innings with the bat to come out and play like that, it felt like we were ahead in the game at one stage. We didn’t feel like we were 350 [356] behind and that is something that I am really proud of.”When the guys are showing that kind of attitude on the field with the bat, it shows that the mindset is very clear, and the guys want to go out there and play with freedom and try and see how we can put the pressure back on the opposition. All in all, I thought, except that first couple of hours, three hours, I thought we played a very good Test cricket.”It was not just the amount runs India scored in their second innings but also how they went about it, scoring at close to four runs an over throughout their innings. When Sarfaraz and Pant were together, they added 177 runs for the fourth wicket off 211 balls. Sarfaraz struck 18 fours and three sixes in his 150, and Pant smashed nine fours and five sixes during his 99.Rohit said India are not going to change their aggressive attitude, irrespective of whether they are ahead in the game or behind.”When we are behind the game, that is where you want to press your pedal even more, and try to make an impact, try to not let the opposition know that we are under pressure or we are behind the game. When you are actually behind, you want to try and do extraordinary things and play without any fear. It’s one thing to talk about it, but actually we went out there and played some fearless cricket.”Some of the shots some of the guys played in the middle knowing that we were 350 behind shows what we have been talking about and what they want to do out there. And that is how it’s going to stay here.Rachin Ravindra took the attack to the India spinners•AFP/Getty Images

“Even if we find ourselves ahead in the game, we are not going to change our attitude. And on the other side as well, even when we are behind the game, we are going to try to see how we can put the pressure on the opposition. Some of the Test matches we played recently show what I am talking about and that’s how it’s going to be.”We are not going to fear losing a Test match by changing our mindset. We want to have that consistent mindset of trying to find a way to win Test matches. Even though you are behind in the game, you have to find a way whether it is putting the bowler under pressure or putting the batters under pressure by doing different things.”India went in with three spinners – R Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja – for this Test but the move backfired with the trio not being as penetrative as usual. A key reason behind that was Ravindra, who scored 130 of his 173 runs across two innings against spin at a strike rate of 100. Rohit accepted he was the difference between the two sides.”In the first innings, I thought whatever we could extract from the pitch, our spinners tried and did everything possible. But some of the shots Rachin played were really, really good and he played very good cricket. He played well against the spinners, they challenged him but you got to give credit to him.”He understood what our spinners were trying to do and didn’t back off from playing his natural game, which is what gave him the result against our quality spinners. Sometimes it happens where… not sometimes actually, there will be times when some of the batters who come to India will play well against our spinners.”We saw in the England series, in the first Test match, a couple of their batters got hundreds and even here, Rachin, [Devon] Conway, they played well, put our bowlers under pressure, spinners under pressure by playing different shots which can happen, which we are expecting as well from their batters.”Anyone who is coming to India now, they are trying to put the pressure on the bowlers by doing different things, different methods but we know exactly what we are supposed to do when a situation like that arises.”