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After the October international break, Arne Slot conceded that there could be no more excuses as far as Alexander Isak was concerned. "Fitness-wise, he is close to the level he should be," the Dutch coach acknowledged ahead of Liverpool's meeting with Manchester United at Anfield, "and we can judge him in a fair way from now on." Just three weeks later, though, Slot was back pleading for patience with the most expensive player in British football history.

"I know that I said that his pre-season had ended, and that it was time for us to see where he is, but I have to go back on those words," the Reds boss told reporters on November 7. "Because if you are only doing rehab for three weeks, that doesn't bring you back to the level you were at."

Isak should be there now, though. And he really needs to be, too, because nearly three months after his arrival at Anfield, the Sweden striker is still looking like a player that Liverpool didn't necessarily need to sign – and certainly not for £125 million ($163m).

Getty Images SportThe striking striker

Isak leaving Newcastle for Liverpool was the story of the summer, a transfer that was as acrimonious as it was protracted. Everyone had an opinion on it – but not everyone had "the whole picture", according to the Swede.

"I can't control everything that is said or written," Isak said of the bitter backlash to his successful strike. "There is a lot to discuss, and it can be discussed for a long time. But it has been educational, and I'm happy with the final result. I'm proud to be a Liverpool player. I don't want to go into details or talk about that situation too much. It is a closed chapter, but I have never had any problems."

Unfortunately for Isak, Liverpool and indeed Sweden, he's had plenty of problems since forcing through his move to Merseyside.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportFitness issues

During his first interview with his new club, Isak admitted that he wasn't entirely sure when he would be physically capable of making his Liverpool debut. "I've had a tricky summer," he said – which was obviously putting it mildly. 

Because of his refusal to even participate in Newcastle's pre-season friendlies, let alone their opening three Premier League fixtures (one of which was against the reigning champions), Isak joined Liverpool without having played a single second of football for more than three months. Their shared "ambition" was for the forward to feature in the first Premier League game after the September international break, against Burnley, but even though he saw 18 minutes of action in Sweden's World Cup qualifier in Kosovo, Slot decided against risking Isak at Turf Moor.

"We got him from Newcastle in a state where you could say his pre-season was only going to start then," the Dutchman told reporters after Liverpool's 1-0 win on September 14. "He needs proper minutes of training before he has a certain base, let alone for him to play twice in three days. So, that's what we do, we try to prepare players for the beginning of the season once a week, and then we try to do more and more and more before we go into the rhythm of two games a week, so that they are ready for that schedule."

Getty ImagesSurprisingly positive debut

Despite adopting a wisely cautious approach with Isak, Slot threw him straight into the starting line-up for Liverpool's Champions League opener against Atletico Madrid four days later and even the manager was taken aback by how well it went.

"I wasn't surprised by his quality, as we know all about that, but I was positively surprised by how fit Alexander was during his 60 minutes," Slot told . "But that maybe tells you that it might be different to sign a 20-year-old from a different league than a 25-year-old used to playing in the Premier League.

"Although he only trained for two weeks, he has so many games under his belt [at the highest level]. One of the things you need if you want to compete for the Premier League and the cups is mentality, fitness and quality and, today, we saw all of that."

However, if Slot thought that Isak was going to get back up to speed quicker than expected, he would be sorely mistaken.

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Getty Images Sport'Unprofessional' and 'naive'

Isak may have opened his Liverpool account with a characteristically neat finish in the Carabao Cup win over Southampton on September 23, but that remains his only goal of the season so far, and that's in spite of the fact that he started three consecutive Premier League games between September 27 and October 19 – all of which were lost.

The 26-year-old may have registered an assist in the 2-1 defeat at Chelsea on October 4, but it was an attempt to control the ball for himself rather than an intentional lay-off for goal-scorer Cody Gakpo. The sad fact of the matter was that in complete contrast to fellow forward Hugo Ekitike, who had hit the ground running after his summer switch from Eintracht Frankfurt, Isak still looked miles off the pace of the Premier League. Unsurprisingly, sympathy was in short supply – and not just on Tyneside.

"It was unprofessional and naive not just to down tools, but to sacrifice his match fitness for whoever he was going to play for," former Liverpool attacker Don Hutchison told . "I think he’s been managed and advised really badly by his agent all summer, but it comes down to the player, ultimately. He’s under contract with Newcastle, he owes them fitness and professionalism.

"Bigger picture, if you end up at Liverpool, you have to [be ready to] hit the ground running. Now he's playing catch-up and it's because of how he behaved."

Julian Nagelsmann revealed that he did not shout at his players after a lacklustre first-half performance against Luxembourg, as the manager claimed that the squad could not have handled being attacked at that point. Germany eventually clinched the tie 2-0 thanks to a brace from Newcastle forward Nick Woltemade as they continued to remain favourites to seal a direct World Cup berth from Group A.

• Germany edged out Luxembourg

  Four-time world champions Germany survived an unsettling evening on Friday as Nick Woltemade's brace proved decisive in a match that will raise far more questions than it answers for Nagelsmann. A 2-0 win over minnows Luxembourg was ultimately enough to keep the Germans on track in their qualifying campaign for the 2026 World Cup, but the performance itself was scattered, lethargic and lacked cohesion, particularly in the first half.

  With the three points, Germany head into the final group game as favourites to book their tickets to North America next year. They are currently tied on 12 points with Slovakia, which means that Nagelsmann's side will directly qualify for the flagship competition with a win or a draw.

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  Nagelsmann reveals half-time team talk

  Nagelsmann was asked how, after such a shaky and goalless first-half, he knew what to say to bring out the best of his players in the second period. 

  Speaking to reporters, the Germany head coach said: "I asked myself the same question at the end of the first half, how I should dribble up there. In the end, I do get the feeling that the team can't handle it when you go at it really hard. Honestly, we all want to be successful together. I've already engaged the players and simply demonstrated some things again, staying focused on the content. I also announced beforehand that I wouldn't raise my voice. We implemented the game better in the second half, focusing on winning through our tactics."

  Nagelsmann added: "Luxembourg caused us a lot of problems, especially in the first 30 minutes. It was more difficult than you sometimes hope for. We're under pressure in the group. In the end, we have to win the games. First and foremost, we need to win games; that's crucial because it builds self-belief. We simply have to win the game on Monday, and then we can discuss everything else."

• Nagelsmann spoke highly of Sane

  Leroy Sane contributed with the assist for Woltemade's opening goal at the start of the second half, before setting up a perfect pass for Ridle Baku, who, in turn, fed the Newcastle star for his second goal. 

  Praising Sane's performance after the match, Germany coach said: "He had two good actions that led to two goals. He had a few moments in the first half. He played a good game, had two decisive actions, and that's what it's all about in the end." 

  Sane, on the other hand, told the media: "I'm happy that I was able to repay Julian's trust to some extent. We had very good talks. Julian knows how I tick. That's normal, that's football, it's part of the game. I can't complain, I can only do my own thing. The World Cup is my big goal."

  Before the game the 38-year-old head coach had issued a warning to the winger as he said: "If we had six or seven players to choose from in that position, then it would be significantly more difficult for him. He knows that there aren't an unlimited number of opportunities to prove himself at the national team level. I told him that openly. Profile-wise, he has everything we need in that position. That's why he has this opportunity now. His scoring rate and performances have improved significantly compared to the beginning, both in the Super Lig and in the Champions League. But he still has steps to take to improve even further – both here and at the club."

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  Do-or-die game for Germany

  Germany stars need to work on their shortcomings in the next couple of days as there will be no scope for mistakes in their final group game against Slovakia on November 17. It's a must-win game for European giants to book their direct berth in the World Cup next year, although a draw will also suffice. 

Carlo Ancelotti advised Neymar to change his position to get back to his best form after omitting the Selecao legend from the national team for the fourth time since taking charge as head coach in the summer. Neymar's fitness and form have been under the scanner at Santos and the 34-year-old is running the risk of missing out on his fourth World Cup appearance in North America next year.

• Neymar snubbed yet again from Brazil squad

  For the fourth time since Ancelotti took charge of the Brazil national team in the summer, legendary forward Neymar was left out of the Selecao squad as the Italian boss named his team for the upcoming international friendlies this month. 

  Neymar has not featured for Brazil since October 2023, when he ruptured knee ligaments during a clash with Uruguay. He spent 12 months stuck on the sidelines recovering from that injury and is now two years into a wander through the international wilderness. 

  Ancelotti has not called upon Neymar since taking charge of South American heavyweights due to a series of unfortunate fitness setbacks, with his last selection in March 2025 ending in withdrawal. The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward has struggled to steer clear of the treatment table.

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  Ancelotti's advise to Neymar

  Addressing Neymar's omission, Ancelotti told : "Yes, yes (laughs), [the question I've heard most so far is] about Neymar, but it's normal because he's a legend of Brazilian football. So, it's normal. I know everyone wants Neymar to get back to his best physical condition. And also the CBF, the coach, the technical staff of the national team hope that Neymar can return to his best level. The truth is that today's football demands many things. Not only talent, but also physical condition, intensity… hopefully Neymar will be at his best level.

  "I think he needs to play more centrally, not as a winger, because wingers in today's football are players you need to help defensively as well. When you play a little more centrally, the defensive work is much less than when you play as a winger. And I also think that a very talented player, closer to the goal, has more opportunities to score goals. [False 9] could be his ideal position."

• Neymar's future doubtful at Santos

  Neymar, who returned to his boyhood club in January this year, is nearing the end of the contract and Santos aren't fully sure whether to offer the star player an extension. Speaking on Neymar's renewal, club president Teixeira said: "The Neymar project isn’t for six months or a year. It’s for the 2026 World Cup. Santos knew how they would treat Neymar, the investment made. It’s a high investment. Santos and Neymar evaluate the situation periodically. We evaluated it when he came, and that evaluation isn't the same as today's. And the financial situation will be evaluated by both parties until the end of the year. He's not worried about the finances. And Santos has a limit. Neymar’s project is the 2026 World Cup. If we find common ground, his continuity will be confirmed. As long as Santos and Neymar, who have a strong and positive understanding of trust, reach a common ground. I believe we will resolve this situation at the right time."

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  Will Neymar play in 2026 World Cup

  Brazil fans are patiently waiting for Neymar to put on the national team colours once more as the 2026 World Cup fast approaches. The former Barcelona and PSG star now only has the March international window to prove himself in front of Ancelotti as he remains eager to represent the national team for the fourth time in his career in North America next summer. In between, though, the 33-year-old will have to remain fit and perform consistently for Santos to earn a call-up for the March friendlies. 

  Meanwhile, Ancelotti's Brazil are scheduled to face Senegal and Tunisia in back-to-back friendlies on November 15 and 18, respectively. 

Tottenham Hotspur are now leading the race to sign an “intelligent” midfielder from a Champions League club, having overtaken a number of their Premier League rivals in the race for his signature.

Spurs urged to reshuffle midfield amid lack of forward passes

Sky Sports analyst Nick Wright has recently called for Tottenham to reshuffle their midfield, off the back of the poor team performance in the 0-0 draw against AS Monaco in the Champions League, as well as the 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa.

Against the French side, Spurs’ midfield duo of Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha directed just seven of their 58 combined passes forward, picking out Richarlison on three occasions and failing to provide substitute Randal Kolo Muani with the ball once.

The creativity problems were also on display against Villa, with the duo directing 15 of 79 passes forward, which indicates Thomas Frank needs to either reshuffle his midfield options or bring in a new player in January or the summer.

Related Tottenham join hectic race to sign £75k-p/w star who Redknapp called "tremendous"

The Lilywhites could beat Chelsea to the deal…

Posts ByTom Cunningham Oct 26, 2025

According to a report from Record (via Sport Witness), Tottenham are now leading the race for Sporting CP midfielder Morten Hjulmand, who has attracted widespread interest from the Premier League, with the likes of Man United and Manchester City also keen.

Sporting are expecting offers for Hjulmand in the January transfer window, but it may take a huge offer to get a deal over the line, given that the Portugal club plan to stick to the €80m (£70m) release clause included in his current contract.

It is unclear whether the north Londoners are willing to make an approach this winter, and Sporting remain in a strong negotiating position, considering the midfielder is contracted until 2028, but there are plenty of signs he could be worth pursuing…

"Intelligent" Hjulmand could be exactly what Frank needs

As previously mentioned, Tottenham are having a hard time progressing the ball up the pitch, but the Sporting star is an extremely impressive passer of the ball, who has a tendency to advance the ball into more advanced areas.

Statistic

Average per 90 (past year)

Passes attempted

62.70 (87th percentile)

Pass completion %

90% (95th percentile)

Progressive passes

6.51 (83rd percentile)

The pass-master has also started to prove himself at the top level this season, receiving a 7.6 SofaScore match rating in his side’s 2-1 defeat against Marseille in the Champions League earlier this month, the highest of any Sporting player.

Not only does the Denmark international excel in possession of the ball, but he is also solid from a defensive point of view, according to scout Ben Mattinson, who said: “Hjulmand is a defensively intelligent midfielder who reads the game to a high level. He has great anticipation which allows him to read the oppositions next attacking moves.”

As such, Hjulmand could be the ideal addition to Frank’s squad, with the Tottenham manager clearly in need of different options in the engine room.

MatériaMais Notícias

A Taça das Favelas São Paulo 2023 terá dias muito importantes e intensos, neste final de semana. Neste sábado, 30, acontece o último dia da categoria masculina do torneio organizado pela Central Única das Favelas (CUFA) e produzido pela InFavela, enquanto o domingo, dia 1º de outubro, vai celebrar a chegada das campeãs do interior, na etapa estadual do maior campeonato de futebol entre favelas do mundo.

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Nos dois dias, os jogos são no gramado da já tradicional Vila Manchester, na Zona Leste de São Paulo, e as favelas entram em campo a partir das 8h. No sábado, serão oito jogos válidos apenas pela categoria masculina, enquanto no domingo, serão dois pela masculina e cinco pela feminina, totalizando sete.

+ Garanta a sua vaga no curso que Pet, Dante e outros craques da bola participaram também. Cupom: LANCE400

– Como sempre falamos, a Taça das Favelas é uma realidade em São Paulo e cada vez cresce mais. A chegada das favelas do interior paulista vem pra abrilhantar ainda mais o nosso projeto – diz Geovana Borges, diretora de relações institucionais da CUFA.

A partir do domingo, dia 1º, todos os jogos válidos pela edição paulista do maior campeonato de futebol entre favelas do mundo serão em formato eliminatório, o famoso mata-mata. As semifinais acontecem no dia 4 de novembro, e as grandes finais no dia 18 de novembro.

Serviço
Final de semana de jogos da Taça das Favelas São Paulo 2023
Data: 30/09/2023 (Sábado) e 1/10/2023 (domingo)
Local: Centro Esportivo Vicente Feola – Vila Manchester
Horário: 8h (início dos jogos)
Endereço: Praça Haroldo Daltro S/N – Vila Manchester – São Paulo, SP

Confira os jogos deste final de semana da Taça das Favelas 2023

SÁBADO 30/09

Masculino
8h – Favela Jardim Jaqueline x Favela do Chacrinha

9h20 – Cp. Promorar x Cp. Teleatlas

10h40 – Cp. Vila Clara x Favela Jardim 9 de Julho

12h – Cp. Jardim das Palmas x Cp da Alba

13h20 – Favela do Mutirão x Favela Cinga Pura

14h40 – Heliópolis x Complexo Jardim dos Francos

16h – Complexo JVF x Favela da Marcone

17h20 Cp. Jd Brasil x Cp. Jd St Eduardo

DOMINGO 01/10

Masculino
8h – (Guarulhos) Favela Dutra x Favela Sônia (Piracicaba)

9h20 – (Jundiaí) Favela Vila Popular x Favela Jardim Brasil (Embu Guaçu)

Feminino
10h40 – (Itapecerica da Serra) Favela da Lagoa Yes x Areião (Itapevi)

12h – (Jundiaí) Favela Vila Ana x Cp. Unidos do São Victor (Osasco)

13h20 – (Guarulhos) Favela São Rafael x Cp Vila Nova União (Mogi das Cruzes)

14h40 – (Embu Guaçu) Favela Vila Cristina x Favela Industrial (Piracicaba)

16h – (Campinas) Favela Paranapanema x Favela Agenor de Campos (Mongaguá)

It has been nearly seven months since Manchester United revealed their plans to build an ambitious new 100,000-seater stadium on the same site as Old Trafford with a glitzy video presented by world-famous architect Norman Foster. "Today marks the start of an incredibly exciting journey to the delivery of what will be the world’s greatest football stadium," said an excited Sir Jim Ratcliffe in March.

That journey, however, has proved to be a slow one fraught with potholes and snags. The project already faces a race against time to meet the five-year deadline Foster and Ratcliffe boasted of, as the club do not currently own all the land they want to build on, said land is proving far more expensive than they had first thought, and they do not have planning permission or even a confirmed architect. 

The proposed stadium also threatens to be less flashy and ambitious than it looked at its unveiling, as the giant canopy encasing the ground, essentially the unique selling point of the whole project, is in danger of being canned.

GOAL takes a look at the main problems United are grappling with in their bid to actually pull off the building of 'The Wembley of the North'…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  A £350m dispute over land

  The biggest obstacle to United starting work on the stadium is the impasse between the club and Freightliner, a haulage company that owns the rail freight terminal lying on the land intended for the stadium and the surrounding regeneration project. reported in August that Freightliner 'have United over a barrel' after demanding £400 million ($536m) for land which Ratcliffe values at between £40m ($54m) and £50m ($67m). Former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan said: "Those that have the land they need are using it as a ransom strip."

  Freightliner are reported to be ready to relocate to nearby St Helens but only at the right price, and until one of the parties budges, the project cannot get off the ground. Given Ratcliffe has driven through sweeping cuts across the board at United to make incremental savings, it is difficult to imagine him giving in to Freightliner's demands and paying 10 times his own valuation for the land.

  Ratcliffe, however, has an important ally in Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, who has revealed that a compulsory purchasing order could be invoked if necessary by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. If successful, the compulsory purchasing order would allow United to purchase the land below the £50m mark and leave Freightliner out of pocket. 

  But it would further delay the project as it could take many months, if not years, to come to fruition. The more likely scenario is that the two parties meet in the middle and come to an agreement, which would mean they could exchange contracts immediately and get the ball rolling. And United are keen to keep local stakeholders such as Freightliner onside as they believe in the overall benefits of the project to the local area. 

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• Man Utd
  

  'Iconic' canopy at risk

  The club claims that the project could create as many as 92,000 new jobs, lead to the construction of 17,000 homes and encourage an extra 1.8 million people to visit the area each year. In financial terms, the club states that the whole project is worth £7.3 billion ($9.8bn) annually to the UK economy. 

  The rising cost of the land, however, has led to United rethinking aspects of the project. reported last month United have drawn up plans without the vast canopy which was intended to cover the stadium, which would require them to purchase less of the land owned by Freightliner. The canopy alone was estimated to cost around £350m ($470m) – almost as much as Freightliner are demanding for the land.

  While the canopy was mocked by rival fans as resembling a circus tent, it is difficult to escape the fact that the stadium would be less unique and less impressive without it. To Foster and Ratcliffe it was a crucial feature, making the stadium unique and visible from as far away as Liverpool and the Peak District.

  Ratcliffe had revealed he had asked Foster "to build the world’s most iconic football stadium". He added: "It had to be a stadium which was recognisable around the world. We said to Norman that we would like a stadium where when anybody in the world sees that stadium, they’ll know it’s Manchester United. 

  "It’s more than a new stadium. Everyone knows the Eiffel Tower, everyone wants to visit. Everyone in the world will want to come visit this stadium. I think the design of the stadium is a 10 out of 10. I think it’s a really special design." 

• AFP
  

  Club wants to keep 'unique' design

  Foster, who called the stadium "one of the most exciting projects in the world today", described the canopy as "a vast umbrella harvesting energy and rainwater, and sheltering a new public plaza that is twice the size of Trafalgar Square". 

  The canopy was also supposed to honour United's heritage, with the three prongs symbolising the devil's trident on the club's badge. There were other benefits to it: it would have protected fans from the infamous Manchester rain and motivated people to spend longer around the stadium, therefore spending more money there.

  "I've never seen a design like this one," added United's chief executive Omar Berrada. "It's really unique. It's iconic. I haven't seen anything that comes close to being as attractive or beautiful as what we have seen today." 

  The canopy, as derided as it was, was the reason why the stadium looked so iconic and created such a buzz. Without it, the new ground would feel more like an ordinary stadium with less appeal to overseas visitors. 

  Despite a contingency plan existing without the canopy, GOAL understands that United are still keen to press ahead with the plan to build the stadium as intended, with the canopy as its centrepiece, as long as the land can be purchased at an acceptable price.

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  The funding question

  Beyond the uncertainty about the land purchase and the canopy, the project has been dogged by questions about how the club are planning to fund the new arena. The club estimates it will cost £2bn ($2.7bn) – making it double the amount of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which is the most expensive ground to be built in the UK. 

  It did not escape the attention of many media pundits and fans that Ratcliffe announced the plans for the lucrative stadium the day after he had claimed the club was on the brink of running out of cash before he implemented his cost-cutting measures. 

  In the billionaire's own words: "At Ineos, we run a lean organisation. As my mother said, you look after the pennies, the pounds look after themselves. We can sound flippant about free lunches but if you give all these perks, first class train fares, free taxis, it’s not coherent. It goes bust at Christmas."

  Ratcliffe has never broached the matter of how the stadium will be funded and Berrada skirted around the issue, telling journalists in March: "We are looking at all the options. We do see this as a very attractive investment opportunity, so we are confident we will be able to find ways to finance it."

Sunderland have made some great strides in the market this summer and still find themselves in the hunt for fresh blood to help bolster their Premier League survival prospects, per reports.

Sunderland plot further signings under Regis Le Bris

Nobody could accuse Sunderland of not showing ambition this summer in the market, and there is plenty more where that came from as the Black Cats aim to take their spending spree beyond £147.9 million

Regis Le Bris delivered a coy response when asked whether his side will add one or two more new faces to the group ahead of Monday’s deadline, specifying that he is happy with his squad no matter what happens over the next few days.

He stated: “The amount of work is huge (that Sunderland have done this summer). Not an easy challenge. Connection with players now is good. They understand identity of the club, the connection with team-mates.”

With that in mind, Sunderland are hopeful of striking a deal for Bologna defender Jhon Lucumi and could also look to add Stoke City goalkeeper Viktor Johansson to compete with Anthony Patterson between the sticks alongside Robin Roefs.

Furthermore, West Ham United outcast Nayef Aguerd is a target for the Black Cats. However, Marseille are also pushing to add the Morocco international to their ranks, which could lead to a tense battle between the two clubs to secure his signature.

Making the jump to the top-flight was never an easy ask for Sunderland, though they are making their mark in the window and could now be set to ramp up interest in an exciting attacker.

Sunderland looking to sign Dario Osorio

According to reports in South America via Sport Witness, Sunderland are plotting a late move to sign FC Midtjylland winger Dario Osorio alongside Ligue 1 outfit Lille.

Given the deadline is on Monday, the Danish outfit are in no rush to sell, but it is claimed that £15.5 million may be enough to entice the Chile international to swap MCH Arena for the Stadium of Light.

Perfect for Mukiele: £24m Sunderland target now "open" to joining

Sunderland could sign a new central defender before the window slams shut next week.

By
Will Miller

Aug 29, 2025

Compared to Alexis Sanchez in Chile due to his rise to prominence, Osorio has already registered four goals and four assists in 11 matches this campaign, including pivotal strikes in Europa League qualifying against KuPS and Hibernian.

His former club Universidad de Chile are said to retain a 15% stake in the 21-year-old, and it remains to be seen how that stipulation could reflect in negotiations with Midtjylland as they aim to collect a fair fee for their prize asset.

Sunderland have made a habit of finding gems from markets around Europe and Osorio could be the next on their conveyor belt if circumstances align in the North East.

At one stage, Mumbai were 124 for 6 in pursuit of 406, but eventually fell only 80 runs short of the target

Shashank Kishore21-Feb-2025Shardul Thakur’s fighting half-century wasn’t enough for another Mumbai rearguard as the defending champions lost the Ranji Trophy semi-final to Vidarbha, last year’s finalists, in an absorbing contest that went into the final session of the final day in Nagpur.Leading Vidarbha’s run to the final – they’ve won two of three Ranji finals previously – against Kerala was left-arm spin-bowling allrounder Harsh Dubey, who picked up his seventh five-wicket haul of the season to take his wickets tally to 66. He’s now just two short of Bihar left-arm spinner Ashutosh Aman’s record for most wickets in a Ranji season.Victory on the final day seemed a mere formality when Mumbai lost Shivam Dube and Suryakumar Yadav early, as they quickly slipped to 124 for 6. Dube played outside the line of a sharp in-ducker and was bowled by Yash Thakur, while Suryakumar saw one from Dubey jump on to him to lob a catch to the slips.But from the depths of a crisis, Shardul rose to the occasion like he has a number of times this season. Typically aggressive, and batting with a sense of freedom and purpose, he quickly whittled down the runs during the course of a century stand with Shams Mulani.At one point, halfway into the second session, Vidarbha’s left-arm spinners even switched to a defensive line by bowling outside leg to Shardul to try and frustrate him into either slogging or stepping out against spread-out fields. Vidarbha missed a run-out opportunity to dismiss Shardul on 48 when Akshay Wadkar, their captain and wicketkeeper, failed to collect a throw cleanly from fine leg.Vidarbha appeared to wobble briefly, but it was at that point that Mumbai gifted them a wicket in the form of the set Mulani when Shardul attempted to steal a single to square leg. Mulani, who hesitated briefly, was well short of the crease despite the dive as Danish Malewar’s one-handed pick-up and throw with one stump to aim at hit the bulls eye to break a 103-run stand.Shardul then began to open up and look at boundary attempts, sensing the possibility of being stranded, but was out to a superb delivery from Yash. He was caught on the hop to a short-of-a-length delivery that cut back in to breach his defence and hit the stumps.Mumbai’s last-wicket pair of Mohit Awasthi and Royston Dias had some fun in putting together a quickfire 52-run stand to bring the requirement down to less than three figures, before an audacious reverse sweep from Awasthi had him lbw as Dubey celebrated his fifth to seal victory.

قاد محمد صلاح منتخب مصر للتأهل إلى نهائيات كأس العالم 2026، بعد تسجيله هدفين خلال الفوز أمام جيبوتي بثلاثية نظيفة على ملعب استاد محمد الزاولي.

ووفقاً لـ”ليفربول دوت كوم” فقد شهدت مباراة مصر وجيبوتي، لقطة مثيرة للجدل بين محمد صلاح وأحد لاعبي منتخب جيبوتي.

اقرأ أيضاً.. “ليس هو المشكلة أبدًا”.. ردود أفعال جماهير ليفربول على قيادة محمد صلاح لـ منتخب مصر إلى كأس العالم

ودفع محمد صلاح، لاعب المنافس أرضًا، احتجاجًا على قرار الحكم، بعد تقدم منتخب مصر ضد جيبوتي بثنائية نظيفة، وقام الحكم باحتساب ركلة حرة ولكن قبل تنفيذها وقف مدافع جيبوتي أبو بكر عبدي فوق الكرة لسبب ما.

وقد ظهر على محمد صلاح عدم التأثر، حيث دفع عبدي أرضًا بكلتا يديه، ونجا نجم ليفربول من الحصول على بطاقة صفراء وأنهى المباراة مع منتخب مصر مسجلاً لهدفين في الفوز بثلاثية نظيفة.

وحافظ الفوز على تقدم مصر بفارق خمس نقاط في صدارة مجموعتها في تصفيات كأس العالم ومع تبقي مباراة واحدة فقط، فقد ضمن الفراعنة تأهلهم إلى نهائي كأس العالم في البطولة التي ستقام في الصيف المقبل.

Everton are eyeing another key signing alongside potential new addition Malick Fofana, according to a new update from reliable journalist Paul Joyce.

Latest on Everton move for Fofana

The Blues know the importance of bringing in top-quality players this summer, with David Moyes wanting to take his team forward in their new stadium. Fofana has emerged as one of Everton’s most exciting targets of the transfer window, with the Lyon star a player with a huge amount of potential, scoring six goals in only five starts in the Europa League last season.

The Merseysiders are reportedly in talks to sign the 20-year-old Belgian, seeing him as a player who could hopefully bring a similar level of quality out wide to Iliman Ndiaye, who has become a fan favourite at the club.

If Everton managed to sign Fofana over others – rivals Liverpool have also been linked with a move for him – it would feel like a major statement of intent, but their business hopefully won’t be done there ahead of the new Premier League season.

Joyce drops new Everton transfer claim

Now, according to The Times‘ Joyce on X, Everton will look to sign another winger as well as Fofana this summer, should they manage to snap up the Lyon ace. No specific players are named, though.

This is great news for Everton fans, in terms of The Friedkin Group’s ambition as owners, as they look to provide Moyes with an excellent squad moving forward.

Fofana stands out as a leading wide option for the Blues, given his potential as a future star, but if they could also acquire the signature of a slightly more experienced player, it would be ideal.

A permanent move for Jack Harrison has been mooted, following two years on loan at Everton, but it remains to be seen if Moyes sees him as the best choice to come in, or if he wants a superior option.

Southampton’s Tyler Dibling is another fantastic young player who could have a similar ceiling to Fofana, while Real Sociedad ace Takefusa Kubo is a more proven alternative.

Better than Ndiaye: Everton in talks to sign "magnificent" £43m star

As Everton search for reinforcements this summer, the Toffees are in talks to sign a “magnificent prospect”.

By
Ben Gray

Jul 27, 2025

The 24-year-old has even been described as the “Japanese Messi”, given his penchant for creating magic with his left foot, and he could be the perfect other signing alongside Fofana, in terms of hitting the ground running from the off.