Após garantir vaga à semifinal da Copa do Brasil, o Corinthians volta a campo nesta terça-feira (18). O Timão encara o Universitario, em Lima, no Peru, pela partida de volta dos playoffs da Copa Sul-Americana. Os brasileiros venceram o primeiro confronto por 1 a 0.
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+ Cantillo na lista! Confira 30 jogadores que ainda não fizeram sete jogos no Brasileirão e podem trocar de clube
Focado em afastar o Alvinegro da zona do rebaixamento no Brasileirão, o técnico Vanderlei Luxemburgo repetiu a estratégia do primeiro jogo e não relacionou os titulares corintianos para o duelo. Apenas Róger Guedes, suspenso no Campeonato Brasileiro, viajou com a delegação alvinegra para o Peru. Barletta, recuperado de uma torção no joelho, é a principal novidade na lista de jogadores disponíveis para o confronto.
O Universitario conta com o apoio de sua torcida para reverter a desvantagem. Todos os ingressos foram vendidos para a partida no Estádio Monumental de Lima, e a expectativa é de público superior a 80 mil pessoas.
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O vencedor de Universitario e Corinthians irá enfrentar o Newell’s Old Boys, da Argentina, nas oitavas de final da Copa Sul-Americana.
+ Timão avança? Veja todos os confrontos dos playoffs da Sul-Americana
UNIVERSITARIO-PER x CORINTHIANS SUL-AMERICANA – PLAYOFFS OITAVAS DE FINAL – VOLTA
Local:Estadio Monumental, Lima, Peru Data e hora:18 de julho de 2023, às 21h30 (horário de Brasília) Árbitro:Wilmar Roldan (COL) Assistentes:Alexander Guzman (COL) e Wilmar Navarro (COL) Árbitro de vídeo:Angelo Hermosilla (CHI) Onde assistir:SBT, ESPN, Star+ e no tempo real doLance!
UNIVERSITARIO Romero; Corzo, Riveros e Di Benedetto; Polo, Urena, Murrugara e Bolívar, Quispe, Urruti e Edison Flores.Técnico:Jorge Fossati
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Desfalques:-
Pendurados:-
CORINTHIANS Carlos Miguel; Rafael Ramos, Bruno Méndez, Caetano e Matheus Bidu; Giuliano, Matheus Araújo e Ruan Oliveira; Biro (Adson), Felipe Augusto e Róger Guedes. Técnico:Vanderlei Luxemburgo.
Desfalques:Gustavo Mosquito (transição); Pedro (pancada no quadril) e Paulinho (cirurgia)
Manchester City could make a sensational bid for an “insane” player, who they made contact with earlier this summer, it has been revealed.
Lijnders impacting Guardiola's style at Man City
Jamie Carragher believes former Jurgen Klopp assistant Pep Lijnders is having a real impact on Pep Guardiola’s style of play, with Man City now playing a high defensive line, and scoring goals on the counter-attack against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Carragher said: “I couldn’t believe what I saw, the players were all jumping high up to try and catch the Wolves players offside. This is very Liverpool-like. It made me think how much influence is maybe the new coach having on this team.”
However, the Blues’ defensive frailties were on show in the 2-0 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur last time out, with James Trafford making an error leading to Joao Palhinha’s goal, while Rico Lewis won just two of the eight duels he contested.
Man City set to fight PSG for skyrocketing winger amid Donnarumma talks
The Citizens are ready to swat aside the Champions League holders…
1 BySean Markus Clifford Aug 26, 2025
Consequently, Pep may want to bring in a little more experience at the back, with Paris Saint-Germain’s Gianluigi Donnarumma emerging as a major target, and there is also interest in a new right-back, who Lijnders knows very well…
Indeed, according to a report from Caught Offside, Man City could make a sensational bid to sign Real Madrid’s Trent Alexander-Arnold in the January transfer window, with the former Liverpool man not exactly making a flying start to life in La Liga.
Dani Carvajal has managed to force his way back into Xabi Alonso’s side, which has led to doubts over Trent’s future, and City are monitoring the situation, having already contacted the right-back over a potential move to the Etihad Stadium earlier this summer.
The 26-year-old, who is reported to earn a base salary of around £276k-a-week at Real Madrid, has only made seven appearances for Real Madrid so far, but City are now in the picture for a shock move, with Guardiola in need of a long-term Kyle Walker replacement.
Trent would be "insane" signing for Man City
Given the recent history between Man City and Liverpool, the full-back linking up with Guardiola doesn’t seem like the most plausible of scenarios, although he has praised the atmosphere at the Etihad Stadium in the past.
The England international said: “People talk about City’s atmosphere and you know, hand on heart when we play them, the atmosphere is incredible, like we feel it. It’s intense.”
Lauded as “insane” by former footballer George Chomakov, the ex-Liverpool star has established himself as one of the best attacking full-backs in the world, while also impressing from a defensive point of view on occasion over the past year.
Statistic
Average per 90
Assists
0.22 (87th percentile)
Progressive passes
8.40 (99th percentile)
Tackles
2.64 (87th percentile)
Interceptions
1.23 (82nd percentile)
That said, even though Trent seemingly burned his bridges with Liverpool by leaving in the summer, a move to Man City seems relatively far-fetched, especially considering he is still in the very early stages of his Real Madrid career.
Chelsea are set to make many more summer sales before the transfer deadline on September 1.
BlueCo have already raised around £220 million through transfer income this summer, after agreeing deals to sell Kepa Arrizabalaga, Basir Humphreys, Noni Madueke, Marcus Bettinelli, Mathis Amougou, Djordje Petrovic, João Félix, Armando Broja, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Lesley Ugochukwu.
Cole Palmer
7.33
Moises Caicedo
7.02
Enzo Fernández
6.95
Nicolas Jackson
6.88
Noni Madueke
6.82
via WhoScored
This has allowed Chelsea to balance the books and free up space for potential new signings, specifically Man United winger Alejandro Garnacho and RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons, with Enzo Maresca’s side believed to be in talks for both (Sky Sports).
Not counting their possible fees for Garnacho and Simons, Chelsea have already spent £277 million (including their pre-agreed summer deals), so they’re likely to go well over the £300 million mark by deadline day.
This means that the west Londoners are actively looking to trim the squad further, with midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka expected to return to the Bundesliga on a permanent deal with Borussia Dortmund.
Chelsea's Carney Chukwuemeka in action
As well as Chukwuemeka, both Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson could be among Chelsea’s next high-profile departures.
The duo were left out of the squad for Chelsea’s 2-0 pre-season win over Bayer Leverkusen at Stamford Bridge on Friday, watching on as summer signing Joao Pedro and exciting new teenager Estevao Willian got on the scoresheet.
Now, an update has emerged on Jackson, with his own stance on leaving made crystal clear.
Nicolas Jackson tells Chelsea he's ready to leave
The Senegalese, barring his goal in the Conference League final against Real Betis, endured a torrid end to 2024/2025 – scoring just one Premier League goal since the turn of the year.
He was also sent off in the Club World Cup against Flamengo, and with both Pedro and Liam Delap arriving, he’s now fallen down Maresca’s pecking order.
According to journalist Graeme Bailey, speaking to TBR Football, Jackson has told Chelsea he’s ready to leave, with the forward’s agents informing Maresca’s side that a new challenge is desired on his end.
“I am told that Jackson’s camp have made it clear to Chelsea that he is looking at a move this month,” Bailey said.
“He was concerned when Liam Delap came in, and since the arrival of Joao Pedro the situation has only got worse. Jackson is looking at his options, but I am told that Newcastle do appeal to him, and likewise he has a huge amount of respect for Unai Emery at Villa.
“Given the cost involved, there is a good chance he moves within England.”
The former Villarreal sensation, according to Bailey, commands a lofty price tag of around £70 million, with Newcastle specifically ready to bid £60m.
While the Magpies are about £10m off, Chelsea are said to be open to negotiations, so a move from Eddie Howe’s side could be one to watch.
Tottenham Hotspur fell by the wayside last season, but they picked themselves back up when on the road in Europe and managed to win the Europa League.
It was quite a feat, with Ange Postecoglou securing himself some poetic justice after promising silverware right at the start of the season, unaware of the landslide in form that was forthcoming in the Premier League.
Though Tottenham finished 17th in the top flight, they struggled against an incredible amount of injuries that knocked Postecoglou’s vision so far away from course, and that ultimately led to his dismissal as a trophy-winning hero.
Tottenham Hotspur manager AngePostecogloucelebrates after winning the Europa League
With Thomas Frank now at the helm, Spurs are ready to springboard toward new heights, using last season as a foundation for a sustained period of success.
However, despite adding Mohammed Kudus to the wings, joining from West Ham United for £55m, and reinforcing the midfield with the initial loan signing of Bayern Munich’s Joao Palhinha, the Lilywhites want more.
Spurs' outstanding summer transfer plans
James Maddison’s knee injury will see him sidelined for the majority of the imminent campaign. It’s a cruel blow, and it has added emphasis on the need for a creative midfielder, with Dejan Kulusevski still recuperating from an injury too.
However, with Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur both anticipated to be leaving the club this summer, it’s not out of the question that Frank adds a deeper-lying midfielder to his ranks, even after signing Palhinha.
Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton has been earmarked as a long-term option for the Tottenham midfield, but the Eagles man will be hard to sign.
However, there’s another Premier League talent who has entered technical director Johan Lange’s radar.
Spurs lining up another midfielder
According to Caught Offside, Tottenham have joined the long list of clubs interested in signing Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba this month.
Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba
The 21-year-old has emerged as one of the Premier League’s brightest talents, and the Seagulls have no intention to sell, having priced their midfielder at a jaw-dropping £104m.
Manchester United have already made their intentions known in the last week and have started direct contacts with the player’s camp as they look to pull off a sensational August signing.
However, Tottenham boast the allure of Champions League football, and could offer him a starring role, should their aforementioned midfielders be sold.
Why Spurs should sign Carlos Baleba
Tottenham need to add not just quantity but quality to their ranks this summer. Signings not for the sake of signing but for the graduation from one level to another, restoring a place among the big hitters on the Champions League stage and challenging for more silverware.
Baleba could be that player, having had a profound impact on Brighton’s football over the past two seasons, with analyst Ben Mattinson singling him out as a “one-of-a-kind” midfielder.
Though this is a physical beast of a player with a clear skill for protecting the backline and flying in with crunching challenges, he’s also a progressive and technically sharp midfielder, ranked among the top 12% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.
He also knows his way around a thunderous strike, winning the Premier League Goal of the month for April 2025 after a powerful late winner against West Ham United.
His completeness in the middle of the park and underrated passing range, having completed 88% of his passes in the Premier League last season, could lead Baleba to prove an even better signing for Frank’s side than Wharton, whose deep-lying elegance for Crystal Palace has led journalist Henry Winter to declare him a “passing machine”.
As per Sofascore, Wharton also brought firm defensive roots to the table in the Premier League last year, averaging one interception and 1.7 tackles per game, but he also missed a large chunk of the season due to a groin injury, ultimately starting only 16 times in the top flight.
Given the defensive woes that Tottenham endured under Ange’s wing last season, it’s crucial that the midfield raises its level and eases the pressure on the defenders.
Premier League 24/25 – Most Goals Conceded
#
Club
Final Position
GC
1.
Southampton
20th
86
2.
Ipswich
19th
82
3.
Leicester
18th
80
4.
Wolves
16th
69
5.
Tottenham
17th
65
Data via StatMuse
The tough-tackling Palhinha will help in that regard, to be sure, but then Palhinha is 30 years old, almost a decade Baleba and Wharton’s senior.
Given that the marquee buy would cross the £100m threshold, it’s obvious that Frank and Levy would expect the player to cement themselves as one of the finest in the division across so many years. And given that Baleba has more of an all-encompassing profile about him, bringing it all together, it might just be that he’s the perfect player to replace the likes of Bissouma and Bentancur.
Content creator Ryan Adsett has hailed the Cameroon international as a “powerhouse”, who has also displayed a remarkable degree of intelligence, reading the game like a scholar and positioning himself just so.
His engine and strength would charge Frank’s system for an age, and if Spurs truly are in the running, they must get this one done.
Frank's very own Bale: Spurs preparing offer to sign "world-class" talent
Tottenham Hotspur are starting to make huge moves in the transfer window this summer.
Harry Kane has revealed his true feelings on Daniel Levy after the Tottenham chairman's "surprise" departure from the club. There was reported tension between the pair before Kane left Spurs in 2023 for Bayern Munich, however, the England striker has nothing but admiration for the job Levy did in north London.
Kane reveals true feelings on Levy
Spoke highly of ex-Spurs chairman
Levy left the club last week
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Tottenham dropped a bombshell last week when they formally announced the departure of Levy as their chairman. The British businessman stepped down after serving the club for over two decades. Under his leadership, Spurs became a globally recognised football institution and, most recently, they won the Europa League to end a 17-year-long wait for silverware.
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WHAT KANE SAID
Speaking about Levy's exit, ex-Spurs star Kane said: "Obviously it was a bit of a surprise, if I’m honest. I didn’t expect it, didn’t see that coming. Daniel has been a fantastic chairman for Tottenham in the 20-or-so years he’s been there. Considering where the club was and where it is now, I think there's been a big change, not just on the pitch but off the pitch as well. At any stage, there’s always going to be change in clubs, and change in the higher positions."
Kane added: "Obviously, I don’t know too much about why or what happened. All I can say is I wish Daniel all the best in whatever’s next for him. We obviously built a relationship over the time we had together. I'm sure at some stage we’ll catch up. Overall, for Tottenham, it’s a new chapter they're trying to create now."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Just days after Levy's exit, Tottenham's board issued a statement revealing that they have rejected two takeover offers, insisting the club is "not for sale". According to , former Newcastle joint-owner Amanda Staveley was one of the parties who had expressed an interest in taking the reins.
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WHAT NEXT FOR KANE?
Kane will be back in action for England on Tuesday as Thomas Tuchel's side aim to maintain their 100 per cent 2026 World Cup qualifying record against Serbia.
Celtic are beginning to clear the decks for new arrivals and could now be getting closer to landing a winger to bolster their pool of attacking options, according to a report.
Brendan Rodgers confirms Nicolas Kuhn set to leave Celtic
Brendan Rodgers has managed to bring in five players this window in a strong start to the summer, welcoming Kieran Tierney, Benjamin Nygren, Callum Osmand, Ross Doohan and Hayato Inamura to Parkhead.
However, the Celtic boss also confirmed Nicolas Kuhn is leaving to join Como after his side saw off Queens Park by a scoreline of 1-0 on Friday night, revealing that only the finer touches remain before a deal is complete.
He stated: “We’ve virtually agreed between the club and Como, so it looks at this point that he’ll be on his way, but we just have to wait for confirmation.
“I think it’s very clear, the model of Celtic. He’s come in and in the 18 months he’s done absolutely fantastic for us. He was aware of interest towards the end of last season and that sort of followed through.”
Buy low and sell high is a model that has worked for the Bhoys in recent years, and it will come as no surprise to hear they are plotting to land some quality reinforcements before beginning the mission of defending their Scottish Premiership title.
Bigger loss than Kuhn: Celtic have set huge asking price for "special" star
Celtic have slapped a huge price tag on the head of one of their star players.
ByDan Emery Jul 5, 2025
Liverpool midfielder Tyler Morton has been linked with a move to Celtic, though it is hard to envisage the reigning champions paying £15 million to land the England Under-21 star.
With Kuhn set for the exit, Rodgers has now identified someone who could come in as a direct replacement for the Serie A-bound star.
Celtic set sights on £3m Rapid Vienna winger Isak Jansson
According to The Scottish Sun, Celtic now want to sign Rapid Vienna winger Isak Jansson, who has also attracted interest from Lazio, Fiorentina and Paris FC after an impressive season in Austria.
Isak Jansson in action for Rapid Vienna.
The 23-year-old is a Sweden Under-21 international and valued at £3 million after scoring nine goals and providing six assists in 33 appearances across all competitions during 2025/26.
Capable of playing on either flank or through the middle as a centre-forward, Jansson has been labelled “technically clean” by former boss Robert Klauß and is renowned for his pace and ability to go at defenders.
Rapid know they will struggle to keep hold of the Kinna-born man this summer, which could present an opportunity for Celtic to put their case forward using Kuhn’s development and eventual move as a blueprint.
Similarly, the German star was brought in for £3 million from the exact same club, so there is plenty of proof that a switch to Parkhead can lead to opportunities within Europe’s top-five leagues.
يخوض فريق الكرة الأول بالنادي الأهلي، مواجهة صعبة، اليوم الأحد، أمام منافسه الشرس إنبي، في لقاء يقام ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.
ويلتقي الأهلي مع نظيره إنبي، ضمن منافسات الجولة السادسة من بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز، على ملعب المقاولون العرب بالجبل الأخضر، في الثامنة مساء اليوم.
الأهلي يدخل اللقاء وهو في المركز الخامس عشر برصيد 5 نقاط، بعدما خاض أربع مباريات؛ تعادل مع مودرن سبورت 2-2، ثم فاز على فاركو 4-1، قبل أن يكتفي بتعادل سلبي مع غزل المحلة، ويخسر من بيراميدز 0-2.
طالع| تشكيل الأهلي المتوقع أمام إنبي اليوم في الدوري.. عودة مروان عطية
أما فريق إنبي، فيدخل اللقاء وهو يحتل المركز الثامن برصيد ثماني نقاط، حيث تعادل في مباراتين وفاز في مواجهتين، وخسر في لقاء وحيد ببطولة الدوري.
وما يزيد من صعوبة اللقاء، أن الأهلي يدخل المباراة بمدرب مؤقت وهو عماد النحاس بعد إقالة الإسباني خوسيه ريبيرو، إضافة إلى أن إنبي يمثل عقدة للفريق الأحمر في آخر موسمين، فكيف جاءت نتائجهما؟. نتائج الأهلي وإنبي في آخر موسمين
التقى الأهلي مع إنبي في آخر موسمين، في 4 مباريات، 3 في الدوري، وواحدة في كأس الرابطة، لم يعرف الأحمر فيها طعم الانتصار.
وخلال المواجهات الأربع، خسر الأهلي أمام إنبي 0-1، في مباراة أقيمت ضمن منافسات كأس الرابطة في مارس الماضي، فيما تعادل في ثلاث مباريات، 0-0 في ديسمبر 2024، و1-1 في أغسطس 2024، و2-2 في أبريل 2024.
بينما يعود آخر فوز للأهلي على إنبي إلى 4 أكتوبر 2023، في كأس مصر، حين انتصر الأحمر 3-0، في الدور نصف النهائي. تاريخ مواجهات الأهلي وإنبي
وإجمالا، لعب الأهلي وإنبي 53 لقاء، فاز الأحمر في 37 وتعادلا في 10 مواجهات، وانتصر الفريق البترولي في 6 مواجهات.
The team is back in action, facing South Africa over the course of three ODIs, one Test and three T20Is starting on Sunday
ESPNcricinfo staff14-Jun-2024
Harmanpreet Kaur and Amol Muzumdar will hope India conjure up another successful series against South Africa•PTI
India women’s head coach Amol Muzumdar has emphasised the importance of “fielding and fitness” as India gear up for a busy few months beginning with the first ODI against South Africa on Sunday in Bengaluru.”When I took over last December, we had said that fielding and fitness have been the cornerstone and we have been driving that message to the group. They [the players] have responded really nicely to that,” Muzumdar said. “Fielding is a work in progress and we are working very hard towards it and trust me, you will see some results out of it.”India play three ODIs, one Test match and three T20Is against South Africa over the next four weeks. Following that, they will head to Sri Lanka for the women’s Asia Cup starting July 19 and then travel to Bangladesh for the Women’s T20 World Cup which kicks off on October 3.Related
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Muzumdar highlighted the scheduling of the South Africa series as an advantage to be seized upon. “The continuity is very important in the few months leading up to the World Cup,” he said, “This series, the format that we are playing is ODI format, then the Test match, then the last one is T20. It is a very well-scheduled series and we go into the Asia Cup which again is T20s.”By then I think, we should be ready for the World Cup. Then we have a layoff of about seven and a half weeks before we head off to Bangladesh. It is a very well-thought-out series and [we are] really looking forward to it.”India are coming into the series against South Africa on the back of a series sweep over Bangladesh. They played all five matches in Sylhet, the venue for India’s group games at the Women’s T20 World Cup later this year.”We have had a fantastic preparation in the last eight weeks,” Muzumdar said. “We went to Bangladesh and had a desired result; 5-0 we won the T20 series. We also practiced over there, in the same ground where we would be playing the World Cup. We’ve had a couple of camps before this series. We had a split camp. The bowler’s camp was held at NCA here in Bengaluru and the batter’s camp was held in Navi Mumbai. It was a concentrated camp and we had the fruitful desired results for the camp.”Muzumdar was also effusive in praise of Smriti Mandhana, who led Royal Challengers Bengaluru to the Women’s Premier League title earlier in the year.”She is a fantastic leader. We do have a leadership group within the team and Smriti is a big factor in that,” Muzumdar said. “Going forward, she definitely has got a role to play. She has a good camaraderie with the current captain Harmanpreet Kaur and we are all working together. She is definitely a fantastic leader as we’ve seen in the WPL. She has won the title for RCB.”
Liverpool have played a blinder, engineering a £10m deal with Real Madrid for Trent Alexander-Arnold, the Spanish giants paying a premium to sign the right-back in time for the Club World Cup.
For context, Los Blancos have just forked out a third of what Liverpool have paid to Bayer Leverkusen for Jeremie Frimpong, who signed on Friday in a deal worth £29.5m.
Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards are proving to be quite the dream team, all right, having absorbed criticism for a lack of spending across the past two transfer windows, only to now fire across every cylinder to strengthen Arne Slot’s Premier League champions.
Liverpool manager ArneSlotlooks on
Anfield is in good hands, and while supporters are getting excited over the prospect of Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez and Leverkusen sensation Florian Wirtz joining the crew, there’s more to come.
Namely, Liverpool want a new centre-forward.
Liverpool's hunt for a striker
Darwin Nunez has played his final game for Liverpool. Arriving from Benfica in a deal rising to £85m in 2022, the Uruguayan has faced consistent criticism for his poor finishing and struggles to impose himself in the Premier League.
And now, he’s expected to depart, with interest arising from Spain and the Saudi Pro League.
Liverpool'sDarwinNunezreacts
Under Slot’s wing, Nunez, 25, has bagged just seven goals from 47 matches in all competitions. To put that another way, he failed to score in 42 appearances.
With Diogo Jota also struggling to perform this term after being plagued by setbacks for most of his Liverpool career, rumours have surfaced of his potential sale too.
With Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak out of bounds, Liverpool seem to have centred on Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike, though they face stiff competition from Chelsea, who remain keen despite closing on the £30m signing of Liam Delap.
FSG always like to have a contingency plan, but if recent reports are to be believed, their back-up option might not be the name on fans’ lips.
Liverpool add new CF to shortlist
According to Liverpool reporter Sam McGuire, Liverpool have added Paris Saint-Germain’s Goncalo Ramos to their shortlist as Slot looks for ways to improve his title-winning squad
PSG forward Goncalo Ramos
It’s stressed that the 23-year-old isn’t at the top of the shopping list but is under consideration, with FSG’s data-driven approach suggesting he could be a superstar in the making.
Former Liverpool sporting director Julian Ward was desperate to sign Ramos in 2022, but Jurgen Klopp was captivated by Nunez and forged ahead with his gambit.
What Goncalo Ramos would bring to Liverpool
Benfica-reared strikers, ay. Liverpool know all about them.
Darwin Nunez warming up for Liverpool
Signing Nunez proved a failed ploy, for the striker has fallen by the wayside and Liverpool need to find a new out-and-out striker to help Mohamed Salah and co.
Is Ramos the right man for the job? It’s debatable. Luis Enrique has used the Portugal international sparingly this season, limiting him to just 16 starts across all competitions, albeit having bagged 18 goals and provided six assists.
Liverpool have already been fleeced for a Benfica talent in the past, and though Ramos wouldn’t be arriving directly from the Liga Portugal, he emerged from the Eagles academy, scored 41 goals across 106 fixtures before signing for PSG in an €80m (£67m) deal.
No transfer figure has been attributed to Liverpool’s ostensible interest, but there’s a good chance the French giants would be seeking a hefty figure for a young player whose up-and-down start has still led him to 40 goal contributions from 80 matches.
And since he’s failed to showcase his best attributes in Ligue 1 this season, you could argue that Ramos would just turn out to be another version of Nunez, were Liverpool to make their move this summer.
League Stats 24/25 – Darwin Nunez vs Goncalo Ramos
Stats (* per game)
Nunez
Ramos
Matches (starts)
30 (8)
22 (12)
Goals
5
10
Assists
2
3
Shots (on target)*
1.1 (0.4)
2.5 (1.5)
Big chances missed
8
18
Accurate passes*
5.3 (71%)
8.7 (81%)
Key passes*
0.4
0 7
Dribbles*
0.3
0.1
Tackles + interceptions*
0.8
0.5
Duels won*
2.1
2.0
Stats via Sofascore
It’s somewhat concerning to note that Ramos has scarcely completed any dribbles in the league this season, instead hanging in the final third to reap the rewards of his energetic teammates’ labours.
And more concerning still is his profligacy, having missed 18 big chances despite only scoring ten goals. This is not the mark of a natural-born goalscorer, fit to take Nunez’s place and prove to Anfield he is vastly superior.
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As per FBref, Ramos does rank among the top 9% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, but there’s nothing of much note in relation to his underlying data.
Once heralded by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his “outrageous start” to life in Portugal’s national team, Ramos might be a talented player but he’s not proven himself worthy of leading Liverpool’s line next season, lest fans be forced into a continuation of the plight that has beset Nunez’s journey on Merseyside.
Instead, Slot needs a confident goalscorer who will provide a sustained, elite-level threat, so this is maybe one for FSG to park and focus on alternative targets instead.
Paris Saint-Germain's Goncalo Ramos.
Ultimately, it’s too early to tell how concrete Liverpool’s interest is with this one, but if recent rumours are to be believed, intrigue is indeed there and the Reds could opt to make a leftfield investment to strengthen their frontline.
Slot’s Liverpool is already jam-packed with talented forwards, and perhaps the question needs to be raised as to whether Ramos would enhance this team, having left much to be desired with his finishing.
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Leeds United will be playing Premier League football next season. Daniel Farke, his staff, and the players all celebrated after the full-time whistle of Burnley’s win over Sheffield United.
Sky Sports were on hand to capture the celebrations and took a moment to have a word with the German manager, who was not too interested in looking ahead to the future.
Daniel Farke
Farke said “don’t scare me with the Premier League” to the reporter, partly in jest, but that is now the big problem that the club have to solve in the upcoming summer transfer window.
The West Yorkshire outfit will be tasked with building a team and a squad that is capable of stepping up to the Premier League without coming straight back down.
This means that Farke and his staff will have to make some incredibly ruthless decisions on players and their futures at Elland Road, as some may not be cut out to make the step up, and one player who could be on the chopping block is Patrick Bamford.
Why Patrick Bamford could leave Leeds this summer
The former England international is still contracted to the club through to the summer of 2026, which means that it is far from a certainty that he will be on his way out ahead of next season.
Bamford has made a return to the team in recent weeks, coming off the bench in the last five matches, but there has been little evidence to suggest that he would be good enough to be an option in the Premier League.
Since the start of last season, the English striker has scored eight goals from 11.63 xG in 48 Championship matches, including zero goals from 2.11 xG in 15 games in the division this term.
There is not much hope of Bamford being an effective player in the Premier League for Leeds next season if he cannot make the most of his chances in the second tier, underperforming his xG by almost four goals.
24/25
16
0
23/24
35
8
22/23
31
6
21/22
10
2
20/21
38
17
As you can see in the table above, he has failed to kick on since his return of 17 goals in the Premier League under Marcelo Bielsa in the 2020/21 campaign, failing to hit double figures in all competitions in any of the following four seasons.
These statistics suggest that the left-footed dud should be moved on by Leeds in the upcoming summer transfer window, in order to make room for a player who could make the step up.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Bamford was linked with a move to Wrexham during the January transfer window and this suggests that there could be a level of interest in his services heading into the next window, which Leeds could now capitalise on.
This also means that he may not be one of the first players out of the door, though, because his contract is not expiring and it may take time for a deal to be finalised for him to move on from Elland Road, particularly as the top earner on £70k-per-week – as per Capology.
Instead, one of the first players who should be axed by the Whites this summer, ahead of a Premier League season next term, is versatile defender Sam Byram, who is out of contract this year.
Why Leeds should release Sam Byram
The 31-year-old defender’s deal runs out at the end of June and this means that Leeds have an instant decision to make on his future in the coming weeks.
Farke loves the English full-back, as evidenced by the reported claim that he had to convince the club to sign him on a free transfer in 2023 despite reluctance from above him, but the manager must be ruthless with his decisions to build a team capable of competing in the Premier League.
The German boss, who also signed him during his time in charge of Norwich City in 2019, must axe Byram from the squad and attempt to recruit competition for Jayden Bogle in the right-back position.
His availability is a slight concern because the defender has not played more than 18 matches in all competitions in six of the last eight seasons, but he has played 73 times for Leeds in the last two campaigns combined.
Signing him to a new deal would require a show of faith that his fitness issues are fully behind him and that he is able to cope with the intensity and the rigours of the Premier League week-in-week-out.
Appearances
34
Starts
15
Key passes per game
0.2
Assists
1
Tackles + interceptions per game
1.5
Duel success rate
55%
As you can see in the table above, Byram has been a solid, but unspectacular, performer in the Championship for the Whites in the current campaign.
But it remains to be seen how useful the defender would be in the Premier League if his current role is only to be a back-up option in the second tier. His lack of outstanding displays at that level suggests that he would not handle the step up to the top division.
Leeds defender Sam Byram.
This is why Leeds must be ruthless by axing the £20k-per-week ace from the squad, particularly with his contract situation providing the club with an opportunity to move him on without having to find a buyer.
The Whites need to build a squad that can survive in the Premier League and that is why they should brutally part ways with the out-of-contract defender to make room for another player to come in and take his place in the squad in the summer transfer window.
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This could make Byram the first player to be moved on ahead of promotion to the Premier League this summer, with Bamford possibly following him out of the door later in the window.