Jurgen Klopp has suggested that he will never return to management, with the ex-Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool boss claiming to miss nothing about life in the dugout. That was his existence for the best part of 25 years, having stepped straight into coaching with Mainz in 2001 after bringing his playing career to a close. Klopp walked away from Anfield as a modern day legend on Merseyside in the summer of 2024.
From Anfield to Red Bull: Klopp's journey
Klopp oversaw Premier League and Champions League title triumphs during his time with Liverpool, helping to return the Reds to top of domestic and continental games over the course of a memorable nine-year tenure. He stepped down after taking the decision not to see out his contract. A break from the stresses of professional football was required at that point.
At 58 years of age, Klopp has returned to work. He is now Global Head of Soccer at Red Bull – allowing him to oversee events within their stable of elite football clubs. While big decisions have to be made there, such as those relating to managerial appointments, Klopp is no longer directly responsible for results and performances on the field. That change of pace has been fully embraced.
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Does Klopp miss management after 23-year career?
Despite being passionate about the game, as the man that introduced “heavy metal football” to the world, Klopp is happy taking a back seat and concedes that he may never grace a dugout again.
Quizzed by on whether he misses the day-to-day challenges of being a manager, Klopp – who saw his successor Arne Slot deliver another Premier League crown to Anfield in 2024-25 – said: “Not. At. All. I was super happy with the way Liverpool performed. I watched some games. But it is not like, ‘Oh, it’s Saturday!’ I didn’t know when games started. I was just out. I played sports. We enjoyed life, spent time with the grandkids, completely normal stuff, knowing I will work again. But knowing as well, that I don’t want to work as a coach anymore.”
Pressed further on whether his absence from the touchline will extend indefinitely, Klopp added: “That’s what I think. But you don’t know. I’m 58. If I started again at 65, everybody will say, ‘You said you’ll never do it again!’ Er, sorry, I thought 100 per cent (when I said it)! That is what I think now. I don’t miss anything.”
Klopp enjoying everyday life away from coaching
He added on getting to enjoy life in a way that was never possible when being consumed by the relentless demands of a life as a coach: “I missed nothing in my life because I never thought about it. So during almost 25 years, I twice went to a wedding – one of them was mine and the other one was two months ago. In 25 years, I have been four times at the cinema – all in the last eight weeks. It’s now nice to be able to do it. I was in so many different countries as a coach and I saw nothing of them; just the hotel, the stadium or the training ground. Nothing else. I did not miss it, but I would now.”
Klopp’s decision to join forces with energy drink giants Red Bull raised a few eyebrows, but he makes no apologies for that either. He said when asked if a job in another country would have been better received: “If I went to a foreign country, to Italy or Spain, people would have said, ‘Oh my God, that’s great.’ If I go to Bayern (Munich) or whatever, then especially Dortmund fans would have said, ‘I don’t like it!’ I finished at Liverpool at 57. I was 100 per cent certain and sure that I will not finish working. I had a break for seven months or so. I enjoyed it – wow!”
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Germany role for Klopp? Future questions remain
Klopp has been linked with various posts since leaving Liverpool, but has resisted any attempts to lure him back into management. It has been suggested on a regular basis down the years that a role with the Germany national team may appeal, but it remains to be seen whether the most colourful of characters ever returns to coaching.
A invencibilidade do Botafogo fica ainda mais nítida nos números da equipe no Campeonato Brasileiro. Após vencido o Vasco por 2 a 0, o Glorioso alcançou dois feitos significativos em sua caminhada como líder da competição nacional.
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A equipe está invicta há um mês no Brasileirão. Além disso, saiu de campo mais uma vez sem ter sofrido gols e se consolidou ainda mais como a melhor defesa.
A última vez na qual saiu de campo amargando uma derrota foi justamente na qual viu o adversário balançar a rede: no 1 a 0 para o Athletico-PR, em 3 de junho, em duelo na Arena da Baixada. Desde então, o Alvinegro bateu por 2 a 0 o Fortaleza, obteve vitórias por 1 a 0 sobre o Cuiabá e Palmeiras e, no último domingo (2), saiu de campo superando o Vasco no clássico.
Ao fim da décima-terceira rodada, os botafoguenses têm apenas sete gols sofridos em 13 partidas (média de 0,53 por partida). O entrosamento de Cuesta e Adryelson vem se mostrando cada vez mais forte e ratificando o bom momento de Lucas Perri.
O Botafogo volta a campo no domingo (8) para enfrentar às 18h30 o Grêmio na Arena do Grêmio.
Sri Lanka completed their fourth highest run chase in women’s ODIs and subjected South Africa to a second successive defeat in the tri-series in Colombo. A record fourth-wicket stand of 128 between Kavisha Dilhari and Harshitha Samarawickrama, both of whom scored half-centuries, ensured Sri Lanka controlled proceedings against a South African side that struggled with the slowness of the pitch and problems with personnel.Seventeen-year-old wicket-keeper Karabo Meso had to leave the field after 14 overs of the Sri Lankan innings with a heat-related illness and was replaced by Sinalo Jafta while Sune Luus, who bowled eight overs and took 1 for 34, jammed her knee into the turf and suffered bruising, forcing her off the field. Ultimately neither of those things hampered South Africa as much as their inability to take wickets on a surface that Sri Lanka’s attack mastered. Debutant offspinner Dewmi Vihanga became the second Sri Lankan to take three wickets on ODI debut while Malki Madara, playing in just her second game, picked up 4 for 50.South Africa’s total of 235, built largely on Annerie Dercksen’s first ODI half-century, looked competitive at the halfway stage but when Sri Lanka lost Chamari Athapaththu in the third over, it seemed it could be match-winning. Vishmi Gunaratne and Hasini Perera rebuilt steadily for a second-wicket stand of 69 before Dilhari and Samarawickrama kept the required run-rate in control to seal victory with 21 balls to spare.Malki Madara celebrates a wicket with Chamari Athapaththu•SLC
With slower balls proving far more effective than pace on, Gunaratne and Perera were severe on South Africa’s seamers upfront, forcing spin to be introduced in the first powerplay. But both Luus and Nonkululeko Mlaba were unable to maintain pressure in their initial overs as they struggled with their lengths and boundaries came in almost every over. When Mlaba strung three dots together, Gunaratne lost her patience and went for a reverse sweep. She missed and was struck in front of off stump.Three more boundary-less overs followed before Perera tried to flick Luus legside, where Laura Wolvaardt leapt forward and took the catch low down. Replays confirmed she had her fingers under the ball and Sri Lanka were 90 for 3 after 18 overs.Given that the middle-order has not always been reliable, there may have been some nerves, especially when Samarawickrama’s first boundary came off the outside edge. Dilhari was more confident and hit Mlaba back over her head. That proved to be a favourite area for her, and was also where she smashed Chloe Tryon for six. When Ayabonga Khaka was brought back for a second spell, both Dilhari and Samarawickrama got stuck in and in an over that cost 12 brought the required run-rate down to under five an over.Samarawickrama got to fifty off 65 balls with a straight drive and Dilhari followed, off the 61st ball she faced, when she carved Tryon through the covers. By then, Sri Lanka needed 44 runs off 11 overs and the game was all but up. Neither of the two set batters saw it through to the end, with South Africa plucking some late wickets but in the end, they may feel there were around 30 runs short, especially after they staged a decent recovery from 120 for 5.South Africa lost their openers early when Tazmin Brits was bowled in the fourth over, staying back to a Sugandika Kumari ball that turned past the inside edge, while Wolvaardt was deceived by a slower ball from Madara. Wolvaardt was Madara’s first ODI wicket.Annerie Dercksen scored an unbeaten 61 to lift South Africa•SLC
That left Lara Goodall and Meso with the responsibility of stabilising the innings. Goodall was given the length to play two sumptuous cover drives and took it and South Africa ended the powerplay on 40 for 1. Inoka Ranaweera was introduced in the 11th over and created a chance off her fourth ball when Goodall, on 14, mistimed an attempted hit down the ground back to Ranaweera. She got hands to it but could not hold on.Meso struggled to score runs and she faced 21 dot balls in her innings of 27 and the pressure got too much for her. When Ranaweera tossed one up outside off, Meso drove aerially, straight to Athapaththu at short cover. Ranaweera should have had Luus for a duck two balls later, again off her own bowling. That chance cost Sri Lanka.Luus and Goodall put on 54 runs for the third wicket in a stand that included some delightful strokes. Goodall hit Ranaweera back over her head for four and pulled out the paddle sweep off Gunaratne but was put down again on 41 when she gave Athapaththu a regulation chance at mid-on, off Vihanga, but the Sri Lankan captain dropped it. She added five more runs to her score and was on 46 when she tried to hit Vihanga over long-on but was caught on the boundary. Goodall’s effort was her highest since her career-best 93 not out against Ireland in Dublin in June 2022, 14 innings ago.Luus was on 31 at the time, using her feet well and playing aggressively but in the next over, she walked across her stumps and played on to give Vihanga her second. Four balls later, Athapaththu hit Dercksen on the back pad and thought she had her out lbw but the umpire did not agree. The rest of that over cost Sri Lanka nine runs and momentum shifted South Africa’s way. Tryon and Dercksen were energetic in the middle and shared a run-a-ball stand of 62 before a wonder catch from Nilakshika Silva broke their stand. Tryon tried to hit Vihanga over long-on, Nilakshika ran to her left and reached the ball just in time to take the catch one-handed as she hit the ground. South Africa entered the final 10 overs on 182 for 6.Dercksen got to fifty with a stunning six over Kumari but she did not have much lower order support. Nadine de Klerk was bowled by a Madara yorker and Masabata Klaas and Mlaba both top-edged as they tried to hit Madara out of the ground.
Leeds United travel away from Elland Road to take on Fulham at Craven Cottage in their latest Premier League match of the season after the international break.
The Whites could face off against Harry Wilson after they failed to get a deal over the line for the Wales international on the final day of the summer transfer window.
Leeds reportedly met Fulham’s asking price for the left-footed forward before the Cottagers decided to pull the plug on the move, which meant that the club were unable to get a forward signing through the door.
It did not come as a surprise to hear Daniel Farke talk about wanting attacking reinforcements after watching the opening three matches of the Premier League season.
25/26 Premier League
Wilfried Gnonto
Dan James
Starts
3
3
Goals + assists
0
0
Shots on target
0
0
Key passes
1
2
Big chances created
0
0
Dribble success rate
17%
33%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Dan James and Wilfried Gnonto have both failed to make the step up to the Premier League so far, with zero shots on target and zero ‘big chances’ created, despite starting all three games.
Along with Wilson, the Championship champions were also keen on a deal to sign Facundo Buonanotte on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion, but they also missed out on him.
Why missing out on Buonanotte was a blow for Leeds
Chelsea swooped in to sign the attacking midfielder in the final throes of the transfer window, which essentially blew Leeds out of the water, given the size of their competition.
The Argentine talent swiftly completed a loan move to Stamford Bridge, subsequently being left out of their squad for the league phase of the Champions League, and that was a blow for the Whites.
Buonanotte spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Leicester City and proved himself to be more than capable of producing quality at the top end of the pitch in the Premier League as an attacking midfielder and as a winger.
The 20-year-old talent had scored three goals and provided one assist in 27 outings in the top-flight for Brighton in the previous season, per Sofascore, and upped his game for his loan spell with the Foxes.
24/25 Premier League
Facundo Buonanotte
Appearances
31
Starts
14
xG
3.93
Goals
5
Key passes
25
Big chances created
7
Assists
2
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Buonanotte racked up 12 goals and ‘big chances’ created combined in 31 appearances in the Premier League, despite starting less than half of those matches.
These statistics suggest that the Argentina international had the potential to deliver quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals for Farke’s side, either as a number ten or as a right-sided forward.
Facundo Buonanotte in action on loan at Leicester City.
Therefore, it was a blow for Leeds to lose to Chelsea in the race to secure his services on a season-long loan because he could have offered the quality at the top end of the pitch that the team seems to be lacking at this moment in time.
Buonanotte could have come in as an upgrade on Dan James, for example, on the right flank after the Wales international’s disappointing start to the campaign.
In The Pipeline
Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.
Farke could, though, unearth his own version of Buonanotte by promoting one of the club’s talented young prospects up from the U21 side in the coming weeks.
The German head coach has consistently shown a willingness to bring through young talent throughout his career, including Max Aarons, James Maddison, Todd Cantwell, Archie Gray, and Mateo Joseph, among others.
Leeds United teenager Connor Douglas, who primarily plays on the right flank, could be one of the next players to emerge from the pipeline in Farke’s managerial career.
Why Douglas could be Farke's own Buonanotte
Like Buonanotte, the English whiz is a young attacker who has the versatility to play in a myriad of roles. Per Transfermarkt, he usually plays off the right wing, but the 19-year-old talent has also played on the left, as a striker, as a central midfielder, and as an attacking midfielder.
This makes him fairly similar to the Brighton youngster, who has mainly played as a right-sided winger or as a number ten, but he has also played off the left and as a central midfielder, per Transfermarkt.
Douglas, therefore, can operate in similar positions and can offer Farke the same flexibility that the Argentina international would have provided if the club had managed to bring him in on loan for the season.
At the age of 19, he is also another young player who has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and learn as a player, which means that he could grow and improve by gaining more experience in the Premier League with the first-team.
Leeds United manager DanielFarkereacts
PureFootball writer Trent Gaffney described Douglas as an “electric” forward who is a “joy to watch”, which is also interesting because Leicester reporter Jordan Blackwell hailed Buonanotte as a “joy to watch” last season.
This suggests that both players are mercurial attacking midfielders who supporters love to watch play because they are technical, quick, and like to impact matches with the ball at their feet.
Stats (first-team + academy)
Buonanotte
Douglas
Appearances
119
60
Minutes
6,266
3,989
Goals
15
11
Minutes per goal
417
362
Assists
7
8
Minutes per assist
895
498
Stats via Transfermarkt
As you can see in the table above, Douglas may even have the potential to make a greater impact at the top end of the pitch if he can find a way to translate his form at U18 and U21 level over to first-team football.
He has yet to make his senior bow for Leeds, or any other club, whilst Buonanotte has already established himself as a Premier League talent, to his credit.
Now that the Whites have missed out on a deal to sign the Argentine magician, Farke should dip into the academy side to unleash this promising prospect to see if he has what it takes to be the next James Maddison or Archie Gray.
Farke's 16-year-old star who's the "real deal" can end Piroe's Leeds career
Leeds United have a teenage talent in their academy who could end Joel Piroe’s career at Elland Road.
Former Newcastle winger Chris Waddle believes Bayern Munich are still sulking after missing out on the signing of Nick Woltemade. The 64-year-old says the German giants are showing 'a little bit of sour grapes' after the 23-year-old striker joined Newcastle in a record £69 million ($93m) deal despite a personal agreement to join Vincent Kompany's team.
Bayern’s frustration over missing out on Woltemade
Bayern tried more than once to bring the German striker to the club over the summer, with their final bid reportedly touching €60m (£52m/$70m). Stuttgart, though, refused to budge below €75m (£65m/$87m). Meanwhile, a desperate Newcastle made a club-record £69m offer and got the deal done. The move didn’t go down well in Munich, though, as Bayern board member Karl-Heinz Rummenigge branded the Magpies 'idiots' for spending that much and even sarcastically congratulated Stuttgart for cashing in.
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'Better wages, better everything' – Waddle on Bayern’s reaction
Speaking to , Waddle said Bayern’s frustration comes from losing out on a player they thought they had already secured.
"They probably thought they had him at a lower price," he said. "Newcastle have obviously looked for a centre-forward after the saga with Isak. They've looked around and thought who's available? They've looked at Woltemade because he's a good player. He's a tall guy. He's quite mobile. Technically he's all right."
"Bayern Munich thought, 'he’s a player we can snap up who could replace Harry Kane in a couple of years.' They probably thought they had a deal done. But Newcastle came in and I think it's a little bit of sour grapes."
"I think Newcastle's offered a better contract, better wages, better everything. Bayern Munich would probably think they would get him at the price that they think he's worth. They think Newcastle's paid over the top. Time will tell on that."
Waddle believes it will be a 'mixed season' for Magpies
Despite acquiring the German striker, Waddle warned that the Magpies might find it harder to match last season’s success due to limited squad depth.
"I don't think the squad's big enough or strong enough to compete in all the competitions they're in. So he's gonna have to manage them very well. But you know when you're leaving these key players out, you take a lot away from the team. And no disrespect to the replacements – they're not as strong as the players who usually start. So it will be a mixed season again for Newcastle."
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What's next for Woltemade and Newcastle?
The 23-year-old has settled quickly in England, scoring four goals across all competitions. However, Newcastle have struggled to find consistency so far this season, winning just two of their first seven Premier League games and sitting outside the top 10 in the standings. Woltemade might have to play a bigger role in the coming weeks to make his record-breaking transfer to Newcastle a big success.
O Palmeiras definiu nesta semana a renovação dos contratos de cinco jogadores do atual elenco formados nas categorias de base. Naves e Jhon Jhon, que tinham vínculo com o clube até 31 de dezembro de 2025, e Garcia, Vanderlan e Fabinho, cujos vínculos iam até 31 de dezembro de 2026, firmaram um novo contrato válido até 31 de dezembro de 2027.
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+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui
Apesar de já terem jogado na temporada 2022, todos eles ainda eram do grupo de transição e não estavam efetivamente fazendo parte do elenco profissional. A partir de 2023 todos eles foram integrados em definitivo pela comissão técnica de Abel Ferreira.
+ Copo Stanley a partir de R$120,00. Bebida gelada nos 90′ de jogo do Verdão!
O Verdão tem renovado o contrato da grande maioria das peças do elenco, inclusive os que já estavam há mais tempo no clube. Para os dirigentes, o grande reforço das últimas temporadas é a manutenção do elenco. Além disso, a prorrogação dos vínculos com os jovens dão ainda mais garantia ao Alviverde para negociar vendas futuras.
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As Crias da Academia têm batido recordes da história do clube nos últimos anos. Desde 2020, um total de 38 jogadores formados na base do Palmeiras atuaram pelo time profissional. Foram 13 estreias em 2020, 14 estreias em 2021 (recorde no século), uma em 2022 (Endrick) e três em 2023 (Ian, Pedro Lima e Luis Guilherme), além de sete jogadores que já haviam estreado em temporadas anteriores.
+ Palmeiras terá a ‘estreia’ do avião de Leila Pereira em viagem para duelo com o Fluminense
Todos os jogos das temporadas 2021, 2022 e 2023 tiveram presença de pratas da casa. Na temporada 2020, apenas um jogo não teve.
Tottenham Hotspur are in the race for a “sensational” Champions League-winning defender, with Thomas Frank’s side identifying a number of centre-backs as targets before the upcoming deadline.
Spurs eyeing move to sign new centre-back
With the transfer deadline now rapidly approaching, it could be a frantic end to the window for Tottenham, and a new attacking midfielder is still of interest, having recently accelerated talks to sign West Ham United star Lucas Paqueta.
However, Spurs have also set their sights on strengthening at the opposite end of the pitch, with Manchester City’s Manuel Akanji emerging as a major target, having recently submitted a £17m bid for the Switzerland international.
Frank is already relatively well-stocked in the centre-back department, recently saying: “We have right now three centre backs: Micky, Romero, [Kevin] Danso,”
“Ben can play there if necessary. We have Kota the young central defender we bought this summer and is running now and training with the team next week. Or training with the ball, there’s not many left behind.
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“And then Dragusin is coming back in a couple of months, so I think that should be enough.”
However, there is a feeling that bringing in another defender still remains on the agenda, and a report from Sky Sports has now revealed that Tottenham are in the race for Liverpool centre-back Joe Gomez.
Earlier this summer, there were reports the Reds could be willing to cash-in on Gomez for £25m, but they are now believed to be reluctant to sanction a departure, amid rival interest from Crystal Palace and AC Milan, with the Italian side making a permanent offer.
That said, there is a feeling that Frank has now cooled his interest in signing a new defender, so it remains to be seen whether a deal is a possibility.
"Sensational" Gomez could be fantastic back-up option for Spurs
The English defender has remained a dependable back-up option for Liverpool over the years, making 242 appearances for the Reds, during which time he has won two Premier League titles and a Champions League.
The 28-year-old has been lauded as “sensational” by reporter Declan Carr during his time with the Reds, and he has continued to put in some impressive defensive performances over the past year, while also looking solid in possession of the ball.
Statistic
Average per 90
Tackles
2.05 (87th percentile)
Blocks
1.77 (91st percentile)
Passes attempted
73.91 (89th percentile)
Progressive passes
6.27 (95th percentile)
That said, the centre-back would perhaps be a strange addition to Frank’s squad, given that he would be unlikely to displace the likes of Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero in the starting line-up.
Gomez already plays a bit-part role at Liverpool, where he has regularly won trophies, so it would be an odd decision to move to north London and play in the same role, given that Tottenham don’t have the same recent record of success, despite their Europa League triumph.
Arsenal are reportedly ready to sell £45 million ($60m) star Gabriel Jesus this coming January, though Gunners fans have been told to "expect a quiet January window" after a spending big money over the summer. When Gabriel Jesus joined the Gunners in July 2022, he was billed as the man to restore Arsenal's firepower and spearhead a new era at the Emirates.
Jesus' uncertain future at Arsenal
It was supposed to be a fairytale move, a proven winner swapping Manchester City’s silverware-laden dressing room for Mikel Arteta’s ambitious Arsenal project. Two years later, that dream appears to be crumbling. Injuries, inconsistency, and a ruthless reshaping of Arteta’s attack have left the Brazilian’s Arsenal future hanging by a thread. Reports from now claim that Jesus’ latest appearance, an FA Cup defeat to Manchester United in January, where he tore his ACL, could be his final one in red and white.
In his debut season, he made a bright start, scoring 11 goals across all competitions. But that first-season spark soon faded. Persistent knee problems and a damaging ACL injury in January have since derailed his momentum entirely. The Brazilian has not kicked a competitive ball this season and is now facing the grim prospect of being moved on before he ever truly fulfilled his potential in north London.
AdvertisementAFPGyokeres and Havertz push Jesus out of the picture
In football, time waits for no one, and Arsenal’s summer overhaul has made that crystal clear. Viktor Gyokeres’ blockbuster arrival from Sporting has transformed the frontline, while Kai Havertz’s growing confidence as a No.9 has given Arteta tactical flexibility that doesn’t rely on Jesus. Once the guaranteed starter, the 28-year-old now finds himself surplus to requirements. Arsenal’s attack looks sharper, faster, and more unpredictable, all without him. And with the club reportedly open to offers, the writing appears to be on the wall for Jesus’ Emirates career. Interest is already mounting from Brazil, with Flamengo and Palmeiras both said to be keen on bringing him home. Meanwhile, Everton are said to be weighing up a bold January swoop for the out-of-favour forward. Jesus remains tied to Arsenal until June 2027, but with no sign of a contract renewal and the club looking to balance their books after a lavish summer, a parting of ways seems increasingly inevitable.
'Quiet' winter transfer window looming
According to the report, Arsenal will be taking a conservative approach to the winter window following their £250m ($332m) summer outlay. That record-breaking spending saw eight new faces arrive at London Colney, giving Arteta unprecedented squad depth. But it’s also left the club with a bloated wage bill and little room for manoeuvre under financial fair play regulations and PSR. The Gunners are believed to be focused on consolidating, trimming where possible, and making full use of the talent they already have. Reiss Nelson, Jakub Kiwior, and Albert Sambi Lokonga were all moved out over the summer to ease congestion, but Jesus’ potential departure would be by far the biggest name to go. Selling him could also generate crucial funds to reinvest in next summer’s plans.
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Arsenal look to the future
Even as the club prepares for potential departures, Arsenal’s long-term planning machine keeps whirring. The Gunners have wrapped up the signing of Victor Ozhianvuna, a 16-year-old prodigy from Shamrock Rovers. The Irish teenager, already capped at U15 and U18 level for the Republic of Ireland, will officially join Arsenal in January 2027 when he turns 18. Originally a wing-back, Ozhianvuna’s versatility has drawn rave reviews.
حلل ديتمار هامان، نجم نادي ليفربول السابق، نقاط ضعف الريدز خلال هذا الموسم، موضحًا أن النادي الإنجليزي بحاجة إلى إبرام صفقتين خلال فترة الميركاتو الشتوي المقبل في يناير.
ليفربول دعم صفوفه بشكل جيد خلال فترة الميركاتو الصيفي الجاري وتعاقد مع جيوفاني ليوني وفلوريان فيرتز وجيريمي فريمبونج وألكسندر إيزاك وهوجو إيكتيكي.
لكن على الرغم من كل هذه التدعيمات لم يتمكن ليفربول من تقديم المستوى المطلوب خلال هذا الموسم، حيث يلعب الريدز بشكل متذبذب للغاية.
ويعتقد هامان في تصريحات نقلتها شبكة ليفربول إيكو، أن النادي الإنجليزي بحاجة إلى تدعيم خط دفاعه بصفقتين خلال فترة الميركاتو الشتوي.
ليفربول دعم خط دفاعه بالفعل بضم ليوني وفريمبونج، لكن ليوني تعرض لإصابة على مستوى الرباط الصليبي وسيغيب في معظم فترات هذا الموسم.
وقال هامان: “قد يحتاج ليفربول إلى التعاقد مع قلب دفاع في يناير، قد يكون مارك جويهي لكن الأمر يعتمد على ما إذا كان كريستال بالاس سيبيعه وما هو السعر المطلوب”.
اقرأ أيضًا .. مهاجم فرنسا السابق مهاجمًا برشلونة: متواطئون فيما يفعله لامين يامال
وأضاف هامان في حديثه: “إصابة جيوفاني ليوني الذي بدا واعدًا قبل إصابته الخطيرة بالرباط الصليبي، تعد ضربة أخرى لن يتمكن ليفربول من معالجتها حتى إعادة فتح سوق الانتقالات”.
وأوضح الدولي الألماني السابق: ”أعتقد أنهم إذا ظلوا في المنافسة على لقب الدوري، فلن أتفاجأ إذا حاولوا ضم لاعب أو لاعبين في يناير”.
واختتم هامان: “فيرجيل فان دايك لاعب حيوي للغاية للفريق، لا أريد حتى التفكير فيما سيحدث إذا غاب عن عدد من المباريات”.
ليفربول كان قريبًا من التعاقد مع مارك جويهي، قائد كريستال بالاس خلال الميركاتو الصيفي، لكن المدرب أوليفر جلاسنر هو من أوقف حدوث الصفقة في اللحظات الأخيرة.
Manchester City’s Champions League campaign is up and running with a victory.
On Thursday night at the Etihad, the 2023 winners beat Napoli 2-0 to commence the league phase with three points.
The key flash point of the first half was the red card shown to the visitors’ captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo, dismissed by referee Felix Zwayer for a foul on Erling Braut Håland, deemed to be the denial of a clear goal-scoring opportunity.
The match remained goalless for almost an hour, Antonio Conte’s team staying compact and defending resolutely, featuring an extraordinary goal-line clearance from Matteo Politano on the cusp of half time.
Nevertheless, in the end, Man City did find the breakthrough, with Phil Foden’s chipped through-ball picking out Håland whose looping header beat Vanja Milinković-Savić, before Jérémy Doku lashed home the clincher a mere seven minutes later.
In last season’s Champions League, Pep Guardiola’s team only managed victories against Slovan Bratislava, Sparta Prague and Club Brugge, not exactly European juggernauts, so will be pleased to have overcome the reigning Scudetto holders.
It was a record-breaking night for one Man City player, while another showed his class, on a night when a returning Sky Blue great enjoyed an inauspicious home coming.
Erling Braut Håland's record breaking night
On a Champions League night, you can almost always rely on Erling Braut Håland to score a goal.
His header to break the deadlock was his 50th in the Champions League, bagging eight for RB Salzburg, 15 in the yellow of Borussia Dortmund and now 27 for Manchester City.
This makes him, by some considerable distance, the fastest player to this landmark in the competition’s history, as indicated below.
Here’s a mind-blowing piece of information for you, courtesy of Will Jeanes of the Athletic.
On 18 September 2007, Ruud van Nistelrooy scored for Real Madrid against Werder Bremen to become the fastest player to 50 European Cup or Champions League goals, breaking Raúl’s record, doing so in his 62nd appearance in the tournament.
Well, exactly 18 years to the day later, this record is shattered by Håland, who has reached 50 goals in just 49 games, very much with his sights set on Cristiano Ronaldo’s all-time record of 140.
However, the big Norwegian centre-forward was not the only man to impress in Sky Blue.
Manchester City's new Kevin De Bruyne
All the pre-match discussion ahead of Napoli’s visit to the Etihad was about the swift homecoming of Kevin De Bruyne; whoever at UEFA headquarters decided to put this fixture on matchday one knew what they were doing!
However, the night certainly did not go how the Belgian would have dreamt it, hooked after 20 minutes through no fault of his own, simply sacrificed by Conte, replaced by left-back Mathías Olivera, following Di Lorenzo’s aforementioned red card.
During his time in Manchester, De Bruyne and Håland directly combined for 25 goals, eight more than any other player in the goal machine’s career; Marco Reus the man second on this list.
Instead of coming back to haunt the club who declined the opportunity to extend his contract, De Bruyne got to watch on like the rest of us as Foden staked a claim to be the heir to his vacant throne.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
At the weekend, the England international’s header to break the deadlock in the Manchester derby was his first Premier League goal since netting against Chelsea on 25 January, a draught of 232 days.
Then, in this match, his impudent assists teed up Håland to make the breakthrough, and the statistics below highlight how impactful he was throughout, having been handed an 8/10 match rating by the MEN.
Foden vs Napoli
Stat
Foden
Match rank
Assists
1
1st
Accurate passes
56
8th
Shots on target
1
2nd
Key passes
8
1st
Big chances created
1
1st
Accurate crosses
11
1st
Touches
82
6th
Average SofaScore rating
7.6
5th
All statistics courtesy of SofaScore
As the table documents, Foden was the creative hub of Manchester City’s team against Napoli, registering four more key passes than anyone else, as well as nine more accurate crosses than any other member of the Citizens’ squad.
Last season was frankly miserable for Foden, scoring just ten goals and accumulating four assists across the Premier League and Champions League, having registered 24 goals and 11 assists the season before, named PFA Players’ Player of the Year and Football Writers’ Player of the Year as a result.
Nevertheless, after scoring three times during the Club World Cup in the summer, there are further signs that Foden is getting back to his best.
Thus, he will surely be in Guardiola’s starting lineup for Sunday’s huge clash with Arsenal in North London, hoping he can live up to the departed De Bruyne’s legacy.
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