علّق المدير الفني بيب جوارديولا، على خطوته القادمة التي يخطط لها بعد مغادرة مانشستر سيتي الإنجليزي.

وتعد فترة تدريب جوارديولا لمانشستر سيتي، هي الأطول في مسيرته التدريبية، بين الأندية التي تولى المسؤولية فيها.

ويشغل جوارديولا منصبه كمدير فني في مانشستر سيتي منذ 9 سنوات، ويظل عقده الحالي حتى يونيو 2027.

وقال جوارديولا لقناة “ESPN Brasil”: “أريد أن يتذكرني الناس كما يشاؤون، بعد انتهاء عقدي مع مانشستر سيتي، سأتوقف عن التدريب، أنا متأكد من ذلك، لا أعرف إن كنت سأعتزل، لكنني سآخذ استراحة، كيف أريد أن يتذكرني الناس؟ لا أعرف”.

وأضاف: “جميع المدربين يطمحون للفوز حتى نحظى بعمل لا يُنسى، لكنني أعتقد أن جماهير برشلونة وبايرن ميونخ ومانشستر سيتي استمتعت بمشاهدة مباريات فرقي، لا أعتقد أنه يجب علينا أبدًا التفكير في ما إذا كان سيُذكرنا أحد”.

وواصل: “عندما نموت، تبكي عائلاتنا ليومين أو ثلاثة، ثم ينتهي الأمر، تُنسى، في مسيرة المدربين، هناك جيدون وسيئون، المهم أن يُذكر الجيدون لفترة أطول”.

اقرأ أيضًا | سلوت يوضح تأثير لقب الدوري الإنجليزي على صفقات ليفربول المرتقبة.. ويحسم مستقبل لاعبه

وأكد: “أقول لك إن الأهم ليس رأي الناس فيك، ففي النهاية، كانت حياتنا كلاعبي كرة قدم رائعة، هناك تحديات جديدة كمدرب، لا أعرف ما سيحدث في المستقبل، وفي النهاية هذا لا يهم”.

وبشأن موسم مانشستر سيتي الصعب، أفاد: : “لقد كان عامًا مليئًا بالدروس المستفادة، ليس هناك سبب واحد فقط لصعوبة هذا العام، بل هناك العديد من التفاصيل، مثل القرارات الخاطئة التي اتخذتها، لذا، فقد كان عامًا مليئًا بالدروس المستفادة لي شخصيًا”.

واسترسل جوارديولا: “يعتقد الناس أننا نتعلم من الهزائم أكثر من الانتصارات، لكنني أعتقد أيضًا أنني أتعلم من الانتصارات”.

وأتم: “كنت أعلم أننا سنسقط في لحظة ما، لكننا سقطنا كثيرًا، لم نتوقع أن نصل إلى هذا المستوى، لكن لا يمكننا الفوز بها جميعًا، ما قدمناه خلال عشر أو تسع سنوات كان استثنائيًا، لكن علينا الآن أن نجلس ونتعلم لنحاول فهم ما نحتاج إلى تقديمه في المستقبل”.

حقق جوارديولا نجاحًا غير مسبوق منذ توليه تدريب مانشستر سيتي في عام 2016، وتوج بستة ألقاب في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، وحقق أول لقب له في دوري أبطال أوروبا كجزء من الثلاثية في موسم 2022-2023.

وكان هذا الموسم صعبًا على فريق جوارديولا، مع فشله في الحفاظ على لقب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز الذي حسمه ليفربول، ويقاتل لتأمين مركز مؤهل لدوري أبطال أوروبا للموسم المقبل.

Newcastle United ended a run of four matches without a win in the Premier League with a thumping 4-0 victory over Leicester City at St. James’ Park on Saturday.

Jacob Murphy opened the scoring in the first half with a pinpoint finish into the bottom corner after Anthony Gordon burst into the box and cut it back from the right flank.

The other three goals came in the second half, with Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak both heading in from close range, and Murphy firing a shot into the bottom corner from inside the box.

One of the top performers for Newcastle in the match was, of course, the English winger who scored two of Eddie Howe’s side’s four goals on Tyneside.

Jacob Murphy's performance against Leicester

The former Norwich City forward had not scored a goal in the Premier League before this weekend and found the back of the net twice against the Foxes.

Murphy will now be hoping to get his name on the scoresheet more often, having failed to do so in the previous 12 games, after his two incredibly composed finishes, finding the bottom corner with a first-time finish in the first half before firing a shot in with power for the fourth.

The Englishman also created two chances for his teammates in his 65 minutes on the pitch, which shows that he looked to be unselfish when the opportunity was there.

Murphy did, however, lose all four of his duels in the game and may need to be stronger out of possession against opponents who will put up a better fight than Leicester did.

Chalkboard

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

Sandro Tonali, meanwhile, was just as good as the English forward and proved to Howe why he should be a regular in the Newcastle starting XI moving forward.

Sandro Tonali's performance against Leicester

The Italy international was selected in the middle of the park alongside Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes and caught the eye with a dominant display for the Magpies.

It was only his seventh start in 14 Premier League appearances, which shows that Howe has not trusted him to start week-in-week-out, but his performance suggests that he should now be a regular for the team.

The former AC Milan star played a crucial role in the opening goal with his clever pass down the outside of the defender to set Gordon away in the box to assist Murphy, and the rest of his display was also impressive.

Touches

88

Pass accuracy

92%

Key passes

1

Ground duels won

4/5

Tackles + interceptions

4

As you can see in the table above, the Italian dynamo combined composure and efficiency in possession with dominant defensive work to win the ball back for his side.

Tonali showcased his defensive qualities, breaking up Leicester attacks and dominating physical battles, and provided a metronomic presence at the base of the midfield with his effective passing.

Meanwhile, Sean Longstaff, who has started eight league games, has only completed 86% of his passes and won 54% of his duels this season.

Man City want him: £100m Newcastle sale would be a bigger blow than Isak

Newcastle face a fight to keep one of their prized players from Premier League rivals’ clutches.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 13, 2024

These statistics suggest that the Tonali could offer more to the side as a defender and as a passer, in comparison to the Englishman, and that is why he should be starting regularly ahead of him.

South Africa three wickets down and still 78 runs behind heading into final day

Valkerie Baynes29-Jun-2022Issy Wong provided the spark on a gloomy evening to put England firmly in control heading into the final day of their Test with South Africa.After hours of watching rain fall, 20-year-old debutant Wong removed dangerous opener Laura Wolvaardt for the second time in the match after also dismissing Lara Goodall to take two wickets in as many overs.Nat Sciver has been at the heart of the action throughout this match, her unbeaten 169 allowing England to declare 133 runs ahead and she took two crucial catches as South Africa were reduced to 55 for 3 at the close on the third day, still 82 runs in arrears.Play only resumed at 6.30pm local time after a second rain delay lasting nearly three hours and, with just 11 balls bowled, the rain returned, although play continued and the shower passed.It was just as well for England when Wong had Goodall caught behind by Amy Jones amid an excellent spell, firing the ball in full down the leg side and catching a faint edge as it passed by.Wong then claimed the prize wicket of Wolvaardt for just 16, edging to gully where Sciver took a sharp catch diving to her right.The weather was surely a factor in the timing of England’s sporting declaration with about half an hour left in the morning session. And while it left Sciver 20 runs shy of Betty Snowball’s record for the highest Test score by an England Women’s player, set in 1935, the fact that more rain is forecast for the final day and that England were keen to force a result, team goals took precedence over personal milestones.Sciver was in the action again when England made an early breakthrough in South Africa’s second innings, Kate Cross claiming her fifth wicket for the match when she invited Andrie Steyn to drive at a ball pitched up just outside off stump and got an edge to fly to gully, where Sciver took a sound, low catch.England then thought Cross had Goodall out lbw but their attempts to overturn umpire Anna Harris’ not-out decision failed when the DRS confirmed that Goodall had put bat on ball. Moments later rain arrived and the players sprinted from the field.Only another eight overs were bowled when play resumed with South Africa closing the gap to 106 before another heavy shower brought about an early tea.Earlier, Sciver, 119 not out overnight, surpassed Marizanne Kapp’s 150 in South Africa’s first innings. Having resumed with a 44-run advantage, Sciver and Sophie Ecclestone added another 65 runs in the first hour of the day, both finding the boundary with relative ease as they looked to accelerate.Sciver had shared a 207-run partnership for the sixth wicket with old schoolmate Alice Davidson-Richards, who fell on the final ball of the second day with a century on Test debut to her name.Anneke Bosch dropped a return catch off Ecclestone, on 18 at the time, in her second over of the day, the firmly struck chance slipping through her hands during her follow-through. Then Sciver immediately picked off consecutive boundaries, pulled through square leg and cracked over midwicket. She brought up her 150 a short time later pushing Nonkululeko Mlaba to long on for a single.Ecclestone fell for a handy 35 when walking across her stumps trying to clip Mlaba towards fine leg she was struck on the front pad in line with leg stump.Cross’ dismissal four balls later prompted England’s declaration after Sciver hit another Mlaba delivery towards midwicket where Nadine de Klerk gathered and threw to the non-striker’s end. Cross had turned back but failed to ground her bat.Sciver had admitted the previous evening that the desire to put on a show in the context of wider discussions about the future of women’s Tests, had been raised in the England camp before the match.”We spoke about that before we started the game,” she said. “And yeah, there were comments that didn’t support women’s Test matches, which is not something that we agree with so we are playing I guess in the limelight after that comment a little bit. So yeah, we want to push for a result.”For me, I didn’t take it out onto the pitch. We spoke about it a little bit before the game but when I’m out there, we’re playing cricket, we’re playing for each other, we’re playing for our team.”With only seven wickets needed, the hosts’ prospects of that looked brighter, provided the weather doesn’t play too big a factor. Sune Luus was unbeaten on 4 at the close alongside nightwatcher Tumi Sekhukhune on 1.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras escreveu mais um bonito capítulo em sua trajetória na Libertadores ao aplicar uma goleada por 8 a 1 em cima do Independiente Petrolero-BOL, na última terça-feira. O adversário é frágil e o grupo palmeirense não é dos mais difíceis na edição atual do torneio, mas falar que os feitos do clube se resumem ao fator “sorte” e à qualidade dos adversários não me parece justo. Enquanto falam nisso, o Verdão faz mais história.

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GALERIA
> Veja os clubes do Brasileirão que mais se reforçaram desde janeiro

TABELA
> Veja classificação e simulador do Libertadores-2022 clicando aqui

> Conheça o aplicativo de resultados do LANCE!

A goleada, no Allianz Parque, foi a maior do clube na competição, ou seja, o time atual, que já está marcado na galeria dos eternos do Alviverde, registrou mais um importante feito, superando outros momentos importantes como as Academias e a Era Parmalat. Independentemente do que o outro time apresenta, a obrigação do gigante é o placar elástico, e isso foi atingido.

Os feitos não param por aí, já que segundo levantamento do jornalista Rodolfo Rodrigues, o Palmeiras é o clube brasileiro com os melhores números na história da Libertadores, desde títulos, vitórias e até gols marcados. Confira:

1º em participações (22) – entre 1961 e 2022
1º em títulos (3) – dividido com Grêmio, São Paulo e Santos
1º em finais (6) – dividido com São Paulo
1º em jogos (212)
1º em gols marcados (404)
1º em gols marcados em casa (237)
1º em gols como visitante (160)
1º em vitórias (119)
1º em vitórias em casa (72) – dividido com o São Paulo
1º em vitórias fora (45)

Imagine ter toda essa sorte há tanto tempo e por tantos anos consecutivos na competição… É importante destacar que a sorte faz parte de qualquer campanha de clube no mundo, o problema é que nem todos aproveitam, porque ela caminha ao lado da competência e não à frente dela. Se a equipe não tiver a capacidade de aliar todos esses fatores, de nada adianta. O que não dá é justificar esses números apenas pela sorte no sorteio das chaves.

Mas acredite, houve também quem questionasse a presença de equipes bolivianas na Libertadores após o resultado. O Independiente Petrolero é o atual campeão da Bolívia, e o Always Ready, que venceu o Corinthians, foi o vice. O que é mais importante? Ser campeão nacional ou se classificar em 7º ou 8º lugar no Brasileirão? Eu não tenho dúvidas, ser campeão é sempre maior.

Por que essas críticas não aparecem quando as equipes bolivianas vencem seus jogos na Libertadores? Por que não falamos disso quando um time de meio de tabela do Brasileirão (sem referência a um específico) “herda” uma vaga na competição e faz um papel terrível quando a disputa? Por que não enxergar o mérito do Palmeiras ao aplicar um resultado tão elástico e raro?

Acontece que o Verdão é a vitrine, é o time em evidência, o atual bicampeão da Libertadores. “Tacar a pedra” é o esporte nacional, não apenas de torcedores, mas também de profissionais da imprensa, que chegam a falar até em sorte para justificar o momento palmeirense, que qualquer jornalista isento entende como histórico. O clube é bicampeão seguido e está entre a primeira e a segunda melhor campanha desde a edição 2018. É pura sorte, dizem.

Repare, nas informações a seguir, que nem sempre o Alviverde teve “sorte”:

Grupo em 2018 (Palmeiras melhor no geral)
​Boca Juniors – Campeão Argentino
Junior Barranquilla – Campeão da Copa da Colômbia
Alianza Lima – Campeão Peruano

Grupo em 2019 (Palmeiras melhor no geral)
​San Lorenzo – 3º colocado no Campeonato Argentino
Melgar – 3º colocado no Campeonato Peruano
Junior Barranquilla – Campeão Colombiano

Grupo em 2020 (Palmeiras melhor no geral)
Guaraní – 3º colocado no Campeonato Paraguaio (eliminou o Corinthians)
Bolívar – Campeão Boliviano
Tigre – Campeão da Copa da Liga Argentina

Grupo em 2021 (Palmeiras 2º melhor no geral)
Defensa – Campeão da Copa Sul-Americana
Independiente Del Valle – Mais pontos no geral na temporada equatoriana
Universitario – Vice-campeão Peruano

Grupo em 2022 (em andamento)
Emelec – Vice-campeão Equatoriano
Independiente Petrolero – Campeão Boliviano
Deportivo Táchira – Campeão Venezuelano

Difícil projetar o que será do Palmeiras na edição de 2022. Até aqui, parece que confirma seu status como um dos favoritos ao título, que seria o terceiro em sequência. Pelo que demonstra em campo, com as duas goleadas, a intenção é evitar contar com a sorte e fazer de tudo para ter a melhor vantagem até a final da competição. A galhofa, a fanfarra, as insinuações a gente deixa para o torcedor. Do nosso lado, o mínimo é o respeito, gostar é totalmente pessoal.

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Football FanCast is excited to share the addition of renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano to our partners GIVEMESPORT and the Valnet network. This move highlights Valnet and GIVEMESPORT’s commitment to providing the best and most comprehensive coverage of all the latest football news from around the globe.

Fabrizio is one of the most respected and reliable sources for transfer news, having started his career with Sky Italy, worked with publications like The Guardian and amassed over 2 million subscribers on his personal YouTube channel. His catchphrase “Here We Go” is now synonymous with transfer news obsessives everywhere and has helped grow his social media following to over 55 million across Instagram and X.

This signing builds on the news earlier this year that renowned journalists Ben Jacobs, Dean Jones and Tom Bogert have joined the team, aligning with GIVEMESPORT’s commitment to delivering readers a high-quality and authentic experience.

Romano delighted to join GIVEMESPORT editorial team

“I’m very happy to join the GIVEMESPORT team, to develop details of the stories and bring people even more behind the scenes of transfers and updates on the football world,” Fabrizio said.

Valnet’s Sports Portfolio Manager, Ryan Owen, added:

Romano’s first exclusive contributions will appear on GIVEMESPORT throughout the January transfer window, offering readers all the best insight and latest transfer developments on their favourite clubs and players.

Football FanCast, together with GIVEMESPORT, will continue to elevate Valnet’s football coverage with breaking news, exclusives and thoughtful analysis from respected journalists.

For contact and enquiries: [email protected]

Arsenal have reportedly moved to secure the future of promising young goalkeeper Alexei Rojas at Emirates.

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Rojas set to extend at ArsenalGK set to be promoted to first team in 2025/26Will sign on improved termsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Reports from indicate that Arsenal’s management has prioritized Rojas' contract renewal, viewing him as an important part of their long-term goalkeeping plans. The agreement serves as a strong vote of confidence in the teenager's abilities, with the club eager to give him opportunities at the senior level.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

While Rojas’ contract extension is a significant step for the club, David Raya remains firmly established as Arsenal’s first-choice goalkeeper. However, the Gunners have been exploring options for a strong backup goalkeeper, with goalkeeping coach Inaki Cana reportedly pushing for the signing of Espanyol shot-stopper Joan Garcia. The Spaniard has gained recognition for his performances in La Liga, making him a highly sought-after talent. Hence, convincing him to accept a secondary role behind Raya could prove to be a difficult task.

DID YOU KNOW?

Although an official announcement is still pending, AS Colombia reported that Rojas has already signed the new contract, committing his immediate future to Arsenal. The revised deal improves his contract terms, though the specific financial details remain undisclosed.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

With a crucial summer transfer window approaching, Arsenal are laying the groundwork for a squad capable of competing on multiple fronts next season. In the short term, the Gunners will be in action on Tuesday against Fulham in their next Premier League fixture.

Jhye and Kane Richardson have been added to the ODI squad

AAP and ESPNcricinfo09-Jun-2022 • Updated on 10-Jun-2022

Mitchell Starc lacerated his finger while bowling•AFP/Getty Images

Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc has been ruled out of the third T20I against Sri Lanka and is in doubt for the early part of the five-match ODI series after requiring six stitches in his left index finger following a bizarre laceration in game one in Colombo on Tuesday.Jhye Richardson, who replaced Starc in Australia’s T20I side and took 3 for 26 in the three-wicket win in game two on Wednesday, and Kane Richardson* have been called into Australia’s ODI squad as cover.Kane Richardson was added to the group on Friday and, initially, will be with the squad for the first two matches in Pallekele to provide an extra pace-bowling option alongside Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. It is expected Australia will rotate their quicks during the ODIs with five matches in quick succession.Starc lacerated the index finger on his bowling hand in the opening over of the first T20I on Tuesday. He reached so far down in his follow-through with his bowling arm that he ended up spiking his own finger with the bottom of his bowling shoes. He was able to bowl his remaining three overs and picked up 3 for 26.He will remain with the squad and will continue to train but he will need a minimum of seven days, and possibly longer, for the wound to heal. That likely rules him out of the first ODI in Pallekele next Tuesday. Australia will likely be cautious with Starc as he will be a key cog in the Test attack later in the month after starring on his last Test tour of Sri Lanka.Jhye Richardson was initially left out of the ODI squad despite being in the original T20I squad. He was set to play in the two Australia A four-day games in Hambantota that run concurrently with the ODI series in Sri Lanka. South Australia quick Nathan McAndrew has been called in from Warwickshire as Richardson’s replacement for Australia A.Australia to persist with Smith in T20I squadMeanwhile, Australia assistant coach Michael Di Venuto is confident Steven Smith will find form to consolidate his spot in the middle-order of the T20I side.Australia will persist with Smith in the T20I squad, believing they can unlock the Test star’s true potential in the shortest format of the game.The 33-year-old’s position in the middle-order has come into question after a prolonged slump in T20Is. Smith’s last T20I half-century for Australia came back in November 2019 and he was barely needed during the run to last year’s drought-breaking World Cup title as Mitchell Marsh and Matthew Wade were the batting heroes.The former Australia captain averages 25.45 at a strike-rate of 125.31 from 56 matches in T20Is. Since the start of 2020 his strike-rate has dropped to 119.39 across 16 innings and he has only struck above 130 in five innings in that period.Josh Inglis performed exceptionally well when called up for Australia’s home series against Sri Lanka in February, averaging 35.80 and striking at 145.52 in six matches, but he’s been squeezed out for Smith in this three-match series. Tim David is also knocking on the door of the Australia squad for a middle-order/finishing role as he continues to dominate in T20 leagues following another stunning showing for Lancashire on Wednesday.Nuwan Thushara appeals successfully for an LBW to pick up Steve Smith•Getty Images

Smith was not required to bat in game one against Sri Lanka but he unsuccessfully challenged an lbw decision on Wednesday night and was out for 5 off 4 deliveries.”Recent history, we’ve used (Smith) in a different way throughout our middle order, where people have batted around him,” Di Venuto said. “We know his skill level, we know his talent so we’re pretty keen to unlock him as a T20 cricketer and just let him go about his business and show us how good he is.”If he was playing BBL cricket, he would dominate that competition. Unfortunately, a lot of our best players don’t play that competition because they play Test matches. Steven’s had good success in the IPL in years gone past.”The skill level is exceptionally high, we’re hoping to unlock him during this period. We’ve got plenty of games leading into the World Cup so hopefully we see the best of Steve Smith.”Di Venuto said Inglis could not be working harder to earn a recall but will have to bide his time for now.”We’ve got very good players in our batting order and it’s a hard order to break into,” Di Venuto said. “He’s doing all the work behind the scenes, he’s a very valued member of this squad and waiting for his next chance.”

You’d like to think that Ruben Amorim made some kind of stirring speech in the overtures of Manchester United’s Premier League clash against Liverpool.

The Portuguese manager struggled to gel with the stricken Old Trafford squad when replacing Erik ten Hag, whose worn-out system was well past its sell-by date when he was finally put out of his misery in October.

Newcastle United thrashed the Red Devils in their backyard to put the final nail in the coffin in 2024, a fitting and admittedly poignant end to the year. If Amorim believes in such symbolism, he’ll be inspired by his side’s start to January—and then some.

Anfield was silenced through United’s spirit, energy and optimism. The visitors were well worth their point on the fourth and perhaps unlucky not to have struck an incredible victory. Then, latterly, Arsenal failed to topple ten-man Man United in the third round of the FA Cup, with Altay Bayindir starring between the sticks and saving Kai Havertz’s spot kick in the shootout.

Man United – Remaining January Fixtures

Date

Competition

Opponent

16/01/25

Premier League

Southampton (H)

19/01/25

Premier League

Brighton (H)

23/01/25

Europa League

Rangers (H)

26/01/25

Premier League

Fulham (A)

30/01/25

Europa League

FCSB (A)

Oh, there’s a long road ahead, with some important and winnable (quote-unquote) fixtures coming up. Manchester United have restored something that has been lost for quite some time. It’s intangible, something that takes root when individual parts come together to create something more than its 11-man makeup.

Change will be required in some areas, though, with Joshua Zirkzee perhaps already expendable.

Joshua Zirkzee's Man United future

INEOS backed Ten Hag in the summer market, forking out £36.5m for Zirkzee, who had been crowned the 2023/24 Serie A Player of the Year with Bologna.

Bologna qualified for the Champions League and were generally considered a wonderful surprise package, but Zirkzee has found that the pace and intensity in England stands as a stark difference to that of Serie A football.

As such, rumours have already piled up that the 23-year-old is headed for a premature exit, with Caught Offside even claiming that he has informed his agent to search for a new club. There are things to like about the Dutchman but with four goals from 29 matches, he definitely hasn’t been up to speed – quite literally in numerous instances.

Should Zirkzee leave, United will need a replacement, and Amorim seems to have the perfect player in mind.

Transfer Focus

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

Expand Collapse Man United chasing Champions League star

GIVEMESPORT revealed at the weekend that Paris Saint-Germain’s Randal Kolo Muani is at an impasse with Tottenham Hotspur, for Daniel Levy is characteristically hesitant about accepting an obligatory buy option in a loan package stretching to the end of the season.

This could allow Man United – and Juventus who are both actively chasing a move – to steal ahead in the race for the wantaway forward. A loan deal could give the Red Devils some financial breathing room while improving the squad for the business end of the season, though a £50m fee would need to be paid come summer.

It’s all gone a bit wrong in Paris for the France international, but he’s still an immensely talented forward who could thrive in this new Old Trafford system.

What Randal Kolo Muani would bring to Man United

The Athletic’s David Ornstein has already confirmed that Man United have held exploratory talks regarding a deal for Kolo Muani, but as we can see, interest is fierce for his signature and hesitation may be fatal.

Striker Kylian Mbappe hailed Kolo Muani, 26, as the “complete” forward, but with just 11 goals from 54 appearances at PSG since signing, it’s clear that he needs to search for pastures new, unfavoured by Luis Enrique.

Much of his time at the club has been spent on the bench – or coming off it during the second half. Kolo Muani does, though, maintain a fluent positional sense that could see Amorim deploy him across a number of frontline roles, something that could pay dividends for a United side looking to improve their dynamics up top.

Randal Kolo Muani: Career Club Stats by Position

Position

Apps

Goals

Assists

Centre-forward

145

50

34

Right winger

20

5

3

Left winger

12

5

1

Attacking midfield

2

0

1

Stats via Transfermarkt

It’s something that has foiled Zirkzee’s early efforts to succeed in the Premier League, for the 6 foot 4 talent is not consistent enough. He’s powerful and able to manipulate the spaces in and around the final third, though it’s clear that United need more energy and Kolo Muani could provide that in an environment that values his skills.

In 2022/23, for example, Kolo Muani scored 23 goals and added 17 more assists for Eintracht Frankfurt, principally fielded as a centre-forward and hailed by talent scout Jacek Kulig for being “on fire” in the Bundesliga.

German legend Lothar Matthaus also remarked that he “has the mark of a future superstar” during his time in the country, tearing opponents to shreds.

Zirkzee impressed with his intelligence and link-up play for Bologna last term but he still only scored 12 goals across 37 outings. The Netherlands international isn’t wasteful in front of goal, rather, he struggles to find clear-cut chances with all that regularity.

Of course, we can look at Kolo Muani’s numbers in France and surmise that United would be taking something of a risk, bringing him over the Channel.

But this is a player who tore German football to shreds when he was valued. The Frenchman’s energy and pace is exactly what Amorim’s system needs, still ranking among the top 12% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists and the top 9% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

The time is now. Sir Jim Ratcliffe won’t want to watch Kolo Muani spearheading a Tottenham Hotspur resurgence over the coming months and needs to get this one done.

Related Saved by Bayindir: Amorim must upgrade on 4/10 Man Utd dud who won 0 duels

Ruben Amorim led his Manchester United side to an FA Cup triumph over Arsenal.

Posts 5 ByEthan Lamb Jan 12, 2025

Everton are reportedly interested in signing a “wonderful” player who is excelling in the Europa League this season, with the Blues even preparing an offer for him.

Everton transfer news

Blues supporters will be hoping that a special new era at the club is about to begin under The Friedkin Group, having suffered for so long under the ownership of Farhad Moshiri. Things aren’t going swimmingly under Sean Dyche, however, and it feels increasingly likely that a change of manager could happen in the coming months, most likely at the end of the season.

Dyche will hope to be backed in the January transfer window, in order to give his Everton side the best possible chance of avoiding yet another relegation battle in the Premier League, let alone be sent packing to the Championship for the first time.

One transfer report has claimed that the Blues are looking to sign a new right-back and winger in January, in order to boost their options in those areas of the pitch. Seamus Coleman is not the long-term solution at right-back, while on the right flank, there isn’t enough quality in the mould of Iliman Ndiaye on the opposite side.

In terms of possible sales at Goodison Park in the near future, Everton striker Beto could be on the move, following a disappointing spell at the club. Sevilla are looking to strike a deal for him, with his representatives in talks with the La Liga side.

Everton preparing offer for "wonderful" 24 y/o

According to Takvim, Everton are keen on signing Galatasaray winger Yunus Akgun in the January transfer window, with an offer being readied for his services.

The report states that the 24-year-old has been “placed on the transfer list of Everton”, adding that the Merseysiders are “expected to knock on Galatasaray’s door during the mid-season transfer window and make an official offer”.

Akgun could be exactly what Everton are after out wide in January, adding the attacking quality that is badly needed between now and the end of the season, and beyond.

The Turk is equally adept at shining on the left and right-hand side and his performances in the Europa League have really caught the eye this season, with five goals coming his way in just six appearances.

Appearances

6

Starts

6

Minutes played

521

Goals

5

Assists

0

Dribbles per game

2.8

Shots per game

2.8

Key passes per game

2.2

At 24, Akgun is still a relatively young player with further levels to find, and football talent scout Jacek Kulig has lauded him as a “wonderful” player in the past.

Everton have been so lacking in front of goal all season, only finding the back of the net 15 times in 18 Premier League outings, but snapping up the Galatasaray ace would surely help change that for the better in the coming months.

Pubudu Dassanayake has submitted his resignation as Nepal head coach citing “family reasons” with almost a year and a half left on his current contract in order to take up the same position with Canada. His contract with Canada will run until the end of 2023.Dassanayake, 52, played Test cricket for Sri Lanka in the mid-1990s before migrating to Ontario in 2001. He eventually made his debut for Canada at the 2005 ICC Trophy in Ireland and helped them qualify for the 2007 World Cup. He went on to become the head coach of Canada for the first time from 2007 until the end of the 2011 World Cup, Canada’s last appearance in the 50-over ICC showpiece event, before taking up the Nepal head coach job for the first time, in 2011. He held the job until 2015, leading Nepal to their first T20 World Cup in 2014.He coached USA from 2016 until 2019 before taking up the Nepal job for a second time in December 2021. But Dassanayake says that family considerations in a post-Covid world have forced him to reconsider his priorities.”The one thing is that during the Covid time period, I was totally away from cricket,” Dassanayake told ESPNcricinfo. “My wife’s job, she got very busy during that time. She’s a practising veterinarian in Canada. She got really busy and I also got involved with that. In that period, once Covid is slowing down I got this offer from Nepal. Since I was away from cricket for a while, I wanted to get something going because that’s my passion. I was happy to jump in and help Nepal and put things in the right direction. So after a long break, I accepted the job.”When I was in Nepal the last time between 2011-2015, it was different. I was so pumped up to do lots of things and my family was happy for me to go and work in my career. Now we are in a situation where my kids need my support for lots of other things when it comes to education. My mother-in-law also got sick in the last two months. So all of these things contributed to me thinking about the whole situation. My wife is managing all these things with her work. For me to be far away from there, it’s putting pressure on me and on all of us because I’m not there when the family needs me. I’m staying in hotels. I go from the hotel to the ground and back to the hotel the rest of the time. That lifestyle is not helping me.”Dassanayake said he attempted to submit a resignation letter to the Cricket Association of Nepal before Nepal’s recent ODI tour of Scotland, where they won one of four matches against Scotland and Namibia. The board asked him to reconsider, and he continued leading the team on tour. Upon returning with the team to Kathmandu earlier this week, he had a meeting with the board where they accepted his resignation.”It would be unfair if I just left like that because the Scotland tour was back-to-back after the USA tour,” Dassanayake said, referring to Nepal’s prior ODI tour to Texas in June as part of ICC Cricket World Cup League Two. “These thoughts came in around the first week of July. When I was convinced what I wanted to do, I sent a letter to the Cricket Association of Nepal. But I didn’t say anything to the playing group. I just wanted them to focus on cricket and complete this tour.”Normally when I’m given a challenge, I don’t leave halfway. I’m a person who really wants to see things through and take teams into a good era from tough times. If I talk about Nepal before, Canada earlier and even USA, if you see the pathway, I took more than a year to go down and come back again because the changes we put in place take time to bear fruit. Nepal is also in a situation where we have done a lot of changes and I was confident if I was there for the next 12 months, they are basically heading into a top team with this young group and the talent they have. We just need to have patience with them.”‘Nepal has come a long way in a short period with a young group’During his stint, Dassanayake had to spend a significant amount of time and energy to smooth over simmering disputes between players and the cricket board that took their attention away from their ability to perform on the field.”When I was here in Nepal before [from 2011-2015], one thing that I never had was issues within the playing group. They were one team and they were very focused on winning, giving their 200% to win games. When I came this time, I’ve seen there’s a lot of small groups. The thinking was totally different. Some period of time has contributed to that in Nepal. Whatever it was, I’m not sure. The focus wasn’t there for playing cricket. There was so much of other issues around the system. It took some time to clear that.”When we were in Oman for the T20 World Cup Qualifier, it was right in the middle of it but we managed to do things there to get the best out of the team. Then tour by tour, we did a lot of outside cricket workouts to get people into the right frame of mind, it’s the national team and we need to play together to win matches for the country. So I think we’ve come a long way in a short period with a young group, and a young captain, but [there’s still] a long way to go.Despite these clashes, Dassanayake believes the right nucleus of players is in place to achieve successful results on the field. Apart from captain Sandeep Lamichhane, Dassanayake also has a lot of faith in 19-year-old vice-captain Rohit Paudel and 17-year-old No. 3 batter Dev Khanal.”When I came to Nepal, there were a lot of clashes between the organisation and the players,” Dassanayake said. “There was no real dialogue between the players and the new board. Both sides were very adamant about lots of things. I was able to mediate because I am very close to the playing group and the board gave me the assurance that whatever way I want to do things, they will back me up. We put the playing group in the right direction. The board was very supportive. Once the board saw the young talent coming through, they were very confident with what we are doing. From their side, they increased the [player] salaries, their match fees, their daily allowance. We had to drop a few senior players at the beginning because of the whole issue.”The reason we are losing games, some of these top-order batters who are 17 and 19 years old haven’t played enough cricket at this level. It will take a bit of time, but I think the best talent has been picked and it’s just that we need to put them into a good program for them to perform. I have seen all these Associate countries in World Cricket League Two. From talent wise, they are not far from anyone. They just need to get experience and settle down in this level and learn how to handle situations. Even if I’m not here, I’m still going to support the youngsters.”His first assignment with Canada will be the second round of ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League A, which is set to run from July 27 to August 6. Canada is at the top of the six-team table with four wins from their first five matches, and they will host Singapore, Qatar, Denmark, Malaysia and Vanuatu in the event.