Manchester United have an unseen teenager at Carrington who Red Devils defender Harry Maguire is helping around the training ground.

Maguire reaches 250 Man Utd appearances

After signing from Leicester City in a deal worth £80m back in 2019, Maguire has had plenty of ups and downs at Old Trafford but continues to be a regular at the back under Ruben Amorim.

Maguire recently hit 250 appearances as a Man Utd player, following in the footsteps of teammates Bruno Fernandes and Luke Shaw. Talking about reaching the milestone, he said:

Going on to talk about fellow defender Shaw, Maguire said: “You don’t play at this club 250 or 300 times if you’re first and foremost not a good player.

“Luke’s an excellent footballer, and every manager that comes in, he gets questioned a lot. That’s what happens at this club.

“Every manager that comes in plays Luke, and there’s a reason why they play Luke, because he’s an excellent footballer, always has been and always will be.”

Maguire’s current Old Trafford contract is worth £190,000-a-week, making him the fourth highest paid player at the club currently, however, that deal is set to expire in 2026.

Man Utd’s highest earners
Rank	Player	Pay per week
1	Casemiro	£350,000
2	Bruno Fernandes	£300,000
3	Matthijs de Ligt	£195,000
4	Harry Maguire	£190,000
5	Matheus Cunha	£180,000

Whether or not he remains at the club remains to be seen, but he appears to be helping out the future generation at Carrington.

Man Utd teenager Shea Lacey impressing

According to a report from The Daily Mail, Man Utd teenager Shea Lacey, who is yet to make his debut or a first team matchday squad and be seen by fans, but is catching the eye of those at Carrington.

It is claimed that the 18-year-old ‘was invited back after a handful of sessions with the seniors’ and is impressing first-team stars with his technical level.

Maguire ‘has taken it upon himself to help Lacey settle into the senior group and act as a sounding board’, with the winger running riot against opponents at academy level.

In just three Premier League 2 appearances this season, Lacey has scored two goals in 122 minutes of action, and in total, has contributed to 14 goals for the U18s.

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It appears as if he could be the next Carrington graduate to make the grade at first-team level, although it is stated that ‘United are eager to take a slow and steady approach when it comes to Lacey, particularly in terms of managing his minutes, after injuries in recent years’.

Trent Alexander-Arnold has revealed that he and Jude Bellingham share the same barber, who they regularly fly out to Madrid from the UK to cut their hair. The Real Madrid defender explained that he and the midfielder started using the same barber at the European Championships and now that they are both at the same club, choose to have the barber get a flight to the Spanish capital.

The life of a celebrity barber

Footballers are well known for getting their haircuts regularly and many keep the same barber for years, even when moving clubs. In an interview with Amazon, Alexander-Arnold revealed that he and Bellingham choose to fly their barber out to Madrid regularly. This means that the pair, who get their hair cut almost weekly, are consistently forking out for return flights to and from the Spanish capital for their trusted man.

The actions of the Los Blancos pair are not uncommon. Earlier this year, popular Premier League barber Senyo revealed that former Chelsea midfielder Ramires had him fly from London to China every month to give his hair a trim.

He explained: "People didn't understand it. But you know when you're quite particular about the person who cuts your hair, sometimes it is impossible to just get anyone to do it. It is the relationship you build with these boys, the trust that you build, once they recommend you that means that you're official."

AdvertisementFlights to Madrid

The Englishmen in Madrid must be especially particular about the man who cuts their hair. When asked by Alex Aljoe for about haircuts in the Madrid team, Alexander-Arnold explained: "[Bellingham] takes his hair very, very seriously. His hair is very serious to him.”

When questioned how often the midfielder gets his hair treated, the defender admitted that they have the same barber and so they get haircuts the same number of times. He added: "[I met him at] England camp, it might have been the Euros, even. You bring your barber once a week, maybe.

"And then, some of the lads will jump on. I jumped on with him on [and got] a nice, fresh haircut."

Questioned whether the barber lives in Madrid, the defender said: "No. [He lives] in the UK. He comes regularly, yeah."

Anfield homecoming for former Red

Alexander-Arnold and Bellingham might not have to fly their barber to continental Europe this week, with the pair set to play at Anfield in mid-week. The game will mark the right-back’s first ever game against Liverpool and a return to the club that made him the player he is today.

Despite departing a Premier League champion, the former Reds academy star left Merseyside unceremoniously in the summer and was even booed by his own fans following the announcement of his desire to move to Los Blancos. Now set to start the game up against his former team-mates, Alexander-Arnold could be set for a hostile reception.

The game will offer Bellingham and the rest of the Madrid squad a chance to make up for their failings at the same ground in last year’s competition. The Reds were dominant and saw off the Spanish giants 2-0, a game in which Kylian Mbappe missed a penalty for the visitors.

The French forward, fresh off winning the European Golden Shoe, is in sublime form and will be hungry to get on the scoresheet. The Reds defence has been under immense scrutiny this season and, despite winning this weekend, Liverpool remain in patchy form.

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Getty ImagesMadrid leading the pack

Madrid have been strong this season and, under new management of Xabi Alonso, are racing clear at the top of La Liga. Los Blancos are five points clear of bitter rivals Barcelona, who narrowed the gap with victory over Elche on Sunday.

Madrid have also been faultless in the Champions League. They will be hoping to make it four wins from four against Liverpool to keep the pressure on the sides above them, including Arsenal, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich and current holders Paris Saint-Germain.

Heading into Leeds United’s Premier League clash against West Ham United on Friday night, Daniel Farke was under some pressure in the Elland Road dug-out to pick up a positive result.

There had been reports, in the build-up to this must-win contest against the Hammers, that the top-flight newcomers had RC Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior on their radar as a potential replacement for the German.

Thankfully for Farke, his team hit back by collecting a 2-1 win over Nuno Espirito Santo’s strugglers, with the ex-Norwich City boss able to survive another day in the pressurised Leeds’ hot-seat, subsequently.

Brenden Aaronson really did step up when he was needed to during this tight win, with the American also able to respond to his critics emphatically with a man-of-the-match worthy display against the visitors from East London.

How Aaronson has turned around his Leeds career

Much like Farke has had to fight back against accusations that he isn’t cut out for the bright lights of the Premier League all across his managerial career to date, Aaronson has also had to deal with his fair share of critics deeming him not capable of being a top-flight level talent.

There had been some weight behind these comments, too, with Aaronson being deemed a “lightweight” presence that’s not “good enough” to pull on Leeds white by former Elland Road defender Jon Newsome, off the back of him only firing home one Premier League goal during his side’s disastrous 2022/23 season, which ended in relegation.

He hadn’t started this campaign in the best light, either, leading to the 25-year-old dropping in and out of Farke’s first-team plans. However, he was a force to be reckoned with against West Ham, perhaps saving his up-and-down career in West Yorkshire in the process.

Indeed, away from being the crucial individual who fired Leeds in front after just three minutes, Aaronson also constantly burst forward with purpose across the full match, with one of his three successful dribbles forward nearly resulting in one of the most memorable solo strikes of the season to date.

To his dismay, the resulting shot – after all his hard work had seemingly paid off – shaved the crossbar, with the ex-Red Bull Salzburg attacker also being praised at the full-time whistle for being a presence that “works his socks off” by his relieved manager, when winning a high eight ground duels.

He wasn’t the only presence in Farke’s XI who turned around their ongoing narrative in West Yorkshire, though, against West Ham, as one of Aaronson’s teammates on the night also breathed life back into their own stop-start tale.

The "monstrous" star who also saved his career

A lot of Leeds’ summer recruits have instantly hit the ground running, with Sean Longstaff already becoming an integral part of Farke’s starting lineup, with five big chances created in league action.

Noah Okafor has also seamlessly slotted into his new environment with two league goals already next to his name, but while those named have found adjusting to life in West Yorkshire to be straightforward, Jaka Bijol has struggled, on the other hand.

Before being handed a start against West Ham, Bijol had found himself rooted to the substitutes bench with zero league appearances to shout about, which was a surprise, considering the 6-foot-4 Slovenian didn’t leave Udinese behind for cheap this summer, having cost the Premier League newcomers a substantial £15m.

Thankfully, he made up for lost time with his commanding showing against the relegation-threatened visitors, with six duels won in total, seeing him already live up to his “monstrous” billing that was handed his way by analyst Ben Mattinson in Serie A.

Minutes played

90

Touches

75

Accurate passes

53/57 (93%)

Interceptions

2

Clearances

10

Ball recoveries

5

Tackles won

2/2

Total duels won

6/10

Joe Rodon would steal his thunder by standing out more in the heart of the Leeds backline, considering the Welshman popped up with a header to gift the hosts a 2-0 lead, but Bijol is also deserving of plenty of praise himself, having won all 100% of his tackles come the full-time whistle.

The “aggressive” number 15 – as he was also lauded by ex-Leeds defender Aidy White after the win was secured – further demonstrated a calmness on the ball under pressure with 53 accurate passes amassed, with Farke surely now ready to hand him even more league opportunities moving forward, considering that he’s finally off the mark.

Bijol’s playing days in England so far have been a slow burner, with the ex-Serie A titan now hopeful of even more minutes heading his way, as more wins are also picked by Farke and Co.

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تحدث إيفان زامورانو، لاعب ريال مدريد السابق عن لامين يامال، نجم الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي برشلونة، مؤكدًا أنه غير مناسب للعب مع الفريق الملكي.

كان إيفان زامورانو البالغ من العمر 58 عامًا، لاعبًا لكرة القدم في إسبانيا مع إشبيلية ثم بعد ذلك انتقل إلى ريال مدريد أكثر من أربعة مواسم.

وانتقد زامورانو تصريحات لامين يامال، قبل لقاء الكلاسيكو أمام والذي فاز به ريال مدريد، التي وصف فيها النادي بأنه “يسرق” (للمزيد من التفاصيل اضغط هنا).

وقال زامورانو، في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو”: “تعاقد ريال مدريد مع لامين؟ لن أوقع مع لامين برغم من أنه نجم لكنه لا يجسد جوهر وثقافة لاعب ريال مدريد”.

وأضاف: “سأوقع مع بيدري، إنه لاعب استثنائي ويفعل ذلك دون أن ينطق بكلمة، إنه متواضع لا يتحدث إلا عند الضرورة وهذا هو جوهر ريال مدريد”.

وأردف: “لامين يامال لا يمتلك روح ولا جوهر ريال مدريد، إنه بخير في برشلونة وليس ريال مدريد، إنها قصة مختلفة نادي مختلف تمامًا، ريال مدريد فريق من الطراز الرفيع والثقافة، يجب أن يجسد اللاعبون ذلك”.

واستطرد: “لم أسمع ميسي يقول إننا نسرق وكان الأفضل في العالم، أن يتم مدح شاب في السابعة عشرة من عمره بهذا القدر على ما يقوله شيء غريب، أعتقد أن ما يجب فعله هو إثبات ذلك في الملعب والباقي سيأتي لاحقًا”.

وأتم: “برشلونة يحتاج إلى توجيه لامين يامال وبهذه الطريقة سيكون لاعبًا رائعًا، اللاعبون الذين يتركون إرثًا هم من نوع مختلف”.

Manchester United are now preparing a significant offer for a “rapid” new player, who has been demanded by Ruben Amorim ahead of the January transfer window.

Amorim looking to sign new centre-back who could partner Maguire

In the wake of Harry Maguire scoring a dramatic late winner against Liverpool at Anfield, Nicky Butt has suggested Man United have made a mistake by not bringing in a top centre-back partner for the England international.

The former midfielder said: “Do you know what you were saying about never letting the club down, I think it’s the other way around, I think the club has let him down, if I’m honest.

“If you look at his best games they have always been for England, he’s had John Stones next to him, it’s like a Yin and Yang.

“With Harry, he’s going to that club, and he’s never had a player next to him who can compliment him ever…”

In fairness, Matthijs De Ligt has arguably improved considerably this season, but Amorim is a little light on top-quality options, with Paul Scholes recently criticising Luke Shaw, who started at left centre-back against Liverpool.

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As such, bringing in a new centre-back in the January transfer window could be a savvy move, and Amorim has now demanded the signing of Sporting CP star Ousmane Diomande, with the United boss keen to secure a reunion.

That is according to a report from Spain, which also states Man United are now preparing a significant offer for the centre-back, who is valued at around €50m (£43m), which would be an affordable fee.

Amorim believes the Sporting CP defender would be an ideal fit in his three-at-the-back system, and he has now been identified as a key target for the winter transfer window.

"Rapid" Diomande is a Gabriel and Saliba "hybrid"

William Saliba and Gabriel have formed a formidable partnership at Arsenal, with the Gunners conceding just three Premier League goals this season, and both centre-backs rank among the best in world football.

As such, it should excite United fans to hear the Sporting star has been described as a “hybrid” between the two Arsenal defenders by scout Ben Mattinson, while journalist Zach Lowy has also been left very impressed.

Moreover, the youngster is very assured in possession of the ball, placing in the top 1% of centre-backs for his pass-completion rate per 90 over the past year.

With Man United clearly in need of a new centre-back, Diomande could be the ideal addition to the squad, and his previous experience working with Amorim is an added bonus.

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank will be delighted with where the team is currently at, after moving up to third in the Premier League table on Sunday.

The former Brentford boss inherited a team that finished 17th in the division under Ange Postecoglou last season, despite winning the Europa League, which makes their current form all the more impressive.

Spurs travelled to Merseyside to take on Everton at the Hill Dickinson stadium on Sunday in the Premier League, and came away from that match with a 3-0 win.

Central midfielder Micky van de Ven took his tally for the season to five goals with two strikes in the first half, before Pape Matar Sarr added a third late on by heading in from close-range after Richarlison nodded the ball back across goal.

You would often be hard-pressed to find many negatives from a 3-0 win away from home in the Premier League, but there were some for the Lilywhites on Sunday.

For example, there was another fairly underwhelming performance from summer signing Xavi Simons in the middle of the park, and he needs to step up for Spurs in the coming weeks and months.

Why Xavi Simons needs to step up for Spurs

The Europa League champions splashed out £52m to sign the Netherlands international from RB Leipzig, possibly with the intention of him replacing James Maddison, who suffered an ACL injury in pre-season.

It is easy to see why they were willing to splash the cash on the former Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona youngster, as he produced consistent quality in the Bundesliga in the last two seasons.

Appearances

32

25

xG

8.26

5.11

Goals

8

10

Big chances created

14

12

Key passes per game

2.5

2.0

Assists

11

7

As you can see in the table above, Simons racked up 18 goals and 26 ‘big chances’ created as an attacking midfielder or winger, proving that he can make a big impact in the final third.

However, the Dutchman has no goals and one assist, which came from a corner, in ten appearances in all competitions for Tottenham since his move to the club in the summer window.

Simons, as of yet, has been unable to translate his influence in the Bundesliga over to the Premier League. Whether that will come with more time and experience in England, it remains to be seen.

The 22-year-old attacking midfielder played 62 minutes against Everton on Sunday, per Sofascore, and came off the pitch without any shots on goal or any chances created to show for his efforts for the Lilywhites, which shows that it was an ineffective performances in the final third.

Along with his struggles in the Premier League, Simons also has no goals, one key pass, and no ‘big chances’ created in three appearances in the Championship for Tottenham this term.

This shows that he has been struggling domestically and on the continent stage, which will be a concern for supporters and Frank at this stage, as the Dutch star is clearly capable of much better than he is showing, given his output for Leipzig in his two full seasons in Germany.

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With the £52m signing’s struggles at the top end of the pitch, though, it could be the right time for the Danish head coach to provide a young player with an opportunity to step up.

Luca Williams-Barnett made his first-team debut for the club in the League Cup in a 3-0 win against Doncaster Rovers, and he could emerge as a surprise upgrade on Simons.

Spurs travel to Tyneside to take on Newcastle United in the League Cup on Wednesday night, which could be the perfect opportunity to offer the teenage starlet a chance to shine.

Why Luca Williams-Barnett could be a Xavi Simons upgrade

The 17-year-old star’s form for the club at academy level this season suggests that he has the potential to be an exciting player for the first-team if he can make the step up.

As aforementioned, Simons has not stepped up to deliver goals and assists since his big-money move from Leipzig, with a goal contribution every ten matches on average so far.

Williams-Barnett, meanwhile, has scored eight goals and provided seven assists in 12 appearances in all competitions this season, including a three-minute cameo for the first-team, per Transfermarkt.

On top of his exceptional form in front of goal in the current campaign for Tottenham’s youth teams, the England U18 international also scored 20 goals in all competitions last season.

Appearances

23

12

Minutes

1857

894

Goals

20

8

Minutes per goal

93

112

Assists

12

7

Minutes per assist

155

128

Minutes per goal contribution

58

60

As you can see in the table above, Williams-Barnett has provided goals and assists on a consistent basis since the start of last season, averaging a goal or an assist every hour or so over the past 18 months.

U23 scout Antonio Mango went as far as to call him the “most underrated talent in English Academies”, which speaks to how impressed he has been with the Spurs youngster’s performances.

His talent has been recognised this season, though, as he won the Premier League 2 Player of the Month award for his displays at U21 level in September.

With all of this in mind, and the fact that his main position is as an attacking midfielder, it could be the right time for Frank to provide him with another chance to impress at first-team level after his debut against Doncaster last month.

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He has shown unbelievable form and consistency for the academy team for more than a year, and his numbers at youth level suggest that he does have the potential to be an upgrade on the currently underperforming Xavi Simons, if he can make the step up.

As Real Madrid continue to plot their move for Ibrahima Konate, Liverpool have now reportedly set their sights on a signing of their own from the Spanish club.

Real Madrid plotting Konate move

Anyone else feeling a bit of Déjà vu? This time last year, it was Trent Alexander-Arnold who Liverpool were desperately trying to keep hold of in the middle of contract negotiations. Eventually, the full-back ditched Anfield for Real Madrid as the Reds lost one of their best players in a free deal. Now, one year later, they’re facing a repeat courtesy of Konate.

The Frenchman is yet to put pen to paper on a new deal and has less than 10 months left before he can leave as a free agent. As such, Real Madrid are already sniffing around and like Alexander-Arnold, it is rumoured that Konate is likely to join the La Liga giants if he fails to sign a new Liverpool deal.

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That is partly why the defender’s disappointing form comes at such a bad time. As Liverpool begin to stutter – losing consecutive games against Crystal Palace and Galatasaray – it is Konate who has stood out as one of their points of vulnerability.

The Frenchman was dominated by Jean-Philippe Mateta against Palace and struggled to keep possession altogether in Turkey. If Madrid are watching on, then they’re unlikely to be impressed.

The numbers don’t make for pretty reading, either. Against Galatasaray, Konate won none of his three ground duels and completed just three of eight long balls. Alongside the rest of his teammates, it was an evening to forget.

Alas, if Real Madrid do come calling in the summer, reports are suggesting that the Reds could yet land a player of their own in some unexpected revenge.

Liverpool considering huge Camavinga proposal

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are now considering a huge proposal to sign Eduardo Camavinga. The Real Madrid midfielder is represented by the same agency as Konate, which could hand the Reds a familiarity boost if negotiations reach an advanced stage next summer.

Of course, given how talented Camavinga is, Liverpool aren’t the only side interested. Both Chelsea and Arsenal are also reportedly sniffing around as the Frenchman considers his Real Madrid future before a potential move to the Premier League.

Dubbed “incredible” by scout Jacek Kulig last year, Camavinga could offer Liverpool the midfield balance that they’ve so desperately lacked so far this season. Securing his signature will be no easy task, however.

The famous child actor decided to return to his cult movie roots, and 30 years after starring in The Big Green, reignited his passion for soccer

Patrick Renna was a crucial part of countless childhoods in America. First, it was the "Sandlot," the baseball classic in which he played Ham Porter, the misfit catcher who "calls his shot" before bashing a ball.

Then, it was "The Big Green," the soccer cult classic in which Renna, albeit briefly, was the best-worst goalkeeper you've ever seen, being flung into the back of the net by the sheer power of a shot one minute before saving a crucial penalty kick the next.

Kids of the '90s and before will tell you that Renna was always was a guy to which they could relate. His two most famous characters were dorky oddballs, the kind that loved sports but were never really all that good. It's a feeling that the vast majority of the population who aren't professional athletes know all too well.

The childhood actor into grown adult arc has been difficult to manage for many. Renna has handled it well, staying around the baseball community, tapping into the world that embraced him as a teenager. But that soccer part? Well, that's still there, too. And now, it's time for the soccer kid to become the football nerd. Renna is embracing soccer in full.

"I've always actually been interested in soccer. But the big three sports kind of take all your time in America. So soccer, not being one of those big three, not football, baseball, basketball. But what I find the most fun about soccer is the fandom," he told GOAL. "I think that the fans are the best."

• Getty
  

  Finding a new passion

  Renna is keenly aware – albeit with a bit of a sardonic nudge – that he didn't want to become another actor who starts a podcast. 

  "I've gathered a bit of a social following, and with a social following, you're supposed to do a podcast. But then it's like, you can't do a podcast unless it's something that you're passionate about," he said. 

  Renna pondered a bit of everything. Politics was a possibility, but that was quickly scrapped. 

  "The only thing I'm passionate about with regard to politics is that I have no passion, and I don't know what I'm talking about enough," Renna said. 

  Sports, then, was the natural choice. Basketball and baseball were always options. He has been around the game his whole life, riffing off the movie experience. The fact alone that he appeared for parody baseball team the Savannah Bananas tells you pretty much all you need to know.

  Still, there was little juice there. And Renna, if he was going to do something, wanted to broaden his horizons. 

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• 'The good thing is, our team sucked'

  And for that reason, soccer made sense. Renna is a sports fan down to his very core. He has appeared in a cult soccer movie. But his soccer knowledge, in a traditional sense? A little lacking. And with the World Cup coming to North America in 2026, he wanted to understand the game that is soon to arrive on American shores. 

  His answer? Make a YouTube show with GOAL US, have it poke fun of the fact that he's the American who's trying to get into the beautiful game and call it "Soccer Guy."

  "I was like, 'Wait a minute, I would love to learn about a new sport. I would love to learn about the biggest sport in the world.' And that would be fun for me, to make this an exploration and learn something out of this," Renna said, "and get just a new look on life, and take me to places I've never been."

  There is, it must be pointed out, some baseline knowledge. Renna, for a start, knows the rules of the game. He understands offsides. He played youth soccer during his upbringing in Massachusetts.

  And yes, that acting background did come in handy. He learned enough on the set of The Big Green – with plenty of soccer players-turned-actors – to have, at the very least, a cursory understanding of how the sport works.

  "There were several players on that team that were really, really good. There was a handful of us who were actors, and then the rest were probably soccer players first," he said. 

  It helped, though, that the whole point of the movie was that the team wasn't very good.

  "The good thing is, our team sucked. We were like the bad news bears of soccer, so they leaned into that, and the fact that we didn't play well was good for me," Renna joked.

• Roarke Boes
  

  Sold on LAFC experience

  But what he lacks, Renna admitted, was a starting point. Soccer is about the culture, the fandom, the experience. Renna is a guy who lives in Los Angeles, loves the Dodgers, but doesn't have a soccer team. So, to get things started, he went to an LAFC game.

  He picked a good one, too. LAFC, reborn under Steve Cherundolo and with Son Heung-Min dominating up front, faced off against Real Salt Lake. They trailed early, but bagged two before half time. BMO Stadium, and the 3252 fan group, came to life. LAFC won 4-1. Denis Bouanga bagged three. Son scored one of his own.

  Renna was sold.

  "The beginning of the game started slow, and then it just ramped up, and LAFC scored like four goals, and it was crazy," he explained.

  And the experience as a whole was entirely intoxicating (verging on literally). It started with a tailgate: sizzling tortillas, grilled meat, a michelada in the parking lot (review: "this is good dude!")

  Renna interacted with the fans, learned the chants, and chatted with the locals. He walked past murals of Carlos Vela, and had some of the basics of the sport outlined to him.

  "It's like basketball, but on a big-ass field," one fan eagerly outlined.

  He stood in the 3252, was showered with beer, and sang at full time. He fell in love with the stadium, and was entirely captivated by just how close everything felt. 

  "Every seat is good. The nosebleed doesn't exist in soccer," Renna said.

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• Roarke Boes
  

  Where he could turn up next

  Renna has nearly 1 million followers on Instagram, and most of them want him to say "You're killing me smalls!" when he runs into them in public. He gets stopped for selfies, and will perhaps forever be the catcher who calls his shot. But this is not an attempt to redefine himself, or discover a new hobby. Renna is past the point of character building. 

  Rather, Soccer Guy is an excuse to explore an avenue that had always interested him. So, yes, for all of the fun that the LAFC game brought, he was still recognized and stopped for pictures. He is still the dude from the Sandlot.

  But that might not be the case in Brazil or Argentina, he admitted. Even in England, he might be able to sneak by unnoticed.

  "I don't know about even the Premier League," he said. "It would be a much different experience."

  Perhaps that's the point here. His horizons are broadened. He watched LAFC and Austin in the playoffs. He is now a proud LAFC supporter. 

  And who knows where this Soccer Guy might turn up next?

MatériaMais Notícias

Ainda que esteja praticamente encaminhada, a aposentadoria do lateral-esquerdo Fábio Santos ainda não está confirmada. Foi isso que o jogador revelou na zona mista da Neo Química Arena, após o empate em 1 a 1 entre Corinthians e Flamengo, pelo Campeonato Brasileiro. 

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Depois da eliminação corintiana na Conmebol Sul-Americana, na terça-feira (3), o jogador havia colocado nas entrelinhas que encerraria a sua carreira no encerramento do seu contrato com o Timão, no fim desta temporada. A possibilidade disso acontecer é grande, mas ainda não é garantida. 

+ Tem promoção exclusiva de boas-vindas pra você! Aposte a partir de R$10 e receba até R$200 de bônus na Lance! Betting

– Praticamente, 99% já confirmado – disse Fábio aos jornalistas.

Durante a temporada surgiu a possibilidade de renovação por mais uma temporada, já que o Timão ainda não encontrou um substituto para Fábio Santos na lateral-esquerda. No ano passado, a ideia era fazer um processo de passagem de bastão para Lucas Piton, que não se firmou e foi negociado com o Vasco da Gama no início desta temporada, e já neste ano o postulante a dono da posição foi Matheus Bidu, que foi contratado do Guarani, mas não convenceu nas oportunidades que teve.

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Por conta disso, inclusive, Fábio jogou 46 das 61 partidas do Corinthians nesta temporada. Algo que tem desgastado ainda mais a parte física do atleta que completou 38 anos em setembro. E esse é um dos motivos dele estar cada vez mais convencido a encerrar a carreira em dezembro.

Fábio Santos descarta jogar por outro clube e a renovação com o Timão não deve acontecer independentemente da vontade do jogador. Isso porque qualquer presidente eleito no dia 25 de novembro optará por não estender o vínculo do lateral. 

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+ Garanta a sua vaga no curso que formou craques como Pet, Dante e Léo Moura! Cupom: LANCE1000

+VEJA A TABELA DO CAMPEONATO BRASILEIRO E SIMULE OS PRÓXIMOS JOGOS

Conforme o Lance! publicou no dia 5 de outubro, o camisa 6 deseja permanecer no Corinthians exercendo outra função, o que pode ocorrer dependendo da próxima gestão. O atleta, no entanto, desconversou sobre a situação e disse que ainda não pensou no que fará após pendurar as chuteiras. 

– Difícil pensar agora. Temos uma sequência complicada pela frente. Foi um ano complicado. Aproveitar o máximo possível esses jogos que faltam, para ter uma tranquilidade maior e tentar desfrutar um pouco.

Após ter recebido muitas críticas na eliminação corintiana na semifinal da Sul-Americana, Fábio Santos foi um dos destaques da equipe alvinegra no empate com o Flamengo neste fim de semana. Foi ele quem converteu o pênalti que igualou o marcador. O gol foi importante, pois o Corinthians saiu atrás no placar. O lance que originou a penalidade também teve participação do lateral, que finalizou a bola que foi bloqueada pelo zagueiro Léo Pereira, da equipe carioca.

Moeen Ali and Andrew Flintoff provide coaching cameos as England build up to Edgbaston Test

Vithushan Ehantharajah01-Jul-2025After missing Monday’s training session due to a family emergency, Jofra Archer was at Edgbaston on Tuesday making up for lost time.A strong session in the nets on the Colts Ground included a stint bowling at Ben Stokes. Unsurprising, really. Archer is not the first bowler to be left out of an XI and immediately seek to give his captain a reminder of their talents the day before a Test.It perhaps spoke to who had the better of that duel that Stokes ended up rushing to his 11.15am press conference after opting for another hit to get some groove back. Not that Stokes needed a reminder of Archer’s qualities, or indeed Archer had anything to prove, despite missing the cut for this second Test against India.”I know Jof, obviously, a lot better than you guys sat down here,” Stokes said, when assessing the situation around his 30-year-old quick, and the notion Archer would need to be kept interested in a format he has not played for over four years.”I’ve been in constant communication with him since the injuries. And I said it a few times – he was so determined to get back and play Test cricket or to make himself available to be selected. So, look, he didn’t need any more reason to find any more desire. He loves playing cricket. He loves playing for England.”The figurative “here” of being Test-ready for a first appearance of the new era – he has previously played one Test under Stokes in 2020 – was as important as the literal.Having returned for Sussex last week against Durham – his first red-ball appearance since May 2021 – Archer could have dropped back into their match against Warwickshire at Hove to add to the 18 overs of work last week. ECB regulations state that players released from international duty can be shoehorned back into ongoing County Championship fixtures, provided there are at least two days remaining, which would have been the case on Tuesday.However, England confirmed on Monday that none of their four unused squad members would be released for their respective county fixtures. While Jacob Bethell was always due to remain as the spare batter, Archer, Sam Cook and Jamie Overton were probably glad to be saved from what looks to be hard toil with the Kookaburra ball.Jofra Archer bowled 18 overs for Sussex last week but hasn’t been released for further game-time•PA Photos/Getty ImagesHaving that trio of seam bowlers around the group, particularly Archer, was seen by Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum as far more beneficial.”This is something we had to consider around bringing him back into the squad,” Stokes told when asked why Archer was not released to play for Sussex.”For me, personally, and Baz as well, we felt if he didn’t play it was important to have Jof around the group, around the people, to get him back into the environment again. Having him back in the squad is great but we want him to play a part in the series and going forward with this group.”There were benefits to both situations, but how me and Baz think about the time we spend as a group is very important as well. He (Archer) has been playing for a long time. He has bowled a lot of overs. You can’t really control how a first-class game will go. Because of how last week went, he [only] got 18 overs in a week.”Of course, Archer has been around England set-ups plenty, even with his elbow and lower-back travails. Since his last Test cap on the India tour in 2021 – not just under a different regime but during the pandemic – Archer has played 41 ODIs and T20Is for England. Nine of them have been with McCullum in charge, since the unification of his red- and white-ball coaching roles at the start of the year.While Archer is with how McCullum and Stokes work, the squad as a whole has an altogether different feel. One which, despite McCullum and Harry Brook’s best efforts, they have yet to replicate across the other codes. As such, keeping “newer” players around, even when they are not in the XI, makes sense.By design, this environment is geared towards making Test cricket more enjoyable, on and off the pitch, and thus more attractive to players at a time when T20 riches are hard to spurn. And it is not just Archer who has that option open to him.Even Overton, who made his one and only Test appearance under Stokes and McCullum in the 2022 summer, is still embedding.Speaking to ESPNcricinfo in April while at the IPL with Chennai Super Kings, Overton had not even considered that Test cricket may be across his radar this summer: “There’s not many bowlers that play all three formats now… It’s going to take a lot to get the body back to those bowling workloads, and we’ll just see where we go and play it by ear.” Even while on the periphery at Headingley, and over these last two days at Edgbaston, Overton has seemed very happy with his lot.Related

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The regime’s efforts to make their players’ lives more enjoyable have included jaunts to the UAE ahead of series in Pakistan and India, and an extended stay in Queenstown on their last tour of New Zealand. Domestically, they play plenty of golf, of course, but the odd cameo coaching appearance has helped lift the mood too. Moeen Ali dropped in as a mentor on Monday and worked with Shoaib Bashir – “they’d never met until yesterday,” Stokes revealed – before Lions head coach Andrew Flintoff graced Tuesday’s training. A few used the afternoon after training to hit the course.Much of the bonhomie throughout the match will come from, as Stokes says, mucking in. And there is also the carrot of working yourself into pole position for a berth at Lord’s.Given the third Test starts three days after this one is scheduled to finish, changes are likely with the pace attack of Chris Woakes, Josh Tongue and Brydon Carse already going back-to-back. Archer might not have to wait much longer for his return.”Here he can come and bowl, he can help out the lads, he can get used to the environment again and when the opportunity does come, he is comfortable in it,” Stokes said.”This week being here, and building up to be in contention for next week, it is tight back-to-back games and having a few fresh bowlers to choose from. He was in contention to play this week and, unless anything goes wrong, I can’t see why he won’t be next week.”