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Babar Azam will be leading Zalmi after switching over from Kings, who have Shoaib Malik back

Danyal Rasool10-Feb-2023

Karachi Kings

Captain: Imad Wasim
Coach: Johan Botha

Batting Coach: Ravi Bopara
Assistant Coach: Michael Smith
Full squad: Imad Wasim, Haider Ali, Andrew Tye, Mohammad Amir, Imran Tahir, Matthew Wade, Shoaib Malik, Aamer Yamin, James Fuller, James Vince, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Akhlaq, Irfan Khan Niazi, Qasim Akram, Mohammad Umar, Sharjeel Khan, Tayyab Tahir, Tabraiz Shamsi, Ben Cutting, Musa Khan, Faisal AkramLast season: sixth
Just because a calamity can be foretold doesn’t mean it can be prevented. Kings’ 2022 squad looked unbalanced and disjointed from the outset, and that is exactly the way it played out across the season. Mohammad Amir was injured early, there were few good spin options, and almost no batting firepower to speak of. All that combined for the worst win-loss record in the history of the PSL, as Kings won just one match and lost nine.Related

• PSL – a Pakistan success story and a welcome distraction for its people

• Qalandars rebuild around Afridi; Sultans retain successful core

• Babar replaces Wahab Riaz as Peshawar Zalmi's captain

• Quetta to host matches during PSL 2023

• Pollard, Sohail, Cutting among picks at PSL replacement draft

What has changed this season?
Where do you start? Well, only one place, really. Babar Azam is no longer part of Kings, having moved to Zalmi during the trading window last November. He is the highest run-scorer in PSL history – aside from being the biggest name in Pakistan cricket at present – but that doesn’t necessarily mean his absence will spell disaster for Kings. One of their most enduring problems last season was the inability to get off to quick starts, and while Babar may be prolific, he is not as pacy up top as most T20 sides would want.But it is Kings’ inability to adequately bolster their batting firepower that remains their biggest concern. James Vince will likely take Babar’s place as opener, though his partial availability means Sharjeel Khan might need to provide most of the powerplay fireworks. In the middle order, Haider Ali and Ben Cutting, both of whom have PSL pedigree but have since fallen out of form, will need to come good.Shoaib Malik has returned to Kings from Peshawar Zalmi•PSLThe partial unavailability of Tabraiz Shamsi, another key player, spells trouble for Kings, who are, once more, short of high-class spin options. Joe Clarke has been replaced by Matthew Wade, who Kings showed enough faith in to pick in the Platinum Category. Shoaib Malik, too, has returned to Kings from Zalmi, with Imran Tahir and Andrew Tye the other high-profile signings.Player to Watch
Middle-order bat Tayyab Tahir was named Player of the Match in Pakistan’s One Day Cup – their premier 50-over domestic competition – final last month for hitting 71 in a win for Central Punjab, for whom he cracked 573 runs – the most by any batter – in the tournament. Those efforts earned him a maiden call-up to the national side, as he was also the third-highest run-scorer in the National T20 Cup last year, striking at just under 139. In a Kings side with limited power in the middle order, his contributions could be vital.Overall, by some distance, Kings’ is the oldest squad in the league; there are five players aged 35 and over. The timeless Imran Tahir, now 43, will need to shoulder much of the spin-bowling responsibility, and whether or not this season is a bridge too far for him might well determine how Kings go this season.Key stat
There are only two men over the age of 40 playing the PSL this year. Both – Imran Tahir and Malik – belong to Kings. No other side has a player over the age of 38 in their squad.Babar Azam has moved over to Zalmi from Kings•Pakistan Super League

Peshawar Zalmi

Captain: Babar Azam
Coach: Daren Sammy
Batting Consultant: Kamran Akmal
Full squad: Babar Azam, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Wahab Riaz, Arshad Iqbal, Danish Aziz, Mohammad Haris, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Mujeeb Ur Rehman, Aamer Jamal, Saim Ayub, Salman Irshad, Haseebullah Khan, Khurram Shahzad, Richard Gleeson, Peter Hatzoglou Sufyan Muqeem, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Usman Qadir, Jimmy Neesham, Haris SohailLast season: Eliminator
Zalmi faced an uphill struggle to guarantee playoff qualification given how the first half of their campaign went. They sat fifth after their first six games, having won just two matches until then and needing four successive wins to guarantee qualification. But a late-season surge thanks to a number of individual performances in key games ensured they achieved just that, ultimately finishing in third place. In the playoffs, though, that run came to an end in the first Eliminator, as Islamabad United pipped them in a thriller.What has changed this season?
Babar arrives and immediately takes over the captaincy, and how Zalmi and Babar work together would be fascinating. After seven seasons at Kings, a franchise that has been inconsistent throughout its history, he arrives at one which has sustained success; Zalmi are the only PSL side never to miss out on the playoffs.However, Zalmi have lost out on a number of power hitters that shone at crucial stages in 2022. Hazratullah Zazai, Haider Ali and Liam Livingstone have all left, as has Malik. It places significant responsibility on two young local batters in Mohammad Haris and Saim Ayub, each of whom enjoyed breakout seasons in the last 12 months.Veteran Wahab Riaz, 37, will still be around for Zalmi•AFP/Getty ImagesBut in the West Indies duo of Sherfane Rutherford and Rovman Powell – the latter only partly available – as well as big-hitters Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Jimmy Neesham, they might just have replaced them adequately enough.The bigger concern might lie in the absence of premium fast bowlers, with the possible exception of Wahab Riaz, the 37-year old Zalmi veteran. Offspinner Mujeeb ur Rehman will only be partly available too, while Richard Gleeson will come in to cover while Powell is absent. Salman Irshad, Arshad Iqbal and Usman Qadir will have to ensure Zalmi’s bowling isn’t a pushover, while 18-year old left-arm spinner Sufiyan Muqeem might also get a chance.Player to watch
Saim Ayub made his PSL debut aged 18 in 2021 at a time when the big stage perhaps came too quickly for him; he scored 114 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of only 108.57. But in the National T20 Cup last year, he was the second-highest run-scorer with 416 runs at a much-improved strike rate of 155.12. He followed it up with 461 at 107.20 in the Pakistan Cup, and won a contract at the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) on the back of his form. Still just 20, Zalmi’s roster offers him a glistening opportunity to light up the PSL this time around.Key stat
Zalmi now have the highest wicket-taker in PSL history in Riaz (103), as well as the most prolific run-scorer in Babar (2413).

Stats highlights from the end of New Zealand’s prolific summer

ESPNcricinfo stats team06-Jan-2021 New Zealand claimed the top spot in the ICC Test rankings for the first time in their history after an excellent summer which culminated with a rout of Pakistan in the second Test. Here are some stats highlights from the match which featured fast bowler Kyle Jamieson taking one of the best match-hauls for New Zealand3 Bigger wins for New Zealand in terms of runs and innings than this one in Tests. Two of them had come against Zimbabwe and one against Pakistan in Hamilton in 2000-01. This was New Zealand’s 31st innings win in Tests, four of which have come against Pakistan.6 Consecutive wins for New Zealand in Tests – the longest streak in their Test history. Their previous longest streak of five consecutive wins had come between 2005 and 2006. They had beaten Sri Lanka at home, won a two-match series in Zimbabwe and won the first-two Tests of a three-Test series against West Indies at home.17 Consecutive unbeaten Tests at home for New Zealand. This is by far their longest streak at home. The last time they lost a Test at home was to South Africa in March 2017 in Wellington. New Zealand have won 13 of these 17 matches. Their previous best was 13 unbeaten matches from March 2012 to December 2015. They had won seven of those 13 Tests.ESPNcricinfo Ltd5 Match hauls by New Zealand bowlers better than Kyle Jamieson’s 11 for 117 in this match. Three of those were by Richard Hadlee and two by Daniel Vettori. Jamieson’s figures are the best by a New Zealand bowler against Pakistan in Tests.0 New Zealand bowlers who have taken more wickets in their first-six Test matches than Jamieson. Fast bowler Jack Cowie also took 36 wickets, as many as Jamieson in his first six matches. Like Jamieson, Cowie also had four five-fors in his first six Tests.3 Bowlers who took at least 20 wickets at a better average than Jamieson after their first six Test matches. George Lohmann of England (38 wickets at 10.0), Charlie Turner of Australia (50 wickets at 10.2) and Rodney Hogg of Australia (41 wickets at 12.85) are the ones. Jamieson has taken 36 wickets at an average of 13.27 and is marginally ahead of Vernon Philander, who took 45 wickets at an average of 13.6.0 Players who scored at least 200 runs at an average of 40-plus and took at least 20 wickets at an average of under 20 in their first six Test matches before Jamieson. The New Zealand fast bowler has scored 226 runs at an average of 56.50 and taken 36 wicket at an average of 13.27. With a cut-off of 100 runs and 10 wickets, Keith Miller is the only player who has had a similarly prolific all-round start to his career. Miller scored 414 runs at an average of 69 and took 18 wickets at an average of 18.9 in his first six matches.

A “sensational” £25m midfielder has now emerged as a key target for Wolverhampton Wanderers, with a number of Europe’s top clubs in the race for his signature.

Wolves keen on new additions amid slow start

Seven games into the Premier League season, Wolves sit bottom of the table, having put in some very poor performances, with the 3-1 home defeat against newly-promoted Leeds United likely to be particularly concerning for Vitor Pereira.

Usually, a manager without a win in his first seven league games would be under serious pressure, but the board have decided to back Pereira, with the 57-year-old signing a new three-year contract back in September.

New Cunha: Wolves have a "special" 18-year-old who could rival Strand Larsen

Vitor Pereira could now have Wolverhampton Wanderers’ next Matheus Cunha at his disposal, and it’s not Jorgen Strand Larsen.

By
Kelan Sarson

Oct 13, 2025

Chairman Jeff Shi said: “Now is a time for stability. Vitor needs time to work with the squad, to build a chemistry with new players, and we will do everything to support him and his staff.”

One of the ways in which Shi can back his manager is by strengthening the squad in the January transfer window, and a midfielder has now emerged as a key target for the Old Gold.

That is according to a report from TEAMtalk, which states Wolves are in the race for Rangers midfielder Nicolas Raskin, but there could be stiff competition for his signature, with a number of top clubs in the Serie A and Bundesliga also keen.

Within the Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace and West Ham United have also expressed an interest in the midfielder, and there is a feeling the Scottish Premiership side could demand £20m – £25m to sanction a departure.

Raskin was open to leaving Ibrox during the summer transfer window, but he ultimately ended up staying put, given a lack of concrete bids. However, amid widespread interest in the Belgian, there may be plenty of options available in 2026.

"Sensational" Raskin could be difference-maker for Wolves

We are still at an early stage of the season, but Wolves will be very keen to avoid being dragged into another relegation battle, so it would make sense to splash the cash on a new midfielder during the January transfer window.

Moreover, there are clear indications the Rangers star could be a real difference-maker, given the impact he’s made at Ibrox ever since arriving, with former teammate Scott Arfield saying: “Nico’s first two training sessions were sensational. You could see he is built to play at a club like Rangers. I can see him playing there for years. He is captain material.”

The Liege-born maestro poses a real threat on the front foot, having chipped in with one goal and four assists in all competitions already this season, while he is also solid defensively, placing in the 98th percentile for tackles per 90 over the past year.

Raskin is a very well-rounded midfielder, and the interest from some of Europe’s top clubs speaks volumes, so it would be a real coup if Wolves were able to get a deal done.

Chelsea must now be longing for a swift return to Stamford Bridge in Premier League action.

Indeed, the Blues’ push towards the top of the table to challenge Arsenal has stalled after two disappointing performances on the road, with a 3-1 collapse away at Leeds United, followed up by a lacklustre showing on the South Coast to secure a 0-0 draw at AFC Bournemouth.

Not even Cole Palmer’s re-entry into Enzo Maresca’s starting XI could shake Chelsea into life away at the Cherries, as the former Manchester City superstar ended up losing possession a costly 16 times in a drab individual performance.

He was far from being the only underperformer in attack up against Andoni Iraola’s hosts, though, as Chelsea now looks at the January transfer window with hope that they can boost their underwhelming options up top.

Chelsea's attacking woes vs Bournemouth

Liam Delap must have thought that grabbing a much-needed Blues goal against Barcelona at the tail-end of November would kickstart his faltering Stamford Bridge spell.

Unfortunately, though, the former Ipswich Town striker remains without a goal in Premier League action for Maresca’s men, as the £30m summer recruit hobbled off after just 32 minutes to continue on his ongoing Chelsea nightmare.

Neither Marc Guiu nor Joao Pedro could break the deadlock either against a stubborn Cherries defence, with Guiu only managing an unconvincing two shots at the Bournemouth goal from his minimal 25 touches.

Pedro will also have Chelsea punching the panic button at this point, with the bumper £60m signing now goalless across his last four games for Maresca and Co.

It’s not the greatest shock in the world, therefore, to read that the frustrated West Londoners are targeting a move for Borussia Dortmund ace Serhou Guirassy in January, with Sky Sports’ Gary Neville weighing in after the Blues’ disastrous 3-1 loss at Elland Road to say that the attackers Chelsea currently possess are not “of the level” to lift the Premier League title.

However, it’s not just in the sole striker spot where grumbles are beginning to emerge, with other pitiful performances on the South Coast giving Maresca plenty of food for thought over what his consistent starting lineup should be.

Chelsea duo must never start together again

The former Leicester City boss would lament his side’s indecisive nature in the forward areas at the full-time whistle, with Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho very much not helping proceedings as Chelsea’s main options down either flank.

Between them during the 0-0 stalemate, they only completed one of six dribbles, with plenty more unsatisfactory numbers tallied up by the frustrating pairing come the close of the dull affair.

Minutes played

90

77

Goals scored

0

0

Assists

0

0

Touches

35

55

Shots

2

2

Accurate passes

34/41 (83%)

17/20 (85%)

Key passes

4

1

Accurate crosses

3/6

2/3

Accurate dribbles

0/2

1/4

Possession lost

12x

10x

Duels won

4/7

1/5

Looking at the table above in detail, it really doesn’t make for pretty reading for the number seven and the number 49, with possession given up a high 22 times between them, on top of just one of their combined efforts being hit on target at Dorde Petrovic’s goal.

If Chelsea is to instantly respond to this shambolic performance at the Cherries against Atalanta in the Champions League, Maresca will surely have to ditch this duo, with Estevao hopeful of a starting spot in place of Neto on the right, after scoring a stunning effort last time out in Europe’s premier competition versus Barcelona.

His constant determination to burst forward with pace and terrorise defenders would be a clear departure from the out-of-sorts offerings from both Neto and Garnacho, with five goals and one assist already tallied up in Chelsea blue by the Brazilian, seeing pundit Pat Nevin hail him as an “utterly brilliant” asset to have around.

Neto does have credit in his bank, arguably, considering he bagged his side’s only goal of the game in West Yorkshire, but an injection of freshness could still go down a treat.

This might also result in Jamie Gittens getting the nod to start on the left over Garnacho, after successfully completing all 100% of his dribbles versus Leeds as a rare bright spark.

Whatever lineup does end up taking to the field, Maresca will be hoping for an immediate response.

If he wants more energy and excitement from the get-go mid-week, he needs to ensure both Neto and Garnacho don’t start together again, after they passively went about their business at Bournemouth.

Worse than Enzo: Maresca must drop Chelsea star who lost the ball 17x

This Chelsea ace struggled in the 0-0 draw away to Bournemouth

ByJoe Nuttall Dec 6, 2025

Celtic are reportedly closing in on the appointment of Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy as their next permanent manager to replace Brendan Rodgers.

The French tactician is in ‘advanced talks’ to join the Scottish giants, but it remains to be seen exactly when he will be in post to start the job, with Martin O’Neill currently in interim charge.

Once Nancy is in the job and looking at what his priorities need to be, the new Celtic boss must find a way to get more out of central midfielder Arne Engels in the coming weeks and months.

Why Wilfried Nancy must revive Arne Engels for Celtic

The Scottish Premiership champions smashed their club record transfer fee to sign the Belgium international from Augsburg for a fee of £11m in the summer of 2024, and he showed plenty of promising signs in his first year at the club.

Engels delivered a return of ten goals and 13 assists in 52 appearances in all competitions for the Hoops, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he offered a decent threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

Unfortunately, the 22-year-old star has been frustrating to watch this season because he has only produced one goal and four assists in 20 outings in the 2025/26 campaign.

This is why Nancy must make getting the best out of Engels one of his top priorities, because he is evidently capable of contributing far more than he currently is.

Chalkboard

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

Along with the Belgian starlet, the French boss must also unleash summer signing Benjamin Nygren, who has become Celtic’s most frustrating player since Engels.

Why Benjamin Nygren is a frustrating player for Celtic

Like the £11m club-record signing, the Sweden international is an incredibly frustrating player for the Hoops because you can see that the talent is there, but it does not always work out for him.

The left-footed central midfielder has scored six goals and provided three assists in 18 appearances for the club this season, per Sofascore, yet he has found himself on the bench for the last two league games under O’Neill.

Nygren is such a frustrating player because he can do the hard bits, scoring and creating goals, but he lets himself down at times with some of the simpler parts of the game in the middle of the park.

As you can see in the table above, he is exceptional at making an impact in the final third, yet is among the worst of his positional peers when it comes to competing in physical duels on and off the ball.

This explains why O’Neill has dropped him from the starting line-up in recent matches, because the midfield star has not proven that he can be reliable enough out of possession to go along with his attacking qualities.

The 24-year-old gem’s attacking output, though, suggests that he is a player who has a lot to offer to Nancy once he is in the building, as is also the case for Engels, which is why he must unleash the Swedish whiz from the start.

It will then be down to Nygren and Nancy to work together on the training pitch to either minimise the effects of his physical struggles, or to improve his work off the ball, to make him as effective as possible.

£1.5m Celtic flop has been an even bigger waste of time than Balikwisha

This Celtic flop has been an even worse signing than Michel-Ange Balikwisha for the Scottish giants.

1

By
Dan Emery

Nov 25, 2025

The New York Yankees' innovative new "torpedo" bats have taken the league by storm, but not everyone in MLB is a fan of the adjustments the organization has made.

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Trevor Megill was asked about the Yankees' bats, and he had a scathing review of the situation.

"I think it's terrible. We'll see what the data says. I've never seen anything like it before. I feel like it's something used in slow-pitch softball. It's genius: Put the mass all in one spot. It might be bush [league]. It might not be. But it's the Yankees, so they'll let it slide," said Megill, via the NY Post.

Megill has yet to take the mound in 2025. He admitted that moving the barrel of the bat could be a "genius" move, but he also indicated that because it's the Yankees utilizing the new-look bats, he doesn't think MLB will ban them.

Those bats played a role in New York's 20–9 victory over Milwaukee on Saturday, during which the Yankees set a franchise record by hitting nine home runs in a single game.

Megill's sentiments on the "bowling pin" bats weren't shared by some of his teammates, however. Brewers first baseman Rhys Hoskins expressed interest in the bats, telling the NY Post, "They figured out a way to make it work. Logically, it makes a lot of sense, but I'm not a physicist. But how could I not want to look into it more?”

Not everyone on the Yankees is using the altered bats. Aaron Judge has made his stance on the matter clear, opting against changing his classically shaped bat for the "torpedo" one, whereas others such as Anthony Volpe have elected to make the change.

Vitor Pereira had penned a new contract at Wolverhampton Wanderers back in September.

Yet, as we now enter November, the Portuguese boss is no longer occupying the Molineux hot-seat, with the Old Gold yet to collect a Premier League win this season from ten matches.

It is going to be a huge task for whoever takes on the reins after Pereira to try and turn around Wolves’ miserable season, with a surprise return for Gary O’Neil reportedly once on the cards.

However, despite allegedly entering talks about coming back to the top-flight’s basement club, the ex-Wolves manager pulled out of a shock reunion.

This could be a blessing in disguise in the West Midlands, with O’Neil enduring a tough end to his previous Old Gold spell…

Where things went wrong for O'Neil at Wolves

Going back in for a previous manager to try and turn around a sinking ship very rarely works out.

O’Neil did manage to keep Wolves up during his first campaign in charge during the 2022/23 season, as a depleted Old Gold side that no longer had the likes of Ruben Neves and Raul Jimenez on their books soared to 14th in the league standings.

It’s the woeful start to his second campaign in charge that would likely have not made this an appointment to go down well with the already disgruntled Molineux masses.

Indeed, Wolves only managed to collect a dire two wins from 16 games before he was given his marching orders, having also conceded a calamitous 40 goals along the way.

Therefore, expecting O’Neil to return and be a transformative appointment would have been viewed as far-fetched, with Wolves chairman Jeff Shi even admitting when he got rid of the 42-year-old that he had “cut ties too late.”

Thankfully, Pereira worked out in the short term. But, now, Wolves need another fresh set of ideas to get them out of a similar mess, as a former Old Gold player turned successful manager continues to be linked with the vacancy.

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Wolves' outstanding O'Neil alternative

Wolves have been linked with a whole host of different and unique names, with ex-Molineux goal machine Robbie Keane even throwing his hat into the ring.

But, it appears now that current Middlesbrough boss Rob Edwards is high up on the priority list to replace Pereira, with talkSPORT naming Edwards as a ‘strong contender’ to get the job.

It’s noted that former Manchester United boss, Erik ten Hag, is also on their radar, although Edwards is currently ahead of the Dutchman to get the job.

The current Boro boss has a release clause in his contract at the Riverside and could soon make a return to the Premier League.

Immediately, with his previous connections to the club as a player and as a former U21 coach, it could be a good fit.

That’s before you even take into account the admirable job he did at Luton Town, who were rooted towards the foot of the Premier League division throughout the 2023/24 campaign.

Against all the odds, the much-loved Edwards nearly kept Luton afloat in the Premier League, as the Boro boss made the Hatters a stern team to try and break down.

That led to the minnows picking up a 1-1 draw against Liverpool that season, and saw them compete with Arsenal all the way at Kenilworth Road in a 4-3 defeat. Remarkably, that is the last time the Gunners have shipped three goals in any game of football.

Mikel Arteta even commended Edwards for how “difficult” he had made Luton to beat, with Wolves in some dire need of the same grit and application to try and get them out of their horrible hole.

It wasn’t all just attritional performances, though, as Edwards also managed to turn Carlton Morris into an 11-goal hero in the top-flight. That will be music to the ears of a misfiring Jorgen Strand Larsen, who has only one league strike next to his name this season.

But, as can be seen watching the highlight reel above, the imposing Norwegian did manage to fire home 14 goals last campaign, as he attempts to become Edwards’ next focal point, if the ex-Luton manager is handed the reins.

Described as an opportunity that will be “hard for him to say no to” by journalist Graeme Bailey, it will be intriguing to see if Edwards does end up swapping a top-of-the-table position in the EFL for another basement battle in the league above.

With a bit between his teeth now at the Riverside Stadium, it could be time for Edwards to mount a Premier League return, having also previously been lauded as “one of English football’s brightest and best young coaches.”

Doesn’t that sound good, Wolves fans?

Robbie Keane in talks with Wolves as Steven Gerrard gives clarity on future

The Old Gold are looking for a new successor and one of their former players has put their hat in the ring.

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Nov 4, 2025

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. 

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansMano não fica satisfeito com resultado contra o Flamengo e diz que não se fala em rebaixamento no CorinthiansCorinthians08/10/2023CorinthiansCorinthians perde zagueiro para jogo após período de datas FifaCorinthians08/10/2023FlamengoFabrício Bruno lamenta empate com o Corinthians e comenta possível ida de Tite para o FlamengoFlamengo07/10/2023

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.

continua após a publicidade

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.

If you ask most fans which team had the best defence in the Premier League, most would likely say Arsenal.

Likewise, given the amount of money they spent in the summer, Liverpool would likely be described as having the best attack by most.

However, when it comes to the midfield, opinion could be split, although with players like Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, Eberechi Eze, Mikel Merino and Christian Norgaard, it might just be Mikel Arteta’s side again.

In particular, Zubimendi and Rice have had brilliant starts to the campaign, and what’s even more impressive is that the North Londoners could have had an even stronger midfield had they not sold an international who is a hybrid of the Spaniard and Englishman.

Zubimendi's start to life at Arsenal

Considering the club spent the best part of a year chasing the former Real Sociedad star, paying around £52m for his services and beating Real Madrid to do so, it would be fair to say that there was a level of expectation that he’d start his Arsenal career in positive fashion this season.

Fortunately, while there have been a few moments in which he’s clearly been surprised by the speed of English football, that is exactly what has happened.

For example, the game-changing Basque star has started all six Premier League games so far, as well as the Champions League clash away to Athletic Bilbao.

In those games, he has racked up two goals, both of which came in the game against Nottingham Forest, courtesy of a sensational volley and a perfectly placed header.

Moreover, there have been several times when he should have earned himself an assist, most recently when he played a perfectly dinked ball over the top of Newcastle United’s defence on Sunday, only for Nick Pope to pull off a brilliant reaction save and stop Jurrien Timber.

He’s not just been a goal threat, though, as, according to FBref, he ranks in the top 7% of midfielders in the Premier League this season for blocking passes and the aerial duels won, both per 90.

In short, Zubimendi has come in and almost straight away has become Arteta’s conductor from deep, helping break up opposition attacks and kickstart them for the Gunners.

He’s not the only summer signing making a splash in midfield in the Premier League this season, though, as a former Arsenal star who has been compared to the Spaniard and Rice is having a great campaign himself.

The former Arsenal star who is a Zubimendi & Rice hybrid

There are a few former Arsenal stars enjoying a positive start to the season this year, from Alex Iwobi at Fulham to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang with Marseille.

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However, although the pair are playing at the moment, they have not been compared to both Zubimendi and Rice, unlike Granit Xhaka.

Yes, the Swiss international, who left the club for around £21m in the summer of 2023 and then joined Sunderland this summer, is the former Arsenal star playing so well he’s been compared to two of Arteta’s very best players.

The comparison stems from FBref, which has concluded that in the Premier League this season, the Englishman has been the third most similar midfielder to the Black Cats ace, and the Spaniard is the eighth most similar.

To gain a better understanding of how this conclusion was reached, you can take a look at the underlying numbers in which the former Gunners star ranks closely to the two international stars.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals

0.02

0.03

Expected Assists

0.10

0.10

Through Balls

0.17

0.19

Switches

0.50

0.58

Shot-Creating Actions

3.33

3.29

Goal-Creating Actions

0.67

0.58

When it comes to the former West Ham United captain, these metrics include non-penalty expected goals, expected assists, through balls, switches, shot-creating actions, and more.

It’s clear from these numbers and the eye-test that, like the Englishman, the former Bayer Leverkusen ace still has a wand of a left foot, and as Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley puts it, is “still one of the best passers in Europe.”

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.16

0.14

Passes into the Penalty Area

0.67

0.51

Tackles Won

0.83

1.02

Interceptions

1.17

1.19

Successful Take-Ons

0.17

0.17

Carries

36.2

37.1

Then, when it comes to the San Sebastián-born ace, the similarities tend to fall on the more defensive side of things, with their tackles won and interceptions per 90 being a key area in which the pair rank closely.

Ultimately, there is a strong case for Arsenal having the best midfield in the league, thanks largely to Rice and Zubimendi.

However, just think how much better their squad would be had they also kept hold of Xhaka.

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Liverpool have made it a flawless start to the Premier League season. Five wins from five. Five points clear. Virgil van Dijk’s last-gasp header against Atletico Madrid also secured three points to kick off the Reds’ Champions League campaign.

Now, Liverpool turn their attention to the Carabao Cup, with Arne Slot perhaps carrying a chip on his shoulder after being defeated in last year’s final by Newcastle United.

On Tuesday evening, Anfield welcomes Southampton for a third-round meeting. Saints were relegated from the Premier League last year and sit 19th in the Championship after six matches.

Changes are to be expected, but some might be sad to see Ryan Gravenberch pulled from the limelight given his current form.

Why Slot is dropping Ryan Gravenberch

After Liverpool beat Everton in the Merseyside derby on Saturday, TNT Sports’ Peter Crouch remarked that Gravenberch “has been Liverpool’s best player this season”. The Dutchman scored and assisted for the Reds in the 2-0 win.

He’s in fine fettle, all right, and performing exceptionally in a robust midfield berth, so stylish and secure as he resists the press, recycles the ball and advances it both coolly and intelligently.

In fact, Gravenberch is indispensable, but the 23-year-old played an overload of football last year, and Slot will hope to manage his minutes over the year. With a trip to Crystal Palace forthcoming in the Premier League, it’s right that he should be dropped against Southampton.

“I can tell you now, you won’t be seeing them on Tuesday.” This was what Slot said when asked about a string of first-teamers who have played three lots of 90 minutes over the past week: Mohamed Salah, Van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Gravenberch.

While these are all important players, Slot will have a plan, all right, and with Gravenberch set to be sidelined, it might be time for Stefan Bajcetic to return to the field in a Liverpool shirt.

Stand up, Stefan Bajcetic

Bajcetic, 20, hasn’t played for Liverpool for a while, and a multi-loan 2024/25 campaign providing differing levels of success for the centre-midfielder, with a six-month stint at Las Palmas in La Liga reviving his qualities somewhat, starting 12 matches and winning 5.1 duels per game, as per Sofascore.

His ball control and crisp passing proved invaluable for a rudderless Liverpool side who lacked an authoritative presence at the tiller. The experienced members of the engine room had malfunctioned. Change was needed.

Change was what Liverpool got, and though Bajcetic couldn’t quite help his team toward a Champions League-qualifying finish, his skills lifted the outfit back into some semblance of fluency.

Liverpool reporter Leanne Prescott was among those to have been dazzled by the teenage talent’s emergence in Liverpool’s senior set-up, saying, “Staggering that Liverpool look most in control this season when 18-year-old Stefan Bajcetic is playing.”

How things have changed.

Bajcetic featured 11 times in the Premier League across the 2022/23 campaign, indeed proving a shining light throughout a dark spell in Klopp’s tenure.

Injuries limited him the year after, and he featured only once in the top flight in 2023/24, thus drifting into a sort of nothingness unfit for one with such a “special” skillset, as has been said by writer Zubin Daver.

He scored against Aston Villa to announce himself, becoming one of Liverpool’s youngest goalscorers in Premier League history, but his season was cruelly cut short by a shoulder injury, and he has not reappeared since.

Rio Ngumoha

Newcastle

16yrs 361d

Michael Owen

Wimbledon

17yrs 143d

Raheem Sterling

Reading

17yrs 317d

Stefan Bajcetic

Aston Villa

18yrs 65d

Robbie Fowler

Oldham Athletic

18yrs 190d

That said, Bajcetic did impress across the latter half of the 2022/23 term in his homeland, and having returned to Merseyside after a growth spurt and with discernible muscular gains, he might have what it takes to serve as Gravenberch’s understudy across the coming year, with a technical ability that better aligns with Slot’s vision than that of Wataru Endo, industrious as the Japanese may be.

Ahead of the Merseyside derby, Slot had nothing to declare on the injury front. This is a glowing endorsement of Liverpool’s careful coaching.

It is the right call for Gravenberch to sit this one out. The club’s strength in depth suggests a player such as Bajcetic could come into the fray and make his mark.

The Spaniard’s done it before – could this finally be the breakout year that was envisaged for him when under Klopp’s wing?

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