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Tottenham Hotspur’s performance against Galatasaray in the Europa League last night might just have been their strangest of the season so far.

We say strange, as for moments here and there, especially once Dominic Solanke had been introduced in the second half, they looked quite dangerous, but for most of the game, the North Londoners were dismal.

There was a positive in the fact that Will Lankshear scored his first goal in Spurs colours but his red card ultimately meant it was a rather sour evening not just for the club but the young striker, in particular.

Ange Postecoglou’s side were wasteful in attack and utterly hopeless at the back, and while there were several genuinely dire performances on the night, two of the worst came at the back, between Radu Dragusin and Ben Davies.

Dragusin & Davies' performance in numbers

Playing Galatasaray away from home in European competition will always be exceedingly tricky.

The atmosphere will be fierce, and the fans will be on you from minute one, so visiting defenders must remain composed and do the basics right, which is the complete opposite of what Davies and Dragusin did.

The latter was crashing into the back of the attackers, constantly out of position, a constant source of problems his teammates had to deal with and was directly responsible for Victor Osimhen’s goal as he gifted the Nigerian the ball with a dreadful touch.

Davies was only marginally better than his Romanian teammate as he seemed less intent on getting himself sent off, but like the former Genoa ace, he too was easily bypassed by the Turkish giants with seemingly every attack, and was at least partially to blame for their second goal, as his pass to Bucharest-born defender was poorly timed.

This might all sound quite harsh, but it’s an opinion shared by the press, as the Express’ Sam Smith awarded Dragusin just a 3/10 on the night, writing that he ‘must just want this Europa League campaign to end’ and gave the Welshman a 4/10.

In short, it was a horror showing from the centre-back pairing, although they weren’t the only ones who seriously let down Postecoglou.

James Maddison's performance in numbers

Yes, it was Spurs’ co-vice-captain, James Maddison, who was one of the other starters who seriously let down the Australian last night, as he put in what might just be his worst performance of the season.

The former Leicester City star failed to make anything positive happen for his side from the middle of the park, and when he was shifted out wide in the second half, he was somehow even more ineffective.

In fact, the only impact the Englishman had on the encounter was consistently giving the ball away in dangerous areas and giving away the free-kick that led to the opening goal.

Maddison’s game in numbers
Minutes	66
Expected Assists	0.01
Crosses (Accurate)	1 (0)
Long Balls (Accurate)	1 (0)
Shots	0
Dribbles (Successful)	4 (1)
Ground Duels (Successful)	12 (6)
Lost Possession	11
Dribbled Past	1
All Stats via Sofascore

Unsurprisingly, the Express’ Smith was equally unimpressed with the Coventry-born star and awarded him just 3/10 on the night, writing that he ‘was wholly anonymous in Turkey’ and that he ‘must step up more often when Spurs’ backs are against the wall.’

This scathing appraisal of the 27-year-old is backed up by his statistics, as in his 66 minutes of action, he produced an expected assists figure of 0.01, misplaced 100% of his crosses and long balls, failed to take a single shot, failed in 75% of his dribbles, lost 50% of his duels, lost the ball 11 times and was dribbled past once as well.

Ultimately, it was a terrible day at the office for Spurs last night, but it’s hard not to look at Dragusin, Davies and Maddison as three of the worst offenders.

Brennan Johnson 2.0: Spurs want to sign dream £30m Werner upgrade

The exciting winger would be an excellent addition to Spurs’ squad.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 6, 2024

“I was batting extremely well in the nets, and it was only a matter of time before it all started to work out”

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Nov-20211:42

Moody: Warner was left out after SRH were out of contention in IPL

Player of the Tournament of the T20 World Cup 2021 David Warner has revealed he was training the “hardest I ever did” and knew he would get a “second chance” to prove himself after he was sacked as captain and eventually dropped by Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2021. When he turned out in Australian colours only a few weeks later, Warner was the second-highest scorer in the World Cup with a tally of 289 runs, an average of over 48, and a strike rate that jumped to 146.70 from 107.73 in the IPL.”Whatever may have been the reason for me not finding a spot in an IPL team, I can tell you I was training the hardest I ever did,” Warner told the Economic Times. “I didn’t miss a single day. I was batting extremely well in the nets, and it was only a matter of time before it all started to work out. So yes, while it hurt, I knew I would have another opportunity. Sport is a great leveller, and if you are true to the sport and keep working hard, you will always have a second chance. I just wanted to keep working the hardest and stay true. I am glad it worked out for me.”When you are dropped from the team you have loved the most for years without any real fault of yours and stripped of captaincy without being given a reason, it hurts.Related

David Warner quietly proves a point against old side Sunrisers Hyderabad

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“At the same time, there are no complaints. The fans in India have always been there for me, and it is for them that you play. We play to entertain. We play to push for excellence.”Warner captained Sunrisers to the 2016 title and scored over 4000 runs for them over eight seasons. However, he had a disappointing 2021, scoring 195 runs in eight innings at an average of 24.37. Midway through the tournament, he was replaced by Kane Williamson as the captain and in the UAE leg of the tournament, he featured in just two of the seven games.Explaining Warner’s exclusion on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out, Tom Moody, who was the director of cricket at Sunrisers in 2021 and former head coach for seven seasons, said the franchise wanted to give more opportunities to other players ahead of the new season with the big auction coming up.David Warner is congratulated after the T20 World Cup final by Kane Williamson, who replaced him as captain at Sunrisers Hyderabad•ICC via Getty Images”A lot of it [dropping Warner out] was to do with the fact that Sunrisers got to a point where they could not qualify,” Moody said. “It was a case of ‘let’s have a look at Jason Roy and few other young players that are in the squad and give them the opportunity to see what they can prove so we, as a franchise, can look forward to what it looks like moving into 2022’.”It remains to be seen if Sunrisers will retain Warner, with the retention deadline being November 30. All the existing franchises can retain upto four players, and unlike the previous big auction ahead of the 2018 season, there will be no right-to-match cards (RTM) at the auction this time.Warner also admitted he was “relieved” and “happy” for having repaid the faith of the Australian management after a below-par performance in the IPL. His run-tally in this tournament is the highest for Australia in an edition of men’s T20 World Cup. He said the team “peaked at the right time” to be crowned T20 champions.”It is one of the happiest moments of my life,” he said. “Before the tournament started, I had told you that we were ready. We had a very good team, and every member was determined to leave a mark. Thereafter, we peaked at the right time and once we peaked and everyone started doing their part, there was no looking back. We have an amazing bunch here and can’t tell you how happy everyone is.”

Celtic face a crucial Champions League clash with Atalanta this week and Brendan Rodgers has now received a major boost regarding the fitness of a key player.

Celtic set for vital Atalanta clash

The Hoops had a disappointing result last Saturday, only managing a 2-2 draw at home to Aberdeen in a top-of-the-table Scottish Premiership meeting between two sides with 100 per cent records. While a point was far from disastrous, the fact that Rodgers’ men let a two-goal lead slip was disappointing.

Attention now turns from league to Champions League commitments for Celtic, who make the trip to Bergamo on Wednesday evening, knowing how important the result is in the group stage. The Scottish giants have won and lost one game apiece in Europe’s top competition so far this season, thumping Slovan Bratislava 5-1 at Parkhead, only to be humiliated 7-1 away to Borussia Dortmund last time around.

This promises to be another massive test for the Hoops, as they come up against the reigning Europa League holders, following their own win over much-fancied Bundesliga champions Bayern Leverkusen in last season’s final.

Rodgers will know the importance of having as many key players available as possible on Wednesday, and a massive update has emerged in that respect.

Celtic handed massive injury boost with Carter-Vickers

According to The Daily Record, Celtic defender Cameron Carter-Vickers trained in footage released on Tuesday, suggesting he could be available for selection against Atalanta. Described in the report as a “huge boost” for the Hoops, the 26-year-old was “back on the grass” before the Aberdeen game but wasn’t risked ahead of the trip to Italy, suggesting they’ve played it safe to avoid re-injury.

Having Carter-Vickers back for Atalanta would feel enormous for Celtic, although there would be the obvious risk of him being rusty for a big game, considering he hasn’t featured at all since the win over Bratislava in the middle of September.

The £24,000-a-week USA international has been arguably Celtic’s most influential defender ever since he sealed a move to Parkhead from Tottenham in 2022, with former Hoops teammate Moritz Jenz once saying of him: “CCV is a great guy. First of all, he’s not selfish. He’s a top, team player.

“You saw him come on against Lazio and you could see his presence. Everyone was like, ‘CCV is here!’. It was very stable. Okay, the goal they conceded was a bit unlucky where Cameron could have kicked it out, but this can happen. But he is so important. It’s like having a rock, or a fridge, next to you. You know he’s going to be there and will cover you when someone goes past you.”

Rodgers clearly has a huge decision to make when it comes to whether to start Carter-Vickers or not, with the risk of throwing him straight back in obvious.

Celtic had a star who was "similar to Messi", then he left for nothing

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1 ByDan Emery Oct 22, 2024

The centre-back is such an experienced figure who makes the Hoops more solid, though, so starting him feels worth the gamble, assuming he has done enough in training to prove his fitness.

Adidas reveals the official match ball that will be used for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup

Adidas and FIFA have a long-standing relationshipThe match ball is inspired by host nation, the United StatesIt features high-tech ball technology which allows for more accurate officiating decisionsWHAT HAPPENED?

Adidas has officially unveiled the match ball for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup after being named the official supplier for the revamped tournament. The ball pays homage to the host nation, the USA, and features a 20-panel design along with various technologies to enhance performance. A standout feature is the integrated connected ball technology, which enables more accurate and faster officiating decisions.

Following the changes to UEFA’s various club competitions, FIFA also revamped their FIFA Club World Cup and June 2025 will mark the first-ever expanded edition. The tournament has been completely revamped and will take place in the United States of America between June 14 and July 13. The excitement surrounding the tournament was further built after the trophy was officially revealed in November 2024 and things have been taken up a notch now.

As per FIFA’s official press release, “The integrated connected ball technology sends inertial measurement unit data to the video-assistant-referee system at a rate of 500 times per second in real-time. When combined with player position data and the application of artificial intelligence, the technology helps video match officials to make faster offside decisions and can also aid them in identifying each individual touch of the ball, resulting in reduced delays in resolving specific incidents, e.g. possible handball offenses."

AdvertisementWHAT ADIDAS HAVE SAIDGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The new FIFA Club World Cup format has transformed the tournament into a brand new competition. The 21st edition will feature 32 teams instead of the standard 24 with each football federation given a slot. Thus as a result, UEFA was handed 12 team slots, CONMEBOL was given six, AFC, CAF, and CONCACAF were given four each while the host country and OFC were both given one team.

This tallies up to a total of 32 teams although the FIFA council added a few more rules and principles to decide which clubs will be allowed to participate in the yearly tournament. Each slot section has different rules in place and as a result, it has allowed the likes of Al Hilal, Flamengo, Chelsea, Boca Juniors, Inter Miami CF, and several other teams to make the cut.

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Getty Images SportWHAT LIES AHEAD FOR THE FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP?

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is set to serve as a precursor to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The tournament has generated both excitement and debate, with fans eager to see what lies ahead next summer. However, some critics have questioned the decision to expand the competition, arguing that the already packed fixture schedule will further strain players by adding another tournament at the end of the season.

So far, it remains to be seen just how well both FIFA and the various clubs involved handle the added pressure of an expanded tournament and an upcoming World Cup alongside the heavy season schedule.

Newcastle United set up a third-round tie against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup after defeating AFC Wimbledon 1-0 at St. James’ Park in a rescheduled fixture thanks to Fabian Schar’s penalty before the break.

It wasn’t a vintage display but Eddie Howe will be pleased after ringing the changes and advancing in a competition that saw his side defeated as finalists the season before last.

There’s hope at the hearts of the Toon support that Newcastle can restore their place in European competition next term, but a concerted drive toward a trophy would go down a treat too.

Everyone will need to pull their weight to achieve this after superior opponents in the Carabao Cup and, starting from January, the FA Cup – and Miguel Almiron did his case no favours with this one.

Miguel Almiron's performance vs Wimbledon

Almiron was fouled by Joe Pigott just before half-time and thus played one of the most important parts of the evening, winning the spot kick that sent Newcastle through to the next round. He also scored early on but to see his strike ruled out for offside.

But this wasn’t an accurate representation of his performance, having been wasteful in possession – giving the ball away on 16 occasions – and proving profligate in front of goal. The Paraguayan, aged 30, was also caught offside on a couple of occasions.

Minutes played

90′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Penalties won

1

Touches

82

Shots (on target)

3 (0)

Big chances missed

1

Accurate passes

54/61 (89%)

Possession lost

16x

Key passes

1

Crosses (completed)

2 (0)

Dribbles (completed)

1 (0)

Total duels (won)

6 (2)

Howe will be hoping to see sharper attacking efforts from his team, especially with a crucial Premier League clash against Everton at Goodison Park forthcoming.

Almiron, who has only featured off the bench in the league thus far, must be dropped.

Chalkboard

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

Howe must now drop Miguel Almiron

Harvey Barnes started against Wimbledon but was withdrawn at the break, while Anthony Gordon was introduced after the hour mark and centre-forward Alexander Isak was not included at all as he regains fitness ahead of the weekend.

If Isak is fit to start at Everton, then he will. Furthermore, Jacob Murphy sat through the entire affair on Tuesday night as an unused substitute, making a subtle comment on Howe’s view of the Premier League contest.

Almiron has not tasted top-flight football for the past three matches and played only two minutes across United’s opening three. This emphasises the potential role he is to play throughout the campaign – bit-part.

Murphy might not be the most clinical of wingers, but he works his socks off and invariably puts in a decent shift. Almiron, too, embodies this approach, but it’s hard to make the case for him when he fails to grasp promising goalscoring opportunities and contribute to the overall flow of the attack.

A fully-fit Newcastle frontline would consist of Barnes, Gordon and Isak anyway. Back to the bench for Almiron.

Newcastle wanted to sign £100m star who's been way better than Isak

Eddie Howe was keen on signing a Premier League star in the summer transfer window…

ByRoss Kilvington Sep 30, 2024

Tottenham Hotspur have never had it so good as they did during Mauricio Pochettino’s reign between 2014 and 2019.

During that spell, Spurs reached a League Cup final and the Champions League final, while establishing themselves as one of the best sides in the Premier League, finishing outside the top four just once between 2015 and 2019.

The Argentinian built a solid team that perhaps could count themselves unlucky to not win a major trophy during his spell in charge.

He did form one of the finest triumvirates in the club’s recent history, however, as Harry Kane, Heung-min Son and Dele Ali all thrived under Pochettino.

Kane went from plucky academy talent to one of the best strikers in the world, while Pochettino also managed to bring out the best in Son and Alli during his time managing the pair.

Ange Postecoglou can now only call upon the services of the South Korean star, as both Kane and Alli have since departed the North London side.

Under the inspired leadership of the former Southampton manager, Alli registered 103 goal contributions, while Kane and Son registered 196 and 110 respectively, clearly proving how good Pochettino was for the trio.

The club haven’t had three players quite link up in the final third like those three, something which Ange will be desperate to do sooner rather than later.

He could turn to some of the club's hottest young talent to solve that problem. Here's three players vying to be Tottenham's next superstars…

1

Mikey Moore – the next Harry Kane

Kane had to bide his time during his early years at Spurs, going out on several loans before finally grabbing his chance during the 2014/15 season under Pochettino and finally utilising his talents.

Mikey Moore is certainly built similarly to the England icon, showcasing a keen eye for goal during his appearances for the U18 side since the start of the 2022/23 campaign.

For the U18 age group, Moore has been deployed as both a left-winger and centre-forward, scoring 19 goals in just 24 matches, along with chipping in with 13 assists, not a bad set of numbers for a 17-year-old.

During the U17 European Championship, the teenager scored four goals in four games for England, grabbing an assist too, as he demonstrated his qualities on the international stage.

Ange clearly has high hopes for Moore as he gave him his senior debut towards the end of last season, bringing on the teenager in games against Manchester City and Sheffield United, offering him the opportunity to play for the senior side.

With the club in four competitions this term, expect plenty more chances for the young forward as the season progresses.

2

Wilson Odobert – the next Heung-min Son

The Frenchman began his career at Paris Saint-Germain, emerging through the youth system as one of their most promising wingers.

Across 30 games for the U19 and Youth League sides in 2021/22, Odobert scored 19 times and registered four assists, which gave him all the confidence needed to flourish during a loan spell with Troyes the season after.

This allowed him to seal a move to Burnley last summer. Despite the fact they were relegated, Odobert still managed to score three goals and grab three assists, which attracted attention from Spurs.

The North London side splashed out £25m to bring him to the club, which looked like it was going to be an investment for the future.

Odobert vs Son in the PL 23/24
Metric	Son	Odobert
Goals	17	3
Assists	10	2
Key passes per game	2	1.1
Successful dribbles per game	1.1	1.8
Shots per game	2.4	1.7
Big chances created	20	7

Last term, the 19-year-old created seven big chances in the Premier League, while also averaging 1.1 key passes and succeeding with 1.8 dribbles per game.

These statistics could eventually see him become the ideal heir for Son in the Spurs starting XI, as his potential, noticeably in possession of the ball, is limitless.

Despite playing only 66 minutes for his new club, Odobert has still managed to make one key pass and succeed with two dribbles in their win over Everton recently.

Pressure shouldn’t be placed on his shoulders right now, but if the French gem can settle in and hit the ground running, Spurs may have another talented winger on their hands.

3

Lucas Bergvall – the next Dele Alli

The 18-year-old attacking midfielder joined Spurs this summer having initially agreed a deal to sign for the London side back in February from Djurgarden in the Swedish top flight.

His spell with the club clearly attracted plenty of attention as he scored nine times and chipped in with six assists across all competitions and these sorts of numbers could certainly see the teenager emerging as a player similar to Alli at Spurs. Out of sorts now, the England international is cut from a similar cloth, both capable of finding the net and assisting teammates on a regular basis.

Such is his immense promise and wonderful pre-season, Bergvall has been called up to the Sweden national side for the very first time, signifying that Ange has a prodigious talent at his disposal.

The youngster looked bright on his first appearance for the club, coming on for the final 12 minutes against Leicester City in the first Premier League match of the season.

Despite his limited chance to shine, Bergvall still managed to make a key pass and created a big chance, while finishing the game with a 96% pass success rate and succeeding with two of his three dribbles.

A promising debut indeed, and it gives Ange an indication of what he could expect in the near future.

This trio of young talents could begin to make an impression in the first-team squad throughout the 2024/25 campaign, giving the boss plenty of options to call upon.

While they may not live up to the reputation of Kane, Son and Alli, the three players are among some of the finest prodigies the club has had in a few years and look like a fine crop of young talents.

Spurs struck gold on "fantastic" star who's worth way more than Odobert

He is linked with a move away this summer.

By
Joe Nuttall

Aug 18, 2024

Newcastle United did not have the summer transfer window that they would have hoped for, with tensions simmering after a host of top targets were missed.

The most notable, as you'll know, is Marc Guehi, who still resides in Crystal Palace's backline after Steve Parish's obstinant refusal to part with the England international. Four bids were placed, but Paul Mitchell and co would not meet the £75m asking price.

They were right to do so, but the failure to sign an alternative or reinforce structural fragilities in the middle of the park and on the right flank has left a hanging mist of anxiety at St. James' Park.

Eddie Howe is already looking ahead to the turn of the year…

Newcastle transfer news

According to reports relayed by Caught Offside, Howe is gearing up to move for Angel Gomes in the new year, making the newly-blooded England international his side's top target for 2025.

Gomes, 24, set out to make his name in France after being released by Manchester United in 2020. He had been offered an extension but felt a peripheral role might run counter against his career ambitions.

Now, the Red Devils want the LOSC Lille star back, but Newcastle appear to hold the most concrete interest amid growing intrigue from a whole host of Europe's top outfits.

Angel Gomes' post-Man Utd career

It would appear Gomes made the right decision, closing his time at Old Trafford at the fledgling phase of his promising career. The likes of Ian Wright, Jesse Lingard and Jack Grealish had showered the versatile midfielder with praise back in 2019 after he made a marked impact, but he would only feature for 19 minutes across the coming Premier League term.

His time at Lille has been crucial to his growth and continuing rise to the fore. As you can see below, Gomes has played across a range of roles but is at his best when in a forward midfield role, thus utilising his technical quality and creative flair.

Angel Gomes: Career Stats by Position

Position

Apps

Goals

Assists

Attacking midfield

97

26

24

Central midfield

47

5

9

Left midfield

27

6

3

Defensive midfield

15

0

2

Centre-forward

7

1

0

Right midfield

5

0

0

Stats via Transfermarkt

He's started the current campaign by helping his team through the Champions League qualifiers, but his recent acclaim stems from last year's brilliant efforts, with Gomes featuring 45 times for Lille, scoring two goals and providing ten assists for his teammates.

As per FBref, the diminutive midfielder ranks among the top 8% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 13% for shot-creating actions, the top 14% for pass completion and the top 18% for progressive passes per 90. His passing is a deadly weapon that would bear dividends over on Tyneside.

His successful first stint with the Three Lions marks the summit of his career so far, but there are larger mountains to be scaled yet.

Joining up with Newcastle would present a tough test, back within the rigours of the Premier League, but Gomes – who coach Stevie Grevie hailed as a "baller" – is demonstrating the skill to do as much and he might just be a masterful signing, should Mitchell get it done.

After all, Howe has had some success bringing in a midfielder from France, just ask Bruno Guimaraes.

Howe's next Bruno Guimaraes

Newcastle signed Guimaraes from Lyon in a deal worth £40m in January 2022, with the Brazilian proving to be one of the torch-bearers under the PIF regime. Still, to this day, he makes a case for being the club's most important and influential player.

Bruno Guimaraes: Premier League Statistics

Stats (*per game)

21/22

22/23

23/24

24/25

Matches played

17 (11)

32 (32)

37 (37)

3 (3)

Goals

5

4

7

0

Assists

1

5

8

0

Pass completion

86%

85%

85%

77%

Big chances created

3

2

12

0

Touches*

46.9

68.4

81.0

66.7

Key passes*

0.7

1.3

1.7

0.7

Dribbles*

1.3

1.4

1.9

1.0

Ball recoveries*

7.0

7.7

6.5

6.0

Tackles + interceptions*

3.1

3.5

3.3

5.0

Duels won*

6.2

7.0

7.7

10.0

Stats via Sofascore

He has been a combative and creative menace throughout his Premier League career and is considered among the finest midfielders on English soil, though his start to the current campaign has seen something of a swing toward a deeper, more defence-focused role.

Indeed, Guimaraes is not progressing the ball forward as often, and he is not proving to be as sharp with his playmaking, though his defensive metrics have skyrocketed.

It's not the largest pool of data to extract from but Guimaraes is clearly adopting a slightly different role, perhaps in line with the anticipated return of Sandro Tonali, who will bring fizz and dynamism back to Howe's engine room.

Gomes could arrive as Howe's next version of Guimaraes, helping to guide that multi-functionality. Indeed, Gomes might be a wonderful creator but he's not bad in a deeper role either – as the table from earlier shows you, he has been called upon to anchor the midfield on occasion.

Despite his slight frame, he still covered plenty of ground in Ligue 1 last year, averaged four ball recoveries per game and won 53% of his ground duels, speaking of a fieriness that would indeed be needed in the Premier League.

Once considered a 'wonderkid', Gomes is now moving toward stardom, and deserves a second shot at football in his homeland. Newcastle would be more than happy to oblige.

Related Newcastle star was worth £29m when PIF arrived, now he's worth 245% more

He’s been a huge hit since his move to Newcastle.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Sep 12, 2024

MatériaMais Notícias

Dessa vez, Michael não iniciou entre os titulares do Flamengo, mas foi acionado após o intervalo do jogo contra o Bahia, na última quinta-feira, pela 31ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro, e seguiu a toada das últimas partidas: empilhando gols. E o atacante igualou a sua temporada mais artilheira da carreira.

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Na vitória por 3 a 0 sobre o Bahia, Michael passou a somar 16 gols nesta temporada, o mesmo número de vezes que balançou as redes pelo Goiás, em 2019, ano em que foi eleito a Revelação do Brasileiro e credenciou a ser contratado pelo Flamengo em seguida.

Na ocasião, marcou 16em 54 jogos – sendo 51 como titular. Agora, pelo Fla, chega aos mesmos 16 gols, mas em56 jogos – 34 iniciando entre os titulares. Além disso, Michael quadruplicou a marca da temporada 2020 pelo Rubro-Negro, quando fez apenas quatro gols (em43 jogos).

Cabe destacar que Michael chegou a cinco gols nos últimos cinco jogos pelo Flamengo. E comemorou a boa fase, sem “ligar” para a fase artilheira – o Robozinho ainda acumula nove assistências na temporada.

-Sou um cara que não ligo para artilharia, essas coisas, mas gosto de ajudar a equipe e jogar. Estou muito feliz – comentou Michael, após o jogo de ontem.

> Veja e simule a tabela do Brasileirão

O Flamengo, agora, enfrenta o São Paulo no Morumbi, às 16h deste domingo, pela 32ª rodada do Brasileirão. Neste momento, o Rubro-Negro, em terceiro colocado, está com 57 pontos – 11 a menos em relação ao Atlético-MG, líder e ainda com um jogo a mais na tabela.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is personally targeting one new forward for the Gunners, following their £30 million sale of Eddie Nketiah to Crystal Palace.

Nketiah seals £30m transfer to Crystal Palace from Arsenal

On Tuesday, reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano gave the 'here we go' to Nketiah's move to Palace after days of speculation, with the transfer amounting to £30 million (including £5m in add-ons).

Arsenal ready to make late offer to sign "incredible" £70m Trossard repeat

They face competition from Manchester City…

3 ByTom Cunningham Aug 26, 2024

Nketiah leaves Arsenal following seven years with the first team, having made his professional debut for them all the way back in 2017 after graduating from the Hale End academy.

The Englishman went on to make 168 appearances for the north Londoners, scoring 38 goals and providing seven assists over an exact total of 7,000 minutes across all competitions.

Nketiah was down the pecking order under Arteta and far from guaranteed consistent minutes in the Premier League, motivating Arsenal to strike a deal with Palace as the 25-year-old begins a new chapter of his career across London at Selhurst Park.

Appearances

168

Goals

38

Assists

7

Bookings

12

Red Cards

1

Minutes played

7,000

via Transfermarkt

The former Leeds United loanee has been granted permission to travel for his medical at Palace, and no problems are expected, according to transfer journalist David Ornstein of The Athletic.

Following this agreement, and their deal to sign Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad, it is believed Arsenal are in the market for a new forward as we enter the final days of this summer transfer market.

Arteta personally targeting one forward for Arsenal after Nketiah exit

As per The Sun, Arteta is personally targeting one new forward for Arsenal, as the Spaniard would like another attacking option to come in before the transfer cut-off on August 31.

Edu Gaspar and the club's recruitment team are apparently looking at "numerous options" and are set to make a late transfer swoop for one more signing further up the field, with the £27 million fee received for Emile Smith-Rowe also bolstering their transfer budget.

It appears Arsenal may not be done with their acquisition of Merino, which was officially confirmed this week at long last, following weeks of talks.

“We are so happy to have completed the transfer of Mikel Merino," said a delighted Edu on Merino's arrival. "This has been another great team effort from many people at the club to finalise the transfer of a player who attracted interest from a number of clubs over the summer.

“Mikel was a key target for us this summer, and we identified him as a player who can fit perfectly into our squad and profile to improve us, as we aim to build on our strong performances of last season. With Mikel’s arrival, he brings us an added high quality of experience, physicality and athleticism as we look forward to this season ahead."

Glasgow Rangers have made their eighth signing of the summer as winger Vaclav Cerny joins the Ibrox side on a season-long loan deal.

Arriving from Bundesliga side VFL Wolfsburg, it is clear the Czech international – who represented his nation at Euro 2024 – has the skills required to shine in Scotland.

Philippe Clement was full of praise for the player upon his arrival, saying: “I am delighted to welcome Václav to the squad, he is an exciting player, with valuable experience in European football.”

Hopefully, this is a signing which is the catalyst for more players to join the Light Blues ahead of their first league match against Hearts next week.

Clement will be aiming for a couple of more experienced bodies to join the club, but he is still keen on signing youngsters with extraordinarily high ceilings.

Could the South American market be looked at once again? It looks like the experienced manager has targeted a signing from the continent…

Rangers eye move for Colombian talent

According to reports, Rangers are keen on signing right-back Edier Ocampo in the next few weeks.

The 20-year-old could be close to leaving Colombian outfit Athletico Nacional after coach Pablo Repetto left him out of the previous match against Millonarios due to the interest expressed in the young defender.

Indeed, Rangers, Hellas Verona and French side Toulouse have tabled offers for him, according to the report, while interest in the MLS comes from the Vancouver Whitecaps, indicating that Clement has some competition to fend off.

The Belgian is eyeing up signings from all over the pitch and, with the future of James Tavernier in doubt, could Ocampo be an ideal replacement for the captain should he make the move from South America to Scotland this summer?

Latest on James Tavernier’s Ibrox future

While there have been several new arrivals this summer, Clement is now at a stage where he needs to move a few first-team players on. Not only to create space in the squad, but to also raise vital funds for one or two marquee signings.

There is still plenty of time to go until the summer transfer window closes, yet the return of the new season is fast approaching, with players who clearly aren’t good enough looking like they could start the league opener against Hearts.

Tavernier is one member of the senior leadership team who could be about to end their stay at Ibrox, as several clubs are keen on signing him.

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2023/24

58

24

12

2022/23

55

18

10

2021/22

58

18

17

2020/21

46

19

16

2019/20

46

3

15

2018/19

57

17

20

2017/18

46

9

9

2016/17

44

2

7

2015/16

50

15

23

Former Gers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst – who is now in charge of Besiktas – wants to reunite with the Englishman. Fellow Turkish side Trabzonspor are also interested, having made an offer last week to secure his services.

His future still remains uncertain, yet this is surely the ideal chance for the club to cash in on the player, who has two years left on his current contract.

Since joining Rangers back in the summer of 2015, Tavernier has played 460 competitive games for the club, scoring a quite remarkable 125 goals. Add in a further 129 assists during his spell in Glasgow, and it becomes evident that the club may never have a right-back who can replicate these kinds of numbers again.

The last few seasons, despite the goal involvements, have seen the likes of Tavernier and Connor Goldson fail to inspire the team to more domestic honours, stumbling when it really matters.

Ocampo might not be the finished product, but Clement’s new strategy is clearly signing youngsters with significant potential in order to secure a major profit for them in the future.

Could the Colombian gem send the captain packing? Only time will tell.

Edier Ocampo’s career statistics

Despite not turning 21 until October, the starlet has already made 58 senior appearances for Athletico Nacional. Add to that another 21 games for the Colombia U20 side, and it is clear he is ready for a fresh challenge.

While primarily a right-back, Ocampo can also operate in a more advanced role as a right-winger, which means, regardless of where he plays, Clement can expect the player to get forward and contribute towards the attack.

In 21 club matches during 2024, the 20-year-old – who has "seriously high potential", as noted above – scored three goals and chipped in with an assist in the Colombian top flight, showcasing his attacking qualities.

During the opening Apertura section of the league, Ocampo ranked second among his teammates for goals and assists (four), while also ranking second for big chances created (two), third for key passes per game (1.4), first for successful dribbles per game (1.3) and fifth for shots on target per game (0.7), yet more evidence of his growing attacking qualities.

The more he plays, the better Ocampo will get. With a move to Europe looking like it could be the most likely option, Clement will need to act swiftly to bring this deal over the line.

If Tavernier does leave, it opens up space for the youngster to develop further at Rangers at right-back, while even pushing forward to a more attacking position should the opportunity arise.

This will depend on Clement managing to secure a deal to send the captain packing in the next week or so, however.

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If Ocampo is available for a decent fee, then this is a move which the club should be doing everything they can to get over the line.

He is young, ready to play senior football and clearly has a limitless ceiling when it comes to future potential. With Cerny arriving through the doors at Ibrox, more should be ready to follow suit in the coming weeks, that’s for sure.