Barcelona boss Hansi Flick has been asked about the possibility of Neymar coming back to the club ahead of their Champions League tie with Benfica.
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Flick opened up on Neymar transfer linksBrazilian tipped to reunite with Catalan clubBarca face Benfica in UCL on WednesdayFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Neymar mutually terminated his contract with Al-Hilal, six months before it was to expire, to return to his homeland and sign for boyhood club Santos. He has joined the Brazilian giants on a short-term deal but has also been linked with a move back to Europe in the summer. The forward is said to be keen on a 'Last Dance' with the Catalans ahead of World Cup 2026.
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Speaking to reporters, the Blaugrana boss said: "The possibility of Neymar joining Barça does not concern me. I am focused on the team and we have a lot of work to do until the end of the season. This is the work of other people at the club."
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Neymar is off to a dream start in Brazil as he has already scored three goals and provided as many assists in seven matches across all competitions. Santos have already expressed their desire to retain the star attacker's services beyond this season as their president wants to keep the player at the club at least until the 2026 World Cup in North America.
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The Catalan giants will be back in action on Wednesday when they take on Benfica in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 fixture.
The Hollywood star enjoyed Atlanta’s 3-2 win over CF Montreal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Harbour spotted at Atlanta United's season openerThe "Stranger Things" star hit the Golden Spike before kick-offThe Five Stripes won 3-2 against CF MontrealGet the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowWHAT HAPPENED
David Harbour, star of "Stranger Things" and "Black Widow," was at Mercedes-Benz Stadium for Atlanta United's 2025 MLS season opener Saturday night.
The Hollywood actor's presence added star power to an already electric atmosphere as Atlanta kicked off their new campaign with a 3-2 win. Harbour also hit the now iconic Golden Spike before kick-off to mark the beginning of the home side's 2025 MLS campaign.
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Harbour's attendance at the Atlanta United match underscores the growing appeal of Major League Soccer to celebrities and the general public alike. The league has seen a significant increase in popularity, with total attendance for the 2024 season exceeding 12.1 million fans, second only to the English Premier League in global soccer attendance. Furthermore, celebrity sightings at MLS games have become more common, with Paul Pogba, Serena Williams, and Eva Longoria seen at Inter Miami’s MLS opener while LAFC part-owner Will Ferrell was also seen supporting his side.
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WHAT’S NEXT?
next challenge is an away game against regional rival Charlotte FC on March 1 before they host NY Red Bulls on March 8.
Leicester City are among the Premier League clubs who are interested in signing an attacking “machine” in January, according to a new report. The Foxes have made a steady start to life back in the top flight, picking up 10 points from a possible 30, but Steve Cooper will know performances do need to improve if they are going to stay above that dotted line.
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The Foxes would have to wait until the summer to get the deal completed.
ByBrett Worthington Nov 4, 2024 Leicester already lining up 2025 transfer plans
Leicester and Cooper will have their eye on players who they believe can improve them for when January arrives, but they also appear to have their eye on one player who can’t move until next summer.
It was reported earlier this week that the Foxes are keeping a close eye on Ipswich Town’s Jack Clarke. The winger only joined the Tractor Boys during the summer transfer window from Sunderland, but Leicester are already weighing up whether to make a move for him in 2025. It has been a testing time for Clarke at Portman Road, as he’s yet to replicate the form he showed at the Stadium of Light.
The 23-year-old hasn’t scored for Ipswich yet, and he has found himself in and out of the starting XI in the opening 10 league games. He cannot play for a third English club this term after already turning out for Ipswich and the Black Cats though, so any move would be a summer one.
Leicester interested in signing Bayern starlet Mathys Tel
According to Caught Offside, Leicester City are interested in signing Mathys Tel on loan in January. The 19-year-old has been at Bayern Munich since July 2022, when he joined from French side Stade Rennais, and his career has really taken off since moving to Germany, as he shines playing anywhere across the front three.
Bayern Munich forward Mathys Tel
Tel, who has been labelled a “two-footed ball-striking machine” in the past, played 30 times for Munich in the Bundesliga last season, scoring seven goals and recording five assists, but this season he has fallen out of favour under manager Vincent Kompany.
The winger has played seven times in all competitions, only two of which have come as starts, and it appears as though he could be allowed to leave on loan when January arrives. The report states that the German giants still see Tel as a “key part” of their long-term future, but he could now benefit from a temporary move away, and would be an exciting addition to the Premier League.
Looking at players who compare on FBRef’s statistical tools, Liverpool’s Luis Diaz ranks second by statistical profile.
Tel
Diaz
Apps
30
37
Goals
7
8
xG
3.7
11.9
Goals per 90
0.60
0.27
Assists
5
5
xAG
2.3
5.7
Assists per 90
0.43
0.17
Shots (On target)
43 (18)
94 (32)
Shots per 90
3.69
3.22
Bayern want Tel to get regular first team minutes under his belt, and Leicester, as well as Fulham, Crystal Palace, and Nottingham Forest, are all keen on landing the young star, but a final decision will be made by the player himself.
Well, it wasn’t quite the swashbuckling win fans would have been hoping for after the performance on Saturday, but Tottenham Hotspur picked up another important three points in the Europa League last night.
Ange Postecoglou’s side didn’t blow away AZ Alkmaar, but they were undoubtedly the better team and had some of the attackers been that bit more clinical, they could have come away with a few more goals.
That said, a win is a win, and among the starting lineup were some impressive performers, notably the young Mikey Moore, who demonstrated why he should be starting more games in the future – quite the opposite of one of his teammates.
Moore's sensational performance
Postecoglou finally handed Moore his second start of the season last night, and while he looked impressive off the right in the first half, he reached another level entirely off the left in the second half.
The young Englishman may not have scored a goal or registered an assist, but for large parts of the second 45, he was undoubtedly the North Londoners’ best attacker and was able to get the fans on their feet every time he had the ball at his.
That may sound hyperbolic, but it’s an opinion shared by James Maddison, who described him as “Neymar on the left wing,” and the Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick, who awarded the 17-year-old an 8/10 on the night for his ‘electric display.’
It might still be ever so slightly too early to claim Moore should be starting every game for the club going forward, but based on his performance last night, he should now get far more game time, especially as the starter he replaced on the left put in a display that must see him removed from the lineup for some time.
Timo Werner's performance in numbers
German winger Timo Werner is the player in question who has surely played himself out of the team.
The former Chelsea ace started off the left against AZ and put in a performance so disastrous that Postecoglou hooked him at halftime, and for good reason, with Kilpatrick awarding him a 5/10 on the night and writing that ‘his woeful run in front of goal continued.’
It may sound harsh, but it’s an opinion backed up by the 28-year-old’s statistics, as in his 45 minutes of action, he took one shot on target and one off target, missed a big chance, failed in 100% of his dribbles, maintained a passing accuracy of 68%, misplaced 50% of his crosses and long balls, lost 100% of his aerial duels, lost the ball 11 times and was offside once.
Minutes
45′
Expected Goals
0.15
Shots on Target
1
Shots off Target
1
Dribbles (Successful)
1 (0)
BIg Chances Missed
1
Touches
33
Passing Accuracy
13/19 (68%)
Crosses (Accurate)
4 (2)
Long Balls (Accurate)
2 (1)
Aerial Duels (Won)
1 (0)
Lost Possession
11
Offsides
1
In all, it was an abysmal showing from the experienced attacker and one made to look even worse by the sensational display from Moore in the same position in the second half.
Ultimately, while the young Englishman has certainly played himself into contention for more games going forward, Werner has undoubtedly done the opposite, as if he cannot perform in the Europa League; what hope does he have in the Premier League?
Levy wasted £21m on Spurs flop who was just a "poor man's Soldado"
Spurs have wasted a lot of money on forwards over the years, but this striker might have been the most disappointing of the lot.
Arsenal legend Ian Wright has slammed the 'incompetency' of Premier League referees after Myles Lewis-Skelly's controversial red card against Wolves.
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Wright slams 'incompetency' of EPL referees
Lewis-Skelly received controversial red on Saturday
Arsenal icon hints officials should be hired from abroad
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Wright was reacting to the controversial red card awarded to Myles Lewis-Skelly by Michael Oliver in the first half of Arsenal's clash with Wolves at Molineux on Saturday, when a foul on Matt Doherty was deemed "serious foul play" and not reviewed by VAR. The Gunners went on to win the game 1-0 but the decision has still prompted outrage from players, staff and fans.
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Arsenal feel they have been hard done by in terms of refereeing decisions this season. Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard were both sent off after receiving second yellow cards for kicking the ball away earlier on in the campaign, costing their side potential victories against Brighton and Manchester City. They currently sit six points behind league leaders Liverpool, with their rivals also having a game in hand.
WHAT WRIGHT SAID
Commenting on the decision, Wright said on Instagram: "It's a joke. Anyone that has ever played the game knows it's never a red. Yellow card, nobody says a word. Time and time again, this level of refereeing in the Premier League – the inconsistency, the excuses, the apologies – they just want to be the centre of attention, for me." Wright added in the caption: "They are going to try and find all sorts of angles and slow mo's to try and justify the incompetency and inconsistency of PGMOL."
The former Arsenal striker also suggested the Premier League should bring in foreign referees to improve the falling officiating standards. "We can't criticise too hard because where are the refs going to come from? Where are we going to get them? But, I'm sorry. This is the highest level of football and we do not have the highest level of referees," he said. "When will the Premier League bring the best refs into the so-called best league in the world. Because, at the moment, with this level of referees, we're nowhere near it. Nowhere near it."
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WHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?
Arsenal face a crucial period of their season in the coming weeks, beginning with the visit of Manchester City in the Premier League next Sunday. They then travel to Newcastle for the second leg of their Carabao Cup tie with Newcastle, which they trail 2-0 on aggregate, and also face third-place Nottingham Forest at the City Ground before the end of February.
Despite going a man down in just the seventh minute, Tottenham Hotspur picked up their third win on the bounce against Qarabağ FK on Thursday night.
Ange Postecoglou’s side had a rough start to the season this year, with just seven points from a possible 15, but following their win in the Europa League, it looks like they may have just turned things around.
Brennan Johnson has found his goalscoring boots, Guglielmo Vicario is back in fine form, and Dominic Solanke is well and truly off the mark.
However, one of the few negatives to come out of the victory against the Azerbaijani champions is that club captain Son Heung-min was forced off in the 71st minute and, according to the manager, could miss out on the game against Manchester United tomorrow afternoon.
While this is far from ideal, Postecoglou has several options to solve this potential issue.
1 Relocate Dejan Kulusevski
Yes, perhaps one of the more likely solutions the Australian could consider tomorrow afternoon is to start Swedish international Dejan Kulusevski off the left of the front three.
Now, it is true that the former Juventus star is far more accustomed to playing off the right and even in the centre, for that matter, but he has played in Son’s position before.
In fact, he has started there 13 times in his career – including twice at Spurs – scoring twice and providing three assists, equating to a goal involvement on average every 2.6 games.
Moreover, the “special, special player,” as Sky Sports’ Jamie Weir dubbed him, is naturally left-footed, which should at least help with the transition, which, with his immaculate technical ability, should already be rather easy.
It might not be the perfect solution, but moving Kulusevski to the left certainly seems like it would help keep the quality of the starting lineup relatively high.
2 Hand Mikey Moore his first start
Now admittedly, this one might be a tad unlikely, but if the captain is unable to play and Postecoglou wants to keep Kulusevski either on the right or in midfield, then why not give Mikey Moore his first start?
Yes, given it’s United away, it would be an almighty show of faith in the 17-year-old, but as the saying goes, if they’re good enough, they’re old enough, and by all accounts, it looks like he is.
Moore’s youth record
Team
U18s
U21s
Youth League
Appearances
24
4
5
Goals
19
1
0
Assists
13
2
0
Goal Involvements per Match
1.33
0.75
0.00
All Stats via Transfermarkt
For example, in just 33 appearances for the club’s various youth sides, the youngster whom U23 scout Antonio Mango claimed was “born to play football” has scored 20 goals and provided 15 assists, equating to a mind-blowing average of a goal involvement every 0.94 games.
Moreover, unlike with the first suggestion, the Southwark-born has played plenty of football off the left, meaning he should be able to come into the set-up with minimal fuss and show the league what he is all about.
Ultimately, this would be the bold, perhaps even foolish option, but as Spurs fans will surely attest, to dare is to do.
3 Bring back Timo Werner
The final option, starting Timo Werner, is probably just as likely as the first, if not a little bit more, but we’d hazard a guess about it being the least popular among the fans, and by quite some way at that.
It would be fair to say that since his loan deal was extended for another year, the German international has not impressed in North London.
In his five appearances so far, totalling 131 minutes, the former Chelsea ace hasn’t scored or assisted a goal, and in his one start against Coventry City, he was quite abysmal, picking up a 2/10 match rating from Spurs writer Alasdair Gold for his troubles.
Ultimately, if Son is unable to take part tomorrow afternoon, then Postecoglou is going to have to come up with a solution, and while he might be tempted to bring in Werner for his second start of the campaign, he would be much better off going with Kulusevski, or gambling on Moore.
15x ball lost, 0 key passes: Ange must now boldly drop 5/10 Spurs ace
The experienced international put in an erratic display.
“The idea is for them to get exposure in England,” BCCI treasurer Arun Singh Dhumal says
Reuters12-Jun-2021
Deepti Sharma, Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues are four of the five Indian players who will feature in the Hundred•ESPNcricinfo Ltd
The BCCI has said the participation of its top women players in The Hundred in England will give them much needed experience and exposure to elite opposition ahead of the 50-overs World Cup in New Zealand next year.The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) does not allow its male players to participate in overseas T20 leagues, though some of the Test specialists play county cricket in England.The inaugural edition of the 100-ball competition, which features eight clubs with separate men’s and women’s teams, begins at The Oval on July 21 and will feature five India players: T20I captain Harmanpreet Kaur, her deputy Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma and explosive opener Shafali Verma.Related
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Kaur and Mandhana have also previously played in Australia’s Big Bash League.”The idea is for them to get exposure in England,” BCCI treasurer Arun Singh Dhumal told Reuters by telephone. “Some of our boys have played county cricket, and that has given them a great opportunity and exposure. We want to take women cricket forward similarly.”This experience will definitely come in handy in the World Cup next year.”After a year without international cricket due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the India women’s team hosted South Africa for a limited-overs series in March and the calendar suddenly looks a lot busier.The team, under captain Mithali Raj, will play their first Test in seven years next week when they face England in Bristol, with the tour also including three ODIs and three T20Is.India will play their maiden pink-ball Test in Australia later this year and there could be more action in September-October if the BCCI can organise the Women’s T20 Challenge in the UAE. The Challenge would run alongside the remainder of the men’s Indian Premier League, which was suspended last month because of the Covid-19 pandemic.”We’re trying to figure out if that can be played with the UAE leg of the IPL,” Dhumal said. “Hopefully we’ll get a window. We’ll have to see venue availability as well.”
Na tarde do último domingo, o Athletico visitou o Corinthians e acabou derrotado por 1 a 0, resultado que deixou o time com o sinal de alerta ligado.
+ Veja no aplicativo do LANCE! o resultado dos jogos da rodada
Mesmo com o título da Copa Sul-Americana e a expectativa para faturar a Copa do Brasil, o Furacão se preocupa com a zona de rebaixamento do Brasileirão.
Com 42 pontos, a equipe de Alberto Valentim está na 14ª colocação. O Juventude, primeiro time do Z-4, está com 40 pontos.
Calendário
Com a necessidade de somar pontos, o Athletico volta a campo na próxima sexta-feira, quando o time encara o Cuiabá, na Arena da Baixada.
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Paul Pogba, who is seeing a third spell at Manchester United speculated on, has been warned a return to football will be “tough” after 18 months out.
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World Cup winner serving doping banReleased by Serie A giants JuventusLinked with clubs in Europe & AmericaFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱GettyWHAT HAPPENED?
The World Cup winner will be cleared to resume his professional career in March 2025 after serving a doping ban which initially stood at four years but was reduced on appeal. Serie A giants Juventus have taken the decision to release Pogba from his contract in Turin.
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The France international is now a free agent and mulling over his options. There has been talk of Pogba following Lionel Messi to MLS, while he could be reunited with former Manchester United team-mate Mason Greenwood at Ligue 1 outfit Marseille.
Getty ImagesWHAT WES BROWN SAID
It has also been suggested that Pogba will be given the chance to train with United in the new year, as he works his way back towards fitness, but ex-Red Devils defender Wes Brown has told of the 31-year-old potentially earning another deal at Old Trafford: “I'm not sure about Paul Pogba coming back to United for a third time. I can't see it happening. Paul, obviously, as an individual player, he's absolutely class. I've always loved how he played.
“Again, he gets a lot of stick, but there is no doubting his ability as an individual. Being out for 18 months will be tough for him – it will take him some time to get back to the levels we’ve seen him produce before. I know he'll be training somewhere, but it’s a bit different training in isolation, not being around world-class players. Someone will definitely pick him up, no doubt about it, but I can't see it's going to be Man United if I'm being honest.”
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WHAT NEXT?
Pogba is a product of United’s academy system and savoured Europa League and League Cup success during his second spell in England. He is eager to get his career back on track somewhere, with big calls on his immediate future needing to be made.
Manchester United are certainly pushing ahead in the transfer market to add a number of new gems to their ever-growing squad, with one bumper deal nearing its completion imminently.
The Red Devils are reportedly close to tying up a deal for Uruguay international Manuel Ugarte to join Erik Ten Hag's camp this summer, bolstering their central midfield spots subsequently.
The current Paris St. Germain man could end up partnering Kobbie Mainoo this coming season, therefore, with the now fully fledged England international eager to kick on at Old Trafford even more, after a stunning breakout campaign saw the teenager score in the FA Cup final.
Kobbie Mainoo's breakout season at Man United
There was plenty of hype surrounding Mainoo's name in Man United quarters when he was advancing up the youth ranks, with the slick 19-year-old midfielder accumulating 56 appearances for the U18s and U21s before being given his first real senior break.
Mainoo has now picked up 35 first-team appearances, with mostly all of those coming under the watchful guidance of Ten Hag, with five goals and one assist managed along the way.
Away from his general attacking output for his boyhood club, Mainoo's energy and tenacity for an often forlorn-looking Red Devils outfit when things have been stacked against them has also definitely made him a firm fan's favourite for those with connections to the red side of Manchester.
From his 24 top-flight games last campaign, the teenager made an average of four ball recoveries per clash, on top of winning five total duels on average, with this constant energy in the tank also helping England out in Germany this summer.
His best match during England's adventure out in Germany would arguably come against the Netherlands when glancing at his match numbers on the night, with the Man United youth product winning 100% of his duels against Ronald Koeman's nation, on top of completing one key pass when venturing forward.
Mainoo vs Ugarte transfer value
There's no doubt that the future is looking very bright for the Man United number 37 currently if he keeps this up and he could shine even more when paired up with a potential new teammate next to him in the form of Ugarte.
Yet, as much as Ugarte could arrive with a high price tag above his head, Mainoo is worth more than the PSG gem, according to the CIES Football Observatory.
Indeed, Mainoo's value in the midst of his explosion onto the senior scene now stands at £62m, which is £4m more than what the French titans are now reportedly demanding Man United cough up for Ugarte.
That is the case despite the South American midfielder having more experience on his side over the exciting 19-year-old, accumulating 200 senior matches across his career to date, all whilst only being four years older than the Red Devils teen.
Games played
25
24
Goals scored
0
3
Assists
2
1
Touches*
67.6
49.0
Accurate passes*
48.5 (91%)
31.1 (87%)
Interceptions*
1.6
0.9
Tackles*
3.9
2.0
Ball recoveries*
7.2
4.0
Total duels won*
6.4
5.0
Ugarte actually betters Mainoo in a number of areas when glancing at their respective games above too, with the Uruguayan target far more defensively sound than his exuberant counterpart, with his value potentially rising if he is a success in England soon.
The world will be expected of the 19-year-old this season to come regardless of the amount of incomings through the door, as the "fabulous" star – as he was labelled by his ex-Three Lions boss in Gareth Southgate – strives to improve even more as the years go on.
He could well find he learns more about himself partnered next to Ugarte, as another thrilling Premier League season now comes into view.
Irrespective of who he plays alongside in 2024/25, United have certainly struck gold with their academy graduate.
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