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It would be something of an understatement to say that Nuno Espírito Santo has a monster job on his hands at West Ham United.

The East Londoners are currently sat in the relegation zone, and while they did fight back for a point away to Everton, they then lost 2-0 away at Arsenal.

Moreover, German international Niclas Füllkrug is now injured, and while he hasn’t been great for the club, it’s one less option for the manager.

Fortunately, there are some potential solutions to his absence in the squad, such as starting a promising talent in a new position.

How Fullkrug compares to recent West Ham flops

Despite going away for international duty, Füllkrug was promptly sent back to West Ham before Germany’s first game after it was discovered that he had torn his thigh while training with the Hammers.

While it’s clear that the 32-year-old is going to be out for some time, it’s less clear just how much time, with Nuno telling reporters on Friday that the club “are waiting for the results” of a scan to determine how severe the problem is.

Now, losing players to injury is always a problem, and having fewer options is only going to make life more difficult for the former Nottingham Forest boss.

However, it’s also true that the German international has been a massive disappointment since moving to the London Stadium.

For example, in 27 appearances for the Claret and Blue, totalling 1262 minutes, he has scored just three goals and provided two assists, which is an average of a goal involvement every 5.4 games, or every 252.4 minutes.

Appearances

27

27

69

Minutes

1262′

1342′

2072′

Goals

3

8

5

Assists

2

0

5

Goal Involvements per Match

0.18

0.29

0.14

Minutes per Goal Involvements

252.4′

167.75′

207.2′

For comparison’s sake, Gianluca Scamacca, who many would consider to have been a poor signing, left the London Stadium with a tally of eight goals in 27 appearances, totalling 1342 minutes, which is a goal involvement every 3.37 games, or every 167.75 minutes.

Even Danny Ings, who was a flop, produced ten goal involvements in 69 appearances, totalling 2072 minutes.

While this resulted in a worse average of a goal involvement every 6.9 games, it led to a better average of 207.20 minutes per goal involvement.

In short, while losing the option of Füllkrug isn’t ideal, Nuno should be able to replace his output by playing someone else up top, someone who hasn’t played there for the club before.

The West Ham gem who could replace Füllkrug

There are a few potential solutions to Füllkrug’s injury, from starting Callum Wilson up top to moving Jarrod Bowen in from the wing.

Chalkboard

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

However, the former has been no more impressive than the German, and moving the latter out of his favoured position seems counterintuitive.

Instead, Nuno could be bold and hand Luis Guilherme a rare start, and his first chance to play up top for the side. =

Now, it is true that the young Brazilian is primarily a winger, but as respected analyst Ben Mattinson points out, he is a “complete” and “electric” attacker and, before moving to West Ham, did play as a second striker on occasion for Palmeiras.

Moreover, while the youngster certainly doesn’t shoot enough, when he did take a shot during his time in Brazil, it was one “of a high calibre.”

Furthermore, one of Füllkrug’s biggest drawbacks is that he offers little to no mobility in attack, and if he’s not able to bring the ball down and allow the winger to run past him, he’s more of a hindrance than help in attacking situations.

That shouldn’t be the case with the Aracaju-born gem leading the line, as while he isn’t as physical, he’s fast, agile and could be a nightmare for opposition defenders to keep track of.

For example, Mattinson has described him as a player who “thrives on transitions” and can “can turn past players with ease” thanks to his “elite ball manipulation.”

Ultimately, it would be a gamble, but with few other standout options, starting Guilherme in the nine might be one worth taking for Nuno and West Ham.

West Ham hope of signing "special" striker amid Nuno's damning Fullkrug update

Nuno’s fears around the German have been realised.

ByEmilio Galantini Oct 17, 2025

Tottenham could sign a “game-changing” Brazilian once we reach 2026, and it is now believed that his agent has been given permission to negotiate with interested sides, including Spurs.

Tottenham criticised for lack of creativity under Thomas Frank

Just 13 games into his tenure, some supporters are already expressing concern about Thomas Frank, despite a pretty solid start to 2025/2026 on paper.

Spurs are unbeaten in the Champions League and only three Premier League sides have scored more goals than the north Londoners so far, yet major concerns surround their creativity and inability to dominate matches.

Monaco 0-0 Tottenham – Champions League

Monaco

Team Stats

Tottenham

21

Shots

10

9

Shots on target

4

50%

Possession

50%

399

Passes

328

91%

Pass accuracy

89%

13

Fouls

12

0

Yellow cards

1

0

Red cards

0

1

Offsides

1

5

Corners

4

Xavi Simons has struggled to make an impact since Tottenham signed him from RB Leipzig for £52 million, in what was their ‘statement’ deal of the summer window after losing playmaker James Maddison to injury.

Dejan Kulusevski is also still out after picking up a knee problem at the back end of last season, and it is clear as day that the Lilywhites really miss them right now.

While Joao Palhinha has been one of Tottenham’s players of the season thus far, there are calls for Frank to mix things up and divert away from his usual midfield pairing of the Portuguese and Rodrigo Bentancur, which isn’t having the desired effect right now.

Randal Kolo Muani is currently working his way back to match sharpness after brief cameos against Aston Villa and Monaco, while Dominic Solanke’s fitness issues have been ever present this season.

Concerns also surround Richarlison’s overall form and suitability to lead the line for Frank, with Mathys Tel also failing to pull up trees since his move from Bayern Munich last January.

In truth, Mohammed Kudus has dazzled as Tottenham’s standout attacker by a country mile thus far, and the Ghanaian’s exceptional dribbling is proving to be a constant threat for defenders.

Kudus is currently the Premier League’s fourth-best performer by average match rating per 90 according to WhoScored (7.46), racking up four assists and a goal to boot already, and no other player in the top flight has completed more take-ons per game than the Ghanaian.

Spurs will be counting their blessings that Kudus won’t be going to the Africa Cup of Nations in December, but they cannot solely rely on the 25-year-old for their creativity for much longer.

Agent given permission to negotiate Tottenham move for Rayan

Reports suggest that Tottenham are in the market for another winger in January, with co-sporting directors Johan Lange and Fabio Paratici keeping a keen eye on Vasco da Gama sensation Rayan.

The 19-year-old is currently dazzling in Brazil as one of the nation’s rising star players right now, and recently became the youngest Vasco player to reach 10 Brazilian top flight goals since Dinamite in 1973 — breaking a 52-year record.

He’s now on 16 goals for the season with four of those strikes coming in his last three league games, so he’s a sought-after teenager in red-hot form right now.

Rayan can play as a centre-forward as well as out wide — further adding to his appeal — with his deal at Vasco also due to expire at the end of 2026 as his side demand around £26 million for his signature.

That is according to Calciomercato.it and journalist Daniele Trecca, who report AC Milan’s interest while mentioning that Arsenal, Brighton, Chelsea, Newcastle and Tottenham are all in the race for his signature.

It is also believed that super-agent Pini Zahavi, who represents the forward, has been given the green-light to negotiate with European sides ahead of a potential transfer.

While this could represent a “fast track” to the San Siro, Trecca is quick to point out that Zahavi also has a good relationship with Premier League sides, and Spurs are named among the clubs he could talk to about Rayan.

The attacker is very highly-rated by his peers and coaches, with Paratici now handed a stellar chance to discuss signing one of Brazil’s most noteworthy talents at a reasonable cost.

Over the last couple of years, Tottenham Hotspur haven’t been afraid to splash the cash, with the ownership handing various managers the tools to achieve success.

The Lilywhites have spent around £400m on new signings in the last four years, numerous of which have made a huge impact on their ability to create new history for the club.

Brennan Johnson is one of the players who arrived during such a period, with his £47.5m transfer fee now appearing to be an excellent piece of business, given his record in North London.

The Welshman netted 18 goals across all competitions last campaign, but undoubtedly his most important came in the Europa League final as he helped end the club’s 17-year wait for a trophy.

Despite the 24-year-old’s positive impact in the first-team, the same can’t be said for one player who fell way below the expectations placed upon him after his own big-money transfer.

Tanguy Ndombele’s failed spell at Spurs

In the summer of 2019, Spurs forked out a then club-record fee of £62m for the signature of midfielder Tanguy Ndombele from Ligue 1 outfit Lyon.

Such a move generated huge excitement amongst the fanbase, but it’s safe to say his time in North London was one of bitter disappointment, given his failure to impress.

He would feature a total of 91 times for the Lilywhites over a three-year period, spending two separate spells on loan at Napoli and Galatasaray before his contract was cut short – allowing him to depart on a free transfer in the summer of 2024.

Whilst he produced some moments of magic, including his superb effort against Sheffield United, he was unable to produce such levels on a regular basis – with concerns being voiced around his attitude and fitness.

His tally of 10 goals and nine assists highlight the lack of impact he had, with the hierarchy subsequently losing a small fortune on their investment – especially after he departed for nothing.

However, he’s not the only player to fall below the standards expected of him, with one current first-team player currently finding himself in a similar situation.

The Spurs player who’s becoming the biggest waste since Ndombele

Current boss Thomas Frank has made a solid start to his Spurs career so far, only losing one of his nine games in charge across all competitions in 2025/26.

The Dane has created a settled 4-3-3 side that has allowed them to make some major scalps, including a 2-0 triumph against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City at the Etihad.

However, it hasn’t all been plain sailing, with the 51-year-old unable to secure a win against Norwegian outfit Bodo Glimt in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

The Lilywhites found themselves two goals down with just 24 minutes remaining, but managed to fight back to secure a 2-2 draw and maintain their unbeaten record in Europe this season.

Many players had an off night during the stalemate, but Richarlison once again continued to disappoint and was unable to shake off his recent poor form.

Despite netting three goals in his first six games this campaign, many supporters have become frustrated with the Brazilian, leading to criticism being directed his way.

In the last two games combined, he’s only managed a total of 30 touches combined, completing just seven passes – often unable to get himself into the game.

When in front of goal, the 28-year-old has also been just as dreadful, missing two big chances in as many games – leading to one analyst stating that he “offers nothing”.

To further highlight his lack of impact in North London, he’s only scored 23 times in his 100 appearances for the club, with departed fan-favourite Harry Kane managing to score over 100 goals for Bayern Munich since his transfer two years ago.

If the Brazilian joined in a bargain deal, the lack of impact wouldn’t be as concerning, but the hierarchy forked out £50m for his signature three years ago – with such a decision now looking like an awful one.

There’s no doubt he’s failed to live up to the hype in North London, but the hierarchy must look to offload him and replace him with a top-level player in the months ahead.

They desperately need to recoup a competitive fee for his services, subsequently avoiding losing him for nothing – just as they did with Ndombele a little over 12 months ago.

100% dribbles, 78 touches: Spurs star is now emulating Kane under Frank

Tottenham Hotspur maintained their unbeaten record in the Champions League last night against Bodo Glimt.

By
Ethan Lamb

Oct 1, 2025

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O Corinthians tenta juntar os cacos após a dolorosa eliminação diante do São Paulo na semifinal da Copa do Brasil, e a partida deste sábado (19), contra o Cruzeiro, pode representar uma guinada na temporada do Timão no Brasileirão.

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+ Renove o seu estoque de camisas do Timão com o cupom LANCEFUT 10% OFF

Durante todo o primeiro turno do Brasileirão, o Corinthians flertou contra o rebaixamento, inclusive ficando algumas rodadas no Z4. Uma vitória diante da Raposa não vai colocar o Alvinegro na parte de cima da tabela, mas deixará a equipe mais perto do G6 do que a “zona da confusão”. Há a possibilidade do Timão abrir oito pontos do Z4 e ficar cinco do G6.

Vanderlei Luxemburgo vem batendo na tecla que o foco do clube é buscar uma vaga na Libertadores através do Campeonato Brasileiro, e o discurso foi repetido pelo presidente Duílio Monteiro Alves após a derrota no Majestoso.

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Contudo, Luxa decidiu poupar seis titulares para o duelo contra o Cruzeiro: Gil, Murillo, Fábio Santos, Maycon, Renato Augusto e Yuri Alberto.

+ Veja tabela e simule os jogos do Timão no Brasileirão

TABU

Além da oportunidade de se aproximar do “pelotão de cima” no Brasileirão, uma vitória contra o Cruzeiro representaria o fim de um longo tabu diante dos mineiros.

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O Timão não vence um jogo oficial como visitante diante da Raposa desde 2015. A vitória veio no Brasileirão daquele ano, com gol de Romero.

Desde então, foram quatro derrotas e dois empates quando o Corinthians enfrentou o Cruzeiro como visitante.

Manchester United delivered a much-needed victory over Chelsea at the weekend and one of their stars has now delivered his response in the wake of some fierce criticism from club icon Roy Keane.

Manchester United hope to turn corner after defeating Chelsea

Truthfully, it has been hard not to be critical of Manchester United and Ruben Amorim at times this term after a turbulent start and mixed results, albeit they may now have started to turn a corner after consigning Chelsea to defeat at Old Trafford.

Admittedly, the Red Devils never make it easy for themselves, but they have been entertaining to watch in recent times and the former Sporting boss refused to blame goalscorer Casemiro after his sending off put their lead in jeopardy.

He stated post-match: “It’s because Casemiro cares – we scored one and then he has that tackle. Then they have maybe one time that they passed the half of the pitch and we want to win the ball right away. So I think sometimes it’s a little bit, not the pressure, they want it too much in that moment. That is not a bad thing.”

Plenty of criticism has been thrown at his group over the time Amorim has been in the Manchester United dugout, so it is only fair his players earn their fair share of credit for winning a pivotal fixture that has greatly enhanced their Premier League prospects.

Before their victory over Chelsea, Luke Shaw was heavily criticised by Roy Keane for his display against Manchester City after the England international failed to prevent Phil Foden’s opener in the 3-0 derby loss.

Now, the England international has delivered an honest response to the Irishman’s words as the mood begins to lighten a little at Old Trafford.

Luke Shaw responds to Roy Keane criticism

Making a surprise admission, Shaw expressed his agreement with Keane’s comments and vowed to keep his consistency moving forward at Manchester United.

He told BBC Sport: “Sometimes you just have to take it on the chin. Of course it hurts. He was one of the best captains ever for Manchester United. I think he was right. Last week, I wasn’t at my level at all. I don’t need Roy Keane to tell me.

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Later, he added: “I’m always in the team and I’m always playing, so there must be something the managers believe in. I’ve had a lot of ups and downs, but for me now, it’s about keeping that consistency at a high level. I know I can do that. That’s why last week hurt me a lot.”

Manchester United is a club that demands accountability and Shaw has been gracious in his assessment, taking ownership and looking to improve his performance rather than hiding away from critique. Fotmob show that the Three Lions star took Keane’s advice on board against Chelsea, winning three tackles, making three blocks and completing 34 of his 38 attempted passes.

Given he is playing on the left-hand side of a back three, which isn’t his natural position, Shaw performed admirably over the piece and will hope to strike up a convincing run of displays that coincides with Manchester United getting points on the board.

It was always going to be interesting to see how Leeds United approached the summer transfer window with regard to the positions and profiles of players they targeted.

The Whites won the Championship title with a staggering 100 points last season, after losing in the play-off final the season before, and this meant that Daniel Farke had a lot of players in his squad who had done a lot of great work for him.

However, the reality is that the Premier League is a huge step up, both technically and physically, from the Championship, which meant that some players were not going to be able to be as influential as they were last term, or the season before that.

So far, with around a week left to go in the summer transfer window, the Whites have only added one winger to their squad, with the signing of Noah Okafor from AC Milan.

The Switzerland international mainly plays on the left or through the middle as a centre-forward, which means that the club have not yet moved to bring in a recognised right-sided option.

Doing so should be one of Farke’s priorities heading into the end of the window, though, because there should be a concern over Dan James’ ability to deliver consistently in the Premier League.

Why Leeds need an alternative option to Dan James

The Wales international delivered 12 goals and nine assists as Farke’s first-choice right winger in the Championship last season, per Sofascore, which was an impressive return from the speedster.

However, the 27-year-old has yet to prove that he can terrorise Premier League full-backs in the same way that he did defenders in the second tier in his career to date.

The step up in quality means that James is up against defenders who cover space more intelligently and effectively than average Championship operators, which makes it harder for him to simply use his speed to generate chances for himself or his teammates.

He has never managed more than four goals in a Premier League season before, with just two goals in 24 games for Fulham in the 2022/23 campaign, and has struggled at the start of the current campaign.

As you can see in the table above, James has failed to register a shot on target and mustered up just 0.05 xA in over two hours of football on the pitch against Everton and Arsenal in the first two games.

Whilst the Welsh forward may yet adapt and prove himself to be a key figure in the Leeds attack this season, it currently seems as though the Whites need another option to at least compete with him for that starting berth.

Leeds have interest in Serie A forward

A fresh report has now emerged that suggests that the Championship champions are looking for a player to potentially be an upgrade on James.

Transfer Focus

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

According to LeedsLive, Juventus winger Nicolas Gonzalez has emerged on the club’s radar heading into the final week of the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Whites have been alerted to the Argentina international’s availability, and that Farke would prefer his profile to that of Dilane Bakwa, who is also of interest to the club.

Gonzalez’s ability to play on either flank or centrally is said to appeal to the German head coach, who wants versatility across the frontline, which may be why they are eyeing him up as an alternative to Bakwa.

It was reported earlier this summer that the forward will be available for a fee of around £22m, but it remains to be seen whether or not the Whites are willing to pay that much to sign him on a permanent deal.

Why Leeds should sign Nico Gonzalez

Farke should push for the club to get a deal done for the Argentine forward before the summer transfer window slams shut because he could come in as an upgrade on James.

Gonzalez joined Juventus, initially on loan, from Fiorentina last summer and did not enjoy the best year in Turin, scoring five goals and providing four assists in 35 matches, per Sofascore.

However, his form for Fiorentina in previous seasons suggests that he has the potential to shine in the Premier League for Leeds, away from the big pressure and expectation that comes with playing for Juventus in Italy.

Per Sofascore, Gonzalez scored 30 goals in 86 matches in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns combined before his move to Juventus, which shows that he can carry a big threat as a goalscorer at the top level.

His form in the 2023/24 Serie A season, in particular, suggests that the quality is there for him to arrive at Elland Road as an upgrade on James for Farke in the club’s bid to avoid an instant relegation from the Premier League.

As you can see in the table above, Gonzalez fired in an impressive haul of 12 goals from 10.42 xG in the Serie A for Fiorentina, which earned him his move to Juventus.

James, as aforementioned, has never scored more than four goals in a top-flight season, in four attempts, which suggests that the Argentina international is far more likely to provide a threat in front of goal for Leeds in the Premier League.

Gonzalez, who was hailed as “brilliant” for Fiorentina by commentator Chris Wittyngham, is also a left-footed right winger, which means that he has more scope to come infield to make things happen.

At Premier League level, James can get stuck out wide on his right foot, unable to get down the line by beating his market and uncomfortable coming into crowded central positions on his weak foot.

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Leeds United are reportedly willing to splash the cash to sign an upgrade on Wilfried Gnonto.

2

By
Dan Emery

Aug 25, 2025

As a left-footed player, Gonzalez could drift in on his preferred foot to make things happen, creating doubt in the defender’s mind to potentially open space on the overlap for Jayden Bogle, and that could make him a more effective tactical outlet for Farke to have in the final third.

MatériaMais Notícias

Com 24 partidas disputadas em 2023 até agora, Isidro Pitta é o líder de assistências entre os atletas menores de 24 anos em clubes da Série A do campeonato brasileiro. O paraguaio deu o passe final para seus companheiros anotarem o gol seis vezes nos 1.267 minutos em que esteve em campo, o que o coloca no topo deste ranking, desempatando contra os 2.080 minutos que o atacante Biel, do Bahia, leva para realizar o mesmo feito.

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Pitta é o terceiro da lista dos jogadores sub-23 com mais participações em gols entre os clubes da Primeira Divisão na temporada. São 13 participações anotadas para o camisa 9 do Cuiabá.

O atacante foi o líder de assistências do campeonato mato-grossense de 2023 e o primeiro com mais participações em gols. No estadual, chegou marcar um hat-trick na vitória por 3 a 1, contra o Nova Mutum. Em outras duas oportunidades, chegou a anotar duas assistências em uma mesma partida e marcar dois gols e uma assistência numa mesma partida.

The allrounder, who played three ODIs and one T20I in 2016, led Himachal to their maiden Vijay Hazare Trophy title in 2021-22

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Jan-2025India and Himachal Pradesh fast-bowling allrounder Rishi Dhawan has announced his retirement from Indian limited-overs cricket. The 34-year-old ends his international career with four caps, three in ODIs and one in T20Is, all earned in 2016. The announcement has come after the conclusion of the group stage of the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy.Dhawan’s retirement announcement specified limited-overs cricket, which suggests he will carry on playing first-class cricket at least for the remainder of the ongoing Ranji Trophy season. Himachal are currently second in Group B of the competition, and are in the running for a quarter-finals spot. Dhawan has played all five of Himachal’s matches so far this season, and is their second-highest run-getter with 397 at 79.40, and has picked up 11 wickets at 28.45.”It’s with a heavy heart, even though I have no regrets, that I’d like to announce my retirement from Indian cricket (Limited over). It’s a sport that has defined my life for the past 20 years. This game has given me immeasurable joy and countless memories that would always stay very close to my heart,” Dhawan wrote on a social media post.”I want to take a moment to show my gratitude towards the opportunities that were given to me by Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI), Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA), Punjab Kings, Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders.”From humble beginnings to representing my nation on the grandest stages, it has been a privilege beyond measure. Cricket has been my passion, and my reason for waking up every morning.

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