Após a derrota para o Palestino na Libertadores, os torcedores do Flamengo voltaram a pedir a saída do técnico Tite. Na web, os rubro-negros levantaram a hashtag “#ForaTite”. Confira abaixo.
continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFora de CampoRizek detona atuação do Flamengo: ‘Burocrático, previsível, arrastado’Fora de Campo07/05/2024Fora de CampoTorcedores do Flamengo se revoltam e questionam atuação contra o Palestino: ‘Qual a desculpa de hoje?’Fora de Campo07/05/2024Fora de Campo‘Flamengo parece um grupo que se reuniu meia hora antes da pelada’, diz Eric FariaFora de Campo07/05/2024
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Real Madrid legend Sergio Ramos is reportedly poised to leave Mexican club Monterrey and return to European football, driven by a desire to represent Spain at the 2026 World Cup. The 39-year-old defender has decided against renewing his contract with Rayados, which is nearing its expiry, hoping to bow out with a Liga MX title.
Ramos prioritises family and national team ambitions
Ramos’s decision to depart Mexico stems from two primary factors: a preference for family life in Europe compared to Mexico, and a lingering ambition to play for the Spanish national team again. The states that Ramos believes consistent playing time in a top-level European competition brings him closer to the style of play preferred by Spain coach Luis de la Fuente, thereby increasing his chances of a recall.
Despite turning 40 next March, just months before the World Cup in North America, Ramos has not given up on adding to his record 180 caps for La Roja. He last played for his country in March 2021 and was subsequently omitted from the squads for Euro 2020, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and Euro 2024 by former coach Luis Enrique and current boss De la Fuente respectively.
A report from draws a parallel with Aymeric Laporte, who left Saudi Arabia to return to Europe with Athletic Club, a move that bolstered his standing with the national team. Ramos hopes a similar path will convince De la Fuente that he can still contribute at the highest international level.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportImpact during Monterrey spell
Ramos joined Monterrey on a one-year deal in 2025 and has made his mark during his brief time in Liga MX. He featured in the Club World Cup for the Mexican side, where he became the oldest goalscorer in the tournament's history. His time there also saw him receive the 30th red card of his illustrious career, further cementing his reputation as a fierce, if sometimes ill-disciplined, competitor.
Beyond his on-field contributions, where he provided defensive solidity for one of Mexico's biggest clubs, Ramos's presence brought significant commercial and media impact to Monterrey. However, with his contract running down, his departure now seems inevitable as he seeks a new challenge closer to home for the second half of the season.
Potential European destinations emerge
While a return to La Liga remains a possibility, it is considered difficult to imagine Ramos playing for any Spanish clubs other than his former teams, Real Madrid and Sevilla. Consequently, several other European options are reportedly being explored.
Reports suggest that Roma, Bayer Leverkusen and Marseille are among the clubs that could offer Ramos a route back into European football. Roma are currently mounting a surprising title challenge in Serie A under Gian Piero Gasperini and boast the league's meanest defence. Ramos's vast experience and leadership could prove invaluable to their relatively young backline during the title run-in.
Bayer Leverkusen, meanwhile, are recovering from a poor start to their Bundesliga campaign. Following a managerial change, they are looking to close the eight-point gap to leaders Bayern Munich. Having lost several key players in the summer, Ramos is viewed as a potential stopgap signing who could provide direction and stability.
In Ligue 1, Marseille are enjoying an excellent season under Roberto De Zerbi, sitting just two points behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain. Given Ramos’s history with PSG, his arrival at their arch-rivals would add significant intrigue to the title race. His experience in high-pressure situations could help Marseille sustain their pursuit of a first league title in years.
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Getty Images SportWhat next for Sergio Ramos?
Ramos will now focus on finalising his departure from Monterrey as his contract winds down. His representatives will be aiming to secure a move to a European club in the upcoming January transfer window, ensuring he is playing regularly at a high level in the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup. His performance in the second half of the European season will be crucial in determining whether his dream of a final international recall can become a reality.
The legspinner played seven T20Is in 2023, including taking four wickets on debut, but hasn’t played since
ESPNcricinfo staff27-Oct-2025Legspinner Tanveer Sangha has been called into Australia’s squad for the T20Is against India with Adam Zampa unavailable for the start of the series due to personal reasons.Zampa’s wife Harriet is expecting their second child. He missed the first ODI in Perth due to travel distances involved before featuring in Adelaide, where he was Player of the Match, and Sydney. He is Australia’s leading wicket-taker in men’s T20Is.Sangha, 23, who plays for Sydney Thunder in the BBL, has seven T20I caps but has not played since 2023. He took 4 for 31 on his debut against South Africa.He took seven wickets in the three one-day matches for Australia A against India A on the recent tour and is currently the leading wicket-taker in the One-Day Cup with 10 wickets in four matches for New South Wales.If conditions warrant, Sangha could form a twin spin attack with left-armer Matt Kuhnemann.Australia have various moving parts in their T20I squad with multi-format players at various stages of their Ashes preparation. Josh Hazlewood will drop out after the first two matches in Canberra and Sydney while Sean Abbott will exit after the third game in Hobart.Mahli Beardman, the 20-year Western Australia and Perth Scorchers quick, who has yet to play a first-class match could make his T20I debut later in the series when he joins the squad from the third game onwards.
Liverpool are reportedly considering making a £65 million move for Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo in January. It emerged over the October international break that the 25-year-old has a £65m ($85m) release clause in the five-year contract he signed this summer. Now, the Reds are deciding whether or not to move for he winger in early 2026 or risk competition next summer from their Premier League rivals.
Bournemouth bat away Semenyo transfer question
When Semenyo signed a new Bournemouth deal until 2030 this summer, potential suitors may have felt their hopes of signing him had shrunk a great deal. However, the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, and Tottenham were given a boost after this release clause news emerged in October. With the January transfer window just over a month away, speculation is ramping up again that the Ghana international could be on the move in 2026. However, Cherries boss Andoni Iraola was in no mood to entertain such matters last week.
He told reporters: "We are in November. Antoine is our player, he will continue being our player. In January, you can ask me about the market in January, but right now I'm not worried about the next markets. It's something that especially you know that I hate to talk about in August, January, the moments when the market is open, but it is not one of those moments. It's November. I'm more worried about the situation of the players to play tomorrow, the short-term, the things that really matter and in January, we will talk about whatever happens, the players we need. But it is not something that I'm worried about today."
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Liverpool's Semenyo dilemma
According to The I Paper, Liverpool have made enquiries about Semenyo, they know of the clause that allows buying clubs the 'first week or so' of the January window to sign him for £65m, and they see the ex-Bristol City man as potential competition for Mohamed Salah. The Egypt international is a Reds legend, but this season he has scored five goals in 17 games, which is underwhelming by his lofty standards, with Semenyo bagging six in 11 Premier League appearances. Liverpool are understood to be the front runners to sign the wideman but City also hold a genuine interest in him. Pep Guardiola's side are likely to move for him in the summer when his clause is reduced to below £60m ($79m). That would be Bournemouth's 'preference', with the Dorset outfit desperate to retain him for as long as possible. Semenyo is said to be happy on the south coast and is not actively looking for a move but concrete interest from City and Liverpool 'would change that'.
Liverpool's form may dictate Semenyo move
Liverpool romped to the Premier League title in May but this season, they are a shadow of their former selves. The Reds have slumped to 12th in the Premier League, have lost six of their seven English top-flight games and tasted defeat in nine of their last 12 matches in all competitions – a 71-year low. Manager Arne Slot is under increasing pressure to keep his job, with talk of a short-term return for Jurgen Klopp in the offing if the Dutchman is sacked. Incidentally, Liverpool's form between now and January could dictate whether or not the Merseyside outfit move for Semenyo in January.
"Recruitment is data-driven and scientific these days but football clubs are also emotion-led in some ways. When Semenyo’s stats were so good at the start of the season, £65m looked a snip for the best attainable attacker. It may be that if there is a slight drop-off now, they change those plans and January isn’t the right time for it," a source told The I Paper.
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What comes next for Semenyo?
Aside from transfer talk, Ghana star Semenyo will be focusing on securing Bournemouth all three points on Saturday when they travel to Sunderland in a battle between eighth and seventh respectively. Both sides are locked on 19 points from 12 matches, and a win could potentially see the victor rise into the top four at the end of the weekend.
Chelsea kept their unbeaten November form going in both the Premier League and Champions League with a straightforward 2-0 victory away at Burnley on Saturday lunchtime.
Pedro Neto picked up his sixth goal contribution of the league season when handing the travelling Blues the 1-0 lead, before Enzo Fernandez made sure of all three points late on when he gobbled up a chance on the 88th minute that was all Marc Guiu’s making from off the bench.
Away from the goalscorers mentioned, Andrey Santos also stood out in the midfield ranks, with Enzo Maresca no doubt ready to select the 21-year-old more often, off the back of such an assured showing at Turf Moor.
Santos' performance in numbers
The number 17 was thrown into the starting XI in Lancashire, with Moises Caicedo rested back in Premier League action, after lining up for Ecuador deep into the international break.
Thankfully, Caicedo’s absence wasn’t felt whatsoever, as Santos’ individual showing was described as “outstanding” at the full-time whistle by former Stamford Bridge great Joe Cole.
Indeed, the 21-year-old came into the side and looked right at home in Caicedo’s midfield anchor role, winning seven duels and two tackles to really boost the Blues centrally when Burnley attempted to work openings.
On top of that, Santos looked assured and comfortable on the ball, too, without ever really looking flashy with 34 passes accurately registered.
While Maresca will take plenty away from Santos’ polished showing, with one Chelsea content creator stating that he was “everywhere”, he did need the likes of Neto to come up trumps with a moment of quality in attack to seal the win, away from the Brazilian, allowing the visitors to tick.
While Santos has previously showcased an eye for goal and demonstrated his qualities as a box-crashing 8, he’s not the only Blues star evoking memories of Stamford Bridge royalty in Frank Lampard.
Chelsea star could be Maresca's Lampard
Come the end of his illustrious Premier League career, Lampard would bag 177 top-flight goals, with the former Blues captain having a great habit of sneaking into the box and finishing off chances expertly.
Romelu Lukaku would even hail Lampard as an “unbelievable” finisher of chances when reminiscing about his brief time in the Chelsea first team alongside the modern great.
In the here and now, the aforementioned Fernandez also has a similarly impactful knack to be able to finish off chances, with Guiu playing a late pass into a dangerous space up against Burnley, knowing that his captain could be there to kill the game off.
After all, that’s amazingly Fernandez’s fourth Premier League goal of the season already, meaning the World Cup-winning star is now Chelsea’s joint-top goalscorer in league action for the season with Neto, which is an accolade Lampard would regularly claim during his celebrated stay in West London.
Yet, there is far more to both the Argentine’s game and Lampard’s game away from scoring big goals, with pundit Micah Richards going out of his way to hail the £107 man as having “everything” in his locker now to be a “leader” at Chelsea earlier in the season.
Enzo’s league numbers (25/26)
Stat (* = 90 mins)
Fernandez
Games played
11
Goals scored
4
Assists
1
Touches*
70.7
Accurate passes*
46.5 (85%)
Shots*
2.2
Big chances missed
4
Key passes*
1.8
Big chances created
4
Ball recoveries*
3.9
Total duels won*
3.9
Stats by Sofascore
The table above very much backs up Richards’ assessment of Fernandez being a complete midfield talent worthy of wearing Chelsea’s club armband, with an energy present in his game that matches that of Santos, with 3.9 ball recoveries averaged and 3.9 duels won per game this season in league action.
However, it is his ability to fashion chances galore and score plentiful goals that really does make that comparison to Lampard even stronger, with Fernandez beating the likes of Cole Palmer to the top prize when it comes to most goal contributions tallied up for the Blues over the last year, as the 24-year-old now sits on a weighty 21 goal contributions, next to the Englishman’s 15.
Fernandez also has a taste for silverware now, too, having lifted the Club World Cup in the summer, as he strives to lift Premier League titles like those before him, with Santos also wanting to mature into a consistent first-team star next to him.
Enzo Maresca now driving Chelsea move for "incredible" £79m Premier League star
The Italian is looking to sign a new defender, who is viewed as an ideal fit for his system.
India’s captain said she always had belief in her team even when things got tough in the World Cup
Sruthi Ravindranath03-Nov-2025
Harmanpreet Kaur sprints off after taking the final catch of the tournament•ICC/Getty Images
If the semi-final win against Australia was emotional – captain Harmanpreet Kaur was unable to hold back tears in the dugout – the day India finally lifted their first-ever Women’s World Cup was filled with nothing but smiles. A beaming Harmanpreet walked into the press conference room, bringing the trophy along. The emotion this time was of a different kind, like the buzz of a dream realised. And the one word she kept returning to was “self-belief”.One of the first questions, inevitably, was about the feeling of finally touching a trophy that had long eluded India.”I’m just trying to express what I’m feeling. I’m numb, I’m not able to understand,” Harmanpreet said. “So, it’s just that there were ups and downs, but the team had self-belief. I’ve been saying this since day one. We weren’t looking to the left or right. We were only looking at our main end goal.Related
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“We felt we could win from the first ball itself because the way our team was playing in the last three games, a lot of things changed for us, especially our self-belief. We have played good cricket for a long time. We knew what we could do as a team. We knew there would be tough conditions for batting, but credit goes to Smriti [Mandhana] and Shafali [Verma]; they handled the first 10 overs very well.”There was laughter, too. Harmanpreet’s luck with the toss hadn’t improved all tournament – she won one in nine attempts – and she lost it again on the day of the final. “From the first ball itself, I had the belief that it doesn’t matter – because we don’t normally win the toss – we knew we had to bat first,” she said, smiling.There was belief, but there were also nerves. Laura Wolvaardt’s century had kept South Africa in the chase before her dismissal in the 42nd over finally swung momentum India’s way.”Our aim was simple. We knew that if we thought of a big target, we would come under pressure,” Harmanpreet said. “The main thing was to keep batting and keep playing our game. We tried to score 300 runs on the board; we were one run short. But after that, I think we came onto the field as a strong unit. Whenever we needed it, we got a breakthrough. It was a very good match.”It seems easy to say now, but there was a lot of tension in between when they were batting – like Laura, she was not giving a chance. But at the end of the day, I’m feeling great. I don’t know how to express it, but I’m just trying to tell you what I’m feeling.”After the final wicket fell – fittingly, with Harmanpreet taking the catch – India took a victory lap around a roaring DY Patil Stadium. At one point, former India players Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami and Anjum Chopra joined the team and were handed the trophy. Goswami was in tears as she embraced Harmanpreet and a few other team-mates in the middle.Pratika Rawal gets off her wheelchair to celebrate with her team-mates•ICC/Getty Images”Jhulan was my biggest support,” Harmanpreet said, when asked what it meant to share that moment with former players. “When I joined the team, she was leading it. She always supported me in my early days when I was very raw and didn’t know much about cricket. Anjum , too. Both of them have been a great support for me. I’m very grateful that I got to share a special moment with them. It was a very emotional moment. I think we all were waiting for this. Finally, we were able to touch this trophy.”The campaign itself had been a deeply emotional one. Harmanpreet revealed how injuries to Yastika Bhatia and Pratika Rawal had left the dressing room in tears.”When she [Pratika] got injured, everybody was crying…yet, everybody was so positive. Everyone was thinking that our end goal was this trophy. We had to keep working hard day and night. And this is the result.”India’s journey through the tournament was far from smooth. Two early wins were followed by three straight losses – to South Africa, Australia and England – before a recovery against New Zealand sealed their semi-final berth. Beating Australia in the semi-final was the breakthrough they needed.
We were waiting badly for this moment, and today we got a chance to live it. I don’t know how to express it, but I’m so happy and so proud of this teamHarmanpreet Kaur
“The last month has been very interesting,” Harmanpreet said. “It’s very rare that things don’t go according to your plan, and yet you stay so positive. After that day [the loss against England], a lot changed for us. Every time, we cannot go on repeating the same things. We had to come with a strong mind.”That defeat to England proved transformative. The squad turned inward, working on visualisation and meditation sessions to refocus.”That night changed a lot for us,” she added. “It had an impact on everyone. We were more prepared for the World Cup. We started visualisation and meditation. That showed we were here for something, and this time we had to do it.”There have been parallels drawn between this and India’s men’s World Cup win in 1983. For a side that had reached finals and semi-finals but always fallen just short, Harmanpreet saw this win as the long-awaited shift Indian women’s cricket.DY Patil Stadium was a sea of blue on Sunday•ICC/Getty Images”We have been talking about this for many years – we’ve been playing good cricket, but we had to win one big tournament. Without that, we couldn’t talk about change…we were waiting badly for this moment, and today we got a chance to live it. I don’t know how to express it, but I’m so happy and so proud of this team.”When the final wicket fell, Harmanpreet sprinted across the field, embracing each of her team-mates in celebration. But the longest hug was reserved for Smriti Mandhana, her partner across 106 ODIs.”I’ve played many World Cups with her [Mandhana]. Every time we lost, we went home heartbroken and stayed quiet for a few days. When we returned, we always said, ‘we have to start again from ball one’. It was heartbreaking because we played so many World Cups – reaching finals, semi-finals, and sometimes not even that far. We were always thinking, when will we break this?”The 39,555-strong Navi Mumbai crowd stayed through a two-hour rain delay, unrelenting in their chants for the home side. The DY Patil Stadium, which had hosted several women’s international and WPL fixtures, and long seen as the home of women’s cricket in India, once again proved a lucky venue. Harmanpreet also shared an anecdote about how the side felt relieved when the venue had changed from Bengaluru to Navi Mumbai in August.”As soon as we got to know that our venue had been changed to DY Patil Stadium, we all got so happy because we’ve always played good cricket there. We said, ‘We’ve come home now, and we’ll start fresh.’ We didn’t want to look back at previous World Cups, we left them there. The new World Cup had just started.”Celebrations stretched late into the night. After the victory lap and presentations, the team stayed on the ground with friends and family before heading to their hotel with a procession.”We’ve been waiting for this moment. The celebration will go on all night. And then let’s see what BCCI is planning for us,” Harmanpreet quipped.
Shivam Mavi lost his pace, his swing and his fitness, but has found a way back and is determined to make it count this time
Shashank Kishore and Daya Sagar29-Aug-2025March 2025. After an intense bowling session in the nets on an oppressive afternoon, Shivam Mavi waited on the sidelines as Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) debated an injury replacement for Mohsin Khan.For a brief while, Mavi’s hopes had gone up. Unsold at the IPL 2025 auction, a back-door entry into the big league loomed. But Shardul Thakur beat him to it. Mavi was broken. Yet, deep down he knew the only way back was to rebuild himself, piece by piece, into the bowler teams could trust again.”Obviously IPL franchises may have taken note of my back-to-back injuries,” Mavi tells ESPNcricinfo on the sidelines of the Uttar Pradesh T20 League, where he’s representing Kashi Rudras. “Maybe they thought this guy is way too injury-prone and may be a risky auction pick.Related
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'Everything came to a standstill for a split second'
“But, during the season, LSG called me [for trials] only because they saw I was fully fit and performing. My focus was simple: do what I could control and if I got the chance, play as much as possible and perform.”Things were a lot more promising just two years earlier, when Mavi was among Indian cricket’s bright and upcoming fast-bowling prospects. He had broken through into the T20I setup, combining high pace and late swing. The ability to hit sixes down the order was a bonus. But six T20Is and seven wickets later, his top-flight career hit a roadblock.Mavi noticed his pace drop. He couldn’t generate the old zip off the pitch. And without swing, he lost another key ally of his trade. He watched IPL 2023 come and go on the Gujarat Titans’ bench, despite being a costly INR 6 crore pick.Although disappointed, Mavi looked to the upcoming domestic season as a chance to prove himself all over again. But just as he began preparing, there was another blow: a side strain followed by a rib stress fracture ended his 2023-24 campaign before it had even begun. The final sting came when the BCCI dropped him from its targeted pool of players.Mavi was down, emotionally and otherwise, but not all was lost. LSG picked him at the auction for INR 6.4 crore despite the setbacks. If fit, there was hope he would be in the mix to challenge for a spot in the XI, considering they had traded Avesh Khan to Rajasthan Royals. But to Mavi’s misfortune, he pulled up with an injury during a fitness test prior to the start of the season.
“Since last year, I’ve been able to play without discomfort. That’s been the biggest win. Bowling-wise, I’ve put in a lot of work on my action and because of that, my rhythm feels better, the pace hasn’t dropped”Shivam Mavi
Determined to break the cycle, Mavi turned to former India team physio Ashish Kaushik. He checked in to Kaushik’s private facility in Bengaluru, dissecting his biomechanics and rebuilding from scratch. It took a year of working on his action and fine-tuning to be fully fit and ready.”Every time I increased my workload, the stress reaction on my side became evident,” Mavi says. “It wasn’t random. It was because of my action. I used to fall away on the left side while delivering. As the spell went on, it became worse. That’s what caused the strain.”Ashish sir helped me understand that the flexion on my side was the reason. Now my body weight doesn’t go sideways, even at the end of a long spell. Until that point, no one had looked at my action to this extent before.”The results have been encouraging: for the first time in years, Mavi says he is pain-free.”I can bowl long spells without discomfort. I can push my body again. I’ve understood fitness is something you need to constantly work on,” he says. “Since last year, I’ve been able to play without discomfort. That’s been the biggest win. Bowling-wise, I’ve put in a lot of work on my action and because of that, my rhythm feels better, the pace hasn’t dropped.”Once part of India’s future in fast bowling, Shivam Mavi (as well as Umran Malik) have fallen behind in the race•BCCINot just the physical pain, the lengthy rehab also tested him in other ways. Alone in Bengaluru, away from family, doing the same set of drills every day, monotony hit him hard. “It was irritating,” he says with a chuckle. “It was mentally challenging. But I kept telling myself ‘when my chance comes, I shouldn’t let it slip’. That thought kept me going.”The Mavi of today is different from the one that broke down often in the past. His speeds are back close to 145kph, his action looks smoother, and his rhythm has returned. In the UP T20 League, he’s been in stride, not just as a new-ball bowler, but as an allrounder.His first six games have brought him ten wickets and a 21-ball 54 in which he hit six sixes. “Earlier, I used to think I’m just a bowler. Now, I work equally on my batting,” he says. “In T20s, when you come in at the death, you don’t have time. You have to hit from ball one. I’ve been preparing for that role.”After having played the entire 2024-25 season without breaking down, Mavi couldn’t have asked for a better lead-in to the upcoming domestic season. For now, he’s focused on continuing to push the bar at the UP T20, but doesn’t hesitate when asked about the bigger picture.”An India comeback,” he says. “Whichever match I play, I want to focus solely on that and do well. If I keep doing that, the India comeback will take care of itself.”
Tottenham’s first transfer window with their new-look, reshuffled boardroom will be a very intriguing one, and a striker is believed to be at the very top of their priority list.
Ever since replacing Ange Postecoglou in the summer, new manager Thomas Frank has been starved of a reliable focal point up front.
Dominic Solanke, who Spurs signed for a club-record £65 million fee last year, has struggled with injury problems that have limited his involvement to just 49 minutes so far this campaign. The Englishman suffered a ‘minor’ ankle problem at the beginning of 25/26, which eventually required surgery, and he’s still on the comeback trail.
Solanke is set to miss this weekend’s pivotal North London derby against Arsenal and won’t be available for their crunch Champions League tie against PSG either, with Frank forced to rely on the out-of-form Richarlison, who’s attracted criticism for his inconsistency.
The Brazilian is a shoo-in to start against PSG next week given Mathys Tel wasn’t named in Frank’s 22-man Champions League squad. Tel, according to some reports, is said to be ‘unhappy’ in London and keen to leave Spurs in January, with Roma taking a serious interest in the Frenchman (La Gazzetta dello Sport).
Solanke’s fitness woes, Tel’s dissatisfaction and Richarlison’s form have fueled speculation that a new striker could arrive at the turn of the year, and Spurs are being linked with a few interesting names.
Chief among them is Al-Ahli striker Ivan Toney, who scored 20 Premier League goals in his best campaign at Brentford whilst working under Frank.
The tactician has apparently held ‘direct’ talks with Toney about a January move to Spurs, according to some reports, while others believe that the Lilywhites are in pole position to sign him at the turn of the year after ‘preliminary’ negotiations (TEAMtalk).
While links to the 29-year-old are rife given his obvious connection to Tottenham’s manager, co-sporting directors Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange are considering other options.
Tottenham eye 'dream' move for FC Porto striker Samu Aghehowa
As per TEAMtalk, FC Porto talisman Samu Aghehowa is a ‘dream’ target for the club.
Sources believe the 21-year-old, who’s bagged nine goals in 14 appearances already this season, fits perfectly into Frank’s long-term vision. Spurs’ boss is also said to have ‘repeatedly’ emphasised his desire for a physically imposing, mobile striker capable of pressing aggressively and connecting play.
Insiders within Tottenham’s recruitment structure apparently think of Aghehowa as the “younger, longer-term” striker successor they genuinely desire, despite ongoing interest in Toney as a potential 2026 alternative.
Standing at a lofty 6 foot 4 with surprising pace for his height, the Spaniard has even been compared to former Chelsea star Diego Costa during his prime years, thankfully not the version we saw at Wolves.
However, this all being said, a January move appears very unlikely.
Portuguese sources state that Porto are refusing to entertain winter offers, especially as they pursue a first Primeira Liga title in six years. President Andre Villas-Boas has reportedly informed intermediaries that Samu is not for sale “at any price in the winter”, casting major doubt on Spurs’ ability to prise him away mid-season.
Porto have also set an £71 million asking price for Aghehowa, meaning the north Londoners may have to fork out a new club-record fee. With that in mind, Frank and Lange will apparently continue to monitor Aghehowa’s development whilst maintaining Toney as a backup option.
According to journalist Pete O’Rourke, Chelsea once came ‘very close’ to signing the forward, and he’s a player with ‘huge potential’.
Manchester City are now frontrunners in the race to sign a “world-class” £80m star, who Pep Guardiola has called “extraordinary”.
Man City eyeing new forward after Bayer Leverkusen defeat
Guardiola rung the changes on Tuesday evening, making 10 alterations to the side that lost 2-1 at Newcastle United at the weekend, and Bayer Leverkusen made them pay, emerging as 2-0 winners at the Etihad Stadium.
City did manage to create some chances, with Nathan Ake, Savinho and second-half substitute Erling Haaland all squandering big opportunities, but they weren’t clinical enough on the night, and the German side emerged as surprise winners.
Pep would’ve been hoping that his attackers would step up in the absence of Haaland, with Omar Marmoush being given the nod ahead of the Norwegian at centre-forward, but it was a subpar performance from the Egyptian, who received a 6.2 SofaScore match rating, the lowest of any player.
The defeat arguably underlined the need for the Blues to bring in another forward to support Haaland in the January transfer window, and there has now been a positive update on their interest in Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr.
According to a report from Football Insider, Man City are now frontrunners in the race to sign Vinicius, alongside Premier League rivals Chelsea, with the forward’s future at the Santiago Bernabeu in doubt, following a fallout with manager Xabi Alonso.
Talks over a contract extension have stalled, meaning the Brazilian could be set to depart the Spanish club, and City would have the financial muscle to get a deal over the line, with his current employers looking to receive £80m.
Should Madrid decide to cash-in this summer, with the 25-year-old’s current deal set to expire in 2027, a number of Saudi Pro League clubs would also join the Blues in the race, so there could be stiff competition for his signature.
"World-class" Vinicius could elevate Man City's forward line
With the likes of Savinho, Marmoush and Oscar Bobb failing to deliver against Leverkusen, Pep may be keen to bring in a forward who is already proven at the top level, and he is known to be a keen admirer of the Real Madrid star.
The City boss lauded the Brazil international as “extraordinary” last year, while he has also received high praise from Jurgen Klopp, who described the winger as “world-class” and a Real Madrid “legend”.
The former Flamengo man has been one of Madrid’s most important players for several years now, and he remained potent in front of goal right across the 2024-25 campaign, weighing in with 41 goal contributions in all competitions.
Same agent as Stones: Man City ready to snap up £80m Champions League "superstar"
There has been a new update on the Blues’ pursuit of a new defender.
ByDominic Lund Nov 27, 2025
As such, should Vinicius Jr become available, Man City should undoubtedly make a move, and £80m would be reasonable fee for a forward who is still young, and regarded as one of the best wingers in the world.
The unholy union of flat, long-lasting pitches and quickly softening Dukes balls are making the contest totally one-sided
Sidharth Monga05-Jul-2025
Ben Stokes has a word with the umpire about the condition of the ball•Getty Images
Unless you are a hopeless cynic, you turn up to the first morning of a Test bursting with anticipation of watching a contest between the bat and the ball. Then, in the 16th over of the first morning, you see the bowler and the captain complaining to the umpires about the ball. Then again in the 18th. Then in the 30th. Then in the 30th again, when the umpire reluctantly pulls out the gauge and the ball passes through it. Eventually, in the 56th over, the ball is changed.It is a dance we are used to. The umpires are sympathetic but they can change the ball only if it goes out of shape and can’t go through that gauge. There’s a reason why teams are going on about it. It is not just, in this instance, England. India have had the same issue. The Dukes ball is going soft too soon. The pitches in the Bazball era are designed to offer very little movement to the bowlers, and the softer balls are adding to the nightmare.In seven innings so far in this series, the first 30 overs have produced 17 wickets at an average of 48.53. That in itself is bad enough, but wait until you see what has happened to the older, softer ball. Overs 31 to 80 have produced just 15 wickets at an average of 105.04. The control percentage has gone up from 80.59% to 86.3%.Related
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We have ball-by-ball records for over 50 bilateral Test series in England. Before this, the worst the old ball fared was 60.12. We have ball-by-ball records for over 420 bilateral Test series in the world. Only once – the notorious Sri Lanka in Pakistan, 2008-09 – has the old ball done worse.Gen Z, even you are old enough to remember when the Dukes ball, with its hard seam and longer life, was a batter’s “real” test against quick bowling. That is why even West Indies switched from the Kookaburra to the Dukes for their home Tests, to bring life to Test matches played there. The pitches are keeping the concurrent Tests in the West Indies lively, but even there, the ball is being complained about.Josh Hazlewood said he has never bowled with a softer 70-over-old ball. Shubman Gill said he was told by those Indians with experience of playing in England that these balls tend to go soft after the 40th over but not so soft, and tend to start doing a little after the 60th over.It is only for the manufacturers to say if the balls are going soft sooner by design, but they are under severe pressure. The ECB has introduced Kookaburra for two rounds of County Championship matches because it wants the ball to do less so that the system produces “fast” bowlers and not seamers who struggle on harder pitches in places such as the ones in Australia. It is fair to assume the manufacturers don’t want to lose business.In March 2023, Dilip Jajodia, the ball-maker, told that the balls in 2022 were, to quote Stuart Broad, “rubbish” because of a Covid-related manufacturing malfunction, one that he had stamped out.Harry Brook was cleaned up with the second new ball•Getty ImagesWhether by design or by any other reason, this unholy union of flat, long-lasting pitches and quickly-softening Dukes balls are making the contest totally one-sided. It has turned the precious little available with the new ball into a precious commodity to make the most out of. It has made for ridiculous scorecards such as England’s first innings at Edgbaston: five wickets in the first 22 overs of the first new ball, a 303-run stand with no wicket to the old ball, and then five more to the second new ball.Because India had runs in the bank, they could afford to go on a short-ball barrage with the 31-over-old ball, but even the tall Prasidh Krishna could neither get the ball high enough nor hurry the batters. When nothing worked, India went to just containing with ODI-style fields while they waited for the second new ball. England have more or less been the same, making Shoaib Bashir bowl ridiculously long spells with the old ball.Not just make batting easier and the contest non-existent, these frequently discarded balls leave the game more exposed than usual to quirky compromising of the contest as happened at The Oval in 2023, months after Jajodia said they were back to normal. The ball went out of shape in the 37th over, and the newer one did heaps more, derailing Australia’s chase of 384.These teams have tried most tricks bar use a wristspinner to get something out of the older ball this series, but it hasn’t really worked for them. So far the best way to go about has been to be direct with the attack from the new ball and not waste a single delivery, and then just keep complaining to the umpires about the ball and hoping to get a harder one as the replacement.India have done so again with the new ball in the fourth innings: going wider on the crease to bring the stumps into play more often. It is to their infinite credit that they have managed to bowl England out in those two brief windows with the two new balls in the first innings. They have taken three wickets in the 16 overs they had with the new ball on the fourth evening, giving themselves a great chance to level the series 1-1.However, if they end up needing the second new ball on the final evening, while it might make for a thrilling finish, the end should not justify the way we get there.