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Manchester City are looking to cement themselves as the team to beat in the Premier League and they could go some way to doing that if they are able to tempt their latest transfer target to the Etihad Stadium.

Manchester City react to Champions League league phase draw

In an eventful week, the Champions League league phase draw is now complete and Manchester City now know who they will face for a place in the knockout rounds of the competition.

From the eight sides they will take on, ties against Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Napoli are the standouts, though the Citizens have landed a favourable run off games on paper and will feel confident they can progress.

Man City’s Champions League opponents

Real Madrid (A)

Borussia Dortmund (H)

Bayer Leverkusen (H)

Villarreal (A)

Napoli (H)

Bodo/Glimt (A)

Galatasaray (H)

AS Monaco (A)

Fixture dates TBC

Speaking after the draw, Pep Guardiola expressed his delight at being able to welcome former Manchester City heroes Kevin De Bruyne and Leroy Sane back to the Etihad Stadium.

He stated: “I’m really pleased he (Kevin De Bruyne) will come back here and of course, we have to beat the teams Napoli and Galatasaray (with Leroy Sane), nice to welcome him back. I’m sure the people will give a great welcome to them, they deserve it.”

Nevertheless, attention turns to their clash against Brighton & Hove Albion this weekend alongside transfer activity, and the Citizens are plotting move to sign Trent Alexander-Arnold from Real Madrid.

Admittedly, that may come down the line in January, though it shows that Guardiola’s ambition is through the roof as his side look to get back to dominating English football. Fermin Lopez could also move to the Etihad from Barcelona, and they are lining up another significant play for one of the world’s finest stars amid growing uncertainty over his future at a global superpower.

Man City lining up record Vinicius Junior bid

According to reports in Spain, Manchester City are lining up a £130 million bid to sign Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior, given he has two years on his contract left in the Spanish capital.

The Brazil international is at loggerheads with Los Blancos over an extension and Guardiola is ready to swoop in, given his pace and ability to burn past defenders in one-on-one situations.

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Similar to their pursuit of Alexander-Arnold, the Citizens may wait until 2026 to move for the winger, who has been nominated for the 2025 Balon D’Or and has previously been labelled “quality” by scout Jacek Kulig.

Starting the campaign with a bang, Vinicius registered a goal and an assist in Real Madrid’s 3-0 victory over Real Oviedo last weekend, but his situation is growing slightly more uncertain as the weeks go by.

Manchester City are no stranger to a statement signing, and manging to push a deal over the line for someone of such a high pedigree would be guaranteed to make global headlines.

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Após longo processo de negociações, iniciadas em janeiro e que aconteceram em sigilo, o Rio Branco-ES anunciou a venda de sua SAF (Sociedade Anônima do Futebol) e passa a ser o primeiro clube capixaba a adotar este modelo de gestão.

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A empresa que adquiriu o clube-empresa é a T2R Sports, composta por investidores capixabas proprietários das startups Zaitt, franquia de mercados autônomos, e Shipp, plataforma de entregas rápidas.

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A proposta do grupo foi de investir, no mínimo, R$ 50 milhões em dez anos. Deste valor, pelo menos R$ 10 milhões – o equivalente a 20% do total – serão destinados à infraestrutura do clube, incluindo a construção de um centro de treinamento.

O negócio foi estruturado pela Matix Capital, empresa referência na estruturação de SAFs pelo Brasil, e responsável por trazer a Eagle Holdings, de John Textor, para o Botafogo, além da 777 Partners para o Vasco da Gama.

O projeto também contou com consultoria estratégica de Rodrigo Miranda, ex-CEO das marcas Zaitt e Shipp, que ajudou no planejamento da SAF.

Representantes das empresas envolvidas, Vitor Oliveira, da Matix Capital, frisou que a gestão do futebol no Brasil está se profissionalizando e levando os clubes a melhores patamares de investimento, enquanto Renato Antunes, CEO da T2R Sports, foi enfático ao declarar que o Rio Branco será um dos maiores cases de sucesso entre as SAFs brasileiras.

As negociações do maior campeão capixaba com os investidores permaneceram em sigilo até a última quarta-feira (24), quando a proposta foi assinada pelo presidente do clube, Paulo Pachêco, e pelo presidente do Conselho Deliberativo, Marcos Guimeiro.

– O objetivo é reconquistar relevância no cenário nacional, fortalecendo o futebol e o orgulho capa-preta. – declarou Pachêco sobre a nova fase do clube.

Agora, o contrato será enviado para análise e votação dos sócios do em assembleia, o que deve acontecer nos próximos dias.

Conclusion of West Indies tour marks end of long-standing associations for back-room pair

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Nov-2024

Carl Hopkinson was involved in both of England’s World Cup victories in 2019 and 2022•Getty Images

Carl Hopkinson and Richard Dawson, two key members of England’s white-ball backroom staff, will leave their roles at the end of the current tour of the Caribbean, in preparation for Brendon McCullum’s arrival as the new head coach across all three formats.Hopkinson, England’s long-standing fielding coach, joined the men’s set-up in 2018 and was involved in each of England’s most recent victories in ICC global events; the 50-over World Cup on home soil in 2019, and the T20 World Cup in Australia in November 2022.Dawson, who played seven Tests as an offspinner between 2001 and 2003, was head coach of the Young Lions team that reached the Under-19 World Cup final in 2022, and joined the senior coaching team ahead of the 2022 T20 World Cup.Hopkinson said: “It has been a career highlight not only to be part of the England coaching set-up for the past seven years but also to be involved in two historic World Cup victories, which is something I’ll always cherish.”After starting as National Lead Fielding coach I worked alongside Richard Dawson to help the England Men U19s reach their first World Cup final for 24 years. It has been exciting to see young players we worked with at the World Cup grow into full England internationals as well as more recently helping some of the best white-ball players in the world continue to develop.”Dawson said: “I have enjoyed every minute in the England environment and working with some of the best white-ball players in the world as well as great people in the coaching team and backroom staff from the U19s to senior team.”Being head coach of the England U19 team that reached the World Cup final was a career highlight while it has been a pleasure working with some of the top spinners in the world while also developing the strength and depth of spin bowling talent from across the country. I look forward to seeing the white-ball team continue to progress and hopefully win more trophies.”Rob Key, England Men’s managing director, said: “Hoppo and Daws are two outstanding coaches who have played important roles in the success of our white-ball teams.”In addition to their coaching expertise with our senior teams they have also developed young players through the age groups to help set up the next era of our white-ball teams. England Cricket is in a better place because of them and I wish them well in the next chapter of their careers.”

Glasgow Rangers head coach Russell Martin wants to make further additions to his first-team squad before the summer transfer window slams shut at the start of September.

The Light Blues are in Champions League action against Panathinaikos tonight, as they look to progress through to the next round of qualifying, after they won 2-0 in the first leg.

Work is still going on behind the scenes to improve the squad, though, despite the season having already got underway, as the Gers attempt to bolster their options in the wide areas.

Rangers are reportedly closing in on a deal to sign right-sided attacker Oliver Antman from Dutch side Go Ahead Eagles, in a move that could set them back £5m.

The Scottish Premiership giants are also reportedly close to securing a deal to bring England U19 forward Mikey Moore to Ibrox on loan from Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.

Rangers would add to Martin’s options on the flanks if they can get both of these deals over the line in the coming days, hopefully before the league opener against Motherwell on Saturday.

What Moore and Antman could bring to Rangers

Both players are exciting wingers who could provide creative flair at the top end of the pitch if they are able to show the best of their abilities in Scotland this season.

Moore, who has only played 21 times for Tottenham to date, is relatively untested at senior level, though, and it remains to be seen if he can make the step up to be a key player on a regular basis in the first-team at Rangers, as he has yet to prove himself.

However, the 17-year-old talent did produce 19 goals and 13 assists in 24 matches for Spurs at U19 level before he made his first-team breakthrough, which shows that the potential is there for him to deliver goals and assists if he can hit the ground running at Ibrox.

Antman, on the other hand, would be joining the Scottish giants off the back of an impressive campaign with Go Ahead Eagles in the Eredivisie last season, as he showcased his ability to create high-quality chances for his teammates at an exceptional rate.

24/25 Eredivisie

Oliver Antman

Starts

28

Goals

6

Key passes per game

1.6

Big chances created

16

xA

6.54

Assists

15

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Finland international created a whopping 16 ‘big chances’ in 28 starts in the Dutch top-flight, which suggests that he could be a fantastic addition to the Rangers squad.

This is because no Rangers midfielder, winger, or forward created more than 11 ‘big chances’ in the Premiership last term, which suggests that Antman could come in as Martin’s chief creative threat.

Both players could provide a threat at the top end of the pitch, notably as creators, and that is why the club’s latest transfer target would love both of them.

Rangers in the race to sign new striker

According to Croatian news outlet Germanijak, Rangers are still in the race to secure a deal for Westerlo centre-forward Matija Frigan this summer.

The report claims that the Gers are lining up a move for the Croatian number nine after his proposed transfer to English Championship side Hull City was put into doubt by a transfer ban for the Tigers.

Transfer Focus

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It adds that Spanish side Elche and Premier League team Sunderland are also interested in signing the 22-year-old striker, which shows that there is plenty of competition for his signature.

The outlet states that Westerlo are looking for a fee in the region of £7m in order to allow the forward to move on this summer, whilst Elche are said to be looking at a deal worth around £5.1m.

This gap in valuation between what Elche want to pay and how much the Pro League team are asking for could leave the door open for Rangers to swoop for him in the coming weeks.

Why Rangers should sign Matijia Frigan

The Light Blues should swoop to sign the 22-year-old attacker because he is a talented young forward who could love to play with Antman and Moore at Ibrox this season.

As aforementioned, Moore and Antman are both creative wide players who could provide the striker playing ahead of them with plenty of opportunities to find the back of the net, which is why Frigan could be delighted at the prospect of being in the same side as them.

The left-footed forward’s form for Westerlo in the last 12 months or so suggests that he could come in as an effective forward who could thrive alongside the wing wizards.

Since the start of the 2024/25 campaign, Frigan has scored 14 goals from 14.26 xG in the Pro League, which shows that he is about on par with where he should be for the chances that have been created for him.

The Croatian forward, who was hailed as “complete” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has the finishing powers to potentially make the most of Antman and Moore’s creativity, whilst he may also come in as a big upgrade on Cyriel Dessers by offering a physical presence in the number nine position.

24/25 season

Dessers (Premiership)

Frigan (Pro League)

Appearances

35

39

Ground duels won

42

74

Aerial duels won

28

51

Ground duel success rate

34%

43%

Aerial duel success rate

31%

36%

Fouls won

21

35

Fouls committed

32

31

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Frigan is far more likely to win physical duels with defenders, on the ground and in the air, which could make him more reliable for Martin than the Nigeria international is.

Therefore, there are technical and physical reasons why the Gers should splash out £7m to bring the Westerlo star to Ibrox before the end of the summer transfer window, as he could be an upgrade on Dessers as well as a great foil for Antman and Moore to play with.

At the age of 22, Frigan would also come in as a young player with the potential to grow and develop during his time in Glasgow, which could make him an excellent long-term signing for the club as well.

Overall, the £7m-rated star is an effective centre-forward who could thrive off the creativity that Rangers are currently looking to add to their squad and could be a very shrewd addition this summer.

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Chelsea are in the market for more attacking options, with BlueCo looking to add to their summer contingent of Liam Delap, Joao Pedro and Jamie Gittens.

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Enzo Maresca has reportedly identified the final third as a key area to improve after struggling against the low-block last season (Simon Phillips), and it is basically a foregone conclusion that they’ll face this time and time again next term.

Chelsea’s best performers in the Premier League last season

Average match rating

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

The Blues do wish to improve other areas of their squad, like at centre-back, with Ajax starlet Jorrel Hato among their chief targets for the backline amid uncertainty surrounding the futures of Axel Disasi and Benoit Badiashile.

However, in the meantime, Maresca is believed to be prioritising another forward signing in his bid to mount a Premier League title challenge – which looks more and more likely after a very successful last few months.

Chelsea have money to spend after raising nearly £100 million through player sales and winning the Club World Cup, which brought in around £87.5 million worth of prize money to the Stamford Bridge coffers.

While they still need to sell players and balance out the squad, given Chelsea’s pact with UEFA after breaching FFP rules, there is still scope for them to bring in fresh attacking talent.

Chelsea are even thought to be weighing up ‘unofficial swap deals’ as a solution to offload surplus players whilst reinforcing Maresca’s ranks further, and some reports suggest that the west Londoners could let Nicolas Jackson head to Aston Villa in exchange for Morgan Rogers.

Multiple sources have also claimed that Chelsea are in dialogue with the representatives of Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze, who bagged 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions last season, not to mention the FA Cup final-winning strike against Man City.

Eze is emerging as a key target for Maresca, and he could battle both Arsenal and Tottenham for the 27-year-old, amid some reports that their London rivals have fallen behind Chelsea in the race for his signature (TEAMtalk).

Chelsea expected to be offered Xavi Simons by super agent Ali Barat

However, according to newspaper BILD, via Get German Football News on X, another opportunity has come to light in the form of RB Leipzig star Xavi Simons.

Simons sealed a permanent move to Leipzig from PSG in January for around £43m, not including hefty add-ons, but he could already be on the move. The 22-year-old put pen to paper on a deal running till 2027, and Simons is prepared to leave Leipzig this window amid interest from both Chelsea and Arsenal (Fabrizio Romano).

BILD report that Chelsea are expected to be offered Simons by super agent Ali Barat, and the representative is set to work on finding him a new club.

The Netherlands international has racked up an impressive 21 goals and 23 assists in total for Leipzig since first joining them on loan in 2023/2024, with a move to England now firmly in his sights.

Simons is actually the highest-paid player in Leipzig’s history, on a reported £192,000-per-week, and he’s been praised as an attacker who “has everything”.

“He is a very good player. He had a very good European Championship and a great season with Leipzig,” Bayern Munich sporting director Christoph Freund said last year.

“He’s developed really well. I think he’s going to have a really good career at the highest level. He has everything, mentality, character and is just an exceptional player.”

تحدث الدولي السويدي ألكسندر إيزاك، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ليفربول، عن صفقة انتقاله من نيوكاسل يونايتد خلال فترة الانتقالات الصيفية المنقضية.

وشهد سوق الانتقالات الصيفي 2025 جدلاً واسعًا وصراعًا طويلًا حول رحيل ألكسندر إيزاك من نيوكاسل يونايتد إلى ليفربول.

ونجح ليفربول في إتمام التعاقد مع نيوكاسل بصفقة قياسية بلغت قيمتها 130 مليون جنيه إسترليني كأغلى صفقة في تاريخ الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وحل إيزاك بديلًا في الدقيقة 72 مع منتخب بلاده في مباراة كوسوفو والتي انتهت بخسارة رفاقه بثنائية نظيفة ضمن تصفيات أوروبا المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم 2026.

اقرأ أيضًا | تقارير: ليفربول اتخذ إجراء استثنائيًا للتأكد من حالة إيزاك قبل التعاقد معه

وقال إيزاك لوسائل الإعلام السويدية عقب المباراة والتي نقلتها صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو”: “من الرائع أن كل شيء قد حُسم قبل فترة التوقف الدولي، وأنني تمكنت من التركيز على لعب كرة القدم مجددًا، كان وضعًا جديدًا نسبيًا بالنسبة لي لكن المرء يتعلم ويتطور ذهنيًا دائمًا حتى خارج الملعب”.

وأكمل إيزاك: “من الواضح أن الصورة ليست واضحة للجميع، لكن هذا موضوع يمكن أن نتحدث عنه في وقت آخر”.

وأتم: “لا أستطيع أن أتحكم في كل ما يقال أو يُكتب، لكن شعوري هو أنني سعيد للغاية بانضمامي إلى ليفربول”.

Fulham are now ready to make a move for an “incredible” manager, should Marco Silva decide to leave this summer, according to a report.

Silva's future at Craven Cottage still in doubt

Having been at Craven Cottage since 2021, Silva is now among the longest-serving Premier League managers, behind only Pep Guardiola, Thomas Frank and Mikel Arteta, but there have been suggestions his time in west London could now be coming to an end.

It remains to be seen whether Tottenham Hotspur persist with Ange Postecoglou after their Europa League triumph, but should they part ways with the Australian, the Cottagers boss could be among the main candidates to be brought in as a replacement.

In the same report, it is revealed the 47-year-old coach could also be tempted by a move to Saudi Arabia this summer, with several clubs ready to offer him mega money to leave the Premier League despite his insistence this weekend that he will stay put.

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As such, Fulham have now started to identify potential replacements for the Portuguese manager just in case, and a report from The Sun states they are now ready to make a move for Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Vitor Pereira.

Indeed, should Silva decide to move on, the Cottagers will look to raid their Premier League rivals for Pereira, who enjoyed an impressive debut campaign in England, leading the Old Gold to safety after replacing Gary O’Neil in the dugout.

The Portuguese coach is the number one choice to replace his compatriot, having been identified as an ideal fit, and there is a feeling the west Londoners could offer him a more lucrative financial package and a better long-term plan than he currently has at Molineux.

Pereira could be "incredible" Silva heir

The Wolves boss had a tough job on his hands after replacing O’Neil, but Wolves ultimately managed to avoid relegation with ease, at one point winning six matches on the spin from March until the end of April.

In light of the job the 56-year-old has done at Molineux, he has also received high praise from Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer, who said: “He really has done an incredible job, the whole atmosphere on the pitch and off the pitch,”

“He’s given everyone belief and confidence, made them more solid at the back. All over the park, they’re better, so he’s done a great job.”

The feel-good factor off the pitch is perhaps best showcased by the fact the former FC Porto boss has even been known to go to the pub for a pint with Wolves fans after matches.

Having also been nominated for the Premier League Manager of the Season award, there are plenty of signs that Pereira could be a great replacement for Silva, but Fulham will ultimately be hoping their manager stays, having stabilised them as a top-flight club.

A new centre-forward could be on the cards for Celtic as they prepare for the upcoming summer transfer window, which officially opens for business next month.

The Scottish giants decided to cash in on one of their star forwards in the January transfer window when they allowed Kyogo Furuhashi to join Rennes on a permanent deal.

The Japan international, who scored 34 goals in all competitions in the 2022/23 campaign, moved on from Parkhead and the club did not opt to sign a direct replacement for him ahead of the second half of the season.

Celtic could land a domestic treble by beating Aberdeen in the SFA Cup final, which suggests that their form on the pitch has not been harmed by that decision.

However, Brendan Rodgers and his staff may want a longer-term solution to Kyogo’s exit when the summer transfer window opens for business, as Adam Idah is the only senior and recognised centre-forward at the club, alongside the versatile Daizen Maeda and young Johnny Kenny.

There is one former Celtic number nine who has recently made it clear that he would love to play for the Hoops again if the opportunity was there.

Former Celtic striker who would love to return to Parkhead

Greece international Giorgos Giakoumakis has revealed that he would be interested in playing in the green and white again, having left the club in 2023 to sign for Atlanta United in the MLS.

When asked if he would fit into the current team, the forward told the Daily Record: “You want to set the fire? I would love to play for Celtic again. I don’t know if that’s a utopia or if it could happen again – but who wouldn’t?”

There is nothing to suggest that Celtic are considering, or even would consider, a move to bring the striker back to Glasgow, but he did enjoy an interesting first spell at Paradise after joining from VVV-Venlo in the summer of 2021.

Giakoumakis was never a nailed-on starter who was in the XI week-in-week-out under Ange Postecoglou, as he preferred Kyogo Furuhashi in closer to a false nine role, but he performed admirably when given an opportunity.

Appearances

21

19

40

Starts

11

4

15

Goal

13

6

19

Minutes per goal

81

114

92

Goals from shots inside the box

13/39

6/39

19/78

Conversion rate

30%

14%

24%

As you can see in the table above, the Greek star almost averaged a goal every 90 minutes in the Premiership across his two seasons at the club, which speaks to how lethal he was in the final third when on the pitch.

Whilst Celtic may not be interested in a reunion with the experienced attacker, Rodgers could land his own version of Giakoumakis by swooping for one of the club’s reported transfer targets.

Celtic have interest in Scottish starlet

Last month, the Chronicle Live reported that Celtic are one of a number of clubs interested in signing Hearts centre-forward James Wilson in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The outlet claimed that Rangers and Celtic have both checked the teenage forward out, which suggests that they have sent scouts to watch the gem in action, whilst he has also played against both teams in the Premiership.

Transfer Focus

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

It revealed that Premier League side Newcastle United, who are currently vying for Champions League football, are also keen on the Scotland international.

However, the Chronicle Live did not reveal how much Hearts would actually demand for the young centre-forward if a team decided to come in with a formal approach for his services.

Whilst it remains to be seen whether or not Celtic are prepared to act upon their interest in Wilson, or if they would be able to convince him to turn down Newcastle to remain in Scotland, Rodgers must push for the club to seal a deal for the attacker because he could be Giakoumakis 2.0.

Why James Wilson could be Giakoumakis 2.0

Wilson could arrive at Parkhead as the manager’s own version of the Greek sensation because he is a clinical striker who can deliver goals without starting games on a regular basis.

Giakoumakis, as aforementioned, was excellent at scoring goals consistently without being a regular starter throughout his time in the Premiership, which made him such a valuable option for Postecoglou.

Rodgers already has Maeda and Idah available to him as starting-calibre centre-forward options, and Wilson could come in as the perfect squad option to be the third-choice striker.

At the age of 18, the Scottish youngster would come in as a promising talent with plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and grow, which is why starting out as an option off the bench could be the ideal role for him at this moment in his career.

The Hearts gem, dubbed a “live wire” in training by Neil Critchley, has also shown that he can be an effective player when called upon at Premiership level, having scored five goals from 4.9 xG in the division this season.

Appearances

24

Starts

15

Goals

5

Big chances missed

4

Conversion rate

23%

Shots from inside the box

5/17

As you can see in the table above, Wilson has an impressive conversion rate of 23% in the Premiership, just shy of Giakoumakis’ 24% conversion rate in the league during his time at Celtic.

This shows that both strikers are clinical and effective forwards who can thrive without starting every single game, making them perfect squad options for the Hoops.

Aged 17 years and 288 days, Wilson became the youngest European scorer in Hearts history with a goal against Petroclub in the Conference League, and he became the youngest senior Scotland international ever at the age of 18 years and 17 days old with a cap against Greece earlier this year.

The record-breaking youngster is emerging as a hugely promising player in Scottish football, hence the links to Newcastle and Celtic, and that is why the Hoops should push to bring him to the club as their next Giakoumakis, with the potential for him to kick on even further in the future.

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Manchester United were left frustrated once again in the Premier League on Sunday when they had to fight to scrape a 1-1 draw against Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.

It took a 96th-minute goal from Rasmus Hojlund, who deflected an effort from Manuel Ugarte into the bottom corner, to secure a point against the Cherries, after Antoine Semenyo rifled the home team in front in the first half.

Ruben Amorim’s side created more than enough chances to win the match, though, as they racked up 2.52 xG and failed to make the most of their opportunities.

Bruno Fernandes, in particular, must have been particularly frustrated by the team’s wasteful finishing. The Portugal international created seven chances, including one ‘big chance’, and came off the pitch without an assist to show for his efforts.

Manchester United’s captain has been a shining light in a dim season for the Red Devils, once again, with the quality that he has provided in the middle of the park on a regular basis.

It is now down to the club and Amorim to ensure that they bring in the right players to complement his play in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Why Manchester United have let Bruno Fernandes down

The owners, the previous owners, the manager, and the previous manager, or managers, have all failed to build a squad that is equipped to make the most of Fernandes’ talent in the final third.

Manchester United’s captain has now created 14 ‘big chances’ in the Premier League this season and has only been rewarded with nine assists for his creative brilliance, which shows that his teammates have not done enough with the opportunities that he has created.

That is the story of Fernandes’ career at Old Trafford, particularly recently, as he has been an exceptional creative talent for the club throughout his time in the English top-flight.

The 30-year-old superstar, who has also scored 17 goals in all competitions this season, needs teammates who can make the most of the ‘big chances’ that he consistently creates.

24/25

14

9.24

9

23/24

21

13.16

8

22/23

32

17.27

8

21/22

15

8.81

6

20/21

20

11.47

12

19/20

4

2.75

7

Total

106

62.7

50

As you can see in the table above, Fernandes’ teammates have only scored 50 goals from 62.7 xA created by the former Sporting star, which shows that they have significantly underperformed in front of goal.

These statistics show that Manchester United have not been able to recruit the quality of centre-forward that the attacking midfielder needs to finish the chances that he creates on a weekly basis for the Reds.

Manchester United are now, reportedly, eyeing up a deal to sign a player who would love to play alongside Fernandes, and who has the quality to thrive alongside him.

Manchester United close in on Premier League star

According to reports in Spain, Manchester United are closing in on a deal to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers attacker Matheus Cunha ahead of the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Brazilian forward is ‘very close’ to joining the Red Devils from the Premier League side, as Amorim looks to bolster his options at the top end of the pitch.

Revelo adds that the Brazil international has a release clause, worth £53m, in his current contract with the Old Gold, and that United are ready to pay it to bring him to Manchester in the ‘coming weeks’.

It claims that there is already a verbal agreement in place between Cunha and Manchester United to join the club, which suggests that personal terms have already been agreed between the two parties.

Transfer Focus

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

INEOS must, now, pay the release clause to wrap a deal up as early as possible in the summer transfer window, to avoid any other clubs swooping in ahead of them, as the attacker could be a dream signing for Fernandes next season.

Why Matheus Cunha would be a dream signing for Bruno Fernandes

The former Atletico Madrid attacker could be an ideal addition to the squad because he is a proven Premier League performer who could hit the ground running at Old Trafford, in theory.

This is Cunha’s second full season in the top-flight, having also been on loan at Wolves in the second half of the 2022/23 campaign, and he has shown himself to be a classy operator at the top end of the pitch for the Old Gold.

The 25-year-old star, who was directly involved in 22 goals as shown in the video above, could come in to provide Amorim’s side with a boost as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

His finishing qualities, in particular, will be of interest to Fernandes because his record in the Premier League since the start of last season suggests that the United captain would love him.

Appearances

32

29

xG

9.49

7.86

Goals

12

15

Big chances missed

6

2

Big chances created

7

12

Assists

7

6

As you can see in the table above, the Wolves superstar has vastly outperformed his xG, scoring 27 goals from 17.35 xG, and delivered 13 assists.

Cunha, dubbed a “special” player by his manager Vitor Pereira, has the quality to take high-quality chances when they come his way, outperforming how many goals the average player would be expected to score from the shots that he takes.

This is why Fernandes, who has consistently been let down by his teammates in that respect, would love the Brazilian ace at Old Trafford, because the forward could provide the finishing quality to make the most of his creativity.

Cunha and Fernandes could be a lethal pairing in the Premier League for United next season because the Portuguese ace could consistently create chances for the ex-Atletico Madrid ace to find the back of the net week-in-week-out, improving Manchester United’s attack.

Man Utd preparing £40m bid to sign full-back who is also wanted by Arsenal

Man Utd face a battle with Arsenal to sign an experienced defender.

ByBrett Worthington Apr 28, 2025

This is why INEOS must get a deal done for the Wolves star as quickly as possible because he could be a fantastic signing to bolster Amorim’s squad, improving the team’s chances of success next term.

South Africa have a poor recent record, but a lot of that is down to player unavailability and Cricket South Africa’s priority list

Firdose Moonda17-Feb-2025

How do they look?

On paper, South Africa have a squad that is well balanced, with in-form batters throughout the order, three seam-bowling allrounders, three spin options, and two out-and-out quicks. On the field, it hasn’t always gone according to plan.South Africa’s ODI record since the last World Cup is poor (see below) and they have not had much match time together thanks to a packed international and league schedule. That explains the dip in results in bilateral cricket but whether that still matters, in the ever-transient world of modern cricket, remains to be seen.What they have had is recent experience in Pakistan, thanks to the mini tri-series, although they lost both matches. They would have also benefited from a week’s worth of acclimatising and training in the same city they kick off their Champions Trophy campaign in, Karachi. In a group where they play one team as severely out of form as them, England, and another hit by several absentees, Australia, South Africa will see the semi-finals as the first target.

Who are their first-round opponents?

Feb 21: South Africa vs Afghanistan, Karachi
Feb 25: South Africa vs Australia, Rawalpindi
Mar 1: South Africa vs England, Karachi

Best XI

1. Temba Bavuma, 2 Ryan Rickelton, 3 Rassie van der Dussen, 4 Aiden Markram, 5 Heinrich Klaasen, 6 David Miller, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Lungi Ngidi 11 Tabraiz ShamsiRest of the squad: Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Corbin Bosch, Wiaan Mulder

Players(s) to watch

Heinrich Klaasen has the second-best strike rate among batters who have scored 150 or more runs since the last World Cup and is enjoying some of the best form of his career. He has brought up four successive eighty-plus scores, all against Pakistan, in ODI cricket in his last five matches and is responsible for injecting energy into the middle order. With a strong top order, Klaasen is expected to bat with as much freedom as he wants, and he’ll hope South Africa have the attack to back that up.Keep a special eye on Lungi Ngidi and Tabraiz Shamsi, who were part of the matches in the tri-series leading up to the Champions Trophy and will need to find their confidence quickly.Injuries to key players have played a role in South Africa’s poor run of late•AFP/Getty Images

Key stats

South Africa have lost six ODIs in a row ahead of the Champions Trophy. Their longest losing streak is ten matches.

Recent ODI form

In a word: poor. Since the 2023 ODI World Cup, South Africa have won only four out of 14 ODIs and lost three out of four bilateral series, including their first whitewash at home. That’s the joint-worst record of all participating teams. But there is a reason for these results: South Africa have not been able to field full-strength ODI teams in any of these matches, owing to league clashes, or the prioritisation of other formats. In the last 15 months, bilateral ODI cricket has become an experiment for combinations and new players and not a measure of big-tournament form.So how will they judge their readiness for that? White-ball coach Rob Walter said he trusts the big players to step up on big occasions, as they did to reach the semi-finals of the 2023 World Cup and the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Champions Trophy history

South Africa were winners of the inaugural competition in 1998. Then called the ICC Knockout, the event was organised to raise money for non-Test-playing nations. Since then, South Africa have reached the semi-finals four times (2000, 2002, 2006 and 2013) but suffered group-stage exits in 2004, 2009 (which was played in South Africa) and the most recent tournament in 2017.