ساند أسطورة نادي تشيلسي، محمد صلاح، نجم نادي ليفربول، وذلك في ظل التصريحات النارية التي أدلى بها الدولي المصري يوم السبت الماضي بشأن وضعه مع الريدز.

محمد صلاح خرج عن صمته خلال الأيام الماضية، وذلك بعد بقائه كبديل مع ليفربول في آخر ثلاث مباريات لعبها الريدز في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ولم يشارك محمد صلاح في أي دقيقة مع ليفربول خلال لقاء ليدز يونايتد يوم السبت الماضي، والتي انتهت بالتعادل الإيجابي بثلاثة أهداف لكل فريق.

واتهم محمد صلاح إدارة ليفربول بعدم تقديم الدعم الكافي له وبعدم تنفيذ الوعود التي قدمت له، مشيرًا إلى أن علاقته مع المدير الفني آرني سلوت قد تدمرت تمامًا.

لكن جون تيري أسطورة تشيلسي ومنتخب إنجلترا، يرى أن محمد صلاح على حق فيما قاله بشأن أنه أصبح كبش فداء للنادي، وله كل الحق في الغضب لاستبعاده من التشكيلة الأساسية.

اقرأ أيضًا .. ذا أتلتيك عن أزمة محمد صلاح: ليفربول لم يشعر بالصدمة من تصريحاته

وقال تيري في تصريحات نقلتها شبكة ليفربول إيكو عن محمد صلاح: “هل تعتقدون أنه وقع ضحية خطأ أم أن مدرب ليفربول على حق؟ أعتقد أنه أول من يقول إنه بعيد عن مستواه هذا الموسم لكنني أتفق معه أيضًا، أعتقد أنه وقع ضحية خطأ إلى حد ما، أعتقد أن العديد من لاعبي ليفربول بمن فيهم هو نفسه، كانوا بعيدين عن مستواهم مؤخرًا”.

وأضاف تيري في حديثه: ”وأما استبعاده ، فأنا لا أمزح، إذا كان هناك لاعب واحد قادر على الفوز بالمباريات لليفربول فسيكون هو، لذا فهو قرار حاسم من المدرب”.

واختتم تيري في تصريحاته عن محمد صلاح: ”وأيضًا، عندما تبقيه في صفك وعندما تشرك لاعبين ذوي خبرة في الفريق وتقدم لهم أسباب استبعادهم، فلن تجد خيارًا آخر، ولكن إظهار هذا الاحترام من المدرب أمر بالغ الأهمية”.

Aroldis Chapman has seen both sides of the Yankee-Red Sox rivalry, having pitched for New York for seven seasons and now Boston this past season. And, as Chapman made crystal clear during a recent appearance on the podcast, he doesn't intend on ever going back to the other side of the rivalry.

"No way, not even dead," Chapman said in Spanish in response to being asked if he'd ever play for the Yankees again. "If I were told that I was being traded to New York, I'd pack my things and go home. I'll retire right on the spot if that happens. I'm not crazy. Never again."

Why does Chapman feel so adamantly about never playing for the Yankees again?

"I dealt with a lot of disrespect [with the Yankees]," Chapman said. "I put up with a lot of things. I knew that they just wanted to find a way to get rid of me, but they didn't know how. And I just dealt with it quietly, kept playing, and doing what I always do."

Chapman was dealt to the Yankees in December of 2015 in exchange for four minor league players amidst allegations into a domestic violence incident allegedly involving the talented relief pitcher. Citing conflicting accounts and insufficient evidence, prosecutors declined to convict Chapman, though he received a 30-game suspension from MLB.

Chapman, after recording a 2.01 ERA and 20 saves in his first 31 games with the Yankees, was dealt to the Chicago Cubs at the 2016 trade deadline, then later reunited with the Yankees on a five-year deal that ensuing winter.

Chapman, a hard-throwing lefthander who routinely hits triple digits with his fastball, was largely effective during his tenure with the Yankees. From 2017 to 2022, he recorded the fifth-most saves in MLB, a 3.05 ERA and posted a 37 percent strikeout rate.

Unfortunately, for Chapman, his Yankee tenure was remembered more for two key home runs he allowed in the postseason, a 2019 American League Championship Series-winning dinger served up to Astros star Jose Altuve and a ninth-inning go-ahead blast to then-Rays infielder Mike Brousseau in the 2020 American League Division Series.

Chapman and ths Yankees also didn't seem to end their relationship on the best of terms.

Chapman's disappointing end to Yankees' tenure

In August of 2022, his last season in the Bronx, Chapman was placed on the 15-day injured list due to a "pretty bad infection" arising from a new tattoo he had recently got at the time. While the Yankees publicly showed no signs of frustration with the flamethrowing closer amid the unfortunate situation, that would soon change later that year.

Days before the Yankees were set to take on the Guardians in the ALDS, Chapman, after disappointing for much of the season, skipped a mandatory team workout and was then fined and subsequently left off the ALDS roster. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman was openly critical of Chapman, calling his absence "disappointing" and questioning whether the eight-time All-Star was "all in."

Judging by Chapman's words, it seems pretty clear who he directs his ire towards with the Yankees.

"I got along well with all the players," Chapman said. "Never had a problem with anybody, even the manager. We're friends and we talk and everything. The bosses are the ones who make those decisions."

Chapman bounced from the Royals to the Rangers—with whom he won his second World Series title—and the Pirates before signing with Boston last winter. He pitched to a 1.17 ERA with 32 saves for the Red Sox in '25.

MatériaMais Notícias

Apesar de ser eleito entre os melhores zagueiros da Itália por três temporadas consecutivas, Bremer sabe que ainda tem estrada para percorrer para ser titular da Seleção Brasileira. O zagueiro da Juventus se sente preparado para a oportunidade e mantém os pés no chão, ao mesmo passo que sabe que não deve começar entre os 11 iniciais.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

Venho trabalhando para isso desde quando cheguei na Juventus há dois anos, acho sim que estou preparado para essa oportunidade. Acho que não vou partir como titular, mas estarei preparado

---

avaliou Bremer. E completou:

– Eu tenho pouco tempo na Seleção, quero contribuir seja nos treinos ou nos jogos e fazer minha história na Seleção, todo mundo que vem para cá quer mostrar seu valor e eu não sou diferente.

Ao todo, Bremer tem sete convocações pela Seleção Brasileira. Dos quatro jogos que disputou, o zagueiro da Juventus foi titular em uma partida e entrou no decorrer das outras três.

Bremer analisou a concorrência com os demais companheiros, que jogam em clubes importantes e de destaque no futebol europeu.

– A zaga é uma das posições mais difíceis, todos os jogadores estão em grande clube, Premier League, Real Madrid, Juventus. Vai ser uma briga sadia, quem o professor optar para ser titular vai servir bem a Seleção. São grandes zagueiros, em grandes clubes – disse o zagueiro.

continua após a publicidade

A Seleção Brasileira entra em campo neste sábado para enfrentar o México em amistoso preparatório para a Copa América. A bola rola às 21h30.

🎙️ MAIS RESPOSTAS DE BREMER:

COMEÇO DA CARREIRA
– Lógico. Joguei no Galo em 2018, estou muito feliz por ter feito parte do Atlético-MG, venho construindo uma grande história na Juventus. Cheguei na reta final da Copa. Espero dar continuidade na Juventus e também aqui.

ENDRICK
– A gente já teve convocações juntas, desde os tempos do Diniz. Tem força física, bom tecnicamente também. Fora de campo quer aprender, tem humildade, é sensacional.

continua após a publicidade

LÍDERES NA SELEÇÃO
– Estamos criando um novo ciclo. O Bruno Guimarães, o próprio Lucas Paquetá está crescendo nessa função, tem cinco ou seis anos na Seleção. Isso vem no dia a dia. São esses jogadores que estão crescendo bastante, estamos querendo fazer uma nova história na Seleção.

ESQUEMA TÁTICO
– Com Tite, peguei o final do ciclo, mas vi bastante, ele trabalhava a fase defensiva. Se for ver os jogos dele, ganhava sem tomar gols ou tomando poucos gols. Se tivesse que comparar, ele seria mais um treinador italiano. O Dorival começou a pouco tempo, os laterais apoiam bastante, é mais solto. Joga e precisa que os laterais sejam ofensivos, um pouco diferente do Tite. São propostas diferentes, mas o objetivo é ser campeão.

– Defensivamente tem que estar mais atento, com os laterais subindo mais você precisa estar na preventiva, atacar marcando, que é o que o Dorival fala, o “cinturão”.

Tudo sobre

BrasilBremerFutebol NacionalSeleção Brasileira

TORONTO — Necessity is the mother of intention.

The Mariners did not want to ask Bryce Miller to pitch on three days of rest for the first time in his professional life. They to do it after using a small village of pitchers to cover 45 outs Friday night to advance to the American League Championship Series.

Three days of rest is the gas station sushi of the pitching world: best to be avoided. When it’s not, the outcome is probably going to be dyspeptic. Starters on three days of rest in the wild card era were 54–73 (.425) entering ALCS Game 1 on Sunday at Rogers Centre.

It’s especially true in the modern game of rest and recovery, when most starts are made on five days of rest, not four. Miller had made 51 of his 75 career starts with at least five days.

Only knowing that do you begin to understand the beauty of what Miller did in Game 1. After a wobbly start in which all-world catcher Cal Raleigh once again rescued one of his pitchers from a burning building, Miller pitched the game of his life.

In the toughest building in the American League for a visiting team to win, against a lineup scoring nine runs per game in the postseason, Miller allowed one run (none after his first pitch) over six of the most aggressive innings you will ever see pitched in a hostile, high-stakes environment. He threw first-pitch strikes to 18 of his 23 batters, including 14 in a row at one point. 

“Here it is, hit it,” Miller practically shouted at the Blue Jays. They could not.

Miller and the Mariners won Game 1, 3–1, in what was such a statement game full of conviction that Seattle reliever Matt Brash said, “Getting those six innings from Bryce is series-changing. It was huge.”

Since Patrick Corbin of the Nationals did it in the 2019 World Series, Miller became the first of 180 postseason starters on short rest to go six innings.

The Mariners have the most aggressive pitching staff in the league. They throw more first-pitch strikes, more strikes overall and more pitches ahead of the count than any other AL team. “Count is king” is their mantra. But this? This was the kind of sharpshooting that gets someone banned from a carnival shooting gallery for being too good and cleaning out the supply of plushies.

Seattle throttled the hottest lineup in baseball by throwing 78% first-pitch strikes (25 of 32) and only 100 pitches to get its 27 outs. No team had won a postseason game with so few pitches since the Dodgers beat the Braves in Game 2 of the 2018 NLDS behind Clayton Kershaw and Kenley Jansen. To find the last time a team won so efficiently on the road, you must go all the way back 19 years, when Oakland beat Minnesota in 2006 ALDS Game 1 behind Barry Zito and Huston Street.

“This is what we do,” said Mariners pitcher Bryan Woo, part of the same 2021 draft class in which Seattle also snagged Miller. “It’s been preached to us from Day 1. It’s in our DNA.”

Miller’s midseason adjustmeant bearing fruit

Miller would seem an unlikely candidate to break the bad three-days vibe, not just because he was in uncharted waters but because the guy had a 5.73 ERA when he went on the IL in June for a second time because of a painful bone spur in his elbow.

It was during his hiatus, and as he rehabbed his way back, that the Mariners fixed an issue as troubling as the bone spur. Miller was tipping his pitches. Miller would hold the ball near his belt as he started his delivery and then would keep it there as he went into his leg kick. The Mariners’ staff discovered he was giving away pitches by the angle of the flange of his glove. A secondary concern with his static hand position was that it made it difficult for him to control the running game. Base stealers were 10 out of 13 against him.

Pitching coach Pete Woodworth and his run prevention crew came up with a solution. As Miller began his delivery, instead of leaving his hands at the belt he would raise and lower them in sync with his leg kick.

“Making adjustments like that can be difficult in the middle of the season,” Woodworth said. “In this case because he was working his way back, we had the time to do it in an environment without the same pressure. The other thing is that Bryce is somebody that when you suggest a change, whether it’s mechanical or something about pitch shapes, he makes adjustments very quickly.”

It worked. Miller has a 2.61 ERA this postseason in two starts. His velocity has increased from 94.5 mph before the change to 96.1 this postseason. Teams have stopped running on him (only four steals in 10 starts since the change).

Still, everything looked like it would go haywire when George Springer blasted Miller’s first pitch for a home run. Miller walked two of the next three batters. Rogers Centre was jumping. That’s when the fire alarm went off in Raleigh’s head.

Raleigh’s cool head ices out Blue Jays

The potential AL MVP called timeout. He flipped his mask atop his helmet and took the slowest walk possible to the mound. His gait was the picture of calmness, a slow moving Zen practitioner. His conversation with Miller in the middle of the mayhem was equally a display of equanimity for the purpose of one person, Miller.

Woodworth, as he almost always does, did not hurry to join the mound meeting, as most pitching coaches like to do since mound visits are capped. Why?

“Because this is Cal’s team,” Woodworth said. “I never question anything he does. I trust him completely. I don’t even know what he told him. I just know it was the right thing. It always is with Cal.”

Said Miller, “He usually doesn't have much to say. Sometimes he thinks he has jokes, and I give him a courtesy laugh, a little chuckle, and settle back down and keep going.

“No, he’s always really good with timing, when to come out and when he knows that we need to slow down and get us back in the zone. I don’t remember the convo at all, but I’m sure that’s how it went.”

Turtle-like, especially in his greenish catcher’s gear, Raleigh returned to his office behind the plate. Six pitches later, the Mariners were back in the dugout. The Blue Jays were done. Starting with Cal’s mindfulness session on the mound, Seattle pitchers set down 26 of the final 28 batters.

It was just another night among the scores of nights when Raleigh wins games in so many ways. He also chipped in a game-tying homer, his 62nd on the year. He joined Babe Ruth (1927) and Aaron Judge (2022) as the only hitters with multiple homers in the postseason after 60 in the regular season.

This homer was his fourth in just 17 at-bats against Blue Jays ace Kevin Gausman and his ninth in 14 games at Rogers Centre. Nobody had hit one of Gausman’s wicked splitters for a homer since Aug. 13, covering the last 359 of them. Over this at-bat and the previous one, Gausman threw nine splitters out of 10 pitches to Raleigh. Raleigh is too good of a hitter to see a conveyor belt of pitches like that. He crushed the ninth.

When Gausman then walked Julio Rodríguez, Blue Jays manager John Schneider pulled Gausman, who had thrown just 76 pitches. It reeked of an overreaction. Sure, the bullpen was rested. But why pull your ace so quickly? The decision blew up on Schneider when Brandon Little threw a wild pitch and then served up a run-scoring single to Jorge Polanco. The Blue Jays have made a routine of coming back at teams, especially at a raucous Rogers Centre, but there would be no more runs and no more electricity on this night—not against this staff.

Before the bottom of the ninth inning, as Seattle closer Andrés Muñoz warmed, Raleigh, knowing Vlad Guerrero was leading off for Toronto, went up to Woodworth and said, “Hey, let me run something by you. I’m thinking …” Raleigh had designs of attacking Guerrero, a great fastball hitter, with heaters rather than Muñoz’s best pitch, his slider, which is the toughest pitch to hit in baseball.

Woodworth stopped Raleigh and told him to go with whatever he thought was best.

“With Cal,” Woodworth said, “there is no second-guessing. It’s his team.”

Muñoz missed with a fastball and came back with another fastball. It was right down the middle. Guerrero took it for a strike. Muñoz retired him on a grounder with a slider. He closed the game to get Miller his well-earned win. 

“Everything felt really good, really fresh,” Miller said. “I was getting ahead, attacking. And it’s a recipe for success.”

It is the Mariners’ recipe, and it is not a secret sauce. They have a staff loaded with elite movers with outlier fastballs and a catcher who calls pitches and runs games with the total trust of those around him. 

Think of what the Mariners just accomplished. They played five hours Friday night, flew more than 2,000 miles after a two-hour ground delay Saturday, fell behind 1–0 to the league’s best home team and won the game to take away Toronto’s home field advantage. The most intentional pitching staff in baseball opened the ALCS with a convincing statement.

Newcastle United will need to show they can pick up results on the road consistently to continue their fine start to December.

At St James’ Park so far this month, which is the Magpies’ dependable fortress, Eddie Howe’s men have collected a draw and a win, with only two losses from eight matches coming their way on their own turf this season so far.

In stark contrast, three losses have been tallied up away from home, with only one away win next to their name sticking out as a worrying fact.

In their defence, the only success on the road this season saw them emphatically get the better of Everton 4-1 in the Premier League, which might well stand them in good stead against Bayer Leverkusen and Sunderland to come.

Howe will hope his team’s up-and-down nature has been rectified by the time the January transfer window swings back open, with a potentially busy month ahead for the Toon in terms of incomings.

Newcastle looking to sign new midfielder

The unpredictability of January could also see Newcastle offload a couple of players, too, with reserve centre-forward option William Osula alleged to be keen to move away from St James’ Park.

There are also rumours bubbling away about fresh faces joining the building, with former Leicester City ace Bilal El Khannouss just one of many options catching the Toon’s eye in the middle of the park. On top of him, a cut-price £13m move for Ferencváros TC star Alex Tóth could be on the agenda.

The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope has added more fuel to the fire by revealing that Howe and Co are set to make a move for rising AZ Alkmaar star Kees Smit, with the reported transfer fee floating about for his services coming in at the £30m price range.

The inconsistent Toon have long been admirers of the well-rounded Dutchman, and with Manchester United and Liverpool circling, this would be seen as a statement move in January, as Newcastle prepare to spend the big bucks once more. Hope has already described the youngster as “one of Europe’s most exciting teenagers” so this one is certainly something to kick and scream about.

How Smit can be Howe's future Guimaraes

Howe will hope, by landing Smit, that he wins himself a future Bruno Guimaraes, which will be music to the ears of the devoted Tyneside fanbase, after the much-loved Brazilian only affirmed his legendary status at the club more with that audacious strike versus Burnley.

The 28-year-old is now synonymous with Newcastle, with his corner kick effort sailing straight over the head of Martin Dubravka, further backing up comments by his manager that he is a “difference-maker”.

Of course, Smit has some way to go before he’s pulling off screamers like Guimaraes’ ingenious effort regularly in the Premier League, but the 19-year-old does have a powerful effort up his sleeve, with his ability to conjure up a moment of magic from a very early age also seeing scout Jacek Kulig laud him as a “super talent.”

Indeed, this sumptuous effort in the U19 Euros in the summer shows off a star who is incredibly confident and assured in front of goal, with Smit now up to ten goal contributions in the senior ranks at AZ. Newcastle’s beloved captain is up to 27 goals and 29 assists himself in the senior picture at St James’ Park, with Howe hopeful that Smit could reach these levels in time, so he can replace the 28-year-old down the line.

It’s not just their output in terms of goals and assists that makes the two talents in question similar, however, with Smit’s energy and determination centrally also placing himself on the same pedestal as the industrious South American, which has led to the AZ number 26 even being branded as a “duel monster” by analyst Ben Mattinson, a tag regularly placed on Guimaraes’ shoulders.

Smit’s league numbers for AZ

Stat (* = per 90 mins)

24/25

25/26

Games played

18

14

Goals scored

0

2

Assists

0

2

Touches*

38.8

62.7

Accurate passes*

23.3 (85%)

42.7 (89%)

Key passes*

1.3

1.8

Big chances created

3

3

Ball recoveries*

3.3

5.7

Total duels won*

2.9

3.3

Stats by Sofascore

Smit has certainly grown into being more of a lively performer centrally this season in the Eredivisie, when looking at the table above, making 5.7 ball recoveries and winning 3.3 duels per game.

In constract, the Newcastle skipper has made 5.1 ball recoveries, but he does blow Smit out of the water in the duels department, having won a fierce 5.4 duels so far this campaign in the demanding Premier League.

Still, with the upward trajectory the table outlines, he could reach Guimaraes’ commanding levels very soon, as Howe prepares to win himself a standout talent for the future in January, by securing Smit’s coveted services.

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Posts ByKelan Sarson 4 days ago

They might have suffered their first defeat in months at the hands of Aston Villa on Saturday, but this season is still shaping up to be a memorable one for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s side are top of the Premier League and Champions League tables and still haven’t reached their full potential.

Moreover, while injuries have taken their toll, the Gunners have a squad bursting at the seams with incredible players, and Bukayo Saka, arguably their most important player, has produced three goal involvements in his last four games.

So, fans should be excited about reports linking Arsenal to a player who has been compared not only to the Englishman but also to summer target Rodrygo.

Arsenal target Saka & Rodrygo hybrid

Uncharacteristically, Arsenal went on something of a spending spree in the summer, bringing in the likes of Noni Madueke, Martin Zubimendi, Viktor Gyokeres and others.

Transfer Focus

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

Therefore, it would be understandable if the North Londoners held off on any major signings in the January window.

However, it would appear that the Gunners are determined to further improve their already impressive squad, and are now looking at a player who has been compared to both Saka and Rodrygo.

At least that is according to a recent report from Spain, which claims Arsenal are very interested in signing Yan Diamonde.

In fact, the report goes further than that, revealing that the Premier League leaders have now identified the winger as a priority target.

However, the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City are also said to be keen on the youngster and that RB Leipzig would need a fee of up to €100m to sell their star asset, which is about £87m.

It would therefore almost certainly be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Diomande’s ability and potential, one Arsenal should fight for anyway, especially as he’s been compared to Saka and Rodrygo.

How Diomande compares to Saka & Rodrygo

So, starting with the obvious and somewhat surface-level similarities, like Saka and Rodrygo, Diomande is a seriously exciting winger plying his trade for a team in one of Europe’s top five leagues.

Moreover, unlike some other wingers for top teams, the 19-year-old is someone who can back up his flashy ability with output.

For example, in 15 first-team appearances this season, totalling just 951 minutes, the Ivorian star has scored seven goals and provided four assists.

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.36 games, or every 86.45 minutes, which is a rate of return that really lends credence to journalist Bence Bocsák’s claim that he is a “generational talent.”

However, the comparisons to the two international wingers go deeper than just their positions and ability to produce goal involvements.

For example, FBref has ranked Rodrygo as the second-most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Leipzig star across Europe’s top five leagues, and ranked Saka as the ninth-most similar.

The best way to understand how these comparisons have been made is to take a look at the underlying numbers in which the players rank so closely.

Progressive Carries

6.74

6.74

Shots on Target

1.35

1.40

Key Passes

1.46

1.40

Blocks

1.35

1.16

Passing Accuracy

80.9%

83.5%

In the case of the Real Madrid star, these metrics include progressive carries, key passes, shots on target, and passing accuracy, all per 90.

In other words, the teen phenom is as capable as the two-time Champions League winner at getting the ball up the pitch, whether by carrying or passing.

Expected Goals

0.34

0.36

Shots

2.37

2.60

Shots on Target

1.35

1.21

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.57

1.48

Shot-Creating Actions

4.29

4.55

Tackles Won

0.56

0.65

Ball Recoveries

5.39

5.56

Now, when it comes to the Gunners’ mercurial number seven, similar metrics include shot-creating actions, ball recoveries, tackles won, shots on target, expected goals, and more, also per 90.

This suggests that the youngster is as willing to help out with the defensive side of the game as the 24-year-old is, while also still being a serious goal threat.

Ultimately, it would require a significant amount of money, but Arsenal should do what they can to sign Diomande, as, in addition to being a great prospect in his own right, he also has a lot in common with Saka and Rodrygo.

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Chelsea have now entered negotiations over a deal to sign a rapid new centre-back, and an opening offer is set to be made within weeks.

Blues looking to sign new centre-back despite Cahill comments

With Levi Colwill suffering an ACL injury back in August, the Blues’ offer centre-back options have had to step up to the plate this season, and Gary Cahill has been very impressed with their performances, so much so that he believes his former club don’t need to sign a new defender.

Cahill said: “There has been a lot of noise around this for a long time, but I think the lads that are there are doing a very good job of proving that they don’t need to add to this position,”

“I’ve been very impressed with Wesley Fofana since he’s come back. Touch wood that he stays fit.

“Trevoh Chalobah: look at the job he’s been doing – he’s a bit of an unsung hero. Trevoh is probably the most underappreciated player at Chelsea.

However, while a senior centre-back may not be required, BlueCo are always keen to bring in exciting up-and-coming prospects, and they have now entered negotiations over a deal for Gremio defender Luis Eduardo.

That is according to a report from AS (via Sport Witness), which states Chelsea have now entered talks to sign Eduardo, alongside Premier League rivals Manchester United, with opening offers set to be made in the coming weeks.

The Blues are now trying to ‘accelerate’ their pursuit of the centre-back, given that scouts have been left impressed with his performances, with the 17-year-old well-known for his pace, having reached 38 km/h for Gremio earlier this year.

The speedster has a €60m (£53m) release clause included in his contract with the Brazilian club, although it is unclear whether BlueCo would be willing to shell out such a big fee on a very young player.

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ByDominic Lund Nov 30, 2025 Luis Eduardo impressing at youth level

The teenager is yet to establish himself as a regular starter for Gremio, having made just one appearance for the senior team, but he has put in some eye-catching performances for both club and country at youth level.

Despite being a centre-back, the Corrente-born ace managed to score two goals in seven appearances for Gremio U20s in 2025, while he has also netted three goals in 13 appearances for Brazil U17s.

Eduardo could be one for the future, but Cahill is correct in his assessment that Chelsea don’t need to worry about bringing in a new centre-back anytime soon, given Chalobah’s recent form, most recently netting the opening goal in the 1-1 draw with Arsenal.

Enzo Maresca also has Josh Acheampong and Benoit Badiashile at his disposal as back-up options, and with Colwill still to return, the manager is well-stocked at centre-back.

Fabrizio Romano has shared an update on Thomas Frank amid the mounting pressure surrounding his position as Tottenham boss.

Thomas Frank facing sack calls after underwhelming Spurs start

The north Londoners have failed to impress under Frank lately and are winless across their last five games in all competitions.

Much has been made of their lack of creative spark going forward too, not to mention their dire home form.

Tottenham have lost 10 home games in the Premier League alone this calendar year, their joint-worst record in club history, with Spurs also losing 10 in 1994 and 2003 respectively.

Only bottom-side Wolves, who appear destined for relegation to the Championship, have a worse record on their own patch this season.

16. Burnley

2

1

4

7

-2

17. Nottingham Forest

2

1

4

7

-5

18. West Ham

2

0

5

6

-9

19. Tottenham

1

2

4

5

-1

20. Wolves

0

1

6

1

-11

Granted, their problems at home this year stretch back to Ange Postecoglou’s final half a season in charge, but the Australian notably had fewer options to play with during one of the worst injury crisis’ Spurs had ever seen.

Frank was backed with a £171 million transfer war chest in the summer window, including a deal for highly-rated young playmaker Xavi Simons, yet Tottenham’s head coach has relegated him to the bench in each of their last four outings.

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Frank’s constant tinkering has also drawn criticism, with ex-Lilywhites defender Ramon Vega recently telling talkSPORT that this will be affecting the players’ rhythm.

Vega went on to suggest that Frank doesn’t have the bottle to manage a club like Spurs, while sections of the fanbase also call for his dismissal early doors.

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has already been linked with the Tottenham job, but Romano has now provided his own update on Frank’s future at N17.

Fabrizio Romano shares Thomas Frank update out of Tottenham

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Romano says that Spurs are monitoring Frank closely amid the growing fan unrest, but there are no immediate plans to replace him as yet.

Frank is poised to take on former club Brentford this weekend, and nothing but a win will do at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to convince some supporters that he is indeed the right man for the job.

Spurs have another crucial home game just a few days later when they face off against Slavia Prague in the Champions League, two very winnable games that could seriously help to change the mood.

They also travel to Nottingham Forest on December 14 before their final match pre-Christmas against Liverpool in north London, with Frank hoping for a vital points swing to get them nearer the Champions League places.

January is right around the corner as well, and reports suggest that Tottenham are intent on signing a new attacker to provide that much-needed extra threat going forward.

In an early blow for new manager Wilfried Nancy, Liverpool have now reportedly agreed terms to sign a young Celtic defender.

Nancy outlines "proactive" style as Celtic announce manager

Celtic took their time, but the Bhoys finally have their new manager in the form of Nancy. The Frenchman has arrived fresh from MLS side Columbus Crew and will be looking to pick up where interim boss Martin O’Neill left off. The 73-year-old took the Scottish giants from title despair back into the race with Hearts, but now it’s up to Nancy to complete the job.

Speaking to reporters after arriving, the new manager said: “I don’t consider myself as a boss. I am a leader. And for me the definition of a leader is create a good environment to help people express themselves. For me, that is so important. Because of my background, I was able to connect with people.

“My style of play is about the way I live. I like to be proactive in my life, I like to discover things. I also like to try things because the more you try things, the more you learn and the more you’re going to maximise your chance to have success in your life.

“We want to take care of the ball. The ball is the only tool in our life, without talking, that we can connect people. So can we use the ball to create emotions? Can we use the ball to score goals? Can we use the ball to have messages between us? So that’s why I want proactive football.”

Doak 2.0: Celtic lost "superstar" for £225k, now he's worth more than Engels

Celtic lost a young talent last year who is now valued at more than club-record signing Arne Engels.

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Dan Emery

6 days ago

Before the new manager’s even had the chance to look at emerging stars, however, he’s set to lose young defender Dara Jakiemi to Premier League giants Liverpool.

Liverpool agree terms to sign Jakiemi

As reported by The Secret Scout, Liverpool have now agreed terms to sign Jakiemi from Celtic. They described the 15-year-old defender as “aggressive” and there’s no doubt that he would have been one to watch in Scotland. Now, however, Nancy will seemingly never get the chance to work with him.

Whilst Jakiemi is one for the future, it still represents a frustrating blow for Celtic and shows where they’re at right now. Having lost the likes of Ben Doak in previous seasons to Liverpool, the last thing the Bhoys would have wanted is a repeat.

Nancy should be keen to turn towards the academy if given the chance, even if he is to lose one of his young defenders in the early stages of his tenure. An emerging star would, of course, save Celtic the desperate need of adding several January additions.

Celtic star with 'high ceiling' could be biggest winner of Nancy's arrival

A former team-mate of Lionel Messi has revealed how much he would love to join the Argentina icon at Inter Miami. The World Cup winner has recently extended his stay with the MLS side, penning a new contract at the club that will run through to the end of the 2028 MLS season. Messi will be 41 when his contract expires, meaning this could be the final club of his incredible career.

Messi starring in MLS with Miami

Messi is continuing to play a starring role for Inter Miami and is currently eyeing his third piece of silverware with the club. The former Barcelona star has already won the Leagues Cup and the Supporters Shield during his time with David Beckham's club and will face the Vancouver Whitecaps next for the MLS Cup on 6 December. Saturday's game will be Inter Miami's first MLS Cup final appearance and offers Messi the chance to add yet another trophy to his extensive cabinet.

AdvertisementAFPEx-Messi team-mate opens door to MLS move

Ahead of the game, Messi's former Argentina team-mate Darío Benedetto has been talking about his future. The 35-year-old, who left Newell's Old Boys in October, is on the verge of retirement but admits he could be tempted to reconsider, particularly if Messi comes calling. "If he calls me to play for Inter Miami, I'll go by bicycle!" he told ESPN.

A move may be unlikely, but Benedetto is still hoping to finish his career on a high. He added: "I got fed up with certain bad habits that football has taken on today. Troubles, business dealings, it doesn't matter… But I'll always love it, because I'm very grateful to football. I can't believe the career I've had… Now I'm almost retired. But I've decided, through therapy, to extend it a little longer and retire on a high note.

"I'm going to lean towards clubs that don't have any problems, because the last few years I've spent my time complaining. I want to enjoy playing football," he added, "I would have liked to retire at Boca, but it didn't happen. My best form was in 2016. And I always watch it on TV."

Messi staying at Miami

As for Messi, he now looks set to stay at Miami potentially until he hangs up his boots after penning a three-year extension in October. The World Cup winner said: “It makes me really happy to stay here and to continue with this project that, besides being a dream, has become a beautiful reality – playing in this stadium, at Miami Freedom Park. Since I arrived in Miami, I’ve been very happy, so I’m truly glad to keep going here.”

Yet Messi has also admitted that he still longs to return home to Barcelona and plans to go back to the city with his family in the future. He told Sport: "I really want to go back there, we miss Barcelona a lot. My wife and I, the kids, are constantly talking about Barcelona and the idea of moving back. We have our house there, everything, so that's what we want. I'm really looking forward to going back to the stadium when it's finished because since I left for Paris, I haven't been back to Camp Nou, and then they moved to Montjuic.”

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Getty/GOALMessi vs Muller up next

Messi is now preparing for Saturday's clash in a game which will see the Inter Miami talisman come up against former Bayern and Germany star Thomas Muller. The forward joined Vancouver Whitecaps in the summer after his contract with Bayern ended and is now set for yet another match-up with Messi.

"It's not about Messi against Thomas Müller," Muller told reporters. "It's Miami against the Whitecaps. Maybe they rely a little bit more on him than we do on me, because we are such a good group."

The two superstars have previously met 10 times, with Messi ending up on the winning side only three times.