Tag Futebol

Tottenham Hotspur are believed to be considering Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou for their managerial vacancy, despite growing speculation surrounding Feyenoord's Arne Slot.

What's the latest on Postecoglou to Tottenham?

According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, the 57-year-old has been "discussed" by the Spurs hierarchy as a possible permanent successor to Antonio Conte, albeit with the aforementioned Slot seemingly still the leading option for chairman, Daniel Levy.

Speaking on his Youtube channel, the transfer guru revealed: "Arne Slot is a serious candidate for the Tottenham job. There are contacts internally to decide on the manager but the first step will be new director, then the new manager, with Arne Slot for sure into the race.

“Luis Enrique is also appreciated. Amorim and Postecoglou have been discussed. But Arne Slot is the frontrunner."

This follows a recent report from Sky Sports which also named Postecoglou as a figure that the Lilywhites are 'interested' in, with the Greek-Aussie having come to wider attention due to his fine work in Glasgow over the last two years or so.

Should Tottenham appoint Postecoglou?

The arrival of the former Yokohama F Marinos man would certainly tick a lot of boxes as far as Levy and co are concerned, with the experienced coach potentially able to help end Tottenham's dismal trophy drought, having already claimed silverware at Parkhead of late.

The one-time Australia head coach has guided his current side to Scottish Premiership and League Cup glory in each of the last two seasons, with the Old Firm outfit well placed to add a further Scottish Cup triumph to their collection next month, ahead of a showpiece showdown with Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

It is the manner in which Postecoglou has achieved such success that has particularly caught the eye, however, with BT Sport pundit Owen Hargreaves hailing him as someone who "goes after everyone" with his "attacking football".

Having had to endure the dour brand of football that Conte instilled at N17 – with the Italian's approach described as "negative" earlier in the campaign by Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville – the change to the Hoops boss would certainly be well received by Spurs supporters.

The one-time Melbourne Victory man – who has also been dubbed an "unbelievable coach" by compatriot Jackson Irvine – would likely need encouragement to jump ship in the near future, although pundit Mark Bosnich has suggested "Spurs would be the most suitable" club for Postecoglou to work his magic in the Premier League.

With the prospect of seeing the 4-3-3 coach bring "exceptionally attractive football" to north London – according to Bosnich – Levy must certainly consider the Celtic tactician as an alternative to 'frontrunner', Slot.

Manchester United are now lining up to sign Napoli's Victor Osimhen this summer, and it would be the striker's "dream" to move to Old Trafford, according to a recent update.

What's the latest Man United transfer news?

Man United have set their sights on bringing in a new striker this summer, and it has been reported they are still keen on signing Goncalo Ramos from Benfica, with the Portuguese club resigned to losing him at the end of the campaign.

However, Lautaro Martinez is said to be Erik ten Hag's top target, with the Red Devils willing to offer £60m to secure his services for next season, an offer that Inter Milan may be forced to accept.

Another option for United is Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane, with it recently being reported they are set to make the England captain a priority target, as they believe he could play a big part in turning them back into title contenders.

Ten Hag has identified a number of targets for the summer, and Sport Witness has relayed an update from Italy, which details that Man United are lining up to sign Osimhen, and the player himself is said to be attracted by the proposition.

It would be a "dream" move for the Nigerian to complete a switch to Old Trafford, however actually being able to land him is where it gets difficult, as Napoli are set to demand €130m (£113m) plus bonuses to sanction his departure.

Not only that, but there will be stiff competition from the likes of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.

How many goals has Osimhen scored?

The 24-year-old has been in fantastic form with Napoli this season, weighing in with 28 goals in all competitions, including 23 in the Serie A, which places him at the top of the goal-scoring charts, above Martinez.

Hailed as "world-class" by members of the media, the marksman has spearheaded Napoli's title-winning Serie A season, and it is no surprise that there are a number of clubs lining up for his signature.

However, £113m is a huge amount and would be a club record fee at Old Trafford, particularly considering Kane could be available for less, with it being reported Daniel Levy may listen to offers above £100m.

Given that Kane has proven himself in the Premier League over many years, the 29-year-old could be a better target this summer, but Osimhen would still be a fantastic signing.

The England coach Trevor Bayliss has admitted England’s wicketkeeping position remains a debating point for the selectors ahead of the Test series against Pakistan.Bayliss was as impressed as anyone with Jonny Bairstow’s batting during the series against Sri Lanka – “nobody is hitting the ball better than Jonny,” he said – but confirmed that Jos Buttler would keep wicket for the limited-overs games and revealed that other names were being considered for the Test team.Bairstow claimed 19 dismissals against Sri Lanka – a record for an England keeper in a three-match series – but also missed four chances, including a straightforward effort off Chris Woakes at Lord’s. He also missed, by conservative judgements, six chances in the four-match series against South Africa. While his position in the team as a batsman is beyond question after he contributed two centuries and was named Man of the Series, his future as keeper is less clear.CricViz, the analytics company, gave Bairstow’s keeping a rating of -111 for the Sri Lanka series. For comparison, they rated Dinesh Chandimal -22 for the same games, gave Sarfraz Ahmed a rating of +20 for the Pakistan series and AB de Villiers, Quinton de Kock and Dane Vilas ratings of -62, -21 and +41 respectively for the series against England in South Africa. Bairstow finished that series with a -28 rating.

Bayliss on…

Tymal Mills
“I’ve only seen him at one practice in South Africa and the reaction of our batters at the time said enough: there was plenty of them lining up in the spinners’ net to have a bat to stay away from him. It will be exciting to see what he’s got.”
Resting players
“If there was a World Cup just round the corner I’d be playing our strongest team. But it’s just a one-off match. It is a chance to give them a little bit of a break and get about 12 days off. And it’s a chance to look at a few new, younger players.”
Broad’s limited-overs future
“The limited-overs team has been picked on merit but that does not mean that it’s the end of his career. There’s bowlers in the team that still haven’t cemented their spot. He’s there or thereabouts. He’s keen to play at home in the 2019 World Cup and we are aware of that. There is no reason why he couldn’t be playing in the Champions Trophy next year.”

Describing himself as an “old school” judge who would always prefer to pick the “best wicketkeeper” rather than a batsman who can do a job with the gloves, Bayliss mentioned Ben Foakes, the young Surrey wicketkeeper, as one man under consideration.”I am a little bit old school,” Bayliss said. “I think the best wicketkeeper should be the wicketkeeper.”Our wicketkeepers – and there are three of them if you include Sam Billings – are young and inexperienced, I suppose. They are probably batters who are wicketkeepers.”I’ve said to all three of them that I believe the wicketkeeper in the team should be the best we have. Basically just to make sure they continue to work hard. Jonny, Jos and Sam certainly have stepped it up with the practice.”Personally I believe it is a wicketkeeping position. Ben Foakes is one name that has been mentioned, along with two or three others. From the selectors’ point of view, it is something we are going to have to work through and think pretty carefully about.”Foakes is only 23 and enjoying his first season as first-choice wicketkeeper at Surrey. While he developed at Essex, he was obliged to leave for more opportunity as his progress was blocked by the brilliant James Foster. But Foakes was identified as a player of great potential long ago: he was selected for the Lions side for the 2012-13 tour of Australia before he had played a List A game and has been invited to train with the full England team several times since.He is a good enough batsman to have played for much of last year as a specialist and, while Bayliss has yet to see him play, Surrey’s director of cricket, Alec Stewart, rates him as “the most talented keeper in the country” and Andy Flower has long recognised him as one for the future.Whether that future is now remains uncertain. In an ideal world, Foakes would be allowed to continue to develop in the county game before being exposed to the pressure of international cricket. But the England management are concerned about the prospect of a winter where England will play seven Tests in Asia, with the keeper expected to spend a large amount of time standing up to the stumps against the spinners.In the short term, Bayliss has reassured Buttler that he remains first-choice keeper in the limited-overs sides and suggested he could go some way to convincing the selectors to recall him to the Test team with a strong performance in the white-ball matches. Realistically, though, he will need to prove himself in the County Championship with Lancashire; he has not played a first-class game since he was dropped from the Test team in October and he is not scheduled to play one ahead of the Pakistan series.”Jos will be the wicketkeeper for the limited-overs games,” Bayliss said. “He has been in the last few white-ball series.”Runs could put him back in the frame for the Test side, but the selectors would like to see him score runs in the four-day game to show us he’s back in form. We know the devastating player he can be. It’s a bit unfortunate we don’t have any games for another couple of weeks, but he will get his opportunity I’m sure.”Bayliss also hinted that Scott Borthwick was in pole position to replace Nick Compton as England’s No. 3 against Pakistan. While he is another player Bayliss has yet to see play in the flesh, his record on Durham’s tricky surfaces is exceptional. He has passed 1,000 first-class runs in each of the most recent three seasons and also offers legspin bowling – he won a Test cap as a spinner in early 2014 – and strong fielding.”I haven’t actually seen him bat,” Bayliss said. “But the feedback I’ve got is that he is a player who is in form. He is a tough sort of a cricketer playing at Durham where sometimes the wickets have got a little bit more in them. He is very enthusiastic; a great guy to have in the team. But he’s not the only one. There’s a few others around that could get a game.”

Liverpool target Matheus Nunes is “no longer a priority” for Jurgen Klopp at Anfield, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

What's the latest on Nunes to Liverpool?

The Portugal international first made the move to the Premier League in August 2022 when he put pen to paper at Molineux, but there was a chance that he could have instead been on his way to Merseyside. The Old Gold midfielder reportedly held talks with the Reds regarding a switch before signing for the Midlands outfit, and in a bid to fend off further interest, The Mirror have reported that they have removed the £44m release clause that was included in his terms.

Football Insider, however, claimed that Klopp is still pushing to sign the 24-year-old despite his price tag now increasing to £50m, though it would appear that they have since had a change of heart on their pursuit.

According to Romano (via CaughtOffside), Liverpool are chasing Bayern Munich’s Ryan Gravenberch and Nunes has therefore dropped down the pecking order. He said:

“Ryan Gravenberch is one of many names appreciated by Liverpool, not the only one. There are many opportunities, also Bayern still hope to be able to keep the player. Gravenberch will decide in May/June after speaking to Thomas Tuchel and the board.

"Matheus Nunes is one of the players monitored by Liverpool – Jurgen Klopp himself said in press conferences that they have almost 12 players in the list… but Nunes is no longer a priority target. Just one of the players followed by them.”

Are Liverpool right to cool their interest in Nunes?

Liverpool have recently ended their pursuit of Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham as a result of the financial package being too big, and even though Nunes was previously dubbed an “unbelievable” player by former professional Goncalo Santos, they are correct to back away from a second target.

The Rio de Janeiro native has scored just one goal and provided the same number of assists since the start of the season when he joined Wolves, as per Transfermarkt, so lacks any kind of attacking prowess or contribution in the final third, yet failing to prove himself in the top-flight despite making 25 starts this campaign.

Nunes also currently pockets £100k-per-week which he would likely want increased should he join a club the size of Liverpool, and they shouldn’t pay that much to a player who is not setting the world alight. They would instead be better off spending their budget on targets at the top of their game and one who would definitely make a positive difference to the team in the centre.

نجح نجم فريق ليفربول، محمد صلاح، في تسجيل الهدف الأول في المباراة الجارية حاليًا ضد نيوكاسل يونايتد في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ويستضيف ملعب “الأنفيلد” مباراة الفريقين في إطار منافسات الجولة العشرين من البطولة (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

وتمكن ليفربول من تسجيل هدف التقدم في الدقيقة 49 من عمر المباراة، بعد تمريرة من زميله داروين نونيز.

الهدف جاء بعد انطلاق من لويس دياز ثم التمرير لـ داروين نونيز الذي وضع الكرة لـ محمد صلاح أمام المرمى الخالي ليسجل المصري بكل سهولة.

Wolves are reportedly likely to accept a £50million offer for star midfielder Ruben Neves this summer, even if they avoid relegation from the Premier League.

The Lowdown: Neves likely to leave

At the end of last season, it really did feel as though the Portuguese had played his final game for Wanderers, not least because he waved goodbye to the supporters after the defeat away to Liverpool on the final day.

Despite constant reports suggesting Neves would depart Molineux – Barcelona looked like the front-runners to snap him up – he ended up remaining at Wolves beyond the summer transfer window.

The 26-year-old has again been one of his side’s standout players during the 2022/23 campaign, starting 27 of Wanderers’ 28 league matches and scoring five times in the competition.

Unfortunately, exit rumours have refused to go away, however, and it feels increasingly likely that Neves really will move on this time and enjoy a new challenge.

Now, a fresh update has emerged regarding the midfielder’s future – one that further suggests that he will be heading off elsewhere come the summer.

The Latest: Big-money to be accepted?

According to Football Insider, Fosun will likely give the green light to a £50million offer at the end of the campaign, regardless of whether or not Wolves have suffered relegation to the Championship.

Three of the four biggest clubs in world football – Barca, Liverpool and Manchester United – are mentioned as the potential suitors, with the world-renowned trio ‘keen to move’ for Neves.

Wolves are wary of losing him for free the following year, at which point his contract will have expired, meaning this summer is the more logical time to let him go.

The Verdict: Time to go

In an ideal world, Neves would sign a new long-term deal at Wolves, seeing out the rest of his career at Molineux and becoming an even greater legend than he already is.

Unfortunately, that is a pie-in-the-sky outlook, however, and the 38-cap Portugal international feels almost certain to leave this summer, following six years of great service.

The £50,000-a-week Neves will surely feel that a move to a bigger club is needed at this point in his career, allowing him to potentially test himself in the Champions League, not to mention sign a more lucrative contract.

It is impossible to begrudge him his move away, having made 245 appearances for Wolves and helped steer them back into the Premier League, and Wolves fans may even end up watching proudly from afar as he goes up another gear.

Wolves could be set to repeat their Morgan Gibbs-White masterclass, as Ryan Giles’ storming performances in the Championship look likely to make him a wanted man in the summer.

Could Ryan Giles be Wolves’ next big-money sale?

Last season saw Wolves loan out Gibbs-White to Sheffield United in the Championship, where he played a huge part in their run to the playoffs under Paul Heckingbottom.

The English midfielder would make 37 appearances in total, contributing an impressive 12 goals and ten assists, which saw him win the Blades’ player of the season award.

It was expected that the 23-year-old would play a big part at Molineux this term but instead, he would sign for Nottingham Forest in an eye-watering deal worth £42.5m, which represented fantastic business for the Old Gold considering the midfielder had never really cut it in the Premier League.

Although the former England U21 international has been one of the better performers in Steve Cooper’s side so far this campaign, with WhoScored ranking him as the second-best performer of those to make at least ten appearances, he is yet to justify his price with only two goals.

Therefore, Wolves will perhaps be feeling as though they got the better end of the deal.

They may now look to repeat that feat with Giles, who is likely to play a huge part under Michael Carrick at Middlesbrough as they seek to earn promotion to the Premier League this season.

The 23-year-old has made 35 appearances in the second tier and boasts an impressive nine assists, averaging a strong 6.83 rating from WhoScored for his performances, which ranks him as the fifth-best player at the Riverside.

No player in the Championship has contributed more assists this season and given Wolves’ attacking woes this season, Bruno Lage arguably made a mistake in loaning him out, especially given he also impressed at Blackburn Rovers last year.

Former Rovers boss Tony Mowbray was full of praise for the English defender during that spell in 2022, saying:

“The Championship can catch people out if you’ve never played in it but he’s taken to the league very comfortably. He’s got a wonderfully cultured left foot, he’s a good footballer and he’s athletic, he’s just what we require.

“He’s got fantastic talent, brilliant speed, amazing technique on his left foot, if he doesn’t get the ball he doesn’t seem to mind and he just carries on.”

The emergence of Hugo Bueno, as well as Rayan Ait-Nouri, means that Julen Lopetegui will have a plethora of young left-back options ahead of next season and it would not be a surprise to see one of them sold.

Middlesbrough are said to be keen on a permanent deal for Giles and should they earn promotion to the top flight, Wolves may be able to cash in once again, in what could be a repeat of last summer’s Gibbs-White masterclass.

Liverpool could potentially sign both Jude Bellingham and Mason Mount during the summer transfer window, according to an exciting new update.

The Lowdown: Bellingham and Mount rumours rife

The Reds have been endlessly linked with new midfield signings this summer, with the club surely set to make significant additions in that area.

Bellingham and Mount are perhaps the two most prominent links at the moment, with the England international duo’s future up in the air.

The former is widely expected to leave Borussia Dortmund at the end of the season, while the latter is refusing to accept Chelsea’s current contract offer to him.

The Latest: Pair could both join Liverpool

According to Football Transfers, Liverpool could actually sign both Bellingham and Mount in the summer, with the Chelsea man ‘not viewed as an alternative’ to his international teammate.

The report states that Jurgen Klopp will be given a ‘significant transfer kitty’ for new signings and that the English pair could be two main additions.

The Verdict: Perfect summer business

If Liverpool managed to sign both Bellingham and Mount this summer it would be magnificent business – the type that could completely transform Klopp’s team moving forward.

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The duo already have 58 England caps between them, despite only being 19 and 24 respectively, and they possess both the technical brilliance and energy to make the Reds’ midfield a force again.

Bellingham is clearly the bigger star of the two, considering he is one of the best young players in the world – Roy Keane has said he ‘has everything’ – but Mount could also be a really shrewd signing.

Granted, he isn’t having his best season for Chelsea – who is, in truth? – but he can operate as a No.8, No.10 or even out wide, and his tactical nous is well-documented, with Jose Mourinho once calling him a ‘very, very intelligent’ player.

Journalist Beren Cross has reported that the “leading candidates” to get the Leeds United manager’s job are all currently in work.

What’s the word?

At the start of this week, following a loss that leaves the club on the edge of the relegation zone, the Whites opted to sack American head coach Jesse Marsch.

Being mid-way through the Premier League season and with the club in threat of going back down to the Championship, Leeds won’t want to delay too long before hiring a new manager.

However, even if chairman Andrea Radrizzani believes the issue will be sorted soon, it sounds as though it won’t be an easy task to hire a new manager as the club will have to convince any candidates to leave their current job first.

While speaking on a LeedsLive video stream, Cross explained his understanding of the situation, saying: “We’ve learned that the leading candidates – so, interviews are already underway, interviews began last night [Monday], they continue today – all of the leading candidates are in work.

“So it will require some negotiation with existing employers to get those managers out of their clubs if they want the job. So we’ll see how that plays out. That, of course, will complicate matters with a third party being involved.”

Difficult task

Of course, when you want to tempt a manager into trading one side for another, it can cost more money to buy them out of their contract. On top of that, it can be difficult to convince individuals to leave a project they are already working on.

For example, West Brom boss Carlos Corberan was linked with the job but has since rejected the Whites in favour of signing a new contract with the Baggies.

Interestingly enough, this update from Cross does suggest that touted names such as Marcelo Bielsa, Ralph Hasenhuttl, and Mauricio Pochettino are all seemingly out of the running as they are currently unattached.

It’ll certainly be interesting to see how the next few hours and days play out as the club seek out a Marsch replacement.

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Chelsea are readying a mammoth part-exchange bid to sign Benfica star Enzo Fernandez this month, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Fernandez links…

The Argentina international, who played a starring role for his nation as they won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, has been of serious interest to Chelsea this January transfer window.

Todd Boehly and the Stamford Bridge hierarchy have been making moves for Fernandez behind-the-scenes with reports claiming they were in talks a few weeks ago.

Links to the 22-year-old haven’t faded as manager Graham Potter allegedly seeks to add a new midfielder to his ranks, with a report from Portugal sharing the latest.

The Latest: Chelsea ready mammoth Fernandez…

According to Record, via Sport Witness, the Blues are now readying a mammoth €100 million (£88m) offer for Fernandez ‘plus a couple of players’.

The part-exchange bid, though, may not be enough with Benfica unwilling to sell and therefore Potter’s side may have to trigger his €120 million (£105m) release clause to make a deal possible.

The Verdict: Make the move?

Reports have suggested that Moises Caicedo is another player of interest to Chelsea amid their hunt for a new midfielder.

Boehly and co do have alternatives to Fernandez if they opt not to trigger Fernandez’s release clause or raise their offer, it would seem.

However, going by the South American star’s serious credentials, we believe they shouldn’t be so quick to move on from a midfielder proven both at club and international level.

Fernandez won the World Cup Young Player of the Tournament award for his exploits in Qatar and has carried over that form for Benfica.

According to WhoScored, only three players have featured over more league minutes than the indispensable midfielder who also ranks in their top two for tackles made per 90 in Liga Portugal.

Fernandez also ranks joint-top of his side’s rankings for assists this season (5), impressive for a supposedly defensive-minded player.

A real all-rounder, the ‘sensational’ midfielder has also amassed Benfica’s third-highest rate of key passes made per 90 in the final third.