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Antes da coletiva de Luís Castro, John Textor respondeu as perguntas dos jornalistas depois da vitória do Botafogo por 2 a 1 sobre o São Paulo, no Nilton Santos, pela estreia no Campeonato Brasileiro. Com arescisão de James Rodríguezcom o Olympiacos, o assunto sobre a possível contratação do colombiano voltou à tona. O dono da SAF alvinegra comentou sobre a sondagem que fez pelo craque.

+ Confira e simule a tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro

– Ano passado ele fez brincadeira que todo superstar tem chance de virar verdade. O caso é parecido com James, com Cavani, com Zahavi, que até chegou a ter um avanço na época. Temos que estar atentos ao mercado, principalmente em jogadores de alto nível, quando tem momento de transição ou saída. Esse contato com o agente e jogador é frequente, mas não significa que tem negociação em andamento. O jogador tem que quer estar aqui, dar sinal verde, aí você tem o primeiro avanço. A gente também especula. Não tem nada além de uma consulta, como teve para outros, mas não tem negociação. Deixando emoção de lado, pelo preço e contrato adequados, às vezes vale avançar em casos como esse – explicou Mazzuco ao traduzir as falas de John Textor.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasBotafogoTextor assume responsabilidade por fraco início de ano do Botafogo e destaca: ‘Temporada começou hoje’Botafogo15/04/2023BotafogoEduardo critica árbitro em vitória do Botafogo e fala sobre fase goleadora na temporada: ‘Quero só ajudar’Botafogo15/04/2023BotafogoLuís Castro exalta determinação do Botafogo e sinergia com torcida: ‘União perfeita para chegarmos à vitória’Botafogo15/04/2023

– Não vamos atrás das celebridades, estamos atrás de bons jogadores em todos os níveis. Os movimentos são alinhados com o futuro do clube. Se tem situação que se encaixe, OK. Se não tem, estamos buscando jogadores talentosos, com lastro de desenvolvimento, que você paga 20% do preço de uma celebridade. Matías Segovia é um exemplo de atleta com lastro, nosso trabalho é torná-lo no futuro, quem sabe, um popstar. Estamos procurando, dentro das necessidades – acrescentou André Mazzuco.

+ATUAÇÕES: Tiquinho e Eduardo marcam e Lucas Perri fecha o gol em triunfo do Botafogo pelo Brasileirão

Por fim, Textor voltou a enaltecer a parceria com Luís Castro no projeto e destacou que o português continuará à frente do Alvinegro com um trabalho a longo prazo.

– O Castro sempre foi um parceiro do projeto. Não é fácil o primeiro ano após a Série B. No ano passado, ele chegou a ser mencionado para a Seleção. O futebol é assim, às vezes se está em cima e às vezes em baixa. Ele continua com a gente. Vamos manter o trabalho a longo prazo, vamos manter o treinador. Não será o desempenho do Carioca que fará mudar o trabalho. Eu não sou presidente, então, entendendo o momento e o torcedor, eu tento tomar as melhores decisões. Então, quero pedir desculpas ao torcedor pelo desempenho e pela turbulência no Carioca, mas enfatizar que a nossa temporada começou hoje. A vitória de hoje foi importante. Somos capazes de vencer times da Série A – frisou.

O Botafogo volta a campo na próxima quinta-feira para medir forças com o Universidad César Vallejo, do Peru, às 21h (de Brasília), também no Nilton Santos, pela Copa Sul-Americana. No Brasileirão, os comandados de Luís Castro entrarão em campo na segunda-feira, dia 24, às 21h, para encarar o Bahia, na Arena Fonte Nova, pela 2ª rodada.

India will start training in Chepauk on September 12 ahead of their first Test against Bangladesh, who will begin training on September 15

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Sep-2024

India will play their first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai from September 19•AFP/Getty Images

India’s red-ball players are scheduled to begin their training at Chepauk on September 12 ahead of the first Test against Bangladesh, starting September 19. Bangladesh, meanwhile, will start training at the same venue on September 15.The BCCI is yet to name the squad for the Two-Test series against Bangladesh. The announcement is likely to happen after the first round of the Duleep Trophy, to be played from September 5 to 8 in Bengaluru and Anantapur. In action will be Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant, Mukesh Kumar, Shreyas Iyer, Arshdeep Singh and KS Bharat, among others.Many other Test hopefuls, such as batters Abhimanyu Easwaran, Devdutt Padikkal, B Sai Sudharsan, and bowlers R Sai Kishore, Saurabh Kumar and Yash Dayal, will be in action in the domestic season-opener.Related

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India are set to begin their long Test season, all part of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25, with two matches against Bangladesh, with the second Test in Kanpur. The series concludes on October 12 after three T20Is. Following this, India will play three Tests against New Zealand at home before travelling to South Africa for five white-ball matches and then go on to Australia later in the year for five Tests.India’s last Test series was against England in February-March at home which Rohit Sharma’s men won 4-1. Since then, there has been the IPL and the T20 World Cup, in the USA and the Caribbean, which India won, and white-ball series in Zimbabwe and in Sri Lanka.Bangladesh, meanwhile are coming off a historic Test series sweep against Pakistan in Rawalpindi and will be keen to take this confidence forward to Chennai.The 2-0 scoreline in Pakistan has lifted Bangladesh to No. 4 on the WTC table with 45.83 percentage points. India, meanwhile, are at the top of that table with 68.52 percentage points and will be hoping to strengthen their position in the series against Bangladesh.

Manchester United have a huge task ahead of them this summer, looking to transform the side in their ambitions of pushing back up the Premier League table in 2025/26.

Ruben Amorim is the man tasked with turning such a situation around at Old Trafford, but after taking the reins back in November, the side continued the slump they endured under former boss Erik ten Hag.

However, the ongoing transfer window presents the 40-year-old with a fresh opportunity to improve his first-team squad and offload players not at the desired level.

Matheus Cunha has already made the move to join the Red Devils this summer, but multiple other additions are expected as the club look to reach the next level.

It’s unclear how much will be provided by the hierarchy during this window, but it’s vital that key departments of the pitch are strengthened in due course.

The latest on United’s hunt for new additions this summer

The midfield department has been one area that has seen improvements targeted, with Middlesbrough’s Hayden Hackney just one name touted with a move to United.

Atalanta star Ederson is another name mentioned with a move to Old Trafford this window, but he may be out of range, which could lead to other options being considered.

However, a new name has been mentioned in the form of Bayern Munich star Joao Palhinha, who could depart the Allianz Arena this summer, according to TBR Football.

The report claims he is holding talks with the German outfit over his future, which could lead to the Red Devils making a move for his signature in the coming weeks.

It also states that a deal for the Portuguese international would likely be a loan move, after he only moved to the Bundesliga from Fulham in a £47.5m deal last summer.

Why United’s latest target could be perfect for Bruno Fernandes

Bruno Fernandes has been a shining light within the United squad over the last few years, still reaching astronomical levels despite their recent clump in 2024/25.

The Portuguese international joined the club back in January 2020 and has been a phenomenal addition ever since, notching 20 plus combined goals and assists in every season he’s spent at Old Trafford.

Even this season, after finishing in 15th place in the Premier League, he registered 37 goals contributions and subsequently being nominated for the PFA Player of the Year award.

He’s recently been subjected to major interest from Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia, but he rejected a mammoth contract worth in the region of £700k-per-week to stay and take the Red Devils back towards their former glory.

However, as a result of the lack of quality, the 30-year-old has been forced to operate in a slightly deeper role rather he’s used to, playing in part of a midfield two rather than in behind the striker.

The potential arrival of Palhinha could change such a situation, handing the side the needed ball-winning option that’s been desperately needed over recent months.

The 29-year-old, who’s been labelled “incredible” by Squawka Sport, averaged 1.7 tackles per 90 in the Bundesliga, winning 70% of the tackles he entered – showcasing his ability to regain possession.

Games played

17

Minutes played

667

Pass accuracy

93%

Progressive passes

4.7

Tackles won

1.7

Tackle success

70%

Duels won

7.1

His talents have also been reflected in his tally of 7.1 duels won per 90, 2.7 of which have been aerially, demonstrating the commanding presence he possesses without the ball.

However, he’d also completed 93% of the passes he’s attempted, making 4.7 progressive passes per 90, handing Bruno the ammunition to improve his own tallies should he move to Old Trafford.

Their time playing together at national level could certainly help the club in their quest, with the pair having the opportunity to star together on a regular basis.

A loan move would help provide an immediate improvement on the current situation, with such a signing potentially playing a huge role in their future success under Amorim this campaign.

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2 ByEthan Lamb Jun 19, 2025

The news everyone feared at Burnley, but ultimately expected, has now been officially confirmed, with CJ Egan-Riley taking up an opportunity at Ligue 1 giants Marseille after turning down a new Turf Moor deal.

This will be a sizeable hole to fill on the end of Scott Parker’s men, considering Egan-Riley is just fresh off a glittering Championship promotion season that saw him collect a mammoth 26 clean sheets.

But, the Clarets have been here before and bounced back well, with both Ben Mee and James Tarkowski exiting the club once upon a time garnering this same level of dismay.

Therefore, Burnley will be hopeful they can plug Egan-Riley’s gap very soon by landing an adequate replacement.

Burnley keen to re-sign £20m defender

As per a new report from football journalist Alan Nixon, Burnley are keen to bring Taylor Harwood-Bellis back to Lancashire after his current employers, Southampton, crashed out of the Premier League last season.

It’s stated that the 23-year-old is eager to stick it out in the top-flight over heading down to the Championship with the Saints, meaning a second spell at Burnley could soon be on the cards.

Nixon does reveal that West Ham United are also keeping tabs on the former Manchester City youth starlet, but a deal would only take place if a sale was made, owing to Harwood-Bellis’ reported price tag of £20m.

Therefore, the newly promoted outfit could soon race to the front of the queue to land Harwood-Bellis back on a permanent basis, with the 6-foot-2 defender a very suitable replacement for the now departed Egan-Riley.

Why Harwood-Bellis is even better than Egan-Riley

Whilst the 22-year-old is just fresh off an unbelievable campaign in the heart of the Clarets’ defence, the former Burnley number six has only collected one Premier League appearance across his career to date, meaning he might well struggle with the demands of a top-five league.

On the contrary, Harwood-Bellis is well versed with the challenges of the daunting Premier League now, with the Stockport-born colossus even winning himself a senior England call-up last season when battling away valiantly for basement side Southampton.

Games played

34

41

Goals scored

1

1

Assists

0

1

Touches*

74.1

80.8

Accurate passes*

55.1 (88%)

59.7 (86%)

Big chances created

3

2

Ball recoveries*

3.6

4.5

Clearances*

4.1

4.7

Total duels won*

3.2

4.2

It’s clear from the table above that Harwood-Bellis is very similar in approach to Egan-Riley, with the defensive pairing both comfortable performers with the ball at their feet, as much as they are also adept at getting stuck in when necessary.

Whilst it is obviously impressive to pick up the numbers Egan-Riley managed at the top-end of the Championship, Parker will view his new target as an upgrade for what he can offer in the league above, with Harwood-Bellis actually averaging more accurate passes per match stuck in a relegation battle than his Marseille counterpart managed in a promotion race.

He was even labelled as “incredible” last season by former boss Pep Guardiola for the progress he had made away from the Etihad, with a Three Lions call-up further proof that he belongs in the big time.

On the flip side, away from his standout showings last season, Egan-Riley has only ever been exposed to a top division fully on loan with Hibernian, with just that one paltry Premier League appearance next to his name. Harwood-Bellis, despite only being one year older, boasts a hefty 34 and counting, away from his 113 outings in the taxing Championship.

Further hailed as a “warrior” by journalist Josh Bunting when shining bright previously at Turf Moor, the composed, yet dominant defender could well be an even better figure for Burnley to have at the back than Egan-Riley, especially as they transition back to the daunting reality of Premier League life.

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ByKelan Sarson Jun 10, 2025

Sunday’s clash against Liverpool was always going to be a tough one for Arsenal from a mental perspective.

After crashing out of the Champions League at the semi-final stages, the last place they probably wanted to be was Anfield, the home of the Premier League title winners.

A guard of honour was given and Arsenal actually starting vibrantly, Bukayo Saka missing a chance from a matter of yards out. Here we go again, it’s going to be another one of those days.

Indeed, that certainly looked the case when the Gunners found themselves 2-0 down after 21 minutes. This was the perfect encapsulation of this season. Arsenal could have been two up themselves but squandered their chances and as they found in Paris on Wednesday, they were up against it.

This time, Mikel Arteta’s men rallied and put in a brilliant second-half performance to walk away from Merseyside with a point in their battle to finish inside the top four.

Arsenal's finest performers against Liverpool

While Arteta was left to bemoan some uncharacteristically lapse defending from William Saliba in the first half, shutting off for the second goal, in forward areas, there were some more encouraging signs.

Saka was his usual effervescent self, while Gabriel Martinelli was perhaps the standout player on the away side.

The Brazilian initially started the game on the left flank but a few tactical tweaks at half-time saw a renewed display, not just from Martinelli but the whole side.

Leandro Trossard moved out to the left and Martinelli moved into the centre of the pitch. A matter of minutes into the second half the two attackers combined brilliantly to get Arsenal back into the game.

The Belgian winger crossed into the box, where Arsenal’s number 11 was ready and waiting to head the ball home. In truth, that tactical tweak changed the game. Martinelli made a number of threatening runs in behind that also brought out the best from Martin Odegaard.

The Norwegian has had a troubled campaign, only scoring five times, but he looked closer to his best in the second period at Anfield, playing a number of balls towards Martinelli.

Player ratings courtesy of Sofascore

Odegaard also had a vital role to play in the equaliser. Plenty of supporters have bemoaned his unwillingness to shoot from range this season but it was his fierce effort from outside the box that the second goal came from.

The captain unleashed a fizzing drive that Alisson tipped onto the post but Mikel Merino followed up well and headed the rebound into an empty net.

It was yet another crucial moment for the Spaniard who has enjoyed a fabulous back end of the season. Well, that was until he was given a red card for a late challenge on Dominik Szoboszlai, a tackle that saw him branded with a second yellow card.

Still, Merino was far from the worst player on the pitch.

Arsenal's poorest performers against Liverpool

Arsenal’s defending since Gabriel got injured certainly hasn’t been the best but one has to commend the displays of Jakub Kiwior who notably stood out in the two-legged win over Real Madrid.

That being said, it hasn’t been plain sailing for Saliba who, without Gabriel, doesn’t look quite as assured at the back.

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The French titan is no doubt a fabulous player, but there have been some nervy moments for the centre-back when playing out from the back. He also switched off completely for Liverpool’s opening goal.

Despite grabbing an assist, it was largely an afternoon to forget for Trossard too, whose woes were compounded in the 78th minute when he was substituted with an apparent hamstring injury.

For Arsenal, that is not good news, particularly after Merino’s late red card. Who Arsenal will play up top against Newcastle next week is anyone’s guess.

Either way, Arteta should consider axing him from the team. Even if it’s not fully from the team, he should be axed as the main centre forward.

In the words of Arsenal writer Connor Humm, the £27m signing is a “waste of time” as a striker, not boasting the physicality to hold the ball up and perhaps also lacking the sort of runs we ultimately saw from Martinelli down the centre when they swapped positions.

Minutes played

78

Touches

61

Accurate passes

31/36 (86%)

Shots on target

1

Shots off target

1

Successful dribbles

3/5

Key passes

2

Accurate crosses

1/3

Duels won

7/13

Possession lost

16x

Trossard only won seven of his 13 contested duels during the clash and failed to have a single shot on target. To make matters worse, he also lost the ball on 16 occasions. That isn’t what you need from a role that requires bringing others into play.

There was a wasteful moment that rather summed up his topsy-turvy season in the first 45 minutes. Arsenal pressed well in Liverpool’s penalty area and won the ball back. However, neither Partey nor Trossard took control of the situation and waited for each other to pick up the possession. Had either done so, it probably would have been a goal. Instead, the chance went begging.

Moments like that are why the Belgium international has frustrated supporters so often this season. There is talk of a new contract and perhaps he might deserve one. There aren’t many better squad players in Arteta’s ranks.

However, if Arsenal are going to sign one or two attackers, Trossard should be given the boot to accommodate them.

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ByMatt Dawson May 11, 2025

While their Premier League form remains inconsistent at best, there is an undeniably positive sentiment around Arsenal at the moment.

This is, of course, thanks to the club’s upcoming Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain, which they demolished Real Madrid in the quarter-finals to qualify for.

Mikel Arteta’s men were utterly superb home and away against the Kings of Europe, but if we had to single out one player, it’d have to be Declan Rice, who scored two unreal free-kicks at home and then bossed the midfield at the Bernabeu.

There is no doubt that the Englishman is currently playing the best football he has since his £105m move to the Emirates in 2023, so fans should be excited about recent reports linking Arsenal to a young midfielder who could be the next Rice.

Arsenal looking to sign new midfielder

Plenty of incredible stars are already being linked with moves to Arsenal this summer, so before looking at the player in question, it’s worth looking at a couple of them, such as Florian Wirtz.

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The Bayer Leverkusen gem is one of the most exciting talents in world football and has already racked up a tally of 15 goals and 13 assists in 41 games, but with a reported £111m price tag, we’d be surprised to see the Gunners act on this rumour.

An altogether more affordable target might be Anthony Elanga.

The former Manchester United prospect has been linked with a £43m move to N5 this summer, and considering he’s managed to rack up a haul of 16 goal involvements in 37 appearances for Nottingham Forest this year, that might not be a bad deal.

However, perhaps one of the most intriguing emerging links is to Andrey Santos despite Arsenal’s plans to sign fellow midfielder Martin Zubimendi.

Yes, according to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are now one of several sides who are on ‘alert for a surprise potential transfer raid’ and are ‘interested’ in signing the Chelsea loanee this summer.

The Brazilian midfielder is currently thriving on loan with Strasbourg and, per the report, is not ‘entirely committed to going back to Chelsea next season.’

This means there is now a chance that the Blues could be willing to sell the youngster for a fee of up to €50m, which is about £43m.

It might be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Santos’ ability and potential, it’s one Arsenal should fight for, especially as he could be another Rice in the making.

Why Santos might be the new Rice

Okay, so before getting into some of the other reasons why Arsenal might want to go out and sign Santos this summer, it’s worth going over his similarities to Rice and why he could develop into another version of the Englishman.

So, the first and most obvious point of comparison is that, like the former West Ham United captain, the Chelsea loanee can comfortably play as either a defensive or central midfielder but has found more success this season as the latter, racking up ten goals and five assists in 30 appearances.

On top of this positional versatility and eye for goal, the Rio de Janeiro-born gem is tenacious in the middle of the park, with respected football analyst Ben Mattinson describing him as a “duel monster” who is “brilliant at screening the backline” and possesses real “aerial prowess” – who does that sound like?

Furthermore, like the Gunners’ number 41, Mattinson also praises the Brazilian for how he “progresses the ball,” the fact he frequently “wins 2nd balls”, and, finally, that he “crashes the box” from his deeper position on the pitch, which once again sounds alarmingly similar to the player Arteta has coached Rice into since he arrived in North London.

Finally, away from the glaring similarities to the North Londoners’ own midfield monster, the 20-year-old has some seriously impressive underlying numbers to his name.

Santos’ FBref scout report

Statistics

Per 90

Percentile

Goals per Shot

0.25

Top 1%

Tackles Won

2.25

Top 2%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.32

Top 2%

Goals

0.32

Top 3%

Tackles

3.33

Top 4%

Goals + Assists

0.41

Top 6%

Long Pass Completion

79.2%

Top 6%

Dribblers Tackled

1.46

Top 10%

Ball Recoveries

6.24

Top 12%

All Stats via FBref

For example, FBref places him in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for goals per shot, the top 2% for non-penalty goals and tackles won, the top 3% for overall goals, the top 4% for overall tackles, the top 6% for long pass completion, the top 10% for dribblers tackles and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while it might be a lot of money to spend on someone so young, Santos looks like a genuine superstar in the making, so Arsenal should do what they can to bring him to the Emirates this summer, as he might just develop into another Rice.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 24, 2025

Harry Brook walked out at 5 for 3, which soon became 10 for 4 and 56 for 6 before his six-laden 101-ball 135 lifted England to some respectability

Sampath Bandarupalli26-Oct-202560.53 – Percentage of England’s total of 223 that came off Harry Brook’s bat as he scored 135. It is the highest contribution by a batter in a completed innings for England in men’s ODIs. The previous highest was 60.28 by Robin Smith, who scored an unbeaten 167 in England’s total of 277 for 5 against Australia at Birmingham in 1993.Brook’s contribution is also the sixth-highest by any batter in an all out innings in men’s ODIs.