Celtic could be set for another transfer windfall after it emerged that another of their players is catching the eye across the Atlantic, with talks over a potential permanent exit from Celtic Park now planned.

Nicolas Kuhn a man in demand

Brendan Rodgers’ side have enjoyed an almost perfect start to their season, sitting top of the Scottish Premiership and surprising plenty in the Champions League.

Celtic are yet to lose this season aside from their 7-1 thrashing at the hands of Borussia Dortmund, and are level with Aberdeen at the top of the Scottish top flight, while a famous win over RB Leipzig helped them move into contention for qualification for the next round of Champions League action at the midway stage of the league phase.

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Central to their success has been Nicolas Kuhn, who has begun the season in the form of his life. The 24-year-old has grabbed 10 goals and 11 assists in just 17 outings this season, including two against RB Leipzig to help them come from a goal down to win 3-1.

His exploits have not gone unnoticed, with Brentford among the clubs credited with an interest in the forward ahead of a potential January swoop just 12 months on from his arrival at Celtic Park.

Should he depart, Celtic would likely demand close to a record fee to allow him to leave mid-season – a figure that currently stands at the £25m they received for Matt O’Riley over the summer.

Now, there is another deal that they could look to strike in January.

Brazilian giant planning talks over Celtic outcast

That comes as per a report from The Scottish Sun, which reveals that Brazilian giants Internacional are plotting talks over a move to sign Celtic outcast Alexandro Bernabei on a permanent deal.

Bernabei joined Celtic in the summer of 2022, but never managed to nail down a starting spot for the Bhoys and was quickly shipped out on loan to Brazil. Still just 24 years old, the Argentina U21 international revitalised his career on loan with Internacional in South America, becoming one of the best full-backs in the division and turning plenty of heads.

Alexandro Bernabei in Brazilian Serie A 2024

Appearances

19

Goals

3

Assists

4

Yellow Cards

3

Now, Internacional want to sign him permanently, and are ready to open talks with Celtic to do so. Indeed, it is claimed that “they are due to fly to Europe for several recruitment meetings and want to discuss Bernabei’s situation with the Parkhead side”, with Bernabei’s deal set to expire in the new year when the Brazilian season comes to a close.

It is added that Celtic have slapped a mammoth £10m price tag on his head – something that would be a record signing for the Brazilian side, suggesting that a compromise may be needed to reach an agreement.

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However, with Bernabei having struggled in Scotland, this could represent a chance for Celtic to offload the Argentinian without losing any of the £3.5m that they shelled out to sign him two years ago, while Bernabei could continue to thrive closer to home in what could be a win-win for all parties.

Chase Adams and Maximo Carrizo both scored to lead the U.S. to their 19th appearance at the U17 World Cup

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• US team on to the U17 World Cup
• Adams, Carrizo lead the way with strikes
• U17 tournament held in Qatar

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The U.S. U17 men's national team are on their way to the Qatar U17 World Cup after securing a 2-0 win against Cuba.

  First-half strikes from Chase Adams and Maximo Carrizo were enough to propel the Americans to victory.

  This is the U.S.'s 19th appearance in the top tournament for prospects under 17.

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• U.S. Soccer/USYNT
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Adams and Carrizo are highly-regarded MLS prospects, shining in the youth academies for the Columbus Crew and NYCFC's, respectively.

  The U.S. made the Round of 16 in the last U17 World Cup in 2023, but bowed out to heavily-favored Germany in a 3-2 loss.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The U.S.'s best finish in the U17 World Cup came in 1999, where it finished fourth.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR U.S. U17s?

  The U17 World Cup kicks off on Nov. 5 and the Americans will await their opponents in the Group Stage.

Guillem Balague has dropped a major update over the possibility of Xavi Hernandez becoming the new Manchester United manager. The Red Devils are looking for their eighth manager since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

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2 ByStephan Georgiou Oct 28, 2024 Man Utd sack Erik ten Hag

United suffered their fourth loss in their opening nine Premier League games on Sunday, and in the end, it was the final straw as the United hierarchy announced this Monday morning that Erik ten Hag is no longer the manager.

The Dutchman has been in charge of the Red Devils for two and a half years, during which he won two trophies, the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup. The club released a statement thanking Ten Hag for his services at Old Trafford: “We are grateful to Erik for everything he has done during his time with us and wish him well for the future. Ruud van Nistelrooy will take charge of the team as interim head coach, supported by the current coaching team, whilst a permanent head coach is recruited.”

The Red Devils are now beginning their search for a permanent replacement, with managers such as Ruben Amorim, Xabi Alonso, and Julian Nagelsmann all being linked with the role in the last week or so. Xavi has also been linked with a move to United, and there has now been a major development in a potential move.

Guillem Balague drops Xavi to Man Utd update

Spanish reporter Balague has taken to X and has revealed that the stance of Xavi has not changed; he plans to wait until the summer before taking on a new job. The Spaniard has been out of work since leaving Barcelona at the end of the season, and he emerged as an option to replace Ten Hag at the end of last week.

However, Balague has revealed that Xavi still wants to take a year’s sabbatical and then start a new project in the summer, further adding that he has not heard from United at this stage. It was reported last week that a meeting led by Omar Berrada was held in Barcelona as United looked to discuss a potential move, but it seems they will have to see out the rest of the campaign under Van Nistelrooy if Xavi is their top target.

Games

143

Won

91

Drawn

23

Lost

29

The Spain legend was in charge of Barça for two and a half years, leading the club to the La Liga title and the Spanish Super Cup. The former midfielder has only managed Al-Sadd SC in Qatar as well as Barça, meaning he would be somewhat of a gamble for the Red Devils as he’s never played or managed in the Premier League before.

The experienced midfielder is seeking a fresh start after a turbulent spell away from the pitch, and isn't likely to be short on offers

Paul Pogba is finally coming back! The former Manchester United and Juventus star's 18-month doping suspension ends in March, at which point he will be able to sign for a new club as a free agent.

Pogba was initially banned for four years after testing positive for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), but it was reduced in November after his partially successful appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The Frenchman was subsequently released from his contract at Juventus, bringing to an end his miserable second spell in Turin, and has since been training hard to get into shape.

The question is: who will take a gamble on an enigmatic player who turns 32 next month and has not played a competitive game since September 2023? Pogba gave an update on his situation at the end of January, telling Twitch streamer : "There are proposals, then there are interesting things, and not so interesting things. A club that plays in the Champions League? Why not. If it comes, of course, why not. We always want to be in the best clubs. After that it doesn't depend on me, it depends on lots of other things."

Pogba also expressed his desire to earn a recall to the France national team, but that won't be an easy task, especially if he has to settle for a club that cannot offer Champions League football. That's not to say there is no hope for the World Cup winner, though, because at his very best he remains one of the most talented midfielders in the business.

The first step is regaining full fitness. Pogba hasn't played regularly since his penultimate season at United due to a myriad of injuries, and needs the platform to prove he can still handle the physical demands of high-level football before he can think about bigger things.

With that in mind, GOAL has ranked the eight possible next destinations for Pogba…

Getty8Manchester United

Pogba sent United fans into frenzy last month by posting a cartoon of himself on Instagram in the club's kit alongside Amad Diallo, followed by the cryptic message: "Let's see what's coming."

One supporter responded by insisting "he's worth the third chance looking at problems of this current squad", a sentiment echoed by former Red Devils striker Louis Saha. "We need guarantees, we need quality, we need confidence, we need leadership, and this guy now has an opportunity to show how much he wants it," Saha said.

While Saha's assessment is undeniably true, the risks of bringing Pogba back for a third time outweigh the potential rewards for head coach Ruben Amorim. In his final few years in Manchester, Pogba became more of a hindrance than a help, only performing sporadically in between spells in the treatment room.

There was constant speculation over his future amid persistent links with Real Madrid, too, and the Old Trafford faithful had turned on Pogba long before his exit in June 2022. Adding him back into the mix three years later would probably only create problems for Amorim, and he has enough of those to contend with already.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport7Atletico Madrid

According to , Atletico Madrid are interested in signing Pogba, and there is a belief at the club that Antoine Griezmann's friendship with his compatriot could help facilitate the transfer. Diego Simeone has just lost Koke to a serious muscle injury, which leaves Atletico a bit short on depth in the engine room, and Pogba might be able provide cover.

Atletico are fighting for the La Liga title again, and have also progressed to the Champions League last 16 and Copa del Rey semi-finals, but cannot afford to take their foot off their gas even slightly. It is, therefore, not hard to see why a short-term deal for Pogba might appeal.

That being said, Pogba just isn't ready for a challenge this big. Simeone is a notoriously strict task master who demands the highest levels of discipline and effort, and those who fall short are soon exiled (just look at Joao Felix). If Pogba is to return to a top-five European league, it will have to be at a club with lower expectations and less pressure.

Getty Images Sport6Corinthians

In one of the most bizarre stories of the Christmas period, it was reported that a Brazilian escort agency, Fatal Model, approached Corinthians with an offer to help them push through the signing of Pogba. The agency were said to be willing to pay close to £500,000 per month to Corinthians to help cover Pogba's wages, but the Brasilerao club rejected the deal due to a reluctance to be associated with such a company.

Journalist claimed Pogba was open to joining Corinthians, though, and there is still an outside chance they will find another investor to fund the transfer. Pogba even joked about playing for the club for free in a video call with Brazilian influencer Luca de Pedreiro, just so he can play alongside Memphis Depay again.

Pogba had a good relationship with Depay during their time together at United, and a friendly face could help him settle quickly in South America. Depay has certainly had a new lease of life since joining Corinthians, while Neymar is now shining again back at boyhood club Santos, which suggests Brazil could be a good place for Pogba to rebuild some confidence.

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Getty Images Sport5Inter Miami

Pogba sparked talk of a potential move to Inter Miami when he headed to Florida to train in November, and has also been spotted at various high-profile events in America in recent months. He was also in the Chase Stadium crowd to watch Miami's MLS round one play-off clash with Atlanta United as Lionel Messi and Co suffered a shock 3-2 defeat.

Miami have been tipped to make a move for Pogba, who would have no problem fitting in a dressing room full of superstars. Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets followed Messi to Miami and they romped the 2024 Supporters' Shield title under Gerardo 'Tata' Martino.

A new era is now beginning under Javier Mascherano, and Miami have already made a few signings as they target MLS Cup glory in the new season. Whether or not they have room on their wage bill to recruit Pogba remains to be seen, but he already owns a luxury apartment in Florida, and it wouldn't be surprise if Miami co-owner David Beckham has already sounded out the France international.

Liverpool had a quiet first summer under new manager Arne Slot, signing just two new players.

The first, goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, remains with Valencia and won’t move to Anfield until next summer, while the second, Federico Chiesa, has barely featured for the Reds.

The Italian winger, whom Liverpool paid Juventus £12.5 million for, has played just 78 minutes of football this season, having been sidelined for most of the campaign with fitness and injury problems.

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Come January, however, Slot may be a little busier in the transfer market. Liverpool have already been linked with a number of big, and small, names, including Fulham’s American full-back Antonee Robinson, Sporting Lisbon starlet Geovany Quenda, and Chelsea’s Mykhailo Mudryk. One deal, in fact, is reported to have already been agreed.

Liverpool reportedly agree £21m Loic Bade deal

According to a report from Spain, Liverpool have allegedly agreed a €25m (£21m) fee with Sevilla to sign defender Loic Bade. The Spanish publication claims that Bade had been a target for the Reds since last summer, and he will now join them after the New Year, assuming ‘”nothing goes wrong” between now and January.

Aston Villa were also understood to be interested in the Frenchman, who has been impressing in Spain. Since joining Sevilla last year, Bade has made 67 appearances for the club, helping them lift the Europa League in 2022/23 – a tournament in which he notably scored against Manchester United in the quarter-finals.

Over the past year, the 24-year-old, who has been previously likened to former Liverpool star Joel Matip and described as “complete” by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, ranks in the 98th percentile for tackles and take-ons when compared to players in his position across Europe’s top five leagues.

Who is Loic Bade?

Bade began his professional career in his home country with Le Havre. After just a handful of appearances for his boyhood club, he was then sold to Lens, before, just a year later, he was shipped on to Rennes.

In September 2022, he then joined Premier League outfit Nottingham Forest on a year-long loan. Bade left the club just six months later, however, without having made a single appearance.

At Sevilla, whom he initially joined on loan before making the deal permanent in the summer of 2023, he has found a home and established himself as one of La Liga’s top young defenders.

As a result of his displays for Sevilla, he was called up to the France national team for the first time last month in place of injured Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana.

Speaking about his time at Forest in an interview with Le Parisien last year, Bade said: “I gave everything in training. But these are the coach’s choices. I thought I’d get my chance, but I didn’t.”

“It was a blessing in disguise is what I tell myself,” he added. “If I hadn’t had this difficult period, I wouldn’t have refound myself at Sevilla.”

It’s been an interesting start to the campaign for Tottenham Hotspur this season.

Ange Postecoglou’s side have been flawless in the League Cup and Europa League, but have looked a little disjointed in the Premier League.

However, given that it’s only the Australian’s second year in charge, these issues shouldn’t come as a surprise, and with a few more transfer windows under his belt, he could have the personnel to match his game plans.

In fact, based on recent reports, the club look set to sign a dream midfield addition next year, although that could be bad news for Yves Bissouma.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Spain, Tottenham are expected to sign Real Betis star Johnny Cardoso in 2025.

The report claims that the Lilywhites had a €25m – £21m – option to buy the American included in the deal that saw Giovani Lo Celso return to Betis in the summer.

However, Daniel Levy and Co will have to act fast if they want to bring the midfielder to N17, as the story also claims that the option expires in either late June or early July and, after that, the La Liga side will be able to demand whatever price they want.

With that said, by all accounts, this looks like a transfer that will happen, so the Spurs faithful likely have nothing to worry about, although given how well he’s played in Spain, Bissouma should be a little concerned, as the American could be his upgrade.

How Cardoso compares to Bissouma

Okay, so if Spurs act on their option to sign Cardoso, as expected, the fact that he primarily plays as a defensive and central midfielder means he’d likely compete with Bissouma for a place in the starting lineup.

So, with that in mind, how do the pair stack up against one another? Well, when it comes down to the pair’s raw output this season, the Mali international comes out on top with two goals to the American’s zero, but at the end of the day, goals aren’t what make a good holding midfielder, and when we look at their underlying numbers, it’s a very different story.

For example, while the Spurs ace has better passing numbers, the Betis star comes out miles ahead in the majority of relevant defensive metrics, including tackles, shots and passes blocked, clearances, interceptions, ball recoveries and aerial duels, all per 90, which is what you want from your six.

Cardoso vs Bissouma
Statistics	Cardoso	Bissouma
Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists	0.24	0.11
Progressive Passes	4.04	7.00
Progressive Passes Received	1.49	0.00
Passing Accuracy	82.0%	90.7%
Tackles	2.77	2.75
Shots Blocked	0.64	0.25
Passes Blocked	1.28	0.75
Interceptions	2.13	1.00
Clearances	2.98	2.75
Ball Recoveries	6.17	3.25
Aerial Duels Won	1.06	0.25
All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 League Season

Moreover, something that the former Brighton & Hove Albion ace was guilty of last season was picking up unnecessary red cards, and when we compare the pair’s disciplinary record, the 23-year-old “ball winner”, as he was dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, once again comes out on top.

For example, in his 10281 minutes of football across his career to date, the former Internacional gem has picked up 22 yellow cards, averaging one every 467 minutes, and zero red cards or second yellows.

In contrast, the Issia-born Lilywhites man has picked up 58 yellow cards in his 16799 minutes of football, equating to an average of one every 289 minutes, and four red cards – including one-second yellow – which works out as one every 4199 minutes.

Ultimately, Bissouma is a talented footballer, and one who should be playing in the Premier League, but his defensive numbers are notably worse than Cardoso’s, and when we take into account the disciplinary side of things as well, the American looks like he’d be an ideal upgrade.

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England dismissed for 185 after another flaky display with the bat in Melbourne

Valkerie Baynes26-Dec-2021

Pat Cummins celebrates removing Dawid Malan•Getty Images

It was a case of the more things change the more they stay the same for England as Australia took a stranglehold on the Ashes, bowling out the tourists for 185 on the opening day of the third Test at the MCG before reaching the close one wicket down and only 124 runs behind.England had made four changes to their side that lost by 275 runs in Adelaide to concede a 2-0 lead in the series, but again their batters struggled as Pat Cummins ripped through the top order by lunch and Nathan Lyon matched his captain’s haul of 3 for 36 as England succumbed for under 200 runs for the 12th time this year.In between, Cameron Green reaped rewards for a suffocating four-over spell and Scott Boland claimed a wicket on Test debut while also taking two catches to have a further hand in England’s demise before a Boxing Day crowd of 57,100.The Australians reached 57 without loss before James Anderson had David Warner sharply caught by Zak Crawley at gully. The hosts closed on 1 for 61 with under-pressure opener Marcus Harris unbeaten on 20.Cummins won the toss after rain delayed the start and sent England in to bat on a pitch offering some grass coverage. He capitalised with his fifth ball – the 11th legitimate delivery of the match after Mitchell Starc had opened with a no-ball – when he had Haseeb Hameed out feathering a catch behind to Alex Carey for a second consecutive duck.Cummins then had Crawley, replacing opener Rory Burns, caught by Green at gully for 12 as England slumped to 2 for 13 inside eight overs.The tourists were again looking to Joe Root and Dawid Malan to steady them and they did, to some extent, with a 48-run partnership from 115 balls. But England needed so much more than even the 162-run stand they put on to give them some hope in the first Test in Brisbane and, when Cummins had Malan caught in the slips by Warner on the last ball before the lunch, they were again in strife at 3 for 61.Root brought up his ninth fifty in Australia after the break, but he fell a short time later when Starc – used sparingly in the morning session – had him caught behind chasing a ball outside off stump. Visibly furious with the fallibility of his dismissal, Root now needs to score a maiden century in Australia – 109 runs to be precise – in England’s second innings if he is to pass Mohammad Yousuf’s record for runs scored in a calendar year.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

More importantly, however, England needed their skipper to convert to dig them out of a hole. Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow, the latter replacing Ollie Pope, set about trying to salvage the innings but Green applied sublime pressure in a four-over spell which included three maidens and one wicket for one run, when Stokes tried to lift him over the slips cordon, but picked out Lyon at point for 25. Green threatened to claim another two balls later with a pearl of a delivery that zipped back between Jos Buttler’s bat and pad as the scoreless batsman lunged forward.It was Lyon who had Buttler out, England’s No. 7 advancing down the pitch and skying the ball straight to Boland at deep midwicket – a rash shot which saw him depart for just 3 on the stroke of tea. Lyon also dismissed Ollie Robinson for a spirited 22 from 26 deliveries and Jack Leach, who took his fellow spinner for 11 runs off one over – including a thumping straight six, before falling for 13. Leach had returned to the side after his bowling had been punished at the Gabba, making his courage with the bat a short-lived bright spot for England.Starc claimed his second, cramping Bairstow with a short ball that saw him lose his footing as he toppled backwards and gloved a catch to Green at gully. Bairstow was England’s second-highest run-scorer with 35 but, in an all-too-similar vein to the other recognised batters, it was simply not enough.Mark Wood, coming in for Stuart Broad in England’s other personnel change, had earlier became Boland’s first Test wicket when he was trapped lbw. Boland became the fourth Indigenous Test cricketer after Faith Thomas, Jason Gillespie and Ashleigh Garner in one of two changes for the Australians alongside the return of Cummins, who missed the second Test as a close contact of a Covid case.Wood threatened with the ball, showing England what they had been missing Adelaide, but it was Anderson who made the breakthrough that was a rare moment of solace for the battling tourists.

MatériaMais Notícias

Impulsionada pelo acesso do Cuiabá à Série A do Brasileirão, a Arena Pantanal vai se consolidando como uma das principais praças do futebol brasileiro. Com gramado e estrutura elogiados, o estádio receberá, neste domingo, a Supercopa do Brasil entre Atlético-MG e Flamengo. Nas vésperas da decisão, o secretário adjunto de Esporte e Lazer (Secel/MT) Jefferson Carvalho Neves atendeu o LANCE! e explicou o trabalho realizado no local nos últimos anos.

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+Arena Pantanal é preparada para Atlético-MG x Flamengo; confira as fotos!

– Em agosto (de 2020), com uma possibilidade grande do Cuiabá subir para a Série A, começamos a trabalhar para elevar o patamar da Arena. Já tínhamos conseguido fazer um bom estádio de Série B, era elogiada, mas sabíamos que a Série A era diferente. Elevamos o nível de exigência para colocar a Arena, realmente, pronta para receber jogos maiores e com torcidas maiores. Mesmo estando em momento de pandemia, sabíamos que uma hora iria acontecer.

A Arena, construída para a Copa do Mundo de 2014 ao custo de cerca de R$ 660 milhões, não recebeu a devida atenção nos anos seguintes ao Mundial e apresentou sinais de abandono no entorno. Ao chegar no estádio na quinta, a reportagem do LANCE! observou um cenário diferente: dezenas de jovens entravam e saíam do local onde hoje funciona aEscola Estadual Governador José Fragelli, que funciona em tempo integral e ali o ensino à prática esportiva.

TRATO ESPECIAL COM O GRAMADO

Durante a visita ao estádio, o gramado da Arena Pantanal estava recebendo os devidos cuidados para estar nas melhores condições neste domingo. Após um processo de adubagem, foi molhado. Nesta sexta e no sábado, o gramado será aparado e ter a altura entre 22 e 25 milímetros no domingo, para a Supercopa.

Profissionais do Atlético-MG também estiveram vistoriando o estádio nesta quinta e elogiaram as condições do gramado e a infraestrutura da Arena, como os vestiários, acessos e áreas destinadas aos membros da comissão técnica.

Cristiano Dresch, VP do Cuiabá, também falou ao L! sobre os investimentos feitos pelo clube na Arena Pantanal, que chega a ser de R$ 300 mil por ano.

– A chegada do Cuiabá à Série A colocou a Arena de volta à elite do futebol nacional. Fizemos uma reforma em dezembro que durou um mês e mudou o patamar do gramado. Por ano, o Cuiabá investe R$ 300 mil na manutenção do campo, que está em uma condição muito boa. Seguramente, o gramado da Arena Pantanal está entre os três melhores do país – afirmou Cristiano Dresch.

Veja mais respostas dosecretário adjunto de Esporte e Lazer (Secel/MT) Jefferson Carvalho Neves em entrevista ao LANCE!, na Arena Pantanal:

Arena Pantanal no circuito dos grandes jogos no Brasil

Sonhamos com isso desde que assumimos a Arena. Em 2019, a Arena era muito famosa pela vergonha que passava ao Governo. Era um estádio que estava largado, quase nada funcionava direito e começamos a trabalhar naquele momento para que isso fosse realidade hoje. Tivemos momentos muito difíceis em 2019, o orçamento era muito escasso e tínhamos dificuldade de fazer tudo.

Trabalhamos muito, não teve fim de semana, nada, para que no jogo de abertura da Série de 2021, entre Cuiabá e Juventude, todos saíssem elogiando muito a Arena, observadores da CBF. E, para nossa surpresa, cinco dias depois fomos consultados sobre os jogos da Copa América, se gostaríamos de sediar jogos da Copa América.

Experiência de sediar cinco jogos da Copa América

Para nós, foi a glória. Saímos de um estádio que cumpria suas obrigações na Série B para um estádio elogiado na Série A e cogitado para a Copa América, uma competição muito aguardada. Estavam sendo oferecidos jogos da Argentina, Uruguai. Ficamos muito felizes e sediamos alguns jogos da Copa América. Naquele momento também, a Arena foi avaliada como um dos melhores estádios da Copa América, e com o melhor gramado da competição. Foi muito elogiado pelos presidentes das federações, da Conmebol, e não paramos de trabalhar pensando nessas oportunidades. Receber um jogo desse tamanho, que considero a principal partida do primeiro semestre do futebol brasileiro, é uma felicidade.

Definição de Cuiabá como palco da Supercopa do Brasil

Nós já tínhamos nos colocado à disposição da CBF (após a Copa América) e para qualquer outra competição da CBF. Claro que sem atrapalhar o Cuiabá, que é quem mais utiliza e precisa muito da Arena para que os resultados aconteçam. Nos colocamos à disposição e trabalhamos muito. Depois de alcançar o nível de bom estádio da Série A, não paramos de trabalhar e levantar o sarrafo. Não diminuímos mais o ritmo.

West Ham United’s academy has produced some simply incredible players over the years. The Hammers boast players who could be considered some of England’s best, including midfielder Frank Lampard, who played 179 times for the club before moving to London rivals Chelsea where he made his dynasty.

They also brought through two players who ended up having success under Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United. Michael Carrick was one of those players, and he played 154 games in Claret and Blue, before joining Tottenham Hotspur and United just two years later.

Defender Rio Ferdinand, who made 150 appearances for the Hammers, followed a similar path, going to Old Trafford via their bitter rivals Leeds following his move from East London.

In more recent times, Declan Rice is one of their most notable academy graduates. He played 245 times for the club, winning the Europa Conference League in 2022/23. Mark Noble, who retired the season prior, racked up 550 appearances on Claret and Blue.

As good as these players were for the Hammers, they have failed to hold on to some of their talented academy stars in recent years.

The West Ham academy graduates who left the club

Over the past four years, there have been two notable departures from the West Ham academy. The first of those was 24-year-old Jeremy Ngakia. The London-born defender left his boyhood club to join Watford in 2020 after he could not agree on a new deal with the Hammers.

After playing for the East London outfit at both under-18 and under-21 level, Ngakia played five times for the first team in the 2019/20 campaign. His debut came against Liverpool in the Premier League, and he made a further four appearances, all of which came consecutively. However, he never played again for the Hammers despite those outings and joined Watford the following summer.

Another major loss for West Ham in recent years came this summer. They lost striker Divin Mubama, who saw his contract in East London expire at the end of last season. He made the move to Manchester City, who paid their Premier League rivals compensation to bring him to the Etihad Stadium.

Mubama made 18 appearances for the Hammers’ first team, scoring once in that time. He was also part of the under-18s side that won the FA Youth Cup in 2022/23, helping his side to the final after a hattrick in the semi-final against Southampton.

It was certainly frustrating to lose both of these talents, but losing Sonny Perkins was arguably an even bigger loss, given how highly rated he was.

Perkins was supposed to be West Ham’s superstar

Perkins was one of the most highly-rated youngsters at West Ham during his time at the club. Although he is predominantly a centre-forward, Harry Brooks, a private coach for the England under-18 side, compared to him legendary Spanish midfielder Andres Iniesta:

In total, the Hammers academy graduate made three first-team appearances at the London Stadium, all in 2021/22. Two of those came in the Europa League for a total of 99 minutes, and he made a three-minute cameo in the Premier League, his only top-flight appearance to date.

Much to the fury of those in east London, the 20-year-old joined Leeds on a free transfer in 2022 following the expiration of his contract, signing a three-year deal at Elland Road. However, things haven’t quite worked out for him for the Whites, for whom he has played just four times.

He has been out on loan twice during his time at Leeds. After a loan to Oxford United, the striker is currently at Leyton Orient in League One on a temporary basis, although things have not worked out for him so far for the club. He has just three goals and two assists in 15 games.

Competition

Games

Goals

Assists

League One

8

1

0

EFL Trophy

3

1

0

Carabao Cup

3

0

1

FA Cup

1

1

1

The Hammers may have been kicking themselves for letting such a highly-rated talent like Perkins leave the club two years ago. With that being said, he has really struggled since departing the London Stadium, and West Ham fans may be watching from afar hoping the man once compared to Iniesta can get his career back on track.

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1 ByConnor Holden Nov 15, 2024

Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espírito Santo has done a magnificent job during the opening ten games of the Premier League campaign, leading his side to third place before this weekend’s action.

Chris Wood has played a huge part in the recent success, registering eight goals in his ten appearances, with Manchester City’s Erling Haaland the only player to score more than him at this stage.

The defence has also massively improved since last season, conceding just seven times, with new signing Nikola Milenkovic undoubtedly playing a huge role in the decrease of goals conceded.

Such recruitment over the summer has taken the Reds massively clear of the drop zone already, with survival still the first priority despite the incredible first few months of the campaign.

Owner Evangelos Marinakis appears to have strengthened the off-the-field staff at the City Ground, with the appointment of Arsenal sporting director Edu Gaspar – joining as the CEO of the Greek’s football empire, which also includes Olympiacos and Rio Ave.

It could leave the 46-year-old with some big decisions to make when he finally gets his foot under the table, with three calls needing to be made upon his arrival under Marinakis.

1 Ola Aina's contract extension

After arriving on a free transfer from Italian side Torino last summer, not many people knew what to expect from Ola Aina after his previous stint in England’s top flight with Fulham back in 2020.

He only agreed a one-year deal with many expecting him to be a backup to the likes of Neco Williams and World Cup-winning loanee Gonzalo Montiel.

However, the Nigerian quickly cemented himself as a key player under both Steve Cooper and Nuno, registering a total of 22 league appearances, but did struggle with injuries during certain parts of the season.

Aina scored his first goal for Forest during the 2-0 win over Aston Villa at City Ground back in November 2023, with his fine strike flying past Emiliano Martínez and into the bottom corner.

As a result of his displays in 2023/24, the 28-year-old was handed a 12-month extension, a deal that takes him until the summer of June 2025.

The former Chelsea youngster has gone from strength to strength this campaign, being part of the second-best backline in the division – even scoring a screamer off his weaker foot in the victory over West Ham United.

His recent form hasn’t gone unnoticed, with the likes of AC Milan and Roma reportedly eyeing a move for the full-back in January – potentially able to agree a pre-contract should he fail to agree a new deal with the Reds.

The hierarchy can fend off any interest by handing Aina a new contract, something which he thoroughly deserves after his recent performances at the City Ground.

2 Anthony Elanga’s potential departure

Deadline day during the summer transfer window saw Forest frantically try for a new striker, with Omar Marmoush and Santiago Gimenez just two games who were both strongly linked with a move to the East Midlands.

However, it also saw a flurry of bids placed for key first-team members, including Anthony Elanga, who was the subject of huge interest from fellow Premier League side Newcastle United.

Eddie Howe’s side tried to secure a move for the Swedish international in the deal that saw Elliot Anderson move to the Reds, but instead, Odysseas Vlachodimos made the move to Tyneside.

Despite this, the Magpies made a £50m bid for Elanga on deadline day, an offer which the Reds’ hierarchy turned down – a surprise decision given the nature of the bid.

The 22-year-old only cost the club £15m from Manchester United 12 months prior, with the rejected bid seeing the club make £35m profit on the winger – a phenomenal piece of business given the recent PSR drama.

It appears that the offer may have turned the youngster’s head, with Elanga failing to score in the current campaign and only registering one assist in his first ten league outings.

Chris Wood

8

806

101

Anderson

3

602

200

Hudson-Odoi

2

731

365

Sosa

1

77

77

Jota Silva

1

181

181

Elanga

1

562

562

Gibbs-White

1

572

572

The “frightening” winger, as dubbed by journalist Laurie Whitwell, has also been left out of the Sweden national side for the upcoming Nations League matches against Slovakia and Azerbaijan- an indication as to how poor he’s been in recent weeks.

Given his lack of form under Nuno, should the club receive a bid of a similar nature from Newcastle, they simply cannot afford to turn it down, handing Edu the funds to work his magic in the transfer market upon his arrival.

In recent days, Bayern Munich winger Mathys Tel has been touted with a potential move to join Nuno’s side, with Elanga’s potential fee potentially covering any move for the Frenchman.

3 Andrew Omobamidele loan move

Centre-back Andrew Omobamidele joined Forest on deadline day back in January 2024, arriving in an £11m deal from Championship side Norwich City.

The Irishman arrived providing key depth to the defensive department as Nuno aimed to avoid relegation just a couple of months after taking over from fan-favourite Cooper.

Omobamidele would go on to make 14 appearances in all competitions during the second half of last season, scoring on his full debut in the FA Cup victory over Blackpool at Bloomfield Road.

However, after the arrival of the aforementioned Milenkovic, the 22-year-old has found first-team minutes extremely hard to come by, featuring for a total of 90 minutes – failing to appear for a single minute in the Premier League.

As a result of his lack of minutes, the centre-back has been left out of the Republic of Ireland squad for the upcoming international break, replaced by current Norwich defender Shane Duffy.

Omobamidele has never put a foot wrong when featuring for Nuno, but ultimately, he’s become the victim of the club’s rapid success, falling down the pecking order as a result of the investment and form of other players.

Murillo

10

900

Milenkovic

10

840

Morato

5

65

Willy Boly

3

181

Omobamidele

1

90

Zach Abbott

1

60

He desperately needs a loan to either a bottom-half Premier League side or a promotion-chasing Championship side to give him the valuable minutes he needs if he is to progress and reach the potential he arrived with.

Edu has the opportunity to facilitate such a move, potentially enabling the Reds to reach the next level with their recruitment – helping Nuno and the coaching staff sustain their impressive start in 2024/25.

However, if the Brazilian is to make a great first impression in the East Midlands, he must look to implement all three aforementioned dilemmas allowing for all the players to continue their varying stages of development.

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