Tag Futebol

Kevin Pietersen, one of cricket’s most flamboyant and controversial figures, has announced his impending retirement, stating that he expects to call a complete halt to his playing career by the end of the year.Pietersen, 37, revealed his decision after taking part in the Stars’ Big Bash League defeat against the Renegades in the Melbourne derby.”I’m done and dusted, playing days,” he said. “You get to that time in your career when you think ‘do I want this?’ I want it desperately at the moment … but I don’t think I will want it in 10 months’ time. I just don’t see myself wanting to play cricket in December.”Pietersen said he would honour playing commitments with the Pakistan Super League and in his native South Africa, but that would be it.Cricket commentary, an involvement in rhino conservation – he is having a house built near Kruger national park in South Africa – and involvement in cricket coaching are just three areas that have recently attracted his attention.Surrey’s NatWest T20 Blast game against Sussex last season was dedicated to raising more for rhinos, with £1 of every ticket sold going to charity. Regrettably, Pietersen had to miss the game with a calf injury.Pietersen’s move towards retirement began last July when he announced that, for the second successive year, he would not enter the 2018 IPL auction because the tournament had become “too long”. He also suggested that he would no longer play for Surrey in the NatWest Blast and, after much fanfare, only played two matches.He also left the Stars in early season to fly back to the UK for Christmas and celebrate his tenth wedding anniversary, only for frustration to strike on his return journey when his luggage was left in Dubai and he embarrassed Emirates into funding an emergency wardrobe for his TV commentary.Pietersen is England’s second highest run-scorer across all forms of the game combined and England have never entirely replaced him in their Test middle order since he was dropped from the international teams over a dispute over team ethics following their previous disastrous Ashes tour four years ago.Seemingly bound to become one of Twenty20’s most successful players, his star quality has not entirely been backed up by the performances that were expected as injuries – and perhaps a busy lifestyle – began to unsettle him.His T20 appearances have increasingly been characterised by long periods off the field – and Saturday night was no different. He made 40 from 30 balls in the Stars’ 157 for 4 but then remained in the dressing room for what he termed “precautionary” ice treatment on an ankle injury as Renegades won by six wickets with 13 balls to spare.But he has never lost the ability to charm – he has 3.5m followers on Twitter – so it was no surprise that he also expressed wishes to remain with Melbourne in some capacity. “This franchise has been so good for me at the end of my career,” he said. “I love Melbourne. I’ve actually really grown to love Australia and have a really good rapport with a lot of the Australian public.”So to have some sort of involvement in the Stars going forward, because of how much I love this club, would be something of immense value to me.”

Leeds United will have to act quickly if they are to get their miserable start to the season back on track, with several transfer targets that Daniel Farke must soon pull the trigger on…

Has Tyler Adams left Leeds United?

With a number of departures having left them threadbare and lacking quality, with three Championship games having now been played, the latest to jump ship was Tyler Adams, who seemingly was desperate to leave Elland Road.

Having seen his switch to Chelsea fall through, it took just days to engineer a new exit, instead opting for AFC Bournemouth in a £23m move.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

This is just the latest vacancy made in Yorkshire which will need filling, but fortunately, a like-for-like replacement has emerged.

With the report in question having surfaced just last week, perhaps now marks the perfect time for Farke to reunite with an old face and bring Kenny McLean from Norwich City.

That is despite the 31-year-old machine still having two years left on his £25k-per-week deal.

How good is Kenny McLean?

An experienced veteran at this level, the Scotsman would more than make up for the energy they have lost in the engine room, whilst adding a wealth of knowledge when it comes to navigating the Championship.

After all, he does boast 180 appearances for the Canaries, having spent the bulk of his career in his homeland before joining.

A tireless defensively-minded gem, although far from as busy as Adams was last term, the presence of someone like McLean would help boost the entire squad after what has been a tough start to the new term – especially given how selfless he is with both his play style and personality, having recorded 1.2 interceptions, 1.4 tackles and 1.3 clearances per game last season in the second tier, via Sofascore.

This unsurprisingly led to an admirable 6.91 average rating, the sixth-highest among the Norwich squad.

Farke has even praised his exploits in the past, as a mainstay in both of his previous promotion successes earned at Carrow Road.

He noted back in 2018:

"Kenny is a player who is really flexible. He can play nearly each and every position in midfield – as a number ten, a number eight, a number six or as a winger who comes inside.

"He gives us various options, and is full of technical ability. He had a high passing quality and is able to score and assist."

Although Adams might have enjoyed a far more successful personal season, posting 3.7 tackles, 1.5 interceptions and one key pass per game in the Premier League last campaign, he certainly remains replaceable despite the pain his exit will undoubtedly cause.

Especially given that, in his prime, McLean posted figures that arguably surpassed these.

During the 2018/19 season, when Farke's aforementioned quote was uttered, he maintained a 7.29 average rating in the Championship, buoyed by nine goal contributions, an 82% pass accuracy, 1.1 key passes and 1.8 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

He was the quintessential all-around box-to-box midfielder, and should he recapture such form under his old boss once again, it would take no time at all for fans to move on from the departure of the USA international.

Lahore Blues soared to the top of the standings with a crushing win over Rawalpindi, who prop up the table with just one win in their seven games. The win was down to a superb bowling performance from Lahore. Agha Salman’s figures were the most impressive, with three wickets in just ten balls to clean up the tail, but the platform had been set up Atif Jabbar and Ali Shafiq, whose combined figures read 7-0-42-5.Rawalpindi’s wretched batting performance saw only two players score more than six runs. In such circumstances, Iftikhar Ahmed merited particular acclamation, scoring a plucky 33-ball 60 to take them to 118, when in his absence his side could have slumped to a record low. Even so, the target was merely batting practice for the in-form Blues, with Imam-ul-Haq, Ahmed Shehzad and Hussain Talat all amongst the runs as they put Rawalpindi out of their misery with nearly three overs to spare.In the day’s other game, Faisalabad beat Peshawar in a dramatic finish. Imran Khalid smashed the last ball for six to power his side home. Needing four to win win one ball remaining and international star Fahim Ashraf off strike, Faisalabad looked to be done for. But Khalid pounced on a length delivery in his arc, and just managed to clear the midwicket boundary to guarantee Faisalabad a spot in the semis.This was another low-scoring game, with no Peshawar batsman able to build on a solid start. Veteran opener Rafatullah Mohmmad was the top scorer with 32, and though four other batsmen reached double figures, none were able to construct an innings to ensure they could post a big total. Saeed Ajmal, in his farewell tournament, bowled a sensational spell, getting two wickets for 15 off his four overs.The target of 140 looked to be too much for Faisalabad as they struggled to keep up with the asking rate. Sohail Khan’s disciplined spell of 4-0-19-2 tied the chasing side down, and with 33 required off the last three, it appeared they would fall short. It continued to appear that way till the very last ball, when Khalid shot to prominence in fairy tale fashion.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly still plotting a move for Bayer Leverkusen defender, Edmond Tapsoba, with the Lilywhites also seemingly keen to wrap up a deal for fellow centre-back, Micky van de Ven from Wolfsburg.

How much will Edmond Tapsoba cost?

According to journalist Patrick Berger, the north London outfit are ready to make a bid of around €45m (£39m) in order to prise the 24-year-old from the BayArena, albeit with the Bundesliga side still hoping to keep hold of the Burkina Faso international this summer.

Writing on Twitter, the transfer insider revealed: "Tottenham Hotspur are pushing to sign Edmond Tapsoba (24). Been told the Premier League side is planning to make a new offer of €45m + add ons but Bayer Leverkusen want way more. The German club normally doesn’t want to sell the centre-back."

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

As per the Evening Standard's Dan Kilpatrick, while Spurs are said to be closing in on a £30m deal for Van de Ven, the signing of another central defender is not out of the question, with 'negotiations' still ongoing regarding a move for Tapsoba.

How good is Edmond Tapsoba?

The 6 foot 4 rock – who has been valued at €30m (£26m) by CIES Football Observatory – has caught the attention as a result of his fine displays in Germany in recent years, having initially made the move to Leverkusen from Portuguese side Vitoria de Guimaraes back in the summer of 2020.

Since then, the "elegant" asset – as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig – has racked up 137 appearances in all competitions for his current side, having been described as a 'powerful and super quick defender who boasts frightening heading abilities', according to the Bundesliga website.

Despite that glowing praise, those of a Tottenham persuasion may be concerned to learn that Tapsoba has previously been likened to ex-Chelsea flop Kalidou Kouliably in the recent past by Kulig, with that unlikely to spark much confidence with regard to the impact he can make in the Premier League.

That similarity can notably be seen by their lack of a dominant, physical presence in the heart of the backline, with Tapsoba ranking in just the bottom 37% among those in his position in Europe's top five leagues for aerial duels won per 90, while his centre-back counterpart ranks in just the bottom 35% for that same metric.

In the case of Kouliably, the 6 foot 1 brute was snapped up by the Blues on a £33m deal from Napoli last summer, having previously been dubbed the "best defender in the world" by former Genoa coach, Claudio Onofri, due to his form in Italy.

Despite the high expectation following his move to Stamford Bridge, the Senegalese defender was an undoubted disappointment during his one and only season at Stamford Bridge, having been blasted by pundit Ian Wright for looking "nervy".

Such were the 32-year-old's woes last season, he has since secured a swift exit from the club in order to join Saudi Arabian side, Al Hilal, with ESPN pundit Stewart Robson remarking that the towering dud simply wasn't "the formidable defender that he was when he was at Napoli".

To then find a potential heir to Koulibaly in the form of Tapsoba could prove to be something of a mistake for those in north London, with Postecoglou and co likely not wanting to splash the cash on a deal that could come back to bite them.

The England bowling coach, is expected to be unveiled as South Africa’s new head coach within days but he will not start his new role until after the end of the third Test

George Dobell15-Aug-2017

Ottis Gibson is to remain with the England squad throughout the Test series against West Indies.While Gibson, the England bowling coach, is expected to be unveiled as South Africa’s new head coach within days – possibly by the end of this week – he will not start his new role until after the end of the third Test, which starts on September 7.Although Gibson is contracted to the ECB until the end of the 2018 season, it is understood that the ECB and CSA have now agreed a compensation package which allows him to leave early.Gisbon and CSA are still negotiating his own contract details, though it is not anticipated that there will any change of heart from either party at this stage.With Gibson expected to have left the ECB ahead of the limited-overs matches against West Indies – there are five ODIs and a T20I scheduled before the end of September – England may need to appoint an interim bowling coach.In the longer-term, the likes of Richard Johnson (currently with Middlesex) and Graeme Welch (currently with Leicestershire) are front-runners for the role. ESPNcricinfo revealed last week that Darren Gough, who recently worked with England Under-19s, could gain some sort of consultancy role working with the white-ball teams.

The decision to rest Rohit Sharma from India’s upcoming limited-overs tour of the West Indies was a “smart” one, according to the captain Virat Kohli

Nagraj Gollapudi at Edgbaston15-Jun-2017The decision to rest Rohit Sharma from India’s upcoming limited-overs tour of the West Indies was a “smart” one, according to the captain Virat Kohli, who stressed the need to monitor the opener’s fitness after a “massive hip surgery”.India are going to the Caribbean for five ODIs and a T20 international immediately after the Champions Trophy, and Kohli said Rohit had been left out of the squad with the view of ensuring his fitness for bigger assignments – tours to Sri Lanka and South Africa – later in the year.”Rohit has come back and really had a full IPL season, which has been hectic,” Kohli said after India won the semi-final against Bangladesh on Thursday; the squad had been announced by the BCCI during the course of the game. “They [Mumbai Indians] reached the final, so he got lesser rest than anyone else. Plus he had a massive hip surgery, so muscles around that area are always vulnerable, and today also he felt a bit of stiffness in his right knee.”There is no doubt about Rohit’s ability and what he brings to the team. We need to protect him going further, because latter half of the year we have massive tours coming up, and his batting contribution will be a huge factor for us. So we want him to be careful because after a massive surgery you do need to be careful. If you push yourself a little too hard then it snaps again, you’re out for seven, eight months.”It is a conscious decision by everyone to give him a break. He is making the most of the form he is in right now. And I’m sure he also knows and understands the whole situation.”Rohit suffered his injury during the home ODIs against New Zealand in October last year, and missed home series against England, Bangladesh and Australia. He returned to action during the IPL and led Mumbai Indians to the title, and made his India comeback in the ongoing Champions Trophy.His unbeaten 123 off 129 balls in the semi-final against Bangladesh vaulted Rohit to second place in the list of highest run-scorers in the tournament – 304 runs in four innings at a strike rate of 87.60.

Sunderland look good value to challenge for the Championship play-offs once again next season after getting the majority of their transfer business sorted early in the window.

However, questions regarding the future of Jack Clarke refuse to go away, while Tony Mowbray has also confirmed he will be without some key men when the new campaign gets underway in a month's time.

What Sunderland players are injured?

Speaking on Monday, Mowbray revealed in quotes carried by Chronicle Live that Corry Evans and Ross Stewart "won't be making the start of the season".

Dennis Cirkin, meanwhile, is "touch and go" for the big kick-off, while new signings Jenson Seelt and Nectarios Triantis are both nursing injuries and are being monitored.

All four would arguably have made Sunderland's starting line-up to face Ipswich Town on August 6 – and the latter two still might – with the absence of Stewart, in particular, a blow for Mowbray.

Are Sunderland going to sign Ellis Simms?

Stewart scored ten goals and assisted a further three in just 13 Championship outings last season – his average of 1.12 direct goal involvements per 90 minutes being the best of any Sunderland player, as per FBref.

However, the Achilles injury that cut his 2022-23 season short in January is also going to rule him out for the start of the 2023-24 campaign, and it remains to be seen how long it will take the striker to return to his previous best – if he ever does.

Sunderland also saw Amad Diallo return to parent club Manchester United at the end of the previous season, while Premier League clubs will continue to circle for Clarke, meaning Mowbray must surely move for another attacker to join fellow new recruit Hemir.

In Everton striker Ellis Simms, they could have the perfect choice. Simms was next on the list of the Black Cats' most proficient players last season, averaging as he did 0.72 goals and assists per 90 minutes across 17 regular-season matches.

The 0.56 goals per 90 scored by Simms last season came from an expected goals (xG) value of 0.39, meaning he scored 0.17 goals per 90 more than expected on the basis of his chances, whereas Stewart's 0.86 goals came from an xG of 0.84, so he scored near enough at exactly the rate you would expect.

What this tells us is that Simms is a deadly finisher at Championship level – or an "absolute nuisance" for opposition players, as Sunderland Echo reporter Phil Smith put it last season.

Simms struggled to have as big an impact in the Premier League last season when being recalled by Everton in January, and the Toffees appear to be ready to cash in if the right offer is made.

Ipswich Town are believed to have already had a £4m bid rejected for Simms, who is reportedly on as little as £3.3k a week, suggesting Sunderland had better follow up on their own interest swiftly.

Rather than gamble on the fitness of Stewart, Sunderland's hopes of promotion to the Premier League may well come down to whether or not they can bring Simms back to the Stadium of Light.

Wolverhampton Wanderers attacker Adama Traore is expected to leave the club this summer when his contract expires, according to Dean Jones.

What's the latest on Adama Traore?

After joining the club permanently back in 2018, Traore is getting ready to call quits on his Molineux career. The forward's contract expires this June and it looks as if the Spanish international is readying himself for a move across Europe.

The baby-oiled winger has consistently flattered to deceive at Wolves, showcasing his raw pace and power on a frequent basis but often failing to find the finishing touch in key moments.

On his day, the 27-year-old is unplayable, but those days have been few and far between in recent seasons, with the former Barcelona player only managing three goals and two assists in 40 matches last term.

Stefano Pioli's Milan could very well be his next destination, while Jose Mourinho holds an interest in the attacker at Roma. Traore is currently on £55,000-a-week and, given he will require no transfer fee, could be a sensible option for both Italian clubs in the market.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Dean Jones stated: "Adama Traore is likely to go soon. He has got a couple of options, being looked into at the moment, that will probably accelerate over the course of this week."

Wolves have already lost another star player in Ruben Neves, who joined Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia for £47m, while Joao Moutinho and Diego Costa will leave the club when their contracts expire in June. Meanwhile, Conor Coady is set to leave for Leicester City on a permanent deal.

In terms of incomings, Adama's namesake Boubacar Traore has already agreed a permanent switch to Molineux following his loan from Metz last season, while Matheus Cunha will follow the same path from Atletico Madrid.

Julen Lopetegui will be hoping to have enough funds to bolster his squad this summer and will need to reinvest the money received from Neves' transfer wisely.

Who are Wolves signing?

There hasn't been a vast amount of transfer news coming from Molineux, with most of the focus on outgoings so far in the window.

One man that has been linked with a move to Wanderers is Sevilla's Lucas Ocampos, fresh from his Europa League triumph with the Spanish club. The Guardian report that a £13m switch could be on the cards, although Fulham are also in talks for the winger.

The Argentine spent the first half of last season on loan with Ajax, before returning to Seville, and has 11 caps for the Argentina national team.

Celtic are reportedly closing in on a deal to confirm Brendan Rodgers as the club's replacement for the recently-departed Ange Postecoglou.

The Hoops lost their Australian manager earlier this month as he opted to move down south to join Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur and majority shareholder Dermot Desmond is now in advanced talks to land his heir.

Rodgers is poised for a second spell at Parkhead after almost three years in charge of the Scottish giants before his switch to Leicester in 2019. He won seven trophies in that time and enjoyed great success that the Northern Irish tactician will now be hoping to replicate this time around.

The 50-year-old tinkerer will have the summer transfer window to bolster his side and one player he must swoop for is FC Utrecht star Anastasios Douvikas.

Who is Anastasios Douvikas?

The 23-year-old striker is a reported transfer target for the Hoops and the talented Greek marksman could come in and be the manager's next Moussa Dembele.

During Rodgers' first spell at Celtic, the French centre-forward was a prolific scorer who was able to provide a reliable source of goals over the course of two seasons.

He racked up 51 goals and 25 assists in 94 appearances in all competitions for the former Liverpool coach and these statistics show that the experienced boss was able to rely upon the ex-Fulham dynamo at the top end of the pitch.

Douvikas, who is reportedly available for a fee of £6.9m, could be Dembele 2.0 for Rodgers as his form for Utrecht in the Eredivisie suggests that the young ace has the potential to be a lethal scorer for Celtic next season.

During the 2022/23 campaign, the Greek international, who journalist Josh Bunting once hailed as "sharp", plundered 19 goals in 32 appearances.

He started 24 of those matches and his exceptional return in front of goal in the Netherlands indicates that he has the quality to replicate the former Hoops star's impressive strike rate of more than one goal every other game.

The 6 foot 1 frontman also showcased his creative ability as a centre-forward.

In the Eredivisie, Douvikas registered four assists and created seven 'big chances' for his teammates, which shows that the prolific scorer has the awareness and passing ability to open up defences for his fellow attackers to go along with his own goalscoring threat.

Therefore, Rodgers must push for the club to go through with a deal to sign the Greek ace as his statistics indicate that the Utrecht centre-forward could be the manager's new star striker.

Manchester United appear to be in pole position to sign Adrien Rabiot this summer, with the Red Devils considered great favourites for his signature.

What’s the latest Man United transfer news?

Erik ten Hag seemingly wanted Rabiot at Old Trafford last summer ahead of his first season in charge. The United boss was reportedly on board with a transfer that would have been worth an initial £15m, however, a deal fell through and the midfielder remained at Juventus.

Rabiot was again linked with a move to Manchester prior to the New Year, and it seems as if he is still of interest to United officials after making 48 appearances for his current employers during the 2022/23 season, contributing to 17 goals.

Recent reports have suggested that a concrete offer has already been placed to the player, who is set to become a free agent in a matter of weeks when his Juventus contract officially expires.

Sport Witness have relayed a new update from Spanish outlet AS regarding Rabiot, citing Atletico Madrid’s interest in the player. However, they add that it is United who are the ‘great favourite’ to sign Rabiot at this moment in time in what appears to be a transfer boost for Ten Hag and co.

Who is Adrien Rabiot?

Rabiot would provide Ten Hag with an experienced and versatile option in midfield, with the 28-year-old’s Transfermarkt valuation currently standing at €30m, so from a business perspective, a transfer appears to be a smart one.

He can play as a central, holding or left midfielder and was once labelled as a ‘complete player’ by legendary midfielder Andrea Pirlo, who said:

“He is a complete player, I have rarely seen someone so strong both physically and technically.

“He doesn’t even know the potential for improvement he can have, and we work on the mental side of things to make him understand that he is a champion. He is improving game after game.”

The Red Devils could lose a midfielder of their own this summer with Scott McTominay’s future up in the air, so Rabiot could be viewed as a solid addition after ending the campaign as Juventus' best-performing player, as per WhoScored.

He would bring a winning mentality to United’s squad alongside the likes of Raphael Varane and Casemiro who arrived from Real Madrid in recent years, with the midfielder winning an impressive 24 major honours during his career to date.

Rabiot has come off the back of a season where he has played plenty of football with Juventus, and who knows, his balance could make him a smart signing, possibly featuring alongside Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes next year.