Wrexham forward Jay Rodriguez has been accused of diving after scoring a winning penalty against Exeter last weekend.
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Pep Guardiola is pushing Manchester City to make a move for a “great” £40 million defender, according to a recent report. January could be an intriguing month for the Blues, as their unusually poor form in the Premier League could mean they are active in the transfer window.
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One player who is on City’s radar but may not be a transfer that happens until the summer is German midfielder Florian Wirtz. The Premier League side are desperate to sign the Bayer Leverkusen talisman, and to get a deal done, they are willing to offer some players as makeweights in exchange for Wirtz.
As well as being interested in Wirtz, City are now pushing to sign Ederson from Serie A side Atalanta. The Brazilian has become a key player for his side in recent times, and his performances have put him on the radar of Premier League teams.
The Blues are keen on a deal as they see the tough-tackling midfielder as an ideal replacement for Rodri, who looks set to miss the rest of the campaign. Signing Ederson will not be a cheap deal for the Premier League champions, as he could cost them £42 million.
Guardiola pushing Man City to sign USA star
According to Give Me Sport, Manchester City are seriously considering a move to sign Antonee Robinson from Fulham in January. The USA international has become one of the best-performing left-backs in the Premier League in recent years, as the Cottagers establish themselves as a mid-table team.
Robinson, who has been labelled a “great athlete” by manager Marco Silva, has been at Craven Cottage since 2020, during which he has been firmly Fulham’s number one choice for the left-back spot. The 27-year-old played 37 times in the league last season, during which he grabbed six assists, and he has continued that form into this campaign, as he’s got four assists to his name in 15 games.
Robinson has become a key player for club and country, and now this report states that City are considering a move for him in the New Year. The Blues are looking at signing a new left-back, and Robinson is among the names being considered as Guardiola is keen to bolster an area that has become a problem.
Apps
166
Goals
3
Assists
16
The left-back is under contract at Craven Cottage until 2028, meaning Fulham are under no pressure to sell. But City are refusing to rule out a formal proposal for Robinson in January, as signing Robinson would allow Josko Gvardiol to move back into the centre of defence, which is his preferred position. Guardiola’s side are not alone, though, as Liverpool are also keen on signing the defender who has a £40 million price tag on his head.
Ipswich Town, unlike both Southampton and Wolverhampton Wanderers, will stick by their manager for the foreseeable, as Kieran McKenna continues to get a tune out of his players deep in a relegation battle.
The Tractor Boys would put the final nail in the coffin of Gary O’Neil’s tenure at Molineux last time out, as Jack Taylor’s last gasp header sealed a win at the death for the away side, leading to the 44-year-old’s expected dismissal.
Taylor wasn’t the only player in the middle of the park to stand out during this dramatic victory either, as the likes of Jens Cajuste shone in the holding midfield positions among other faces.
Ipswich's impressive midfield vs Wolves
The aforementioned Cajuste would only be gifted his seventh start of the season in the Premier League versus Wolves, with this showing his best so far since joining in the summer.
The Napoli loanee would only misplace two of his 32 passes on the day, whilst also showing the necessary grit McKenna will want from a player tasked with protecting the defence, having also successfully won eight duels alongside completing three tackles.
Away from the Scandinavian impressing in a deep role, both Conor Chaplin and Omari Hutchinson also received many plaudits at the full-time whistle for their showings in attack, with Hutchinson in particular giving Wolves defenders headaches by amassing four successful dribbles.
Of course, there was also the key contribution from Jack Clarke off the bench late on, as the left winger’s inch-perfect delivery from a corner kick thankfully found Taylor’s head.
Whilst all of these players will feel overjoyed with their displays at Molineux, Kalvin Phillips remained rooted to the substitutes bench throughout, as his loan stint with the newly promoted side seems to have now hit a wall.
The Ipswich star who needs to leave
Indeed, the ex-Leeds United star hasn’t featured for a single minute in his side’s last five Premier League contests, after picking up a dubious double booking versus Leicester City at the start of November and then contending with various injury issues away from that suspension.
His absence hasn’t really been felt, with Cajuste and Morsy battling away well in that win versus Wolves. That will leave some pondering whether the deal to snap up the 29-year-old – who data analyst Ben Mattinson claimed has been “struggling mentally and physically” in recent times – was a worthwhile venture.
McKenna was over the moon to capture the out-of-sorts midfielder on a loan deal back in August, hopeful that he could be the manager to get him back to his Elland Road peak, stating that he was “very happy” to welcome the former England international in through the door.
After all – whilst he was still on the books of the Whites – Phillips would win himself that opportunity to play for the Three Lions, amassing an impressive 234 appearances at his boyhood club before Manchester City forked out £45m to win his signature.
Phillips’ PL numbers for Ipswich – 24/25
Stat – per 90 mins*
Phillips
Games played
7
Goals scored
0
Assists
0
Touches*
53.3
Accurate passes*
29.6 (81%)
Ball recoveries*
5.0
Total duels won*
5.1
Stats by Sofascore
Unfortunately, the brand new Ipswich number four is yet to blow anyone away with his performances on loan, with the numbers above somewhat underwhelming as zero goals and assists have been notched up from seven top-flight contests.
Those ball recovery and duels won numbers are encouraging, but McKenna will want more from the battler who was once so tenacious and stylish on the ball under Marcelo Bielsa’s expert tutelage.
Boasting an excessive £150k-per-week wage – some of which will be paid by Ipswich – Phillips will need to break back into his manager’s first team plans soon and demonstrate the levels he can reach, otherwise his spell might be cut short in Suffolk.
Stating that he lost the “fire in his belly” after moving to Man City in a recent tell-all discussion, the best times of the 29-year-old’s playing days could now be behind him, leading to him returning back to the Etihad in January after another unmemorable move away.
With reports also rife regarding a potential return to former club Leeds in the new year, the winter window could provide a perfect opportunity for a parting of ways.
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Australians will play for Kent and Northants respectively in April and May
ESPNcricinfo staff25-Feb-2022Jackson Bird and Matt Kelly will both play in the early rounds of the County Championship in 2022 after signing deals with Kent and Northamptonshire respectively.Bird, 35, has previously featured for Hampshire and Nottinghamshire and was ruled out of a planned stint at Lancashire last season through injury. He was the second-highest wicket-taker in the Sheffield Shield in 2020-21 and will join up with Kent for up to six Championship games following the conclusion of the Australian domestic season.Kent have already signed George Linde, the South African allrounder, on an overseas deal for the full 2022 season and Bird will fill in for Matt Henry, the New Zealand seamer, before he arrives in mid-July. Qais Ahmad, the Afghan legspinner, will fill their second overseas spot for the T20 Blast.Paul Downton, Kent’s director of cricket, said: “[Bird] is an experienced bowler who will strengthen our squad as we begin our Championship campaign. He is a proven wicket-taker who will also be a great mentor for our young seamers, and we look forward to welcoming him to Canterbury.”Matt Kelly is heading to Northants•Getty ImagesKelly, the Western Australian seamer, is due to be available for Northants’ first six Championship games, starting against Gloucestershire on April 7 in their first Division One fixture since 2014.He is their second overseas signing for the Championship along with New Zealand’s Will Young – who will also play in the Royal London Cup – while James Neesham has signed for the Blast.”Matt possesses a fantastic skillset that we feel is well suited to English conditions and will complement our bowling attack nicely,” Chris Liddle, Northants’ bowling coach, said. “He’s got a great record in red-ball cricket and we think he’s a perfect fit for what we need, I can’t wait to get him over here and see what he can bring to the group.”Elsewhere, Matt Mason has been appointed bowling coach at Warwickshire after three seasons with Western Australia and Perth Scorchers. He replaces Graeme Welch, who moved to Hampshire at the end of last season.
West Bromwich Albion are now without a win in five after being held to a goalless draw by Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on Wednesday night. Carlos Corberan’s side had the better of the chances on the night, but were unable to convert any of their nine shots, with Rovers’ stopper Aynsley Pears saving efforts from Jayson Molumby, Karlan Grant and Alex Mowatt.
The result means the Baggies remain fourth in the Sky Bet Championship, three points behind third placed Leeds United and seven behind leaders Sunderland. Corberan said after the draw that he felt his side deserved more.
“Of course, the draw is not the result we want and we don’t view the point as a good point, but we will put the effort of the players down as a good point,” he said, adding: “In general, we had more possibilities to get something else and to achieve three points.”
West Brom injury news vs Cardiff
West Brom were without Kyle Bartley for the stalemate with Blackburn, with Corberan handing a league debut to Paddy McNair in the veteran defender’s absence. Bartley, 33, picked up a knock in the Baggies 1-1 tie with Oxford United last week and did not recover in time for the trip to Ewood.
Corberan revealed on Wednesday that he now also expects the defender to miss the weekend’s game against Cardiff City at The Hawthorns, having struggled in training due to the problem with his knee.
“Bartley let us know during training that his knee had not recovered properly from the previous game,” he explained. “I don’t think he’ll be ready for the game against Cardiff on Saturday, but we will have to wait and see how the knee reacts in the next few days.”
While Bartley will likely miss the Cardiff game, Jamaica international Mason Holgate, who also missed Wednesday’s draw with Rovers, will be back in contention.
“Mason Holgate, who was also injured, will train on Thursday,” revealed Corberan.
Bartley's season so far
Bartley has been a key figure for West Brom so far this term, starting all but one of the Baggies’ 11 Championship games, captaining them on eight occasions. With the former Arsenal youngster at the heart of their defence, the Baggies enjoyed a strong start to the campaign, winning five of their first six games. Things have fallen apart since, however, with Corberan’s side losing two and drawing three of their last five.
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That poor run of form could have changed against Blackburn had referee John Busby awarded the Baggies a penalty after Darnell Furlong appeared to have been pushed by Todd Cantwell inside the area.
Speaking with Birmingham Live after the match, Corberan expressed his frustration at his side not being given what he called an “obvious” spot kick.
“I think the action of the penalty, live, Furlong received a foul. A foul in the box, it’s a penalty. Because he was in the position and the defender [Cantwell] makes a foul to avoid the finishing of Furlong,” he said. “In these actions, the referee didn’t understand enough probably to issue a penalty.”
Chase Adams and Maximo Carrizo both scored to lead the U.S. to their 19th appearance at the U17 World Cup
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Arsenal had flattered to deceive, but then, suddenly, Mikel Arteta’s project had taken flight. The Gunners are now locked in for their third successive season challenging for the Premier League title, one point off first-placed Liverpool after seven matches.
The best part? There’s a real feeling that Arteta and his squad have only scratched the surface of what they can achieve together. Improvements have come in increments, and now might be their time.
Bukayo Saka, Arsenal’s attacking centrepiece, recently claimed: “I don’t want to put too much pressure on us… but I do think this is the year. We’ve been close the last two years, we’re getting closer… I hope this will be the year.”
He’s certainly doing all he can to make it happen.
Bukayo Saka's start to the season
Saka has rarely missed a moment in the Premier League since establishing himself as one of the key pillars of the Emirates’ rise, and he’s possibly hit his richest vein of form yet as Arsenal look to make it third time lucky in their top-flight title bid.
2024/25
7 (7)
2
7
1.28
2023/24
35 (35)
16
9
0.71
2022/23
38 (37)
14
11
0.66
2021/22
38 (36)
11
7
0.47
2020/21
32 (30)
5
3
0.25
2019/20
26 (19)
1
5
0.23
2018/19
1 (0)
0
0
0.00
His prolific qualities are complemented by some pretty astounding underlying metrics. As per FBref, the England international ranks among the top 1% of positional peers in the Premier League this season for shot-creating actions and successful take-ons as well as the top 4% for progressive carries per 90.
Hailed as “one of the best players in the world right now” by his teammate Gabriel Martinelli earlier this month, the 23-year-old might just have the confidence and quality to make a difference in what is gearing to be a compelling title race.
He’s good enough to make any player see improvements, but with such unbelievable playmaking, Saka might ensure the success of one transfer target who may move to north London in a matter of months.
Arsenal transfer news
According to Football Insider, Arsenal are looking at bolstering their midfield in 2025 and have focused their attention on Shakhtar Donetsk’s Georgiy Sudakov, with Tottenham Hotspur also in the race.
It’s thought that both sides are doing due diligence on the Ukrainian, who has been tearing it up in his homeland, though, given that he is likened to Mykhaylo Mudryk, the Gunners will be wary.
Transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano reported earlier in the year that Sudakov has a £128m release clause embedded in his contract, but there’s no way that Arsenal would cough up that much and instead would look to negotiate an affordable transaction.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Why Georgiy Sudakov could thrive at Arsenal
Sudakov, aged 22, has only completed 11 career appearances for Shakhtar since graduating from the outfit’s youth ranks, but he’s showcased a wonderful skillset that has seen him garner attention from plenty of European sides across the past year or two.
Shakhtar recognise that they hold a remarkable talent in their ranks but so do they recognise that he will not ply his trade in Ukraine for much longer, with the club’s CEO, Serhii Palkin, claiming in April: “He will definitely move to a top European club this summer.”
That didn’t happen but interest from top teams like Arsenal remains – and why not? He’s as dynamic as they come, capable of operating across myriad placements, and he’s demonstrated sharp intelligence qualities that have led him to adapt and bend into situations, a pliability that will serve him well as he potentially steps into the Premier League.
Hailed as a “sensation” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, this could be the perfect move for Sudakov at this stage of his career, joining the likes of Saka in a wonderful attack under Arteta’s influence, serving as a foil for Martin Odegaard and supporting Kai Havertz in the centre-forward position.
Odegaard’s recent injury has emphasised the need for another creative midfielder, especially after Emile Smith Rowe was sold to Fulham in the summer and Fabio Vieira moved back to FC Porto on loan.
The 23-cap international’s performances in the Champions League last season saw him drawn as a comparable player to the Gunners skipper by FBref’s comparison model.
Operating as a sort of roaming number ten with a propensity to drift out to the left, Sudakov carries himself with an all-encompassing approach to his craft that might just see him thrive in the Premier League.
He’s a natural-born goalscorer from deep, but his athletic and physical presence could also see him succeed where Mudryk has not, with the Chelsea winger endowed with great talent but lacking the bite and bulk to succeed as was anticipated on English shores.
Matches (starts)
8 (8)
Goals
7
Assists
2
Shots (on target)
3.4 (1.1)
Pass completion
84%
Key passes*
1.8
Succ. dribbles*
4.3
Ball recoveries*
4.0
Interceptions*
1.6
Duels won*
8.8
He’s ceaseless in his attacking drives and with a playmaker of Saka’s distinction partnering him at Arsenal, there’s no telling how much havoc could be wreaked across the Premier League and Champions League.
Arsenal have been excellent in the top flight over recent campaigns but have faltered in Europe and within domestic cup competitions, and must now ensure they bolster their ranks with a player like Sudakov to reach a level unseen in north London for several decades.
Arsenal wasted £56m on a bad signing who earned more than Timber
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Nottinghamshire 296 (Clarke 109, Evison 58) and 42 for 1 require a further 132 runs to beat Yorkshire 73 (Evison 4-13, Fletcher 3-31) and 396 (Lyth 153)”I wouldn’t be here playing four-day cricket if I didn’t want to play Test cricket again,” said Dawid Malan back in June. “I still feel like I’ve got a hell of a lot to give”.Malan’s ambition as he approached his 34th birthday had to be applauded – and he got his wish as he returned to the Test side soon afterwards. But what does that say about the County Championship, 2021-style, if some of the best players would not even be there if they were not wishing to be somewhere else? And Malan is not alone. It is just that not everybody states it so baldly. For lovers of the Championship, these are worrying times.More pertinently, what does that say about a player like Adam Lyth, who is a year younger than Malan but who must know deep down that his England days have gone? Lyth still attracts honourable mentions from time to time – such has been the state of England’s top order, how could it be otherwise – but they have arisen more from a journalist’s desperation for a time-honoured intro than any real possibility that he adds to his six Tests after an absence of six years.Somewhere between Malan, who had only been with Yorkshire for three months when he tacitly dismissed the intrinsic worth of the Championship, and troupers like Darren Stevens, who is playing deep into his 40s and who will feel bereft the day it all comes to an end, is Lyth. County cricket alone must now sustain him.It took him until his last innings to address a wretched season. He had last made a Championship fifty in April and his recent run of scores looked like a couple of credit-card PINs. He would have been dropped for the final Championship match of the season if Gary Ballance had not announced himself too ill to take part on the first morning. The decision by Yorkshire’s coach, Andrew Gale, would have been a reluctant one, arguably a belated one, because nobody rates Lyth more highly. Famously, he once suggested he had more natural talent than Joe Root.Related
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What followed was a reaffirmation of his talent. Lyth only made four (from a laboured 27 balls) in the first innings as Yorkshire were bundled out for 73, following scores of 108 and 117 against Warwickshire the previous week. Much will be made of how Yorkshire showed resilience the second time around in making 396 – and they did, even if batting conditions had eased. But it was Lyth who found that durability, Lyth who looked into himself and presumably knew he still cared, as he responded with 153 in nearly eight-and-a-half hours at the crease. It certainly made a change from eight-and-a-half minutes.That innings means that Nottinghamshire are unlikely to secure victory, if victory it is, until after lunch on the final day. They need 174 and they finished the third day stable enough at 42 for 1. The pitch has slowed and there is minimal chance of turn. Yorkshire need the ball to swing but overcast skies could arrive too late.Nottinghamshire can qualify for next week’s Bob Willis Trophy between the top two if they beat Yorkshire – as long as Warwickshire don’t beat Somerset at Edgbaston. But just for a minute, around 5pm, and against all expectations, they appeared to have a chance of winning the Championship. Lancashire needed two to beat Hampshire at Aigburth with the last pair at the crease and a tie would have let Notts back in the race. Then Dane Vilas swept a winning boundary and the excitement vanished as quickly as it had appeared.By then, Lyth was in his customary place at second slip, weary and satisfied. He began the day with 73 to his name and continued in the same unobtrusive, controlled fashion, reining his game back to the basics. Before he settled, he edged Luke Fletcher uncertainly wide of the slip cordon, but his 27th first-class century was secured with impeccable timing just before the second new ball as he glided Steven Mullaney through point.That second new ball was a non-event and it was into its 12th over before Harry Brook, who had driven Fletcher for four boundaries in an over as the ball failed to swing, nibbled at one from Dane Paterson to fall for 43. Thompson later edged a fine offcutter from Mullaney to second slip. Patterson bowled with commendable economy, but it was Brett Hutton who fulfilled the workhorse role, sending down 34 overs and deserving a couple of late lbws by virtue of perseverance alone as Yorkshire kept Notts in the field for 142.2 overs.Lyth played and missed at Fletcher, on the walk, in the last over before lunch and Joey Evison fancied he might get an lbw decision on 120, his race-down-the-pitch appeal straight from the Stuart Broad school. It was Evison who finally ended Lyth’s stalwart and high-class innings when his challenging line found the outside edge.As Yorkshire struggle to emerge from a transitional stage to become real Championship contenders – with a lack of first-innings runs their most glaring weakness – they still need Lyth. What’s more they will feel doubly confident that he needs them and that will bring general delight because he has become the very stuff of Yorkshire cricket. Were ever to feel that Championship cricket was not a life worth living, we might as well all give up. He has embraced county cricket for 15 years and. although he is not one for great speeches, he has emotionally lived every minute. He has some way to go before becoming Yorkshire’s Trescothick, but many who have watched him over the years will hope it can satisfy him for a good while yet.As for the Championship, the global alternatives on offer insist that it must re-evaluate or ultimately pay the price. To value its past is not to safeguard its future. It must produce England players, but it must be loved for itself. Quality must be put ahead of quantity. The appeal of white-ball specialism is growing. For all those who play it, whether they possess England ambitions or not, it must be a pleasure not a grind.
Scottish giants Celtic and Rangers have reportedly "held preliminary talks" over a shock move to join the Women's Super League in England.
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WSL willing to expandCeltic and Rangers might be added to rosterBoth teams feel move to WSL would be of commercial benefitFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
According to Nikki Doucet, the CEO of Women’s Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL), is working on a proposal which involves integrating Celtic and Rangers into the WSL. Additionally, the concept of a 'closed league' similar to the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in the United States is being examined.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE
The Scottish Women’s Premier League (SWPL), established in 2022, is still in its developmental stages. The league’s creation marked a shift in ownership and operations of Scotland’s top two divisions, aiming to bring more professionalism to the women’s game. Despite this progress, the growth in attendance and commercial success for Scottish teams has not kept pace with their English counterparts which has reinforced the need for greater investment to help Scottish teams succeed in Europe.
DID YOU KNOW?
Reports indicate that Rangers began informal discussions with the English Football Association (FA) last year regarding the feasibility of joining the WSL. These exploratory talks have since progressed under the WPLL, which assumed control of the WSL and Women’s Championship in August.
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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?
At present, talks remain in their infancy, with no formal proposals made to the SWPL or the Scottish FA. The latter’s approval would be essential for any move to materialise, and it appears unlikely at this stage. Furthermore, league regulations stipulate a two-season notice period for teams wishing to leave the SWPL, making any potential transition a long-term prospect.
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O lateral-direito Michel Macedo é o mais novo reforço do Ceará para a temporada 2022. O jogador de 31 anos de idade chega ao clube em caráter definitivo após ter atuado na última temporada no Juventude, porém emprestado pelo anterior dono de seus direitos, o Corinthians.
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A negociação onde o contrato de Michel junto ao Vozão tem duração até o fim de 2023 foi possível nesses moldes pois o acordo do atleta com a equipe paulista termina, justamente, em 31 de dezembro deste ano. O permitindo, assim, assinar com qualquer clube sem a necessidade do pagamento da taxa de transferência.
Natural da cidade do Rio de Janeiro, Michel Macedo é formado na base do Flamengo e acumula experiência europeia pelas passagens no futebol espanhol por Almería e Las Palmas antes de retornar ao Brasil e vestir a camisa de Atlético-MG e Corinthians.
Sem espaço no elenco corintiano, Michel foi emprestado ao Juventude onde conseguiu acumular bons números (31 partidas disputadas, todas elas no Brasileirão), ajudando a equipe gaúcha a se sustentar na primeira divisão em seu primeiro ano de retorno.