أعلن نادي مانشستر سيتي قائمة اللاعبين المشاركين في مرحلة الدوري من بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا، موسم 2025/26، والذي سينطلق في وقت لاحق من شهر سبتمبر الجاري.
وأجرى الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم، يوم الخميس الماضي، مراسم قرعة مرحلة الدوري من دوري أبطال أوروبا، في نسخته الثانية بعد تحديث نظامه.
وأصبح مانشستر سيتي على علم بخصومه الثمانية في تلك المرحلة من البطولة، على رأسهم ريال مدريد، نابولي، بوروسيا دورتموند وموناكو.
وكشف مانشستر سيتي، عبر موقعه الرسمي، أنه أرسل قائمته إلى الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم، الخاصة بلاعبيه المشاركين في مرحلة الدوري من البطولة الأوروبية المرتقبة.
اقرأ أيضًا.. مواعيد مباريات مانشستر سيتي في مرحلة الدوري من دوري أبطال أوروبا 2025/26
وتضم قائم مانشستر سيتي 23 لاعبًا، فيما يعرف باسم القائمة “أ”، حيث تنص قواعد يويفا ألا تتجاوز 25 لاعبًا كحد أقصى، في حين أنه يمكن إرسال القائمة “ب” في وقت أقصاه الساعة الحادية عشر بتوقيت إنجلترا، قبل يوم المباراة.
وتتضمن القائمة “ب” اللاعبين الشباب، حيث تنص القواعد على إمكانية أن تضم اللاعب إذا وُلد في الأول من يناير 2004 أو بعده، على شرط أن يكون تم تسجيلهم مع النادي لمدة عامين متواصلين.
ويمكن للأندية التي تجتاز مرحلة الدوري تسجيل 3 لاعبين جدد كحد أقصى، بحلول الساعة 11 مساءً بتوقيت إنجلترا، يوم 5 فبراير المقبل.
وحسبما نُشر، يتواجد المحترف المصري عمر مرموش في قائمة مانشستر سيتي لمرحلة الدوري، وكذلك الصفقات الصيفية الجديدة على رأسها جيانلويجي دوناروما، إلى جانب جيمس ترافورد، تيجاني ريندرز، ريان شرقي وريان آيت نوري. قائمة مانشستر سيتي في مرحلة الدوري من دوري أبطال أوروبا
De volta ao Corinthians, Romero foi anunciado oficialmente nesta quinta-feira (15). No anúncio feito pelo clube, nas redes sociais, foram destacados diversos lances do paraguaio, durante sua primeira passagem, em clássicos contra grandes rivais corintianos, como o Palmeiras.
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O atacante atuou pelo Corinthians entre 2014 e 2018. No período, fez 222 partidas — sendo o estrangeiro com mais jogos pelo clube — com 38 gols. Além disso, esteve presente nas conquistas de dois Campeonatos Paulistas (em 2017 e 2018), e em dois Campeonatos Brasileiros (2015 e 2017). Destes gols marcados, oito foram em clássicos.
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No anúncio, foram relembrados alguns lances contra estes rivais paulistas. No comentário da publicação – realizada no Twitter – alguns torcedores chegaram a brincar dizendo que Romero era o ‘Pai do Palmeiras’ ou ‘Pai do São Paulo’.
Mas, ao analisar seus números e alguns acontecimentos pontuais, é compreensível o porquê da escolha do clube em mostrar justamente estes lances. O Palmeiras, por exemplo, é um dos times que o Romero mais jogou contra na sua primeira passagem pelo Timão. Ao todo, foram 16 encontros, sendo oito vitórias, dois empates e seis derrotas – com um gol marcado.
Mas alguns lances em específico chamaram atenção e marcaram a memória dos torcedores. Contra o Verdão, em 2017,Ángel Romero polemizou entre os palmeirenses ao dominar uma bola de cabeça, e logo depois, emplacar uma sequência de embaixadinhas – também com a cabeça. A ‘foquinha’ irritou os rivais. Felipe Melo – que na época ainda atuava na equipe alviverde – chegou a se pronunciar, criticando a atitude do paraguaio. Na ocasião, o Timão venceu o Palmeiras por 1 a 0.
-Eu sinceramente acho que ele não deveria ter feito, porque era 1 a 0 o jogo. Lembro que o Edilson fez isso (na final do Campeonato Paulista de 1999) e foi feia a confusão. Mas como tudo na vida, o mundo gira. Não quero entender que ele fez para provocar o Palmeiras. Porque ele provocou a instituição. Poderia ter sido evitado. Mas não vou falar o que ele quis fazer porque é com ele, com Deus. Poderia ter sido evitado, sim – disse Felipe Melo, na época.
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Contra o Santos, foram 16 jogos também – mas o aproveitamento um pouco melhor. Ao todo, foram seis vitórias, três empates e sete derrotas. Por outro lado, foi o clássico em que mais balançou as redes – com quatro gols.
Já contra o Tricolor paulista, 12 partidas. Diante do clube do Morumbi, acumulou um aproveitamento bom também. Foram seis triunfos, com quatro empates e duas derrotas apenas. Balançou as redes três vezes.
Em duelos com o São Paulo, também irritava com frequência os torcedores rivais – por um motivo parecido com o do Palmeiras. No caso, pouco antes do acontecimento com o Verdão, foi ironizado por ‘não saber dominar a bola com o peito’. Para contestar, ‘se provou’ durante um Majestoso, em 2017.
A vinda de Romero e este histórico com clássicos acende a possibilidade do atacante reverter um cenário visto na temporada 2022 – no caso, o baixo desempenho do Corinthians nas partidas contra seus maiores arquirrivais.
Somando Campeonato Paulista, Brasileiro e Copa do Brasil, o Corinthians fechou o ano com 12 clássicos disputados. Destes, três empates, sete derrotas e somente duas vitórias. O único rival paulista que conseguiu vencer foi o Santos.
Este desempenho em clássicos foi o pior desde 2016. E a maior dificuldade do Timão foi o Palmeiras – clube ao qual Romero sempre ‘deu dor de cabeça’.O Timão não perdia um derby há seis anos. Dos três encontros em 2022, não venceu um.
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Ángel Romeroassinou contrato com o clube até o fim de 2024 e é o primeiro reforço para a próxima temporada anunciado pelo Timão.
Less than a year out from the World Cup, there's no permanent captain for the USMNT – which players are in the running?
Ultimately, the position of captain in soccer is largely ceremonial. Many competitions have rules that say only a captain can speak directly with the referee, but that's – how shall we say – loosely enforced. The player with the armband is more of a figurehead, the one who has been designated as a leader and motivator for the team.
In total, nine players who have featured under Mauricio Pochettino have had the honor of captaining the U.S. men's national team at some point in their careers. Five players have worn it since Pochettino arrived in last fall. At the moment, the USMNT has leaders, several of whom stepped up at the Gold Cup this summer.
But less than a year out from the World Cup, there's no confirmed permanent captain.
There are reasons for that. It's generally hard to rely on just one player to wear that armband on the international level, where rosters can be inconsistent are often pieced together for each window. The armband is also passed around, handed to various players as a reward for their service and leadership. Next summer, though, there will likely be one USMNT player given that honor for the biggest tournament of all.
Who will it be?
GOAL looks at the five key contenders to wear the armband for the Pochettino's side next summer.
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5Matt Turner
Generally, most teams don't hand the armband to goalkeepers – unless a specific set of circumstances leads to them doing so. Largely, such an honor has been exclusive to all-time great shots-toppers. Iker Casillas, Manuel Neuer and Gianluigi Buffon are among the notable examples to have captained their countries for an extended period.
For the U.S., Tony Meola, Kasey Keller and Tim Howard all had double-digit appearances with the armband.
Turner has worn the armband five times for the USMNT most recently in that mess of a loss to Switzerland in the run-up to the Gold Cup. Prior to that, he was the team's designated captain at the 2023 Gold Cup as is one of the group's few World Cup veterans.
At the moment, though, Turner has more important matters at hand. He spent the summer as Matt Freese's backup and, although he was largely praised for the leadership he showed, the captain has to be an unquestioned starter. Turner isn't that. And as he looks to get his club situation sorted – and more minutes in more games – it's hard to see him wearing the armband much going forward.
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4Christian Pulisic
He's been given the moniker of "Captain America" – even if he hasn't always embraced it. But after the events of this summer, it's hard to see Pulisic captaining the USMNT any time soon.
Pulisic's back-and-forth with Pochettino made headlines, seemingly creating a divide between the player and coach. Whatever side of the argument you fall on, the only thing that matters going forward is for Pulisic and Pochettino to get back onto the same page – something that the coach insisted will happen. He also said, however, that no one's spot on the roster or role on the team is guaranteed. Not even Pulisic.
In terms of a captaincy, Pulisic's leadership has always been tied to his ability, not to his vocal or inspirational nature. Pulisic has always led by example and was handed the armband against Canada in the spring because of it.
He's worn it 28 times throughout his USMNT career, good for seventh-most all time. Now, though, it seems any hopes of him captaining the U.S. on home soil are long gone, particularly after his decision to skip the Gold Cup this summer.
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3Chris Richards
Make no mistake: Richards wants to be captain. He wants to earn it, too.
"I understand I'm a leader and I want to act like it," he told GOAL during the Gold Cup. "Regardless of who's on the team at the World Cup next year, I still want to be that person. I came into this summer with the confidence to say, 'Man, I'm doing my own f*cking thing and I’m going to be me'.
"Like, I'm going to earn my spot, but I'm also going to try and be captain or whatever the case may be. That's been my No. 1 goal this camp."
Richards certainly helped his case. The Crystal Palace defender was lauded for his leadership, on and off the field. He stepped up as a vocal presence and certainly raised his game, too, arguably putting together the best tournament of any USMNT player. He also raised his visibility after the Gold Cup by appearing as an on-set guest analyst for DAZN/TNT during the final stages of the Club World Cup.
Richards is surely in the mix to get the armband next summer. Even if he doesn't get it that soon, he will wear it plenty over the next few years.
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2Tyler Adams
Nearly three years out since the last World Cup, Adams still has arguably the most impressive moment of leadership in USMNT history. It didn't come on the field, but rather on the podium as he navigated a politically-charged pre-Iran news conference with maturity, poise and, ultimately, humility.
On that day, Adams showed why he was the youngest USMNT captain at a World Cup.
Since then, the USMNT hasn't seen quite enough of Adams due to injury, but he's now back playing for both the U.S. and Bournemouth. He shook off a slight injury to feature prominently at the Gold Cup and, although he didn't look anywhere near his best, it will surely be appreciated by Pochettino that he showed the commitment.
Adams didn't wear the armband this summer but, in reality, is clearly one of the team's core leaders. He was Gregg Berhalter's captain and, while he may not yet be Pochettino's, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him leading the team at a second consecutive World Cup.
Borussia Dortmund are looking to strengthen their defence and have found what they are seeking in Real Madrid's teenage centre-back Diego Aguado.
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Dortmund not giving up on Madrid youngsterSaw their first offer ahead of CWC rejectedBVB plotting more tempting offerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Dortmund apparently continue to show interest in signing defensive gem Aguado. After an offer of €6 million was reportedly rejected before the Club World Cup, the Black and Yellows are said to be stepping up their efforts to sign the 18-year-old centre-back, according to .
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According to the report, BVB will approach Madrid "in the coming days" with an improved offer for Aguado – and also make the move more appealing to the centre-back with a tempting offer. Unlike Madrid, where Aguado is initially expected to play for the reserve team next season despite his participation in the Club World Cup with the first team, Dortmund are offering the Spaniard a place in the first team and even guaranteed playing time.
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Aguado, who can operate both as a centre-back and a left-back, recently signed a long-term contract with Los Blancos until 2029, which reportedly includes a high release clause. For this reason, and because Madrid are keen to keep Aguado, a transfer seems unlikely for the time being.
The 18-year-old made his debut for Real's first team last season under Carlo Ancelotti. He played 90 minutes as a left-sided centre-back alongside fellow academy starlet Raul Asencio in the third round of the Copa del Rey against Deportivo Minera. What's more, Aguado has also been in the squad four times in La Liga, but has not yet played in the Club World Cup and was not even in the squad for Madrid's final group match against Red Bull Salzburg.
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Dortmund are on the lookout for defensive reinforcements because defensive stalwart Nico Schlotterbeck will miss much of the first half of next season due to a serious knee injury. Soumaila Coulibaly was brought back early from his loan spell at Brest for the Club World Cup to compensate for the injury-enforced absence of captain Emre Can.
As for Aguado, the teenager is unlikely to receive minutes at the Club World Cup. However, he has been touted as a player with immense potential by those at La Fabrica. Given Xabi Alonso's tendency to nurture youngsters and give them opportunities, there's every chance Aguado could earn a rotational role in the squad. His chances could significantly increase if Real Madrid fail to sign Alvaro Carreras from Benfica. With Fran Garcia currently the only fit first-team left-back and Ferland Mendy set to miss the first couple of months of the 2025-26 season, Aguado could get a run-in on the left flank.
Florian Wirtz has landed in England as he prepares to undergo his medical with Liverpool following the Reds' transfer agreement with Bayer Leverksuen.
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Wirtz lands in England ahead of Liverpool moveSet to undergo Liverpool medical this FridayLiverpool agreed a £116m deal with Bayer LeverkusenFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Liverpool's chase of Bayer Leverkusen ace Wirtz is set to finally come to an end as the Premier League champions have agreed to a transfer fee of £116 million ($156m) with Die Werkself. The Germany international has now landed in Manchester before he travels to Merseyside to undergo his medical and sign the deal with the Reds.
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The deal has finally been agreed to between Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen after a very lengthy back-and-forth between the two sides. The Reds reportedly saw three bids rejected by the Bundesliga side, as Die Werkself tried to hold out for a reported fee of €150 million (£127m/$171m). However, the Merseyside club were able to settle the deal for £116 million ($159m).
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Getty Images/GoalWHAT NEXT FOR WIRTZ?
The German will be available for Arne Slot's side's pre-season campaign as Liverpool look to settle Wirtz into the side ahead of the upcoming Premier League season. Wirtz is likely to take up the No. 10 spot for the Reds next season.
First century of season leaves visitors facing daunting target of 359
ECB Reporters Network 27-Jun-2023Sam Northeast’s first century of the season put Glamorgan in a commanding position, setting Sussex a target of 359 in the final innings to win this game.Glamorgan captain Kiran Carlson changed the tempo of the innings with his half century at faster than a run-a-ball, before leaving it to Northeast to finish the job with 104 and set things up nicely for the final day’s play.The victory target is a tall order in 113 overs on a wicket that remains hard to score on, as Sussex finished on 27 for 1, losing opener Tom Haines caught slip off Australian leg spinner Mitch Swepson. Sussex trail by 331.Australian Nathan McAndrew was the pick of the Sussex bowlers getting his second four wicket haul of the match, while off spinner Jack Carlson toiled manfully through 28 overs for a return of 1-92 as the rest of the wickets were shared.Glamorgan batted themselves into a strong position with a mixture of the tortoise and the hare.Opener Zain-ul-Hassan provided the slow and steady part to set the platform for captain Carlson, who injected some pace into the batting by getting 59 off 50 balls.Ul-Hassan added a mere 23 runs through the entire morning session as he progressed to 47 at the lunch interval, but even though it was slow it was also important with the Sussex bowlers finding a bit of hitherto unseen bounce in the Sophia Gardens wicket.He lost opening partner Andrew Salter early, while number three Thomas Bevan departed for 15, Aristides Karvelas and McAndrew getting the wickets.Northeast is usually fluent when getting his runs, but he too was watchful while progressing steadily through to the lunch interval.Ul-Hassan departed first ball after the interval to a shot of unusually aggressive intent against Sussex off spinner Carson, and at that point the game changed with Carlson walking to the wicket.He immediately unveiled an array of shots, happy to go over the top and also employ the reverse sweep, clearly intent on ensuring Sussex would bat before the day was out.A swipe across the line to occasional medium pacer Tom Haines saw him depart LBW, while a series of Glamorgan batsmen came and went while trying to get Northeast up to his hundred.Having gone through to that landmark with a series of big hits, Northeast was the last man out for 104, run out trying to keep the strike with the declaration imminent.Sussex’s bowlers rotated their efforts and retained reasonable control apart from the period when Carlson was batting, Australian McAndrew the pick of the attack. They spurned the new ball and bowled more than 100 overs with the old ball.Then openers Tom Clark and Tom Haines would have been delighted to see out the final overs to keep 10 wickets intact for the final day, but Haines did not look comfortable against Swepson even before being dismissed.
Chelsea have invested heavily in their squad over the years, even more so in the last couple of seasons, since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital took charge at Chelsea, looking to catapult them back to the top with a new recruitment policy.
Their top two record signings are both midfielders that cost around the £100m mark, with Enzo Fernández and Moises Caicedo both joining Chelsea in 2023, the former joining in the January window and the latter joining in the following summer window.
Player
Fee (£)
Enzo Fernández
£101.3m
Moises Caicedo
£97.1m
Romelu Lukaku
£94.6m
Wesley Fofana
£67.3m
Kai Havertz
£66.9m
Kepa Arrizabalaga
£66.9m
Mykhailo Mudryk
£58.5m
Álvaro Morata
£55.2m
Marc Cucurella
£54.6m
Christian Pulisic
£53.5m
Five of their top ten most expensive signings have come under their new ownership, who took charge of the club in May 2022. However, some of their best signings don’t even come close to this list, with two players in particular proving far better value for money.
N'Golo Kante & Eden Hazard's record at Chelsea
Firstly, N’Golo Kante was signed by Chelsea in the 2016 summer transfer window, joining the Blues from Leicester City for a fee of around £32m.
This makes the Frenchman their 35th most expensive signing, according to Transfermarkt, with the midfielder making 269 appearances for the club, scoring 13 goals, providing 16 assists and totalling 20,742 minutes played.
The second player is, of course, Eden Hazard, who joined Chelsea from French outfit LOSC Lille in 2012, for a fee of around £32m.
This has the Belgian ranking as the Blues’ 38th most expensive transfer in their history, with the forward making 352 appearances for the club, scoring 110 goals, providing 85 assists and totalling 26,967 minutes played.
Both Kante and Hazard have gone down as Chelsea legends, winning multiple major trophies and contributing largely to their success over the years.
But Boehly and Clearlake have already found their Hazard-Kante level signing, with their 2023 summer transfer bargain.
Chelsea's best signing since Hazard and Kante
In the 2023/24 summer transfer window, Chelsea signed Manchester City’s Cole Palmer, joining the Blues for a fee of around £40m plus £2.5m in add-ons.
Since his arrival, Palmer has been something of a revelation, scoring 39 goals and providing 21 assists in 78 appearances so far.
Stats (per 90 mins)
23/24
24/25
Goals
0.65
0.45
Assists
0.36
0.19
xG
0.63
0.56
xAG
0.38
0.32
Progressive Carries
4.02
3.14
Progressive Passes
6.77
5.79
Shots Total
3.50
3.56
Key Passes
2.47
2.55
Shot-Creating Actions
5.57
5.57
Successful Take-Ons
1.79
1.48
When comparing Palmer’s underlying numbers from last season to this season, you can see he has slightly regressed in many metrics.
However, this comes from a poor run of form in recent weeks, something we hadn’t yet seen from the attacking midfielder, which suggests he will bounce back and return to the norm very soon.
Despite his poor form as of late, Palmer is still joint second in the Premier League for chances created from open play, creating 56 so far this season, behind only Mohamed Salah of Liverpool with 67.
Chelsea legend Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink labelled Palmer as “world-class” stating the 22-year-old only has “one weakness”. The one weakness Hasselbaink named was his ability to head the ball, going on to say “he is exceptional”.
Chelsea'sColePalmerreacts
Whilst things have slowed down for Palmer – who Joe Cole also branded an “absolute genius” – in the second half of this season, many will expect the star to bounce back with a strong run at the back end of the campaign, as Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea challenge for Champions League qualification.
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Three of New Zealand’s top-six batters fell for single digit scores, leaving the hosts on a sticky wicket
Madushka Balasuriya10-Mar-2023Stumps Sri Lanka’s seamers edged the visitors ahead on the second day of play at Hagley Oval as New Zealand’s batters were made to grind in their pursuit of Sri Lanka’s first innings total of 355. Asitha Fernando and Lahiru Kumara picked up two wickets apiece, while Kasun Rajitha, arguably the pick of the bowlers, grabbed a deserved scalp in the final half hour of play. For the hosts, Tom Latham top scored with a dogged 67, while Daryl Mitchell remained unbeaten on 40 alongside Michael Bracewell on 9 at stumps.The day was one that belonged to the seamers, however, starting with the New Zealand pair of Tim Southee and Matt Henry, who picked up four more wickets between them to wrap up the Sri Lankan innings in the morning session.Dhananjaya de Silva, Sri Lanka’s last recognised batter, fell having added just 10 runs to his overnight total, wafting at one outside off, while the rest of the Lankan tail came together to add a further 40, as Sri Lanka finished on 355.Related
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The New Zealand openers for their part made it through the six overs prior to lunch with little trouble. Post lunch, while Latham was going, New Zealand’s progress was slow but steady. Alongside his opening partner Devon Conway, he weathered the early movement utilised by the likes of Asitha and Rajitha, while there was also a little bit more zip to the surface as opposed to the opening day, which aided the likes of Kumara.Nevertheless the pair stuck to their tasks, milking ones and twos on the onside and down the ground, while awaiting rare short and wide deliveries to secure boundaries. The pair would put on 67 for the opening stand, however just when Sri Lanka’s seamers might have been tiring Asitha provided the breakthrough, getting one to nip back and trap Conway leg before. Conway might count himself a touch unfortunate though to have been given out by the on-field umpire, with DRS showing umpire’s call on both impact and whether it was hitting the wickets.That wicket would give Sri Lanka a renewed burst of energy to seek a second before the break, and Kane Williamson would oblige on the stroke of tea, with an uppish drive straight to the man catching at cover. Henry Nicholls would then fall shortly after the restart, top edging a pull off Lahiru Kumara.At this point Sri Lanka were well and truly on top, a state of affairs punctuated by the excellent Rajitha, who would torment Mitchell – who had just arrived at the crease – probing and teasing his off stump. That Mitchell would survive this period was a minor miracle, particularly after one delivery that – to borrow a phrase from football parlance – might have given him twisted blood.Angling in from slightly wide of the crease, Rajitha would pitch this on the border of offstump, on the edge of a good length, and then get it to shape away right at the death, beating Mitchell and the stumps by the barest of margins. If not for a graze on the outside of the pad, his stumps would have certainly been under threat.Sri Lanka’s only misstep might have been offering Angelo Mathews, with his 115kph gentle seamers, the ball during this period, though the thought process behind it – providing the front line seamers a rest while still utilising the swing on offer – was understandable. This period offered the New Zealand batters a minor reprieve, with Mitchell memorably launching Mathews down the ground for a six.Mitchell and Latham would proceed to put on 58 together before another moment of brilliance swung the pendulum back towards the visitors. Following periods of spin from Prabath Jayasuriya and Dhananjaya de Silva, Asitha returned to dismiss Latham in explosive fashion – a leg stump yorker from around the wicket, and an animated send off to boot.Rajitha would then finally get the wicket his performance deserved, getting Blundell to nick one through after yet another exquisite out swinger on off stump.Mitchell and Bracewell would survive till stumps, but with a 193-run deficit ahead of them, Sri Lanka would undoubtedly be the happier of the two sides going into day three.
Sean Dyche’s house was derelict and tired at the end of his Everton tenure, but in David Moyes, it’s been renovated, refurnished.
The point of that metaphor is Moyes isn’t starkly different to his predecessor. Indeed, his philosophy is built on defensive – some may say pragmatic – foundations, but it’s deeper and richer.
At West Ham United, the Scotsman enjoyed three successive European campaigns, the middle of which saw him lift the Conference League trophy.
And having built a seven-match league unbeaten run since taking the head seat at Goodison Park in January, Moyes has rekindled the feel-good factor and belief that the Toffees have turned a page and taken the first steps toward recently unimaginable heights.
Everton’s ongoing purple patch has ended fears of relegation, but Moyes will need fresh troops ahead of next season’s debut at Bramley Moore. With that in mind, there just might be something in rumours of a return to Merseyside for none other than Richarlison.
Everton's interest in Richarlison
Injuries and struggles for form have laid waste to Richarlison’s big-career move to Tottenham Hotspur in 2022. After years of menacing forward success on Merseyside, the Brazilian jumped ship in a deal worth £60m, but it hasn’t worked out.
Richarlison injured for Tottenham
Former Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti said shortly after Richy’s move to the capital that he’s “among the best forwards” football has to offer.
But that hasn’t been backed up under Ange Postecoglou. With Richarlison firmly on the fringe of a struggling Spurs squad, rumours have surfaced of late concerning a potential return to Everton.
GIVEMESPORT report Moyes is keen on bringing the 27-year-old back to the club, though Tottenham value him at £40m and this would take a sizeable chunk from the coffers.
24/25
Tottenham
9 (2)
2
1
23/24
Tottenham
28 (18)
11
4
22/23
Tottenham
27 (12)
1
4
21/22
Everton
30 (28)
10
5
20/21
Everton
34 (33)
7
3
19/20
Everton
36 (36)
13
3
18/19
Everton
35 (32)
13
1
17/18
Watford
38 (32)
5
4
Injuries have ravaged the consistency that characterised his Merseyside career. While nostalgic longing makes his return feel like an attractive thing, it may not prove the most prudent long-term planning.
Especially when other, sold-for-less former stars are significantly outperforming him.
Former Everton star is now better than Richarlison
Richarlison is remembered fondly on the blue half of Merseyside but new stars such as Iliman Ndiaye and Beto highlight the success that could be found in investing in fresh talent.
While Beto is the talk of the town at Everton right now, having led Moyes’ early charge on the Premier League with a five-goal return from six matches, there’s actually a former Blues man who’s outscoring him in the top flight this season.
When Everton sold Alex Iwobi to Fulham in a deal rising to £22m in 2023, it was poignant but necessary with financial issues spreading like creeper up the Goodison Park walls.
He made 140 appearances for Everton, scoring nine goals and supplying 15 assists. This is a modest return to be sure, but Iwobi grew in confidence after feeling the weight of an inflated price tag upon arrival.
Alex Iwobi playing for Everton
The Merseysiders welcomed Iwobi, now 27, from Arsenal in 2019, paying a brow-raising £35m fee for the up-and-coming talent, whose game time at the Emirates was limited. Pundit Rio Ferdinand had dubbed him a “menace” of a winger, something that rings true to this day.
Iwobi might not have enjoyed much shooting success in Liverpool, but he did bow out confidently. Across the 2022/23 season, he hit eight assists from 41 matches, repurposed as a robust central midfielder.
But now, at Fulham, he’s proved that he can score goals at a productive rate.
With seven goals (and three assists) from 27 Premier League appearances this season – principally fielded on either attacking flank – Iwobi is indeed outscoring Beto this season.
He’s not just a marksman though. As per FBref, the Nigeria international ranks among the top 11% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League this season for passes attempted, the top 4% for progressive passes and the top 20% for shot-creating actions per 90.
A man of many parts. Iwobi’s multi-dimensional approach to his football could really be perfect for Moyes’ Everton project. He was even described as an “exceptional” player during his time at Everton by Statman Dave.
Conversely, Richarlison’s woes on the fitness front have reduced him to a lesser state than what was on show during his time at Everton. He might be more of an out-and-out scorer than his former teammate, but that doesn’t detract from the polarity in performances and success over the past few years.
Though Iwobi isn’t for sale, his goalscoring return at Craven Cottage does emphasise the fact Everton might be best steering away from re-signing their former talisman.
Moyes is back after more than a decade away, and with him a sense of excitement that could bloom into something special.
Iwobi and Richarlison
Iwobi has been deployed in myriad tactical roles during his time in the Premier League, and while Everton banked a pretty sum in selling him to Fulham, Farhad Moshiri didn’t exactly redirect the funds effectively.
They might just regret letting him go in the first place. Sure, it helped balance the books but Iwobi is proving himself to be a valuable asset – one who could have thrived under Moyes’ wily wing.
He’d be a major player in Moyes’ current squad, capable across a range of duties.
He might be a playmaker, energetic and versatile, but he’s got an eye for goal too – outscoring both Richarlison and Beto in the Premier League this season merely illustrates that point.
Moyes can axe Calvert-Lewin by unleashing his new James Vaughan at Everton
Everton could save millions by promoting this talented 18-year-old striker.
Chelsea's decision to agree a short-term shirt sponsorship deal with DAMAC has been heavily criticised by a football finance expert.
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Chelsea have unveiled new shirt sponsor
But deal is only for final month of season
Expert unimpressed with agreement
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WHAT HAPPENED?
The Blues have been without a front-of-shirt sponsor for the 2024-25 campaign but have announced a deal has been agreed with DAMAC Properties for the final month of the campaign. The DAMAC logo will feature on the club's kit for the remaining four Premier League matches and their Conference League campaign. The women's team will also wear the logo on their jerseys, starting from Sunday's WSL clash with Tottenham.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
This is the second straight year where Chelsea have not had a front-of-shirt sponsor, and it's still not clear what will happen in the future. The sponsorship deal is not thought to include the Club World Cup which takes place in June in the United States. Chelsea will play at least three group games in the tournament and and are scheduled to take on Flamengo and ES Tunis, plus a replacement for the omitted Leon.
WHAT FOOTBALL FINANCE EXPERT SAID
Finance expert professor Rob Wilson told OLBG: "It’s fascinating and really unusual at this stage of the season. I guess in some ways it really showcases Chelsea's desperation at finding a shirt sponsor. They've kind of publicly said that they want around £60 million a year for that front of shirt sponsorship, which in my opinion is simply too high and isn't justified by the sporting performance or otherwise actually of the football club. What we need to remember there is that they've had no sponsor on the front of the shirt this season. They didn't have one last season. The last sponsor they had was Infinite Athlete, which was essentially a Todd Boehly company. Now that also means not just they haven't earned the £60million but everybody else has pulled away from them so I think they would have probably been better advised to lower their expectations and sign shorter deals rather than miss out on what was probably £80million over the last two seasons."
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Wilson also spoke about the new sponsors. He added: "With regard to the DAMAC move you'd also probably expect more clarity and strategic alignment when making a move like this but I think it really feels to me much more optimistic perhaps even reactive to the challenges that they're going to have around profitability and sustainability regulations into next season. In terms of potential worth, DAMAC is a significant commercial partner. They are really quite big in the UAE, although they've had their ups and downs.
"I think the Chelsea residence idea is more about the area and what it's been called rather than any kind of club relationships. It's perhaps a happy coincidence. Nonetheless, I think that will support both brands. In terms of value, I'd estimate worth in the region of maybe 15 to 20 million pounds, depending on the assets included, the brand value, the media activations and so on. It's going to be really quite important for Chelsea to activate that deal to make sure that it works. I appreciate it's only until the end of the season. They're probably going to try and showcase what you can do with the front of shirt sponsorship at Chelsea Football Club before DAMAC just become a commercial partner. next year. The oddity is the timing, not necessarily the ambition, but Chelsea still want quite an odd amount for their front of shirt sponsorship."