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It was recently reported that Tonda Eckert is in pole position to be named the permanent Southampton manager after an impressive performance as the interim head coach.

The German tactician has won four of his five Championship games in the dugout, notably beating Charlton 5-1 away from home, but did lose 3-2 to Millwall last weekend.

It would be understandable if Sport Republic feel that Eckert has done enough in his interim spell in charge to earn the job on a permanent basis, but there is cause for concern with the former U21s boss.

Why Southampton should not appoint Tonda Eckert

The Saints are in a position, having just come down from the Premier League, where this may be their best chance to return to the top-flight before they have to cash in on more of their top talents with parachute payments dwindling.

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This means that it would be a big risk to appoint a permanent manager based on five games as a first-team manager in England, as he had never managed a game at any level in any country before this run of matches, per Transfermarkt.

It is hard, therefore, to judge whether the first four wins were a byproduct of a ‘manager bounce’ or if they were down to his coaching, as he does not have a managerial history to back up his credentials.

Southampton need to find their next Nigel Adkins, who joined from Scunthorpe United to lead Saints to promotion from League One and the Championship and left the club in 15th place in the Premier League in his only season in the top-flight.

Instead of appointing Eckert, Sport Republic could hire their own version of Adkins by making a move for reported target and free agent manager Michael Carrick.

Why Carrick could be Southampton's next Adkins

Like Adkins, Carrick would arrive at St. Mary’s with a wealth of experience in English football already under his belt, thanks to his time with Middlesbrough.

The former Saints boss had managed Scunthorpe for four seasons, including two in the Championship, and won promotion from League One on two occasions, before taking Southampton from League One to the Premier League.

Carrick, of course, will not have to get the club out of the third tier, thankfully, but he is an English manager who has the potential to be a brilliant appointment.

Middlesbrough – 22/23

Pre-Carrick

Under Carrick

Matches

16

30

Wins

4

18

Draws

5

4

Losses

7

8

Points

17

58

Points per game

1.06

1.93

League position

18th

4th

Stats via Transfermarkt

One of the reasons why he could be a great hire for the Saints is that he has achieved success in the position that they currently find themselves in, as he took Boro from 18th to 4th in his first season with the club.

The former Manchester United midfielder then led Middlesbrough to 8th and 10th place finishes in the second tier, but they ranked 5th and 6th for Expected Points in those two seasons, per FotMob, which suggests that his coaching deserved higher league finishes than it got.

Carrick, who Tom Cleverley once claimed “oozes class” as a manager, is a proven Championship head coach who has shown, over three seasons, that he can coach a team to deliver play-off quality performances, which Eckert, through no fault of his own, does not have in his corner.

The ex-Boro boss also picked up seven points in two games as interim manager at Manchester United in the Premier League before his spell in the Championship, and played 481 games in the division as a player, per Transfermarkt.

This suggests that he could also be an appointment with the Premier League in mind, because of his experience at that level, whilst Eckert has never played, managed, or coached in that league.

Therefore, Carrick appears more likely to be Southampton’s next Adkins than Eckert is, because of both his proven quality in the Championship as a manager and his potential to be a successful Premier League boss.

Related Southampton can hire big Eckert upgrade with move for "world-class" manager

Southampton can hire an even better manager than Tonda Eckert by making a move for this free agent boss.

Posts ByDan Emery Dec 2, 2025

This is why Sport Republic should consider pushing to appoint the English tactician as their next permanent manager, rather than giving the interim German boss the job on a permanent basis.

Marnus Labuschagne credited Steve Smith’s influence for helping him rebuild his game after he was dropped from the Australian Test team.Labuschagne took a major step towards reclaiming his berth for the first Ashes Test by top-scoring for Queensland on Monday in their Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania at Allan Border Field.Related

• Labuschagne launches with a century: 'Nothing else matters but runs'

• Weibgen feels wait was worth it: 'I've got to know my game'

• Renshaw, Khawaja, Labuschagne pile up runs against Tasmania

While his 160 was not perfect, Labuschagne clearly won round one of the informal Shield bat-off for top-order spots ahead of the Ashes opener from November 21 in Perth.After a mammoth first innings of 612, Queensland were well-placed at stumps on day three, with Tasmania 62 for 1 in their second innings and trailling by 171.Labuschagne was dropped for the Test series in the West Indies after Australia’s World Test Championship final defeat to South Africa in June. While he starred in the Bulls’ Shield opener, on the other side of the country incumbent Test opener Sam Konstas notably failed again for NSW in their match against WA.Labuschagne said after Monday’s play that Smith had loomed large in his thinking after he lost his Test berth.”It’s always nice to score a hundred and to get the team in a position where we can win the game on day four, it’s always a good thing,” Labuschagne said. “I felt good out there. It felt like I was reading the conditions well. I took the game on at certain times.”I feel like I’ve really stripped it back and my focus is just scoring runs – it’s not really too technical … just what I need out there to score runs. The nice thing is, over the last six or seven years, I’ve played with one of the best players in the world and learned a lot from him.”So having a technique that’s adjustable and something that I can just use, rather than work out what’s the exact, perfect way to play – just going back to find a way to score runs.”Labuschagne also scored a domestic one-day century last month.National selector George Bailey was present in Brisbane as Labuschagne flourished after taking 12 balls to get off the mark.His big innings was not flawless – he was dropped on 61 and nearly blew his century with a wild swipe on 98. Labuschagne went down the wicket to spinner Nivethan Radhakrishnan and wicketkeeper Jake Doran could not take the chance. It was either a dropped catch or a missed stumping. The ball ricocheted off Doran’s glove and landed clear of Jackson Bird at first slip.Soon afterwards, Labuschagne brought up his 33rd first-class century with an all-run four. Labuschagne hit 17 fours and two sixes and only faced 206 deliveries.Queensland took control with their huge first innings, with opener Matt Renshaw also putting his hand up for a Test recall and current opener Usman Khawaja impressing.The pick of the Tasmanian attack was legspinner Nikhil Chaudhary, the Indian-born allrounder who plays for the Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL. Making his first-class debut, he finished with 5 for 108.He found out only two days before the match that he was playing. “Nothing can get better than having a five-for on debut,” Chaudhary said.

Somerset fought their way past a severely depleted Lancashire and into a third consecutive T20 Blast final at Edgbaston. Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s 81 off 52 underpinned the batting after his side were put in, and although Lancashire got off to a good start in their chase, led by powerful cameos from Keaton Jennings and Liam Livingstone, Somerset’s greater experience helped claw things back.Lancashire were shorn of six first-choice players, and had two making their first appearances of the season, which included giving a full T20 debut to 21-year-old spinner Arav Shetty. They looked well placed at 102 for 3 in the 12th over, but the controversial dismissal of Livingstone, whose lbw was upheld by the third umpire despite the suggestion of an inside edge, triggered a collapse.Shetty, who in the event did not bowl, was snapped up by a diving Lewis Gregory in the covers – Somerset’s sharp fielding in contrast to a messy Lancashire effort – and although Michael Jones attempted to keep the chase alive with some defiant blows, Migael Pretorius and Ben Green combined for five wickets to close out the game. Somerset were not at full strength either, with Pretorius playing only his second game after Riley Meredith was recalled to Australia ahead of Finals Day, and Tom Banton absent with England.The game ended in slightly farcical scenes, as Lancashire retired out George Balderson, only for his replacement, Tom Hartley, to be dismissed first ball. Rain then began to fall during the final over, with the ground fully covered moments after the players left the field.

Jennings fires up

“Feels slightly tacky, nice to know what you’re chasing.” So said Jennings at the toss, and Lancashire’s captain was intent on getting his side ahead of the asking rate at the start of their innings. He swung his third ball, from Craig Overton, nonchalantly over fine leg for six, following up with back-to-back fours. Luke Wells was plucked out by a brilliant catch at short fine leg by Pretorius, before Jennings again deposited Overton over the ropes.Overton struck back by pinning Matty Hurst lbw, but there was more punishment to come as Livingstone joined Jennings in the middle. Livingstone pinged Somerset’s premier new-ball bowler over deep square leg, before Jennings flat-batted him down the ground for six more; Overton’s first three overs costing 39. Jack Ball was then welcomed into the attack by Jennings top-edging him all the way over the keeper, and another Livingstone hoick across the line made it six sixes in the powerplay, with Lancashire flying on 73 for 2.Liam Livingstone queries his dismissal•Getty Images

Livingstone dismissal turns chase

Livingstone had powered Lancashire to Finals Day with an unbeaten 85 against Kent in the quarters, having found his form during the Hundred – during which he calls Edgbaston home with Birmingham Phoenix. He looked to have the measure of the ground once again, crunching Lewis Goldsworthy into the crowd for his third six, as Lancashire continued to make good progress despite the loss of Jennings for 44 off 28.When Gregory won an lbw decision with Livingstone trapped on the crease, the Lancashire man reviewed straight away. But with the aid of UltraEdge, third umpire Sue Redfern determined that there was no bat involved before the ball hit the back pad – although it seemed impossible to be conclusive. Livingstone, however, obviously felt otherwise and made his opinion clear after seeing the decision on the big screen. His long walk off marked the beginning of the end for Lancashire’s hopes of a second Blast title, 10 years on from their first.

Depleted Lancashire strike first

Lancashire absentees included four on international duty with England – Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, Luke Wood and Saqib Mahmood – and both of their overseas being employed elsewhere (Chris Green at the CPL, Ashton Turner with Western Australia). That Salt and Buttler had helped England put on a record 302 against South Africa the previous night hardly helped the Red Rose mood. Somerset, meanwhile, were without New Zealand quick Matt Henry, as well as Banton and Meredith.Winning the toss felt like an advantage on a brisk, mid-September morning – and two tight overs, from James Anderson (who last played at Finals Day in 2014) and Tom Aspinwall, were followed by Balderson, playing his fourth T20 and first of the season, finding the perfect amount of nip back with his first ball to clatter Will Smeed’s off stump. But it didn’t take long for Somerset’s batters to start wresting back the initiative.Kohler-Cadmore had struggled to lay bat on ball and was on 1 off 9 when he collared Balderson for the first six of the day, a rustic heave that just had enough on it to land beyond the rope at deep midwicket. He repeated the shot, but added about 20 yards, in Balderson’s next over, and before Tom Abell audaciously ramped Anderson all the way over fine leg in a sequence of 6-4-dot-4. Anderson struck back to have Abell bowled off an inside edge, as Somerset finished the powerplay on 49 for 2.

Kohler-Cadmore pumps the tires

Lancashire continued to chip away, James Rew held at midwicket off Aspinwall, as Kohler-Cadmore dropped back down the gears. Somerset were 78 for 3 at halfway, and then 95 for 4 after losing Sean Dickson to a smart stumping in the 13th over. Kohler-Cadmore responded by pumping Livingstone’s legspin straight back down the ground for six, then raising a 38-ball fifty off the next delivery – aided by another misfield at midwicket that enabled them to come back for two.Hartley was boshed down the ground for Kohler-Cadmore’s fourth six, and he found a useful ally in captain, Gregory, who scooped Aspinwall for his first boundary. Jack Blatherwick was then taken for four consecutive fours by Kohler-Cadmore, as 18 runs came off the 17th. By the time the returning Anderson removed Gregory via a slap to deep cover, the partnership had realized 57 off 31 balls. Kohler-Cadmore might have had the first Finals Day century in his sights, but he only added one to his score before holing out off Balderson. Nevertheless, Overton and Pretorius hammered 21 off Aspinwall’s final over to take Somerset to an imposing total.

Lucas Paqueta has detailed how the betting scandal that he became caught up in ultimately "strengthened his marriage" and delivered benefits off the field. The West Ham playmaker has also explained how he reacted to seeing a proposed transfer to Manchester City break down, while admitting to being approached by teams in his native Brazil across more recent windows.

• Paqueta faced no sporting sanctions in spot-fixing case

  Paqueta found himself at the centre of spot-fixing allegations relating to the supposed deliberate picking up of yellow cards. A long-running saga dragged on for two years, casting an unfortunate shadow over the South American midfielder.

  He ultimately faced no financial or sporting sanctions, having only been found guilty of breaching lesser charges regarding cooperation with the investigation, and is free to focus on his football once more.

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• Getty
  

  How betting scandal helped & hindered Paqueta

  Paqueta is relieved to have removed a considerable distraction, but has told of finding positivity in an unfortunate situation that could have broken lesser men and their relationships: "Without a doubt, it was a very difficult time, not only for me but for my family. My wife and I went through two long, painful years, but with a happy ending. This also strengthened our marriage, our history as a family: me, her, and the children. I'm happy it ended the way it did; I fought hard against it, and it's very difficult not being able to speak, to hear various narratives and not being able to tell your side of the story.

  "It was difficult for me; I had psychological support to deal with all of this, with some of the problems. Now it's about enjoying this moment, being able to play a little lighter again, without this weight, without this fear, and being happy on the field."

  Paqueta was heavily linked with Premier League giants City in 2023, but the betting case led to interest being shelved and no deal being agreed. He added on finding himself at the London Stadium rather than the Etihad: "Everyone knows that I really had a transfer to City. I probably would have signed the week I received the letter (from the Football Association). Professionally speaking, I lost that, that transfer, a leap in my career.

  "Psychologically, I think that's where I was most affected, by the fear of this indecision, the uncertainty of my future, despite knowing who I am, what I do, what I've done. But, due to the circumstances of the investigations and the way the federation handled everything, it generated fear in us."

• Flamengo homecoming? Paqueta admits to talks

  Brazil international Paqueta has continued to attract interest since then, with Flamengo making a couple of bids to take him home. The 28-year-old said of those approaches: "The first moment was when (Marcos) Braz was still at Flamengo, there was that contact. I know of Flamengo's desire, and they know of my desire, my passion for the club, so it's something that always happens. As soon as I was accused, and the whole trial process was about to begin, Braz came to my house, made the offer, and asked what I thought.

  "Obviously, I always want to go back to Flamengo, but at that moment I was still a bit undecided about my decision, about what I was going to do, and then I also talked to the West Ham director and said: 'Braz, I want to go back, I know I'll feel good at Flamengo, but I can't be ungrateful to the club that's supporting me so much.' They supported me a lot at all times, helped me in various situations, so I couldn't force an exit from a place where I was being welcomed and respected. They respected me, my wife, my family. So I said: 'I want you to resolve this.' But yes, this exchange with Flamengo did happen."

  He added: "Maybe I shouldn't even be saying this, but I had some conversations with Filipe (Luís), who is a friend, in addition to the work he's doing at Flamengo. I really expressed my desire to return and also showed it to my agents.

  "It was a difficult decision because I'm 28 years old, it's very young, and I still have a lot of market value outside of here. I've been doing my job well, but it was a very strong desire. And I tried very hard, but unfortunately, once again, I decided to respect my club, not to force anything, because it's a club that supported me, that I have enormous affection for. So I let it happen, and it really didn't. I understood that it wasn't the right time, but I know the doors will always be open for me. I know that at some point this return will happen."

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• Getty
  

  Paqueta contract: How long West Ham deal has left to run

  Paqueta is a product of Flamengo’s academy system and made close to 100 senior appearances for them before heading to Europe and Italian giants AC Milan in January 2019.

  He has spent time in France with Lyon since then, before joining West Ham for a club-record fee in 2022. He has made 132 appearances for the Hammers, scoring 22 goals, and is tied to a contract through to 2027 that includes the option for a further 12-month extension.

Columbus Crew manager Wilfried Nancy is reportedly being considered for the vacant Celtic FC job following Brendan Rodgers’ departure last month. The Scottish club has appointed Martin O’Neill as interim boss but is expected to move quickly to secure a permanent head coach. Nancy, who has led Columbus since 2023, is among the names on their shortlist.

• USA Today Images
  

  Nancy to Glasgow?

  There would seem to be serious momentum towards Nancy moving to Celtic, with Fabrizio Romano reporting that the Crew manager is among the leading candidates to take the job at the SPL club. The Frenchman has been repeatedly linked with a European move, and was thought to be likely to leave at the end of the 2024 season. But he stuck around for the 2025 campaign. The manager has mentioned in the past he's open to a move in the future. 

  "I've been in situations when nobody knew me, nobody was talking about me, and [now they do]," Nancy said to GOAL at MLS Media Day in January. "Now so with my staff, everything for a moment, works well. So I'm happy in Columbus, and after that, we'll see."

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• Getty Images
  

  A solid resume

  Nancy has been among the best coaches in MLS since he arrived in 2023. He has led the Crew, a small market team, to a MLS Cup win in 2023, and Leagues Cup the year after. He was named the 2024 MLS Coach of the Year. Before that, he was a narrow second place to the coach of the year award after overperforming with a struggling Montreal side in 2022. 

  Columbus Crew left back Max Arfsten admitted Nancy might be ready for a European move. 

   "Yeah, I mean obviously it would be tough if he left just because he's a good coach, but he has to do what he wants for his career, and if he wants to go to Europe and test himself out there, I feel like you've got to respect that," he said at Tuesday's USMNT availability. "It would definitely be tough for us at Columbus, but it's one of those things where at the same time, if he decides to go, you've got to be happy for him because that's what he wants to do."

• Imagn
  

  A disappointing 2025

  For all of his success in years prior, 2025 has been slightly underwhelming for the Frenchman. Before the season, the Crew were considered among the favorites for MLS Cup, but rather struggled as the season went on. They turned in a spirited performance against local rivals FC Cincinnati in the playoffs, but were bounced after a 2-1 Game 3 loss in the first round of the MLS Playoffs. 

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Other candidiates

  Nancy may be among the frontrunners, but he is by no means the only name in the mix. Celtic are also reportedly considering Bodo/Glimt head coach Kjetil Knutsen for the vacant position. O'Neill has won three straight in his return to the helm at the club. 

The hosts will be without three first-choice players in Wellington, where they have lost their last two Test matches

Vishal Dikshit09-Dec-2025

Big PictureWest Indies came to Christchurch having lost each of their last five Tests, and having last won a Test in New Zealand in 1995. They seemed set to lose again. Then came the most audacious of efforts: they batted for 26 minutes shy of 12 hours – or nearly two full days – in their second innings, even raising hopes of chasing down an unthinkable 531 against a depleted New Zealand attack, despite having reeled at 277 for 6 at one point.West Indies will have their tail up going into the second Test in Wellington, where New Zealand have lost their last two Tests by big margins: by 323 runs to England and by 172 runs to Australia, both in 2024. The hosts have a long injury list, with Matt Henry and Nathan Smith out of the rest of the series and wicketkeeper Tom Blundell out of the second Test, with Mitchell Hay set to debut on Wednesday. They have, however, been bolstered by the returns of Glenn Phillips and the now-fit Daryl Mitchell, while Kyle Jamieson gets closer to Test-match fitness in the Plunket Shield.As their rejigged pace attack tries to find its bearings in Wellington, New Zealand will also hope their batters can fire as a collective. Tom Latham and Rachin Ravindra scored centuries in the second innings in Christchurch when the conditions had flattened out, and Kane Williamson returned to Test cricket with a 52 in the first innings, but there were no other 50-plus scores in either innings. New Zealand would especially want their less-experienced batters to also step up and not leave all the heavy lifting to the big names.West Indies have even less experience, with only three members of their squad – Shai Hope, Roston Chase and Kemar Roach – having played more than 30 Tests each. But they’re making something of a habit of throwing surprise parties on the road. Their lower order did it in Multan earlier this year, Shamar Joseph (currently injured) did it at the Gabba in 2024, and debutant Kyle Mayers did it with a double-century in Chattogram in early 2021.Christchurch only continued that trend. Can West Indies sustain that magic through the rest of this three-match series?Form guideNew Zealand DWWWL (last five matches, most recent first)
West Indies DLLLLIn the spotlightTwenty-five-year-old Mitchell Hay from Canterbury will get his New Zealand Test cap on Wednesday, having already debuted in T20Is and ODIs over the last 13 months. He has an ODI 99* against Pakistan to his name as well as the T20I record for the most dismissals in an innings, with five catches and a stumping against Sri Lanka in Dambulla. He boasts a first-class average of 48.58, with 1895 runs in 29 games including a century and 17 fifties. If he can bring that level of performance to the top level, New Zealand will have the ideal back-up for Blundell, who turned 35 this year.In his last match before this tour, John Campbell scored his maiden Test hundred in Delhi, a second-innings 115 full of authoritative sweeps and slog-sweeps. He has endured a difficult time on this tour so far. He followed scores of 4, 4 and 26 in the ODIs with a 68 in the warm-up game before the Tests, but he only managed 1 and 15 in Christchurch, where he was caught in the slips in both innings. West Indies will hope for more from the opener in Wellington.New Zealand are set to replace Michael Bracewell, who bowled 55 second-innings overs in Christchurch, with Glenn Phillips•AFP/Getty Images

Team newsNew Zealand will be forced to make at least three changes to their XI, with Blundell, Henry and Smith all out injured. They have called up right-arm quicks Kristian Clarke and Michael Rae to their 14-man squad, which also includes the returning Phillips and Mitchell, who fielded as a substitute in the first Test but wasn’t available for the whole game. Captain Tom Latham has confirmed that Phillips will come into the XI for Michael Bracewell, who sent down 55 overs in the second innings in Christchurch. Mitchell, meanwhile, could slot in for Will Young in the middle order while Blair Tickner and either Clarke or Rae come in for the injured fast bowlers.New Zealand (probable): 1 Tom Latham (capt), 2 Devon Conway, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Rachin Ravindra, 5 Will Young/Daryl Mitchell, 6 Mitchell Hay (wk), 7 Michael Bracewell/Glenn Phillips, 8 Zak Foulkes, 9 Kristian Clarke/Michael Rae, 10 Blair Tickner, 11 Jacob Duffy.Shai Hope had an issue with his eye in the first Test and is “back to normal,” according to West Indies captain Roston Chase. West Indies may not feel the need to tinker too much with their combination, though they could bring in the tall Anderson Phillip for Johann Layne, who went for 127 runs in his 24 overs in the first Test.West Indies (probable): 1 John Campbell, 2 Tagenarine Chanderpaul, 3 Alick Athanaze, 4 Shai Hope, 5 Roston Chase (capt), 6 Justin Greaves, 7 Tevin Imlach (wk), 8 Kemar Roach, 9 Johann Layne/Anderson Phillip, 10 Jayden Seales, 11 Ojay Shields.Pitch and conditionsThe Wellington track is known to offer movement and bounce for the quicker bowlers, particularly early on. “There have been times when it’s been challenging to bat here first,” New Zealand captain Latham said on the eve of the Test. The team winning the toss at the Basin Reserve has opted to bowl first in each of the last 17 Tests here; the last side choosing to bat was New Zealand against Pakistan back in January 2011. Chilly weather is expected through the Test with temperatures ranging between 13 and 19 degrees Celsius. Clear skies and sunshine are expected through all five days, with minimal chance of rain.Stats and trivia The Christchurch Test was the first draw in New Zealand since November 2019, ending a streak of 21 matches with a decisive result. New Zealand will play a highly inexperienced attack in Wellington. The last time they fielded a Test XI in which no bowler had 50-plus Test wickets was the 2012 Kingston Test against West Indies. It was the first Test match featuring all three of Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Neil Wagner. West Indies have not lost the opening match of an away Test series only twice since 2014 (17 away bilateral series outside of Bangladesh and Zimbabwe). Those two series are the current one and the one in England in 2020, which they lost 2-1 after winning the first Test. Shai Hope has made 140, 56 and 103 in his last three Test innings. Before this run, he had not scored a fifty in 31 Test innings over six years. He scored 505 runs in those 31 innings at an average of 16.83, with a top score of 48.Quotes”Yes, they haven’t necessarily had the results from a Test point of view but any international cricketer can front up on any day and we certainly saw that over the last couple of days at Hagley [Oval] where whatever we threw at them, they just had an answer for.”
“The guys have settled well. The Test match that we played is going to give us a lot of confidence going in the series, knowing that we can actually compete and [having] come close, almost having a chance of winning the first Test match. So the spirits are high and very, very, very, very believing right now.”

Arsenal have announced that teenage starlet Max Dowman has been dropped from their Champions League squad and will not be eligible to play in the competition again until February 2026. The Gunners have replaced Dowman in their European squad by calling-up fit-again striker Gabriel Jesus. The Brazilian is back in action after a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a knee injury.

Teenage debutant made history

Dowman made history earlier this season when he featured for Arsenal in their Champions League game against Slavia Prague in November. The wonderkid became the youngest player ever to feature in the competition at the tender age of just 15 years and 308 days, breaking the record previously held by Borussia Dortmund’s Youssoufa Moukoko. Dowman played 18 minutes of the 3-0 win and drew praise from manager Mikel Arteta afterwards. He told reporters: "What he's done on the pitch is that he comes in, the first ball he takes, he takes people on, he starts to dribble, and gets a foul. That's personality, that's courage and that you cannot teach that. You have it or you don't, and it doesn't matter what his passport says. You throw him in this context and he's ready to adapt and have a good performance. So, I'm really happy with that."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportArsenal drop Dowman from European squad

However, Dowman will now have to wait for another appearance in Europe's premier club competition. Arsenal have confirmed that the teenager can not play again in the tournament until next year. A club statement read: "Gabriel Jesus has replaced Max Dowman on our UEFA A list with immediate effect. Therefore, Gabby is eligible to play in our match against Club Brugge in Belgium on Wednesday night. Max, who picked up an ankle injury playing for our under-21s on Saturday, will be added to our UEFA B list in January, but will not be permitted to play in any UEFA competitions for 60 days from today (February 6)."

The teenager's injury will be a blow as he has been making waves this season. The 15-year-old has already made five first-team appearances for Arteta's side in all competitions and has been likened to Barcelona star Lamine Yamal by team-mate Cristhian Mosquera.

Jesus on the comeback trail at Arsenal

The update means that Jesus is now eligible to play for Arsenal in their next Champions League match against Club Brugge on Wednesday in Belgium, although it remains to be seen if he will see any minutes in the game. The Brazil star has not played a competitive Champions League match for the Gunners for a year due to injury but was in action at the weekend for the Under-21s in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Manchester United at St George's Park. Jesus has spoken out recently about his long spell out and desire to get back out on the pitch. He told Arsenal's matchday programme: "I'm feeling great, my knee is responding very well. I'm looking forward to being around the team again soon, to come back to do what I love to do. It's been too long … this one is the biggest injury I've had in my life. An injury like this, one that is so long, you split up the recovery periods into smaller timings. So now I'm at the stage where I need to hold myself back a little bit because I'm doing great work off the pitches, but it's tricky because I need to not rush myself too hard over the line. When you can see the end it's important you don't push too hard, keep my feet on the floor, and then as soon as the time comes, I will be ready."

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Getty Images SportClub Brugge in crisis ahead of Arsenal visit

Arsenal head to Club Brugge aiming to bounce back from a last-gasp defeat to Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday. Yet the Gunners will come up against a club plunged into crisis ahead of the match as head coach Nicky Hayen was dramatically sacked on Monday after a run of two wins in seven games. Arsenal have been perfect in the competition so far, picking up five wins from five games, and will be favourites to maintain their 100 per cent record on Wednesday night.

Things are looking up for Chelsea.

Despite a couple of poor results earlier in the season, Enzo Maresca’s side are second in the Premier League, with a chance to cut Arsenal’s lead to just three points on Sunday.

Then on Tuesday night, they showed the continent just how dangerous they are by beating Spanish champions Barcelona 3-0.

One of the stars of that game, and of Chelsea’s season, was Estevao, and so fans should be excited about reports linking them to someone who could be seen as the original version of the wonderkid.

Chelsea target the original Estevao

The transfer window is still over a month away from opening, but that has not stopped Chelsea from being linked with a host of potentially game-changing signings.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

For example, Nottingham Forest’s man-mountain Murillo has been touted for a £79m move to Stamford Bridge, as has Athletic Bilbao’s £62m Nico Williams.

However, as talented as those two are, neither one can accurately be described as the original Estevao, unlike Vinícius Júnior.

Yes, according to a recent report from Football Insider, Chelsea are one of a couple of teams interested in signing the Real Madrid superstar.

In fact, the report goes further, revealing that should the Brazilian be up for sale in the summer, the Blues will be one of the frontrunners for his signature, alongside Manchester City.

However, the report has confirmed that, even though he’d have just a year left on his deal, Los Blancos would demand a fee of around £80m.

Even so, Vini Jr is a genuinely world-class player and someone Chelsea should be happy to break the bank on, especially as he’s the original Estevao.

Why Vini Jr is the original Estevao

Now, when it comes to the similarities between Vini Jr and Estevao, there are a few that are quite obvious and somewhat surface-level.

For example, they’re both exciting wide players, they’re both Brazilian, and now they’ve both played for the national team.

However, what makes the Madrid star the original version of the Chelsea star is how they were both spoken about prior to their big-money moves to Europe.

The Blues ace, for example, was labelled a “future Ballon d’Or winner” by respected analyst Ben Mattinson a few months before his deal was agreed.

Likewise, when the 25-year-old arrived in Spain over seven years ago, president Florentino Perez said: “He’s a player who is already considered one of the great hopes of Brazilian and world football.

In short, the West Londoners’ new prospect looks to be following in the footsteps of the former Flamengo ace, and they’ll certainly hope he continues.

After all, despite having a slow start to life in the Spanish capital, the São Gonçalo-born monster has now amassed 340 appearances for the biggest club in the world, during which he has scored 111 goals and provided 89 assists.

Appearances

340

Starts

267

Minutes

24,291′

Goals

111

Assists

92

Points per Game

2.15

Moreover, he’s helped the club win everything there is to win in the game, including two Champions Leagues, three La Ligas and one Copa del Rey.

Finally, he also has some sensational underlying numbers to his name, with FBref ranking him in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive carries, the top 3% for successful take-ons, the top 6% for shot-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, with all that in mind, it’s hard to disagree with Ronaldo’s assertion that Vini Jr is “the best player in the world,” and therefore, Chelsea should be doing all they can to sign him next year, especially as he could help Estevao’s development.

Chelsea have already signed another exciting star who's "just like Estevao"

Chelsea have already signed another youngster who could become another Estevao for Enzo Maresca.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 26, 2025

It has not been the start to the season that many Chelsea fans were hoping for in the summer.

Enzo Maresca’s side are not necessarily playing poorly, but as things stand, they are ninth in the Premier League and have lost three of their last five in the competition.

The good news is that they have progressed to the next round of the League Cup, and Jamie Gittens finally put in a sensational performance against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

His three goal involvements in that game should take some of the heat off him, although with him starting to perform, another summer signing is looking even more perplexing, a signing who could be the new Jadon Sancho.

Sancho's record at Chelsea

Contrary to what many non-Chelsea fans believe, the Blues did, at one point, intend to sign Sancho upon the completion of his loan last season.

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The deal they agreed with Manchester United the previous summer included an obligation to buy for £25m or a fee of £5m to send him back, and so initially, the club looked to keep him on a permanent basis.

However, according to reports, the reason they eventually paid to send him back to Old Trafford was because the Englishman refused to accept a pay cut to his massive weekly wage of up to £300k-per-week.

Such an astronomical salary would have been a ludicrous waste of money, as while the former Borussia Dortmund star had his moments here and there, he never blew anyone away during his time at Stamford Bridge.

For example, in 41 appearances across all competitions, the 25-year-old was only able to score five goals and provide ten assists.

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.73 games, which is hardly the output of someone who can demand the wages he did.

Moreover, those numbers start to look even worse when you dig a little deeper.

Sancho’s Chelsea record

Games

41

Goals

5

Assists

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.36

All Stats via Transfermarkt

For example, two of his goals and five of his assists came in the Conference League, and while it was great that the club won the competition, the opposition they faced to do so were subpar at best.

In all, while it seemed like a good idea at the time, signing Sancho on loan last season was probably not worth it for Chelsea, and it looks like they made a similar mistake this summer.

Chelsea's Sancho repeat

While they haven’t all settled in just yet, it would be fair to say that Chelsea made several quite exciting signings this summer.

However, one signing that baffled fans and pundits alike at the time, and remains even more confusing, is that of Facundo Buonanotte.

The Blues signed the Argentine ace from Brighton & Hove Albion on a season-long loan with no option or obligation to buy, and while it’s not a terrible signing, there are a few reasons which make it a poor one.

For example, and this is a crucial one, he didn’t exactly light the world alight last season.

In his 35 appearances for Leicester City, the supposedly “magnificent” youngster, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, scored six goals and provided three assists, with seven of those goal involvements coming in the league.

Such a middling return just makes the Blues’ decision to bring him to the club on a short-term basis all the more baffling, as it’s not like he was an output machine last year.

This leads to the second problem with the move, which is that, if he’s only meant to play the less important games, why couldn’t the club give their own academy products that chance?

Surely it makes more sense to build up the experience of your own prospects over that of Brighton’s.

Finally, when he has actually played for Maresca, he’s not impressed.

In his five appearances thus far, the Pérez-born gem has scored a single goal, and that came against the mighty Lincoln City in the League Cup.

Ultimately, Buonanotte’s lack of impact last season, his underwhelming displays so far this season, and the fact that he could be blocking the pathway for a Cobham graduate just make his loan move more baffling with every passing gameweek.

Related Maresca can soon unleash "phenomenal" Delap upgrade at Chelsea in 2026

Delap’s place in the Chelsea side could soon be under threat.

Posts 1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 31, 2025

أعلن المدير الفني لمنتخب مصر، حلمي طولان، عن قائمة البدلاء استعدادًا لمواجهة الكويت اليوم الثلاثاء، في افتتاح مشوار الفراعنة ببطولة كأس العرب 2025.

وتُقام المباراة على استاد البيت، أحد الملاعب الرئيسية للبطولة، في مجموعة تضم إلى جانب مصر والكويت، منتخبي الإمارات والأردن. يسعى الفريقان لتحقيق انطلاقة قوية تضعهما على طريق المنافسة على التأهل من الدور الأول.

ويأمل منتخب مصر في استثمار خبرات لاعبيه الشباب والقدامى تحت قيادة طولان، لتقديم أداء متميز منذ البداية، مع التركيز على حصد النقاط الثلاث وضمان الانطلاقة المثالية في البطولة العربية.

في المقابل، يدخل منتخب الكويت المباراة بمعنويات مرتفعة بعد تأهله من مرحلة الملحق، ويطمح إلى مواجهة الفراعنة بقوة وإثبات قدرته على المنافسة في واحدة من أبرز مباريات اليوم.

طالع أيضًا | تشكيل منتخب مصر الثاني أمام الكويت في كأس العرب.. شريف يقود الهجوم بدلاء منتخب مصر أمام الكويت اليوم في كأس العرب

علي لطفي، محمد عواد، أحمد هاني، كريم فؤاد، كريم العراقي، محمود حمدي “الونش”، هادي رياض، محمد مجدي “أفشة”، ميدو جابر، محمد مسعد، حسام حسن، مروان حمدي.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنــــا