The agent of Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has reportedly held talks regarding a move to Saudi Arabia on a £200 million ($270m) contract.
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MatériaMais Notícias
da luck： O CRB enfrenta o Operário-MS pela segunda fase da Copa do Brasil, nesta quarta-feira, às 19h30, no Estádio Rei Pelé. Em caso de empate no tempo normal, a decisão pela vaga na próxima etapa do torneio será definida nos pênaltis.
CRB X OPERÁRIO-MS
Data: quarta-feira, 15/03
Horário: 19h30
Local: Estádio Rei Pelé, Maceió
Onde assistir: SporTV e Premiere
Arbitragem: Vinicius Goncalves Dias Araujo (SP) apita a partida. Auxiliares: Daniel Luis Marques (SP) e Leandra Aires Cossette (SP)
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A marquee star apparently has one eye on a potential transfer to Chelsea this summer, following some discussions involving Enzo Maresca’s side and the player’s representatives.
What Enzo Maresca thinks about Chelsea's midfield
Maresca, according to reliable journalist Simon Phillips in January, feels as if the club are missing a certain type of profile in the engine room.
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While Chelsea are expected to significantly invest in a new striker and centre-back this summer, Maresca made his request to the Stamford Bridge hierarchy clear in the winter window when it comes to his desire for a potential new senior midfield star.
Arsenal (away)
March 16th
Tottenham (home)
April 2nd
Brentford (away)
April 5th
Ipswich Town (home)
April 12th
Fulham (away)
April 19th
Despite links to some big names, including Man United sensation Kobbie Mainoo, Maresca was forced to settle for teenage prospect Mathis Amougou – who joined Chelsea in the latter stages of January from Saint-Étienne.
The Frenchman has made one appearance for Chelsea since then – a seven-minute cameo against Southampton – and he’s expected to head back to Ligue 1 on a season-long loan to sister club Strasbourg for the 2025/2026 season (Fabrizio Romano), so the west Londoners could well return to the market for a new midfield technician.
Reports suggest that Chelsea are considering numerous options. They could even raid Barcelona for some key players, including Frenkie de Jong, who has apparently been offered to Maresca’s side by intermediaries (Graeme Bailey).
Gavi is also on Chelsea’s transfer shortlist, and it is believed they’ve approached the representatives of fellow Catalan midfielder Marc Casado (Cadena SER).
Closer to home, and away from the Camp Nou, chairman Todd Boehly is personally weighing up the prospect of a summer bid for Sunderland star Jobe Bellingham. The Sun reported this week that Chelsea are lining up an offer for Bellingham, but Mainoo is also said to remain firmly in Chelsea’s thinking.
The 19-year-old is one of United’s key stars, but his contract expires in 2027, and he’s currently earning far beneath other big-name players in Ruben Amorim’s squad.
Talks over fresh terms are dragging on, with Chelsea lurking in the background as they monitor his interesting situation at Old Trafford.
Kobbie Mainoo keen on joining Chelsea after contact
According to TEAMtalk, in what could be a boost for Maresca, it is claimed Mainoo is interested in the prospect of joining Chelsea from Man United – following some contact from the Blues with his camp.
The teenager is thought to be a real one to watch this summer, and Chelsea will be one of the main competitors for his signature, even if he is focused on life at United for now.
Amorim’s side are wary of PSR, and there is a hesitance to approve big-money contracts as a result, but this stance could force some of their most pivotal assets to ponder summer exits – including Mainoo.
Chelsea, meanwhile, would leap at the chance to strike a deal for the Englishman. However, some reports have claimed that United wouldn’t sell for less than £100 million, so BlueCo could even need to spend nine figures on a player for the third time since their takeover.
Shakib Al Hasan, has launched a scathing attack on Tamim Iqbal ahead of the World Cup, calling him “childish” and criticising Tamim for putting himself ahead of the team’s needs.Tamim has been in and out of the Bangladesh side, battling a persistent back injury, which on Tuesday was cited as the reason for his exclusion from the World Cup squad. Except, earlier today, Tamim took to Facebook to insist he would have been fit enough to take part in the tournament and that the reason he won’t be travelling to India is because he had grown weary of the BCB creating roadblocks for him. One of which, he said, was a top board official asking him to bat down the order.”I am sure someone who is authorized had said this (to Tamim),” Shakib, the Bangladesh captain, told the Dhaka-based TV channel T-Sports in an interview that was aired on Wednesday night. “I am sure whoever has said it, he thought of the team. A lot of things go into building a combination for a match. So if someone has said this to him, was it wrong? Or we can’t make such a proposal? I am just going to tell someone that you can do whatever you want. Is the team first or the individual?”Related
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In a sustained and unsparing critique, Shakib said Tamim was being selfish in not thinking of the team.”Someone like Rohit Sharma built his career from No. 7 to opener, scored 10,000-plus runs. If he sometimes bats at No 3 or 4, would it be a big problem? It is totally childish. It is my bat, I will play. No one else can play. A player should bat at any position for the team. Team first. It doesn’t make any difference if you have made 100 or 200, and the team loses. What can you do with personal achievement? You want to make a name for yourself?”You are not thinking about the team at all. People don’t understand these things. Why was the proposal given to him? It was for the team. What is wrong in that? You are a team man when you agree to such a proposal. Unless you are thinking along those lines, you are not a team man. You are playing for individual records, success, fame, and name. Not for the team.”Tamim’s troubles began in July during a home series against Afghanistan, where he said he was playing through a back injury, the same one that he is currently managing. It led to his missing the Asia Cup and the final match of his comeback series as well, against New Zealand, earlier this week.Shakib said he didn’t want to carry a player with a fitness question mark over him into the World Cup and even went to the extent of saying anyone playing without being 100% fit is cheating the team.Tamim Iqbal did not like being asked to bat down the order•AFP/Getty Images
“I didn’t discuss the subject with the particular player, medical team or selector. It is definitely the board’s decision. People might doubt my capability or capacity but someone like MS Dhoni, who has won everything and has the knowledge and sense, once said that the unfit player who is playing is cheating his team and country. I think we should accept it, and not just Tamim but every player (that you have to be fully fit when playing for the team or country).”Other teams have similar concerns, like New Zealand have named their captain Kane Williamson for the World Cup despite him not being 100% after an ACL injury. But there has already been clarity around the extent of his participation and the lack of certainty when it comes to Tamim appears to be a sticking point.”Kane Williamson won’t play the first two matches, but then he will start playing,” Shakib said. “If I knew something like this, I wouldn’t have any problems. But if I know that there’s uncertainty about him playing the seventh or the third or the first game, or that I will only know in the morning of the game, it will be difficult for me to select the team. I don’t think we need such a player.”There has been speculation that Tamim was only fit enough to play five matches at the World Cup and though the opener has refuted them as lies, not everyone is convinced.”I certainly heard that he will play selectively,” Shakib said. “A journalist can’t really tell you that he will come to the office an hour before he wants to come to office. If you ask me personally, if I was the company CEO, I won’t keep that employee. Although I never had any discussion about this matter.”Shakib also took a dim view of Tamim choosing to resign as ODI captain just two months out from the World Cup. “I have often heard in the dressing room that he is leaving the captaincy. Even a player once told him that ‘, leave it early so that the new captain gets a bit of time’. Exactly that’s what happened. The one who came in, didn’t get the time. Each and everyone knew including the selectors and board officials. Papon (BCB president Nazmul Hassan) certainly knew about it.”I don’t know why he didn’t leave it (earlier). He can tell you. It is like, your commander takes you to war but (Shakib mimicking a solider) after he has got you ready, the commander isn’t telling you to fire or retreat. Where will you go? We were in this situation in the last two matches against Afghanistan (in July).”The captain wouldn’t have changed ahead of the Asia Cup and the World Cup, unless he himself announced that he was resigning or retiring. It would have happened 18 months ago, when everyone knew what was about to happen.”
It would be fair to say that for much of this season, there has been very little for Tottenham Hotspur fans to celebrate.
Ange Postecoglou’s side have struggled for the majority of the domestic campaign, languishing in the second half of the Premier League table and already being out of both cups.
However, they’ve started to see a number of injured players return and, against Ipswich Town, picked up their third league win on the bounce.
Moreover, one of the surprise stars of this season could now replace one of Antonio Conte’s signings, who has struggled this year.
Conte's most important Spurs signings
Before we get onto the Conte signing, who could see himself replaced in the coming weeks, it’s worth looking at a few of the Italian’s Spurs signings who are still key members of the first team.
The first player who comes to mind is undoubtedly Dejan Kulusevski, who completed his 18-month loan move to N17 in January 2022.
While he has endured ups and downs in the capital, he is now arguably one of the most talented players in the entire squad and is frankly undroppable.
For example, in just 41 appearances, totalling 3030 minutes, the “world-class” dynamo, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has scored ten goals and provided ten assists, which comes to a goal involvement every 2.05 games, or every 151.5 minutes, and makes him the most productive player in the squad.
During his time in the hot seat, the former Chelsea manager welcomed Rodrigo Bentancur, who joined alongside the Swede, and Yves Bissouma, who joined the club from Brighton & Hove Albion for around £25m in June 2022.
Now, while neither one has been as effective as Kulusevski, they’ve still played prominent roles within the first team this season, with the Uruguayan making 28 appearances thus far and the Malian 32.
Finally, a player who is arguably just as important to the starting lineup but has barely played this season thanks to injury is Cristian Romero, as even though he completed his loan move to the club under Nuno Espírito Santo, it was under Conte’s management that he made his move permanent.
However, there are still two more signings made by the serial winner who are still in the first team picture, although one looks like he could be set to replace the other.
The Conte signings in competition at Spurs
In terms of surprise packages for Spurs this season, the first name that probably should come to mind is Djed Spence, who has fought his way back from being left out of the Europa League squad to being one of the most critical players in the team.
In fact, the Englishman, signed under Conte’s tenure for around £20m in July 2022, has been so impressive this term in attack and defence that he looks ready to replace another of the Italian’s signings at right-back: Pedro Porro.
In fact, with Destiny Udogie back at left-back on the weekend, that is what happened, as the former Middlesbrough player started off the right of the back four, while the £40m former Sporting CP star started on the bench.
Now, the Spanish full-back is most certainly a brilliant outlet going forward, as shown by his nine-goal involvements this season, but he has been something of a liability in defence at times, with his performance against Ipswich in the reverse fixture earlier this season earning him particular ire from journalist Mitch Fretton, who described him and Radu Dragusin as “absolute horror shows” at the back.
There have also been a few occasions this season in which he has been shown up by opposition attackers, such as in the FA Cup game against Aston Villa and by Leandro Trossard away to Arsenal.
Moreover, when we compare the 25-year-old’s underlying defensive numbers to the Englishman’s, it becomes increasingly apparent who the more reliable defender is.
Tackles
3.02
2.31
Tackles Won
2.50
1.67
All Blocks
1.77
1.62
Shots Blocked
0.73
0.60
Passes Blocked
1.04
1.03
Aerial Duels Won
1.15
0.43
For example, the “unbelievable” 24-year-old ace, as dubbed by the iconic Ian Wright, comes out on top for tackles and tackles won, all blocks, shots blocked, passes blocked, aerial duels won and more, all per 90.
Ultimately, it’s hard not to look at Spence as the better full-back at the moment, as while he might be slightly less effective going forward, he can do his primary job to a much higher standard.
So, with stories touting Porro with an exit in the past, it might be time for Daniel Levy to stick with the Englishman and cash in on the Spaniard.
Tottenham's "future £100m" star could become their biggest sale since Bale
He could be worth an awful lot of money if Spurs cash in…
1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Feb 25, 2025
Manchester City have reached a verbal agreement with Bayer Leverkusen for Florian Wirtz but he is unsure about a move to the Etihad.
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Bayer and City reach verbal Wirtz agreementWirtz reportedly not interested in move to CityWould prefer a move to Bayern Munich or Real MadridFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Wirtz is labelled as one of the best talents of his generation, and after having spent the last five years with Bayer Leverkusen, the Germany international is considering leaving his 'comfort zone'. The 22-year-old has been linked with the likes of Manchester City, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
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Sky France's Sacha Tavolieri has now reported that Pep Guardiola and City are ready to convert their interest in Wirtz this summer and make a transfer move before other clubs try to strike a deal. The report has suggested that the eight-time Premier League champions have reached a verbal agreement with Bayer Leverkusen over a summer deal for the 22-year-old attacking midfielder.
DID YOU KNOW?
Despite the verbal agreement between Bayer Leverkusen and City, Sports Zone has reported that Wirtz himself is not convinced of a move to the Etihad Stadium this summer. The Germany international is said to prefer a move to Bayern Munich instead and would even be open to a move to Real Madrid.
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR WIRTZ?
The 22-year-old is likely to be taking part in his last match with Bayer Leverkusen when they take on Mainz on Saturday, May 17. Regardless of his reported decision to reject City, he is likely to be subject to a transfer move away from Die Werkself.
Newcastle United are preparing for life back in the Champions League in the 2025/26 season after a positive 12 months at St James’ Park.
Eddie Howe’s side ended the Magpies’ long wait for a trophy by lifting the EFL Cup, whereas they also finished in the top five in the Premier League to ensure a return to Europe’s biggest club competition.
As a result, PIF and co could be busy in the transfer market ahead of the new season, looking to ensure Newcastle can cope with their return to Europe.
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Now, Grok, the AI tool on X, has predicted Newcastle’s starting line-up ahead of their first Premier League game against Aston Villa on August 16.
AI predicts Newcastle’s 2025/26 line-up 1 GK: James Trafford
Expected to finally arrive at St James’ Park this summer after months of rumours is goalkeeper James Trafford.
The Englishman starred at Burnley in 24/25, conceding just 16 goals in 46 games, and his ‘ball-playing ability suits Howe’s evolving style’, so he has been backed to cost £30m and start ahead of Nick Pope.
2 RB: Tino Livramento
After helping England win the U21 European Championships this summer, Tino Livramento is set to keep his place in the XI ahead of Kieran Trippier.
Grok says ‘Livramento has emerged as a dynamic option’ for the Magpies and is still under contract for another three years.
3 CB: Sven Botman
Described as a ‘cornerstone’ in Newcastle’s side, Sven Botman’s place in the side looks nailed on when he is fit.
The Dutchman only made eight Premier League appearances in 24/25, though, so he’ll be looking to put his injury woes behind him.
4 CB: Marc Guehi
Partnering Botman, Grok have predicted Marc Guehi to sign for Newcastle in a £46m deal this summer, despite interest from a number of other clubs.
The Crystal Palace captain has been on Howe’s radar for a long time now and may depart Selhurst Park with 12 months left on his contract.
5 LB: Lewis Hall
After making his loan move permanent in 2024, Lewis Hall has been a regular at left-back for Newcastle and has been predicted to keep his place in the XI.
Games
34
Assists
5
Yellow cards
4
Minutes played
2,661
Grok says Hall’s ’development into a key starter’ has been noticeable, chipping in with five assists last year.
6 CM: Bruno Guimaraes
Despite being linked with a move away from Newcastle once again this summer, Grok have predicted Bruno Guimaraes to remain at St James’ Park and play an important role once more.
The Brazilian’s ‘leadership and all-action style are vital’ in Howe’s side, and he still has three years remaining on his contract.
7 CM: Sandro Tonali
Alongside Guimaraes is a player he knows well in Sandro Tonali. The Italian ‘has proven indispensable’ under Howe and missed just two league games in 24/25.
Grok adds that Tonali’s ‘box-to-box energy complements Howe’s system’, but there may be no place for Joelinton in the XI.
8 AM: Eberechi Eze
Completing a three-man midfield in an attacking role is potential new signing in Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze, with Newcastle keen on the Eagles star.
The Englishman has a release clause of £68m which may need to be triggered, and Grok have stated that Eze’s ‘versatility as a No. 10 or winger fits Howe’s fluid attack’.
9 RW: Mohammed Kudus
Another star linked with a move to Newcastle this summer is West Ham winger Mohammed Kudus, who has been backed to start on the right-hand side for the Magpies.
With the Hammers open to offers in the region of £60m, PIF may need to act fast with Tottenham and Chelsea also showing an interest in Kudus.
10 ST: Alexander Isak
Arguably Newcastle’s most important piece of business this summer will be keeping hold of star striker Alexander Isak.
After qualifying for the Champions League, Grok thinks Isak won’t be going anywhere, labelling him as ‘untouchable’ at St James’ Park.
Manchester United are weighing up a move which they believe will improve the atmosphere at Old Trafford after listening to fans' opinions.
Red Devils want to raise noise levels at stadiumSupporters stress importance of generating atmosphereFan survey will dictate whether measure is adoptedFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The Red Devils have written to season ticket holders to inform them of a proposal to play no music in the 15 minutes before the players come out of the tunnel at home games and after full-time. The club have been conducting post-match surveys and done research as part of the move towards building a new 100,000-seater stadium, hoping to understand attitudes on different aspects of the matchday experience.
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Their research showed that creating an atmosphere to inspire the players was of utmost importance, which is why fan group The Red Army (TRA) has requested that music is turned off for a period in order to make the stadium as loud as possible. United currently play music during and after the players warm-up, while 'Glory Glory Man United' is played after victories. The club still plan to play unofficial anthem 'This is the One' by the Stone Roses when the players walk out of the tunnel, followed by the Premier League's official anthem – as is standard at all stadiums across the English top-flight – and then 'Take Me Home Country Roads' before kick off.
DID YOU KNOW?
Roy Keane complained about the declining atmosphere at Old Trafford in 2000 by saying: "Away from home our fans are fantastic, I'd call them the hardcore fans. But at home they have a few drinks and probably the prawn sandwiches, and they don't realise what's going on out on the pitch. I don't think some of the people who come to Old Trafford can spell football, never mind understand it." Since then, Old Trafford has been known for its poor atmosphere, with Keane's comments leading to rival fans mocking United supporters by calling them 'the prawn sandwich brigade'.
Getty WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?
Fans have been asked to respond to a two-minute survey on the proposal by Friday afternoon. If the measure is backed then it could be implemented as soon as Sunday's Premier League match against Arsenal, giving Bruno Fernandes and Co extra encouragement for their blockbuster season opener with the Gunners. And if the move is a success then Old Trafford's previously flat atmosphere could be replaced by a cauldron of noise, as has happened at Arsenal under Mikel Arteta.