The latest round of action across Europe's elite leagues saw Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Porto maintain their winning starts to the 2025-26 season. However, while everyone expects Bayern to run away with the Bundesliga, Barca are hot on the heels of Madrid in La Liga, while Porto are presently processing the news that the most famous manager in the club's history has just taken charge of their hated rivals Benfica.

Over in Italy, Juventus dropped their first points of the season at Verona but Massimiliano Allegri's resurgent AC Milan made it three wins on the bounce by beating Udinese, with Christian Pulisic the star of the show at the Bluenergy Stadium.

In France, Le Classique between Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain was pushed back until Monday due to the weather and that allowed Monaco to draw level with PSG thanks in no small part to a former Barcelona star…

Below, GOAL runs through all the big winners and losers from Europe's top leagues…

AFPWINNER: Lorenzo Pellegrini

Gianluca Mancini played his 15th Rome derby on Sunday but admitted afterwards that he still gets "butterflies" before every game.

"Those on the outside cannot understand what the derby means," the Roma defender told . Lorenzo Pellegrini is no outsider, of course. The Italy international was born and raised in the Eternal City. The derby has always been everything to him.

However, Pellegrini was even more emotional than usual after netting the winner against Lazio as he expected to be sold during the summer before picking up a hamstring injury that ended any hope Roma had of finding a buyer for a midfielder that has often been criticised by the club's fans.

"It's true that I was very moved after scoring the goal," Pellegrini, who is out of contract next summer, told . "Life is unpredictable: you don’t know what could happen next. To win the derby, that is for my people and my family. You are all my family and helped me during this difficult time."

A group of supporters had also unfurled a banner before the game that read "Welcome back, captain!", so even though Bryan Cristante was actually wearing the armband, it was a gesture that was very much appreciated by Pellegrini.

"I know there are those who love me in the stands, and I never doubted it. I love them too," the 29-year-old said. "I also believe this team has so much more to give, as so many great men with character who care about Roma are here now.

"I feel proud to be one of the many captains, those responsible for passing on the passion for Roma to those who have just arrived and haven’t realised where they are. That includes Mancini, who is my brother from another mother.

"Aside from all the reasoning and words, though, there is one constant, which is that I love Roma. As long as I wear this jersey, there won’t be a moment when I will hold back."

AdvertisementAFPWINNER: Ansu Fati

Monaco endured a miserable start to their Champions League campaign, losing 4-1 away to Club Brugge last Thursday. However, there was one positive: Ansu Fati coming off the bench to net his first goal for the club, which put a smile on the face of neutrals all across the world.

Remarkably, even better was to come at the Stade Louis II on Sunday, with the on-loan Barcelona attacker bagging a brace on his Ligue 1 debut as Monaco beat Metz 5-2 to move level on points with PSG at the top of the table.

"I feel very good and capable of helping the team," Fati told the club's official website. "I’m happy to be playing football again. You have to live in the moment and take it one day at a time. No one knows what the future holds but, whatever happens, I’m very happy tonight."

Obviously, Fati is right: there's no point in looking too far ahead. It's very early days and it would be unwise to take anything for granted when it comes to such an injury-ravaged player, making giddy talk of Fati being 'back' feel incredibly premature. 

In fairness, though, it's hard not to be excited by the prospect of the former prodigy getting a once-promising career back on track after so many setbacks in recent seasons. As Barcelona sporting director Deco pointed out during the summer, Fati is still only 22, while there are few better clubs than Monaco when it comes to getting the best out of young talent.

Nobody wanted Fati after his dismal loan spell at Brighton in 2023-24 – least of all Barca boss Hansi Flick – but Monaco might just have pulled off a masterstroke by securing an €11 million (£9.5m/$13m) option to buy the former Spain international at the end of his loan spell in the principality.  

Getty Images SportLOSER: Harry Kane's critics

claimed over the weekend that Barcelona are eyeing up Harry Kane as a possible replacement for Robert Lewandowski – which, on the face of it, appears pretty nonsensical. Why would Barca even consider replacing a 37-year-old forward with a player that turns 33 next summer?

On the other hand, Kane is showing zero signs of slowing down and is actually enjoying one of the more productive periods of his career.

After netting twice in Bayern Munich's Champions League opener against Chelsea on Wednesday, the England international went one better at the weekend, hitting a hat-trick in a 4-1 rout of Hoffenheim at the PreZero Arena.

Consequently, Kane has a frankly ridiculous eight goals in just four Bundesliga matches so far this season and 13 in seven in all competitions, which is why some German journalists are now publicly apologising for previously arguing that Bayern had overpaid for the forward – and why the reports emanating out of Spain don't actually feel that far-fetched! 

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AFPWINNER: Jose Mourinho

Things have worked out pretty well for Jose Mourinho. Just over three weeks after Bruno Lage’s Benfica effectively cost the Portuguese his job at Fenerbahce, 'The Special One' returned to Lisbon 25 years after starting his illustrious coaching career with The Eagles.

Although it's never been a good idea to try to predict what Mourinho might do – or say – next, it seems likely that his second spell in Lisbon will definitely last longer than his first (nine games) because he believes that Benfica – unlike Fenerbahce – are on his "level".

"I came to coach a big club, I came to coach a giant," he said after leading the two-time European Cup winners to a 3-0 win over AVS on Saturday night. "I've been with giants, Real Madrid, Inter, Manchester, Roma – not a giant in terms of winning titles, but a giant from a social point of view.

“So, I've been at big clubs and now I had the opportunity to come and coach a giant, and that's what brought me here.”

Deep down, maybe even Mourinho knows that he’s lucky to have landed such a top job after flopping at Fenerbahce but it’s kind of irrelevant now.

All that matters is that he’s back at one of Europe’s prestigious clubs – and back in the Champions League, too. Truth be told, we’re already counting down the days until his upcoming return to Stamford Bridge. The pre-match press conference alone should be gold!

Newcastle United’s search for a new striker has intensified as the transfer window enters its decisive stages.

The club are locked in a complex situation involving Alexander Isak, who has made it clear he has no intention of reintegrating into Eddie Howe’s squad.

The Swede has not featured in either of Newcastle’s opening Premier League fixtures and has refused to train, citing broken promises and a desire for change.

Without a recognised number nine, the Magpies have looked blunt in attack.

Against Aston Villa and Liverpool, Newcastle created opportunities but lacked a clinical edge, with makeshift forward Anthony Gordon even seeing red in the latter fixture.

That dismissal leaves William Osula as the only available striker, underlining the urgency of the situation.

Newcastle line up move for new striker target

Eddie Howe’s men have moved for several targets already this summer.

Bids for Brentford’s Yoane Wissa and Wolves’ Jorgen Strand Larsen have been rejected, while they’re also now tracking Atletico Madrid’s Alexander Sorloth.

Transfer Focus

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

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With Liverpool circling around Isak, the club have turned to the continent for solutions.

According to reports in Italy, via Sport Witness, intermediaries are attempting to engineer a deal between Newcastle United and AS Roma for Ukrainian striker Artem Dovbyk.

The Magpies are said to have proposed a dry loan, though Roma are holding firm: they want either a permanent sale or guarantees that a deal will eventually be made permanent.

Villarreal are also interested in the forward. The Spanish side, having agreed a £26m deal to sell winger Yeremy Pino to Crystal Palace, have the funds available to pursue Dovbyk, though they too have only offered a loan arrangement.

Roma are demanding around €30m (£25m) for the 28-year-old, who joined from Girona last summer.

Why Dovbyk could be a better fit than Sørloth

Dovbyk scored 12 goals and registered three assists in 32 Serie A appearances during his debut season in Italy, following on from a remarkable final campaign in Spain where he fired Girona into the Champions League with 24 goals and eight assists.

The Ukrainian international has 36 caps and 11 goals for his country and has drawn praise from some high-profile figures.

Former Manchester City, Liverpool and Italy forward Mario Balotelli recently remarked: “In terms of style, I would say he is similar to Haaland.”

With Isak unwilling to return and Callum Wilson having left for West Ham after his contract expired, the Magpies are short of options.

Dovbyk is now seen as one of the most viable replacements to fill the void and give Howe the focal point his system demands.

The arrival of a new number nine at St James’ Park has been a pressing issue for months, and much of the conversation has centred on whether Newcastle should prioritise Dovbyk or another prominent target: Sørloth.

Sørloth, who enjoyed a prolific campaign with Atlético Madrid last season, netted 20 goals and supplied two assists across 35 La Liga appearances.

The 29-year-old Norwegian stands taller than Dovbyk’s 1.89 at 1.95m and has extensive international experience, with 63 caps and 24 goals for his country.

His form in Spain has reignited his reputation following a disappointing spell in the Premier League with Crystal Palace, where he failed to score in 16 appearances.

By comparison, Dovbyk is slightly younger at 28 and has demonstrated consistency in two of Europe’s top leagues.

His record for Girona marked him out as one of the most lethal strikers in La Liga, and his transition to Serie A saw him continue to contribute regularly.

For Newcastle, that track record of adaptation could be crucial in the Premier League. A statistical comparison between the two highlights the differences in their playing styles.

Stats – 2024/25

Stat

Sørloth

Dovbyk

Matches Played

35

32

Goals

20

12

Assists

2

2

Progressive Carries

32

24

Progressive Passes

31

16

Source: FBref

Sørloth’s numbers showcase his volume shooting and ability to dominate games as a target man.

According to FBref, he registered 4.48 shots per 90 last season with Atlético compared to Dovbyk’s 2.27, and scored 19 non-penalty goals compared to Dovbyk’s ten.

His shooting accuracy was also higher, with 51.3% of attempts hitting the target against Dovbyk’s 41%.

However, Dovbyk edges his rival in other areas. He is more efficient in possession, completing 74.1% of his passes compared to Sørloth’s 63.8%, and averages more shot-creating actions per 90 (1.94 to 1.73).

He is also less reliant on sheer volume, with his ten non-penalty goals last season coming from an expected goals figure of 10.3 – suggesting he converts chances at the rate they are expected, without overperforming.

Sørloth, by contrast, scored 19 from 16.0 expected goals, hinting at a potentially unsustainable level of finishing.

Stylistically, Dovbyk offers Newcastle a profile closer to Isak’s. He can link play, operate as a focal point, and combine technical quality with aerial presence. Sørloth, meanwhile, provides sheer firepower.

His 22 goal involvements outweigh Dovbyk’s 14, but his reliance on high shooting volume may raise concerns about sustainability in a league where space is harder to find.

For Newcastle, the decision could come down to balance. They require not just goals, but a striker who complements their pressing game and fluid attacking style. Dovbyk’s blend of technical skill, physicality, and adaptability suggests he may be the more suitable long-term option, particularly if Isak departs for Liverpool.

Related Gordon upgrade: Al-Rumayyan in talks to sign £65m "nuisance" for Newcastle

Newcastle are approaching crunch time in their drawn-out bid to sign a striker this summer.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Aug 26, 2025

The clock is ticking and Celtic have minutes rather than hours to rescue their summer transfer window by landing the attacking reinforcements that they need.

Adam Idah was allowed to complete a permanent transfer to Swansea City earlier today, leaving Shin Yamada and Johnny Kenny as the only ‘senior’ strikers in the building.

Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph claims that Chelsea forward David Datro Fofana has turned down the chance to join the Hoops in order to sign for English side Charlton Athletic in the Championship on loan.

Celtic make late bid for new striker

The Scottish Premiership champions are still pushing to the wire to bring in a new forward before the deadline passes to improve their options up front.

Transfer Focus

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

According to the Scottish Sun, Celtic have made a last-gasp bid to sign Sevilla centre-forward Kelechi Iheanacho to reunite him with Brendan Rodgers.

The report claims that the Nigeria international has emerged as a deadline-busting transfer target for the Hoops, after they failed to land Kasper Dolberg and Datro Fofana.

It adds that Sevilla will not stand in his way if he wishes to make the move to Scotland before the deadline, but it remains to be seen what the £52k-per-week marksman wants to do.

What Kelechi Iheanacho could bring to Celtic

The left-footed forward is a vastly experienced number nine who could come in as an even better option than Datro Fofana in the number nine position for the Scottish giants.

Datro Fofana has only scored five goals in Europe’s top five leagues in his playing career and has not scored more than four league goals for a club in a season since the 2022 campaign for Molde, per Sofascore.

Kelechi, who was once hailed as “incredible” by Rodgers, scored a respectable 43 goals in 143 matches for the Celtic manager during their time together at Leicester, per Transfermarkt, which shows that the Northern Irish boss can get the best out of him.

22/23 (28)

5

5

21/22 (26)

4

5

20/21 (25)

12

2

19/20 (20)

5

5

18/19 (30)

1

3

17/18 (21)

3

3

16/17 (20)

4

3

15/16 (26)

8

1

As you can see in the table above, Kelechi has plenty of experience in the Premier League and consistently showed that he could deliver goals and assists, at a decent, if not spectacular, rate.

His best season, with 12 goals in the 2020/21 campaign, also came with Rodgers in the Foxes dugout, which, again, shows that they have a relationship that could bring him success at Parkhead.

Kelechi has significantly more experience and more goals in a major European league than Datro Fofana has and outscored (four) the Chelsea youngster (two) in all competitions in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore.

This suggests that the 28-year-old marksman, who still has plenty left to give at that age, could be a shrewd addition to the squad when you consider his relationship with Rodgers and his goal return at Premier League level under the current Hoops boss.

Worse than Nygren: Rodgers must drop Celtic flop who "offered little"

Celtic must drop their flop who was even worse than Benjamin Nygren against Rangers.

ByDan Emery Aug 31, 2025

It may not be a glamorous, big-money, signing that supporters may have wanted, but if they can get this deadline-busting move over the line, Celtic will have a potentially lethal striker on their hands.

Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi has voiced his support for Afghanistan’s women to play cricket, but reiterated that the situation was something “we cannot control”. Speaking ahead of Afghanistan’s training session before they face England in Lahore in the Champions Trophy on Wednesday, Shahidi said the focus for his side remained on what happened “inside the ground”.”Everyone likes to see everyone play,” Shahidi said. “When it comes to politics and those things which we cannot control, we are only cricket players, we can control things in the ground.”The issue was thrust into sharper focus because of who Afghanistan are playing. In the weeks building up to this game, more than 160 politicians in the UK called on the ECB to boycott the fixture against Afghanistan in protest against the Taliban government refusing to allow women to play cricket in the country. The UK prime minister Keir Starmer called on the ICC to “enforce their own rules”, but the ECB ultimately rejected calls to boycott the fixture.Related

• Five-year agreement makes Abu Dhabi Afghanistan cricket's 'second home'

• Human Rights Watch asks ICC to suspend Afghanistan's membership

• Should Buttler promote himself from No. 6 in England's batting order?

• England, Afghanistan put politics aside with tournament on the line

• ECB: No Afghanistan boycott despite 'gender apartheid'

Shahidi, though, stressed that his focus, and that of the men’s team, remained on their upcoming fixture. “We are sportspersons. We control what we can do inside the ground and we can’t worry about what’s happening out of the ground. We play hard, we work hard, we have good net sessions. So that’s what we’re thinking of.”His somewhat guarded statement of support lined up with other high-profile Afghan cricketers who have spoken up in support of women’s rights in Afghanistan. Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi were most outspoken late last year when they reacted to women being banned from training as doctors.Jos Buttler, England’s captain, said that his team was “very saddened” by the situation faced by women and girls in Afghanistan, which the ECB has described as “gender apartheid” when confirming earlier this month that the game will go ahead .”I’ve taken a lot of advice from lots of experts,” Buttler said. “Credit to Rob Key and the ECB. They have been very good at supporting me and all the players, and giving us information and education around this, and making it an ECB decision.”We’re very saddened at the plight of women and girls in Afghanistan at the moment, and the struggles they are facing. But we hope that the game tomorrow can be a source of hope and enjoyment in what is obviously a tough time at the moment. We’re very excited about the match. Sport has a great power to unite people and give hope, and that’s what we hope this game will do.”Shahidi: “We play hard, we work hard, we have good net sessions. So that’s what we’re thinking of”•ICC/Getty Images

Earlier on Tuesday, Afghanistan head coach and former England batter Jonathan Trott told the BBC that the men’s cricketers knew what was happening was “not correct”.”These guys are brave,” he said. “They know the difference between right and wrong. It is a real tricky situation for them. They know who they are playing for and representing. We work hard to bring joy to the country and the guys are passionate, brave and proud of being able to do that, but knowing full well that there are things that are not correct.”The game between Afghanistan and England is virtually a knockout game, with defeat for either side leaving them on the brink of exit. Afghanistan lost their opening game to South Africa, while England were defeated by Australia. Shahidi acknowledged chasing totals was not Afghanistan’s most obvious route to victory, but also suggested the pitch in Karachi did not assist spin bowling at all.”When we bat first, that gives us more of a chance,” he said. “But at the same time, we beat teams in the last World Cup also, batting second. But in the South Africa game, I think that the wicket was little bit more supportive for fast bowling and when our spinners were bowling, there was no support for them. I didn’t even see one ball turning.”We didn’t play well, especially in batting we didn’t start well. At the same time, it’s not an excuse but the world knows that we have good spinners. I didn’t see any support there, but hopefully we have some support in tomorrow’s game for our spinners.”The last time these two sides played in an ODI, Afghanistan beat England by 69 runs in Delhi at the 2023 World Cup, when their spinners shared eight wickets.2.15pm GMT – This story was updated to include Jos Buttler’s quotes.

Two teenage prodigies, worlds apart in sport but bound by precocious brilliance — Boris Becker, the youngest Wimbledon champion in history, sees his own reflection in Barcelona’s wonderkid Lamine Yamal. Yet while Becker’s triumphs were followed by turbulence, he now urges the 18-year-old football sensation to guard against the same pitfalls as fame and fortune come crashing in.

Yamal and Becker: Prodigies born to shine

Yamal, just around 16-years-old when he made his Barcelona debut in 2023, has since shattered records with Spain and Barca, already a Kopa Trophy and Golden Boy winner by 18. Becker, meanwhile, stunned the tennis world in 1985, becoming the youngest male champion in Wimbledon history at just 17 years. Their breakthroughs weren’t just milestones, they were the announcement of the arrival of generational talents.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportRecords that define greatness

By 18, Yamal had already lifted two La Liga titles, a Copa del Rey and a Supercopa de Espana with Barcelona and Euro 2024 with Spain, while also racking up 18 goals and 21 assists in a single Barca season. He became the youngest scorer in the Clasico and the first to retain the Kopa Trophy. Becker’s resume is equally staggering: six Grand Slam titles, 49 singles trophies, two Davis Cup wins for Germany, and even Olympic gold. The latter rewrote the history books and, similarly, Yamal is embodying what it means to achieve the unthinkable as a teenager. Yet Becker claims with precocity comes a lot of pressure and this is the time everyone needs to have some kind of protection.

Becker stresses on the weight of fame

In an interview with the tennis prodigy opens up about the immense pressure he faced after winning the Wimbledon at just 17. 

"It rings alarm bells for me. Yamal is wonderful, he's winning everything, he's the best young player in the world but obviously that reminds me of young Boris Becker at 17.

"So pick your friends, trust your family, build up a network of security that once you finish your football you're not going to make the obvious mistakes. We have to watch this space and if I go back to your show in 10 or 15 years we might talk about Yamal again." 

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AFPCan Yamal carve his own legacy?

As much as Becker’s words ring with hard-earned truth, Yamal’s path doesn’t have to mirror the turbulence of past prodigies. Yamal is growing in an era where Barcelona and Spain’s footballing ecosystem provide stronger structures for young stars. Surrounded by teammates like Pedri and Gavi, and guided by managers aware of the pressures of precocity, the teenager has a platform to evolve both as a player and as a person. The challenge is not only to win titles, but to sustain greatness without losing balance off the pitch. If he succeeds, Yamal could become the player who redefined what it means to handle fame, fortune, and football at the highest level.

Jaiswal was originally picked in India’s Champions Trophy squad before missing the final cut

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Feb-2025

Yashasvi Jaiswal hits out at the Mumbai nets•PTI

Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had missed the final cut for the Champions Trophy, is set to play for Mumbai in their semi-final clash against Vidarbha in Nagpur. Jaiswal’s presence bolsters a Mumbai side that already has a number of other internationals in captain Ajinkya Rahane, Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube and Shardul Thakur.Dube is part of the non-travelling reserves for the Champions Trophy and will travel to Dubai if required.Related

Mumbai ride on Dias, Rahane, Shardul efforts to make semis

Jaiswal out of India's CT squad

Jasiwal was originally picked in India’s Champions Trophy squad in January before making way for mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy when the final squad was announced on February 11. Jasiwal had made his ODI debut in the first match against England, also in Nagpur, in place of Virat Kohli, who had missed that game with a knee niggle. Opening the batting with Rohit Sharma, Jaiswal scored 15 off 22 balls before Jofra Archer had him caught behind.Before joining the India squad, Jaiswal had already played a Ranji game against Jammu & Kashmir, which they lost at home. Incidentally, that fixture also marked Rohit Sharma’s return to the Ranji Trophy.Mumbai, the defending champions, could face a challenge against Vidarbha in a rematch of last season’s final. In this season, Vidarbha had dominated the group stage, winning six of their seven games – the one against Gujarat was drawn with Vidarbha coming away with first-innings points – before crushing Tamil Nadu in the quarter-finals.Mumbai squadAjinkya Rahane (capt), Ayush Mhatre, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Amogh Bhatkal, Suryakumar Yadav, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Siddhesh Lad, Shivam Dube, Akash Anand (wk), Hardik Tamore (wk), Suryansh Shedge, Shardul Thakur, Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Mohit Avasthi, Sylvester D’Souza, Royston Dias, Atharva Ankolekar, Harsh Tanna

After the sale of Jacob Ramsey handed them some wriggle room on the PSR front, Aston Villa are now reportedly eyeing a fresh approach to sign a player who Unai Emery loves.

Emery "accepts" PSR rules in frustrating summer

Aston Villa were finally forced to face their PSR concerns and sell an important member of Emery’s squad in Jacob Ramsey. The academy graduate completed a move to Newcastle United, who are likely to compete with Aston Villa for a place in the top six this season. It’s a move that needed to happen financially, but one that captain John McGinn has already aired his frustration about.

As frustrating as Ramsey’s sale will be for all involved at Villa Park, however, Emery has “accepted” PSR rules and reiterated the pride that he has in his side.

The Spaniard told reporters: “No, I’m not frustrated. I accept the rules, I accept where we are and how we are competing and how we are being ambitious in our capacity to compete with the better teams in the Premier League and in Europe.”

“I think you have to be proud of everything we are doing. But of course, everything we did for me is done now, we have to do it again and again and again and it’s starting again for me to beat these teams and to build, through the result, good performances and try to get our title we have.”

Meanwhile, what Ramsey’s departure has done is hand Villa some room to make some moves of their own, which could yet see them welcome a Premier League rival this month.

Aston Villa eyeing Jackson loan deal

Whilst they’re in no position to match his €60m (£52m) price tag, those at Villa Park could yet bypass FFP rules in a fresh approach to welcome Nicolas Jackson this summer. According to Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg, Aston Villa are now eyeing a loan deal to sign Jackson after he was dropped by Chelsea following their own impressive additions.

Emery is reportedly a huge admirer of Jackson, who worked under the Villa boss during their time together at Villarreal, and may yet get the chance to strike a reunion before the transfer window slams shut.

Instant Guessand upgrade: Aston Villa hold talks to sign £60m "monster"

Aston Villa could soon snap up this £60m attacker who is an instant upgrade on new recruit Evann Guessand.

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Kelan Sarson

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Dubbed “confident” by former Chelsea and Aston Villa midfielder Joe Cole last season, Jackson could have the perfect opportunity to leave his Stamford Bridge woes behind, courtesy of those in the Midlands.

MatériaMais Notícias

Líder da Taça Santos Dumont com 10 pontos em quatro rodadas, o Olaria visita o Maricá neste sábado (10), às 10h30, em Moça Bonita. Em caso de vitória, o Azulão da Bariri poderá abrir cinco pontos de vantagem para o Artsul, vice-líder com oito pontos. Além disso o confronto é tratado como um jogo de seis pontos, tendo em vista que o Maricá tem sete pontos e um jogo a menos. 

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Com uma equipe equilibrada em todos os setores, o Olaria tem contado com as boas atuações do lateral-esquerdo Michael, que tem um gol e uma assistência na competição. Cria das categorias de base do Flamengo e com passagem pelo futebol de Israel, o jogador de 24 anos reconhece o alto nível técnico da competição, mas destaca a necessidade de vitória diante do Maricá.

– É um campeonato difícil, onde estamos sabendo jogar os jogos. Temos três vitórias e um empate. Gostei muito dessa minha volta, sei que posso melhorar mais ainda. Nesse próximo jogo se Deus quiser vamos sair com a vitória, é um jogo de seis pontos, com muito respeito ao adversário vamos buscar ampliar essa liderança”, disse o lateral do Olaria que seguiu destacando a responsabilidade do clube na competição. Já estamos com uma responsabilidade imensa, muita gente dizendo que o Olaria vai subir, e nós acreditamos nessa capacidade que temos, estamos nessa pegada de conseguir o acesso. O Olaria é um time de primeira divisão e queremos colocar o time de volta. Tenho certeza que faremos um bom jogo e sairemos com o resultado positivo – afirmou o jogador.

Leeds United are now leading the race for an “incredible” attacker, and they are ready to trigger his release clause, according to a report.

Leeds looking to sign another attacker after Calvert-Lewin

Leeds are closing in on the signing of former Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, with David Ornstein revealing the Englishman is now set to undergo a medical before completing a move to Elland Road.

However, Gary Lineker is not entirely convinced the 28-year-old has what it takes to be a success in Daniel Farke’s side, saying: “I suppose if you look back at his career there’s been a decent season or two. He’s got all the attributes [but], he’s not a clean finisher and that for a striker is an issue.

“He’s never going to be a 20/25 goals a season player even in a side that’s really attacking and has got creative players. I think in the end in football, you find your level.”

While Lineker doesn’t believe Calvert-Lewin is cut out to be a top striker even with a playmaker behind him, Leeds are now planning to add a new attacking midfielder to their ranks, and they have moved into pole position in the race for his signature…

Offer made: Leeds tabled near club-record £34.5m bid to sign "revelation"

The Whites have now tabled a big offer for a forward.

1 ByDominic Lund Aug 13, 2025

According to a report from Caught Offside, the Whites are now leading the race for Leicester City’s Bilal El Khannouss, having taken the most concrete steps to secure a deal, amid rival interest from the likes of Newcastle United, RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund.

Having already held talks with El Khannouss’ representatives and offered the attacking midfielder a £50k-a-week salary, the Premier League newcomers are now ready to trigger the £24.5m release clause in his Leicester contract.

"Incredible" El Khannouss could flourish at Elland Road

While the 21-year-old struggled to find his rhythm in a very poor Leicester side last season, picking up just five Premier League goal contributions, there are indications the youngster could be a success at Elland Road.

At times in the 2024-25 campaign, the Morocco-born playmaker did manage to impress, being lauded as “incredible” by talkSPORT writer Jack Johnson after impressing in his side’s 2-0 defeat against Manchester City.

The starlet also managed to make a good impression on Pep Guardiola, having confirmed the Man City boss complimented his performance after the match, saying: “He (Guardiola) said he was impressed by my play today. I am not. I know myself and this is the player I can be. I have to show that every week now.”

El Khannouss deserves another chance in the Premier League, and Leeds should look to finalise a deal before Newcastle or Dortmund step up their interest.

Everton have made some smart signings this summer and could be set to ruffle the feathers of a couple of Premier League rivals in their latest pursuit, per reports.

Everton probe for late signings under David Moyes

The summer window always promised to be a transformational one at the Hill Dickinson Stadium due to Everton’s newfound financial clout under the Friedkin Group, and the likes of Jack Grealish, Thierno Barry and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall arriving have illustrated their ambition.

Still, David Moyes recently delivered an honest response when asked about the Toffees’ remaining activity before Monday’s deadline, claiming his side won’t be able to accomplish everything they’d have hoped in terms of recruiting new personnel.

He said: “We’re trying to up the quality as we go along. But I’m sort of saying it now because we’re just about at the end of the window, we just can’t do everything and we generally don’t have the finances to do everything in this window.”

Still, Everton aren’t letting up in their pursuit of new additions and have Tomas Soucek on their radar, who Moyes is a huge admirer of due to their time spent together at West Ham United.

Nevertheless, the Hammers are standing firm on their £19 million valuation of the midfielder, leading the Toffees to keep an eye on Benfica midfielder Florentino Luis.

Morale is high at the club and supporters are buying into the project put forward under Moyes. Regardless, there is an appetite for further business to see their side break through a glass ceiling that has been tough to crack in recent years.

If recent developments are anything to go by, the Toffees could now be about to upset the apple cart by attempting to usurp two of their Premier League rivals in pursuit of an in-demand playmaker.

Everton vying to sign West Ham United star Lucas Paqueta

According to Globo, Everton have held talks behind the scenes over West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta, who is also wanted by Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur ahead of the transfer deadline.

Despite a deal taking him away from the London Stadium being deemed unlikely, negotiations between the parties mentioned haven’t yet ceased, though the Hammers are demanding a fee of £50 million before sanctioning the Brazil international’s exit.

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Labelled a “maverick” by Moyes, Paqueta has scored twice in three matches across all competitions this campaign, which is made all the more impressive by the fact the Irons haven’t managed to win a single fixture under Graham Potter.

Capable of featuring in attacking midfield or as a centre-forward, his arrival would add another exciting element to the Toffees’ attack, albeit it remains to be seen how realistic forcing a deal over the line will prove in light of their financial reality.

PSR regulations need to be adhered to and the Friedkin Group will only spend if necessary, leaving supporters on the edge of their seats for further developments.