Tag Futebol

Liverpool are in the market for new signings and could now be set to target a midfielder who has been highly praised by former Reds icon Xabi Alonso.

Liverpool seek further reinforcements in January

Undoubtedly, the Reds are struggling to replicate anything like their Premier League exploits of last season and Arne Slot is under pressure as Liverpool look to get their current campaign back on track.

While Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique and others continue to be floated as potential replacements for the Dutchman, Didi Hamann told Sky Germany that he believes the former Feyenoord manager has work to do in order to get his dressing room back to their usual levels of cohesion.

He said: “I believe Arne Slot has lost control of the team. It’s falling apart, everyone is doing what they want, like Salah before PSV’s second goal.

“Liverpool will have major problems finishing in the Premier League top four. I don’t believe these problems can be solved quickly or easily. The situation is so complex that the club will certainly be discussing the manager’s position.”

Whether Hamann’s comments have an element of truth to them or not, January offers a much-needed lifeline in terms of recruiting talent and Liverpool are expected to be active on that front.

Liverpool in move for £100m Salah upgrade who "can reach Mane's level"

Liverpool are starting to prepare for Mo Salah’s departure from Anfield.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 30, 2025

Addressing the forward areas, Borussia Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy could be on his way to Anfield for £44m amid his release clause becoming active in 2026.

Celtic youngster Jikiemi is also on Liverpool’s radar, albeit at 15 years of age, he is someone who will be regarded as a talent for the future at the AXA Training Centre.

Still, the first-team remains a central priority for FSG, and the Reds could now be about to bring one of the world’s most talented midfielders to Merseyside.

Liverpool ready to bid for Eduardo Camavinga

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are preparing a ‘serious’ move for Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga.

Liverpool’s admiration for the player is so big that they are actually expected to launch a bid to secure the player’s services. An offer in the region of £52.5m could be enough to secure the France international’s signature.

Described as a “duel-monster” by analyst Raj Chohan, Manchester United and Chelsea are also monitoring his situation, which won’t come as a surprise as his versatility for Loc Blancos has seen the 23-year-old operate as a central midfielder, defensive midfielder, or even on the left flank at times.

Arsenal and Bayern Munich are also tracking his progress. However, Real Madrid aren’t actively looking to sell the player at this moment in time, despite conversations taking place about his long-term role as Jude Bellingham, Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde compete with the Frenchman for their spots in the engine room.

Labelled someone with “enormous potential” by Xabi Alonso, he has thrived under the Spaniard and could now be set for a new challenge as admiration for his talent grows.

Liverpool have found it difficult to get to grips with sides in the top flight this season, but Camavinga would likely take them on to a new level if he were to move to English shores.

Matthew Potts continues to be a seat-filler, a plugger of gaps in the side, but England know they can lean on him and he will not let them down

Vithushan Ehantharajah14-Dec-2024The Birkenstock slip-on clog has become must-have accessory for international cricketers across the world.After a long day’s graft, the boots are kicked off for luxury sandals that occupy that handy middle ground between aesthetic style and orthopaedic substance. The game has not gone – it’s still here, just standing a little comfier.Bowlers, especially, swear by them. A few pairs are knocking around both teams, with so many in the England dressing room it may as well be a showroom. After day one of this third and final Test in the Crowe-Thorpe trophy, Matthew Potts deserved his.Potts has owned some for a while, recommended by, among others, Ben Stokes. Both deserved the day-to-day relief of their closed-toe Bostons as the two who bowled the most of England’s 82 overs. Stokes is currently the clubhouse leader with 23. Potts’ 21 – the most he has sent down in a single day – was more concentrated.Related

• Tim Southee – right-arm rockstar, unsung from afar

• Stokes urges England to stay in the now as Ashes looms

• Going with the wind, leaving chic snobbery behind

• Latham and Santner fifties prop up New Zealand

The first 20 came inside the first 67, split across fours spells in conditions that veered from “sapping” to “baking”. The Durham seamer, opening England’s innings for just the second time in typically humid Hamilton conditions, finished his work at 6:32pm when an uninhibited sun was still beating down on Seddon Park like it had come to collect a debt. With 3 for 75 at the time of writing, it is just the fifth time in 18 attempts he has taken more than two wickets in an innings.Potts has always worn graft well, even if the Birkenstocks have helped over the 12 months. Accompanying the heart and engine that can run for days is the build – and tenacity – of a prize fighter. Not to mention a marvel of a bowler’s backside. “It’s pretty obvious by looking at him,” Stokes said ahead of this match. “He looks after himself very well.”Looking after yourself does not automatically mean the cricket looks after you. Potts can vouch for that; a Test career that began with five consecutive caps in the 2022 summer has taken almost 28 more months to tick off as many. But the manner of the 26-year-old’s three wickets in New Zealand’s first innings suggests the game might be warming to him once more.Tom Latham, driver of a dominant start, was caught down the leg side with 63 to his name. Glenn Phillips’ lazy drive scuffed a catch to Zak Crawley at gully. And Kane Williamson was unable to evoke the hot feet of fellow countryman Chris Wood and kick away a delivery that was heading towards his stumps after he had defended it.It was the fourth time in five innings Potts has nabbed the prized Williamson, three of those coming across four in the quick’s maiden series two summers ago. The 14 wickets at 23.28 in Stokes’ first assignment as permanent Test captain was meant to be a springboard for Potts. Things have not panned out that way.Kane Williamson tries – and fails – to prevent the ball bouncing back on to his stumps•Getty ImagesDropped for the returning Ollie Robinson after the first Test against South Africa, Potts would play just one Test in 2023 – a four-day affair at Lord’s against Ireland ahead of the 2023 Ashes, which he watched from the sidelines. A go in the Sri Lanka series at the end of this summer was capped at two matches with England using the final match at the Kia Oval to roll the dice and select raw, tall left-armer Josh Hull. A solitary appearance in Pakistan for the second Test, on a newly scuffed used deck was a thankless task. Still, he managed to turn that into a positive with three dismissals in 31.2 overs.All of that exacerbates the sense Potts exists as something of a seat filler. Trusted to plug gaps, but not necessarily get a go outright. Set aside for others that selectors deem better. Brought in for those same options to rest up. Even parked for a relative novice. He’s sharp without being express. Reliable but unsexy. The shoes you would wear into the garden but not when you’re leaving through the front door.Potts’ opportunity comes on similar grounds. The series is already won, and Chris Woakes, after six wickets across two back-to-back Tests, has nothing to prove, as Stokes intimated. Naturally, Potts did not regard his selection as anything other than an honour, even with the time spent waiting and miles clocked around the world, desperate for an in.”I wouldn’t say it’s frustrating, no,” he said in his press conference, bowling boots still on having sent down the last over of the day. “I enjoy every single moment being part of this squad. There’s always jobs I can be doing, helping out. There’s opportunity to tinker with a few things and tinker with things.”That tinkering has involved a combination of run-up work, how he holds and releases the ball, and some extra deliveries – all honed under the watchful eye of bowling consultant James Anderson. And though he was fulfilling a role Anderson had mastered for the best part of two decades, Potts did not look out of place.

“I’d been a fraction wide to Kane early on, trying to swing a few. [Ollie Pope] felt we could go wide of the crease, angle it in a bit more towards the stumps. Bowl fourth stump, off stump, just keep smashing away on a hard length. I think [Kane Williamson’s] dismissal comes from that clarity”Matthew Potts

His opening spell from the City End – six overs, 0 for 17 – could have featured a wicket and ended an eventual opening stand of 105 for just 25 had Ben Duckett managed to cling on to Will Young’s low edge. The second spell (four overs, 0 for 16) featured a few more edges, and one that reared to catch the glove.Both spells averaged out at 131kph. England did not bowl well in the morning session, a touch too short and wide as New Zealand went into lunch on 93 for 0. Potts, however, was the least culpable of the four.Potts’ second spells only clocked in at 129kph, but housed the three wickets. Williamson’s, contained within the second – 2 for 10 from five – was an example of how Potts’ stamina gives his skills a better chance to come to the fore, even with a Kookaburra 58 overs old.Williamson was his typical self, tidy yet devastating, and completely at ease at a venue where he averages 94.26. With six centuries from the 11 times he has past fifty, England were fearful as he rounded on another half-century.However Potts, with the help of Stokes and vice-captain Ollie Pope – armed with a perfect view from behind the stumps – came up with a plan.”I’d been a fraction wide to Kane early on, trying to swing a few,” said Potts, before the brains trust got together. “Popey felt we could go wide of the crease, angle it in a bit more towards the stumps. Bowl fourth stump, off stump, just keep smashing away on a hard length. I think that dismissal comes from that clarity.”Considering how things have panned out, it is likely Matthew Potts’ career may be one of constant flux•Getty ImagesPotts did not have a great view of the dismissal, but was at least able to make out the falling of a bail. Williamson jarred his head back in disgust, while Potts raised his arms with unexpected glee. That “smashing away” had not been in vain. “To get a good player like that, a player like Kane who can play the long game and score quite quickly as well. To get a massive scalp like that for the team… I’m proud of that.”The knock-on effect was just as important. Daryl Mitchell had been playing possum – 0 off 17 – while Williamson was attracting most of the attention at the other end. His attempt at thrashing a few quick boundaries off Gus Atkinson resulted in a catch to Stokes at cover. The errors to come from Phillips and Tom Blundell – who Potts could have snared had Joe Root reacted quicker to an edge – made it a middle-order collapse of 4 for 46 in exactly ten overs.After that graft, it was a shame for Potts that the day would close with his final ball launched back over his head for six to bring up Mitchell Santner’s valiant 50 not out, taking New Zealand to 315 for 9 at stumps. A handy score after being put in to bat.It was a reminder of how unforgiving a day’s graft can be, even if you approach it with the right attitude and skill. Not that Potts saw any downside to today, his career to date or the fact he is filling in. “It was fantastic,” he beamed. “With the sun beating down it can be seen as hard work but I enjoy every moment that I put this England shirt on and I hope I do it justice.”Considering how things have panned out, it is likely Potts’ career may be one of constant flux. But on a day like today, he showed England can lean on him whenever they need to – a vital reminder ahead of 2025 and the challenges that come with five-Test series against India and Australia. He is a bowler capable of fulfilling a variety of roles and easing whatever situation arises, planned or otherwise.A classy, dependable load-bearer – England’s very own Birkenstocks.

Heading into Leeds United’s Premier League clash against West Ham United on Friday night, Daniel Farke was under some pressure in the Elland Road dug-out to pick up a positive result.

There had been reports, in the build-up to this must-win contest against the Hammers, that the top-flight newcomers had RC Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior on their radar as a potential replacement for the German.

Thankfully for Farke, his team hit back by collecting a 2-1 win over Nuno Espirito Santo’s strugglers, with the ex-Norwich City boss able to survive another day in the pressurised Leeds’ hot-seat, subsequently.

Brenden Aaronson really did step up when he was needed to during this tight win, with the American also able to respond to his critics emphatically with a man-of-the-match worthy display against the visitors from East London.

How Aaronson has turned around his Leeds career

Much like Farke has had to fight back against accusations that he isn’t cut out for the bright lights of the Premier League all across his managerial career to date, Aaronson has also had to deal with his fair share of critics deeming him not capable of being a top-flight level talent.

There had been some weight behind these comments, too, with Aaronson being deemed a “lightweight” presence that’s not “good enough” to pull on Leeds white by former Elland Road defender Jon Newsome, off the back of him only firing home one Premier League goal during his side’s disastrous 2022/23 season, which ended in relegation.

He hadn’t started this campaign in the best light, either, leading to the 25-year-old dropping in and out of Farke’s first-team plans. However, he was a force to be reckoned with against West Ham, perhaps saving his up-and-down career in West Yorkshire in the process.

Indeed, away from being the crucial individual who fired Leeds in front after just three minutes, Aaronson also constantly burst forward with purpose across the full match, with one of his three successful dribbles forward nearly resulting in one of the most memorable solo strikes of the season to date.

To his dismay, the resulting shot – after all his hard work had seemingly paid off – shaved the crossbar, with the ex-Red Bull Salzburg attacker also being praised at the full-time whistle for being a presence that “works his socks off” by his relieved manager, when winning a high eight ground duels.

He wasn’t the only presence in Farke’s XI who turned around their ongoing narrative in West Yorkshire, though, against West Ham, as one of Aaronson’s teammates on the night also breathed life back into their own stop-start tale.

The "monstrous" star who also saved his career

A lot of Leeds’ summer recruits have instantly hit the ground running, with Sean Longstaff already becoming an integral part of Farke’s starting lineup, with five big chances created in league action.

Noah Okafor has also seamlessly slotted into his new environment with two league goals already next to his name, but while those named have found adjusting to life in West Yorkshire to be straightforward, Jaka Bijol has struggled, on the other hand.

Before being handed a start against West Ham, Bijol had found himself rooted to the substitutes bench with zero league appearances to shout about, which was a surprise, considering the 6-foot-4 Slovenian didn’t leave Udinese behind for cheap this summer, having cost the Premier League newcomers a substantial £15m.

Thankfully, he made up for lost time with his commanding showing against the relegation-threatened visitors, with six duels won in total, seeing him already live up to his “monstrous” billing that was handed his way by analyst Ben Mattinson in Serie A.

Joe Rodon would steal his thunder by standing out more in the heart of the Leeds backline, considering the Welshman popped up with a header to gift the hosts a 2-0 lead, but Bijol is also deserving of plenty of praise himself, having won all 100% of his tackles come the full-time whistle.

The “aggressive” number 15 – as he was also lauded by ex-Leeds defender Aidy White after the win was secured – further demonstrated a calmness on the ball under pressure with 53 accurate passes amassed, with Farke surely now ready to hand him even more league opportunities moving forward, considering that he’s finally off the mark.

Bijol’s playing days in England so far have been a slow burner, with the ex-Serie A titan now hopeful of even more minutes heading his way, as more wins are also picked by Farke and Co.

Forget Longstaff: £10m star is now Leeds' best signing since Bielsa left

This Leeds United star could now be considered the best signing the Whites have made since Marcelo Bielsa left.

By
Kelan Sarson

Oct 28, 2025

His execution of wide yorkers after coming in as Impact Player denied Gujarat Titans

Shashank Kishore31-Mar-2025Vijaykumar Vyshak didn’t know until 13 overs into the Gujarat Titans (GT) chase in Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) IPL 2025 opener that he would be summoned as an Impact Player. But when Arshdeep Singh suggested they bring in Vyshak, PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer did what was needed.With 75 runs needed from 36 balls, Vyshak, having reviewed his plans with the support staff, tried to bowl wide yorkers to Jos Buttler and Sherfane Rutherford, whose strike rates against those deliveries were “low”.”I didn’t know if I was going to be there,” Vyshak told ESPNcricinfo. “They [Iyer & Co] were also thinking of a spinner. And then I got to know I’ll be on for the 14th over. All along, I had been going through my plans – so when the opportunity came, I was ready to go.”Related

Vyshak 'changes the game' on a night Siraj makes the wrong decisions

Reverse swing for Arshdeep or drier ball for Chahal – Punjab Kings have to decide

Gill lauds Impact Player Vyshak for stifling GT's chase

As Vyshak came on, Arshdeep told him to “err on the wider side”. It was a change from their original plan of trying to mix his variations, including bowling a knuckleball that he is known to deliver effectively.”Initially, Plan A was to bowl slow bouncers,” Vyshak said. “But the wicket wasn’t two-paced. The ball wasn’t holding up. There was a lot of dew. Considering all that, the coaches said, ‘Let’s stick to the wide yorker’. It was a case of them planning and me executing.”Vyshak gave away just ten runs in his first two overs. By his third, after Buttler’s dismissal, GT needed 45 more from 12 deliveries. Despite Marco Jansen conceding 20 runs in two overs from the other end, Vyshak’s first two overs had already put GT on the back foot. So much so that even 18 runs from his third over – the 19th of the chase – left GT with an improbable 27 runs to get in the final over. PBKS eventually won by 11 runs, and it was a strong comeback for Vyshak, who had recovered from a quadricep injury that kept him out of the second half of the Ranji Trophy during the domestic season.The injury struck just as Vyshak, on the BCCI’s list of targeted fast bowlers, had broken into India’s T20I squad for the South Africa series in November.Vijaykumar Vyshak: “Until I’m satisfied, I’m not going out of the nets”•Punjab Kings”I always say this to myself that whatever I can do in my control, I will do that,” he said. “If you have to give your 100%, I’ll give my 110%. But injuries are not in your hands. I am someone who is really willing to give myself that extra push.”I don’t mind pushing extra yards in the practice session until I get what I’m doing, whether it is yorkers, whether it is length balls or slower ones. If I want to do something, I am just going to do it. And then, until I’m satisfied, I’m not going out of the nets. That is something that has helped me grow.”And then, for this sport, especially when you’re playing T20s, you’ve got to be mentally strong because some days you don’t nail your yorkers. But you’ve got to be mentally strong, and you’ve got to accept the fact that this is not happening. You’ve got to change; you’ve got to go to your Plan Bs. So that is something that I’ve been working on.”Vyshak is a strong advocate for “positive vibes” and “routines” to the extent that if he feels he did something different at training or during his pre-match routine that worked well, it’s likely he would have noted it down somewhere to be able to go back to later.”If the previous day – like match minus one, or minus two – if I did something that worked for me, I just want to write it down and then just go back to that and then do the same things again and again. So that has been helping me. So, hopefully, I can continue this and go on to achieve a lot more.””People used to tell me that I was a little healthy. I was like, ‘But I’m still bowling fast and batting, [so] how does it matter?'”•PTI Vyshak’s cricket perspective comes from a desire to make up for lost time. In 2017-18, weighing 110kg, he admitted feeling lost, and often faced criticism for his weight.”People used to tell me that I was a little healthy [heavy]. I was like, ‘but I’m still bowling fast and batting, [so] how does it matter’. It’s a funny story about how I really decided to transform. There’s this tradition of giving birthday bumps, and because I was too heavy, my friends just dropped me once. The next morning, I woke up thinking, ‘why am I like this? What am I doing?’ That is when I started my journey.”The fitness impetus was around the time Vyshak switched to fast bowling in his Under-19 days. Earlier, he was a top-order batter and captained Karnataka’s Under-16 team. He’s grateful for the guidance from former Karnataka batter Sudhindra Shinde and former India seamer Abhimanyu Mithun.”He [Shinde] has seen me as a young kid – as a fat kid,” Vyshak said. “He has really been supportive about my bowling, my mental strength, and my batting. So, if I’m feeling low, if I’m feeling anything, no matter what, I make sure that I talk to him because that is my comfort. We have a rapport that I can’t express in words. But every time I’m low, I call him, and by the end of the call, he will make sure I’m in a happy space.”During my Under-19s, he suggested to me to go to Bharat Arun sir. So when I was probably 20-21, my action was all over [the place]. He [Shinde] also helped me financially. He took care of my sessions in Chennai, [and] my stay – he helped me massively. In the last couple of years, I have worked with Mithun. He has helped me a lot with my run-up and my variations.”

“You have to make sure you come back strong and then you’ve got to be mentally strong. That is where the mental aspect has helped me a lot”

Does Vyshak feel different today than when he started in the IPL two years ago with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)?”When I started off, I didn’t know what this platform was,” he said. “My emotions were so high. When I did well, I used to feel so good, and when I didn’t, I used to like just dip down.”And then, last couple of years, with [Mohammed] Siraj being there, I think he emphasised on being neutral. Whatever happens – whether you’re playing or not playing, winning or not winning – you have to be constant. That’s the biggest lesson for me. Matches come thick and fast – if you keep brooding over what has gone wrong, you’ll keep sinking further.”You have to make sure you come back strong and then you’ve got to be mentally strong. That is where the mental aspect has helped me a lot. I can pretty much say I am a better bowler compared to what I was when I played the first game for RCB.”

MatériaMais Notícias

Acabou o Campeonato Brasileiro e, consequentemente, acabou a agonia do torcedor paulista. Uma temporada para esquecer do maior torneio mais importante do calendário nacional. Agora, resta apenas a Copa do Brasil, na qual o Corinthians é semifinalista.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansCom futuro incerto, Maycon sonha com título da Copa do Brasil para ‘marcar nome’ no CorinthiansCorinthians09/12/2025Futebol NacionalCBF revela arbitragem de Cruzeiro x Corinthians pela Copa do BrasilFutebol Nacional08/12/2025

O melhor time paulista foi superado pelo Flamengo. E mesmo que Abel Ferreira venha a público todos os dias exaltar a campanha do Palmeiras, nenhum palmeirense está orgulhoso por ter terminado o ano sem nada na temporada em que mais gastou dinheiro da história e que teve elenco para ganhar tudo.

No último ato do ano, o São Paulo perdeu para o Vitória jogando mal. Um pequeno resumo do que foi o Brasileiro do time.

➡️Tironi no Lance! Confira todas as colunas

O Santos terminou em “festa”. Não pela posição no campeonato, mas por não ter sido rebaixado.

O Bragantino fez o que dele se espera e ficou no meio do caminho. O Mirassol é a exceção, o único motivo verdadeiro de orgulho do Estado.

Corinthians vive em uma gangorra

E chegamos ao Corinthians, que vive em uma gangorra. Qual lado vai pender? Ninguém sabe. Mas o clube topou viver perigosamente no ano dentro e fora de campo. Afundado em dívidas e sob punição de um transfer ban, terminou o Brasileiro como o pior entre os times do Estado.

continua após a publicidade

Mas está mirando uma tábua de salvação, a Copa do Brasil. A conquista não vai nem mesmo fazer cócegas na dívida bilionária, mas deixará o clube como o paulista de maior sucesso no ano.

A aposta é alta. A não ser que Dorival Júnior esteja escondendo o jogo, o Corinthians está longe de praticar um futebol de alto nível. Mas, como se sabe, o mata-mata propicia surpresas e o treinador no banco especializou-se neste tipo de competição.

➡️Garro e Yuri Alberto treinam parcialmente e viram esperança para a semifinal
➡️Hugo Souza revela sonho com a Copa do Mundo e desabafa: ‘Estava desempregado’
➡️Maycon não vê Cruzeiro como favorito na Copa do Brasil: ‘Somos o Corinthians’

continua após a publicidade

O ano corintiano está por um fio.

Tironi no Lance!: veja mais colunas

Eduardo Tironiescreve sua coluna noLance!às terças e sextas-feiras abordando o futebol paulista. Confira abaixo mais publicações do colunista:

➡️Abel e os asteriscos
➡️Palmeiras seguirá forte. Mas Abel precisa dar um passo adiante
➡️Abel procura um novo talismã para a Libertadores?
➡️Qual é o verdadeiro São Paulo: o da diretoria ou de Crespo?

Tudo sobre

Copa do BrasilCorinthiansFutebol Nacional

Urvil Patel smashes 31-ball ton for Gujarat

Urvil Patel marked his T20 captaincy debut with a remarkable 119 not out off just 37 balls as Gujarat opened their Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign with an eight-wicket win over Services in a Group C fixture in Hyderabad.Retained by Chennai Super Kings after being signed midway through IPL 2025 as an injury replacement, Urvil reached his hundred off just 31 balls, the third fastest by an Indian. His fireworks at the top of the order turned a chase of 183 into a cakewalk. Urvil hit 12 fours and 10 sixes as Gujarat won with 45 balls to spare.