كشفت تقارير إعلامية اليوم الأحد، عن قرار اتخذته إدارة نادي ليفربول تجاه المدير الفني للفريق آرني سلوت، وذلك عقب تعادل الريدز مع ليدز يونايتد بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وفشل ليفربول في تحقيق الانتصار على ليدز يونايتد وتعادل معه بثلاثة أهداف لكل فريق يوم أمس السبت، مما زاد من حجم الضغوطات على سلوت.

ويتواجد ليفربول في المركز الثامن في ترتيب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، ليبتعد الريدز تمامًا عن مراكز الصدارة في البطولة المحلية.

وذكرت صحيفة سبورت بيلد الألمانية، أن مستقبل سلوت مع ليفربول بات محل شك، حيث يعتبر المدير الفني الهولندي مهددًا بالإقالة عن تدريب النادي الإنجليزي خلال الفترة المقبلة.

أقرا أيضًا .. ميرفي عن تصريحات محمد صلاح: وضع ليفربول في موقف محرج

وأضافت الصحيفة، أن إدارة ليفربول قررت منح سلوت مهلة حتى أعياد الميلاد في نهاية الشهر الجاري وذلك بشأن تغيير الوضع الحالي في الفريق.

وأوضحت بيلد، أن إدارة ليفربول تؤمن أن سلوت عليه أن يبدأ في اتخاذ خطوات إيجابية تجاه تغيير الوضع في الفريق، لكن إذا استمرت الأمور على حالها فسوف يتم إقالته.

وأتمت الصحيفة قائلة، أن إدارة ليفربول لم تتواصل حتى الآن مع يورجن كلوب بشأن عودة محتملة إلى ملعب آنفيلد.

وكانت بعض الأنباء قد أفادت بعد نهاية مباراة ليفربول وليدز يونايتد، أن إدارة الريدز تفكر بشكل جدي في إقالة سلوت وتعيين أسطورة النادي الإنجليزي، ستيفن جيرارد، بدلًا منه بشكل مؤقت.

كما ورد أن جوليان ناجيلسمان، مدرب منتخب ألمانيا، على رادار ليفربول لتدريب الفريق بدلًا من سلوت.

MatériaMais Notícias

Um dos representantes do meia atacante Claudinho entrou em contato com a diretoria do Flamengo nos últimos dias. Durante a conversa, o empresário do jogador do Zenit (Rússia) ofereceu o atleta ao time Rubro-Negro, que ainda não se manifestou sobre o caso.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Mengão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Flamengo

O jornalista Venê Casagrande publicou que o estafe de Claudinho retomou as conversas com o Flamengo, no intuito de saber se o clube carioca mantém o interesse no futebol do camisa 11. Embora o departamento de futebol goste do meia, uma negociação com o Zenit ainda não foi aberta.

A novela entre Flamengo e Zenit, em relação ao Claudinho, já é de conhecimento de todos. Visto que, em junho de 2023, o Rubro-Negro ofereceu 15 milhões de euros (R$ 78,4 milhões na cotação da época) pelo jogador, porém o clube russo recusou a oferta. No entanto, o Zenit deixou claro ao Flamengo que só aceitaria vender o brasileiro por 25 milhões de euros (R$ 130,7 milhões na cotação da época).

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CLAUDINHO NÃO PRETENDE COMPRAR BRIGA COM O ZENIT

A situação de Claudinho no time do leste europeu é muito positiva. O craque segue sendo um dos principais jogadores da equipe e tem contrato até junho de 2027. Segundo o Coluna do Fla, o meia vê uma transferência ao futebol brasileiro com bons olhos. A questão é que o atleta não quer forçar uma saída. Clube e jogador têm uma relação ótima, e o estafe do camisa 11 não pretende prejudicar esse status.

➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

NÚMEROS DE CLAUDINHO

Titular absoluto do Zenit, Claudinho disputou 41 jogos na temporada 2023/24. Camisa 11, o brasileiro marcou cinco gols e deu nove assistências em partidas pelo Campeonato Russo e pela copa nacional. Importante ressaltar que Claudinho, assim como todos do clube, estão banidos de competições da UEFA por conta da guerra entre Rússia e Ucrânia.

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Tudo sobre

ClaudinhoFlamengoFutebol Nacional

MLB’s hot stove is about to get cranked up this week, as the 2025 winter meetings begin Monday in Orlando, Fla., where executives from all 30 teams will gather. And with executives, managers and player agents in the same room, the proverbial engines of the free agent and trade markets are being revved up. Some of the offseason’s biggest deals often go down at the winter meetings. This year could be no different. 

The best available position player on the market, Kyle Tucker, met with the reigning American League champion Blue Jays, perhaps a precursor to his market picking up speed this week. Arguably the next best free agent hitter, National League home run king Kyle Schwarber, is a candidate to be the first free agent domino to fall in Orlando. And then there’s the trade market. Will back-to-back AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal be dealt by the Tigers? All these questions—and more—will be answered in the coming days, making for an exciting time for baseball fans. That said, here are the biggest questions in MLB heading into the winter meetings.

1. Where will Kyle Tucker land? 

Tucker, who won’t turn 29 until Jan. 17, combines a 15.8% career strikeout rate and an 11.5% walk rate with 30-home run, 30-stolen base capabilities on offense. And he’s a former Gold Glove winner in the outfield. Put it all together and Tucker is well-positioned to become just the third player in the game’s history to exceed $400 million on a free agent contract. 

So where will Tucker, the biggest fish, land? The already-busy Blue Jays, who hosted Tucker at the club’s player development complex in Dunedin, Fla., earlier this week, look poised to be an aggressive suitor for the top free agent bat fresh off of the franchise’s first World Series appearance in 32 years. Contenders with money to spend, such as the Phillies and Giants, should also have a realistic shot at landing the talented outfielder. The Cubs, who traded for Tucker last offseason, aren’t expected to pony up the money to re-sign him. 

And while two of the sport’s biggest spenders, the Dodgers and Yankees, may turn their attention to other endeavors rather than splurge on Tucker, they still can’t be ruled out. With a come-one, come-all market, all eyes will be on Tucker in Orlando. 

2. Will a top-tier starter get dealt? 

The hot stove is already cooking in the starting pitching market, as Dylan Cease, No. 10 ranked free agent, signed a $210 million deal with Toronto back in November. And we’ve already seen movement on the starter trade market, with former first-round pick Grayson Rodriguez dealt to the Angels, and three-time All Star Sonny Gray and tantalizing 27-year-old Johan Oviedo acquired by the Red Sox. 

But there are bigger trades that could be facilitated with the movers and shakers in Orlando. It behooves a playoff contender like Detroit to hold onto back-to-back Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, a 2027 free agent expected to command a record deal, until at least the trade deadline. But if the Tigers are blown away by a monster prospect-laden offer for Skubal, would they pull the trigger and get what they can for the lefty ace now? It bears watching. 

Skubal isn’t the only former Cy Young winner who could be moved at the winter meetings, either. Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara, a workhorse starter who was one of the top pitchers available at the 2025 trade deadline before Miami opted to hold onto him, figures to garner plenty of interest from pitcher-needy contenders given that he returned to All-Star form in the second half. If Skubal, Alcantara or another top-tier starter is dealt during the winter meetings, it could shift the hierarchy at the top of baseball’s food chain. 

3. Will Kyle Schwarber change teams? 

For the third time in the last four offseasons, a league leader in home runs is on the free agent market. In 2022, it was Aaron Judge. In '23, Ohtani. No one would argue that the 32-year-old Schwarber, who is tied alongside Ohtani for the second-most home runs since '22, should command a deal in the stratosphere of the two best baseball players in the world. But it’s likely that the man who just led the NL with 56 homers and finished second in the MVP voting while playing in all 162 games will net a lucrative deal. 

The burning question is: Where? 

Schwarber has played the last four seasons in Philadelphia, where he has blossomed into one of the very best sluggers in baseball while becoming a fan favorite, as well as a leader in the clubhouse. Since the spring, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has made clear that he’d like to retain Schwarber—and the mission hasn’t changed come winter. 

But Philadelphia will have plenty of competition. The Reds, a dark horse in the race, don’t possess the same coffers that the Phillies do, but might have geography on their side. Schwarber is a native of Middletown, Ohio, which is 35 miles to the north of Cincinnati. Might he be interested in a homecoming with a team on the rise managed by World Series winner Terry Francona? Or could the Mets, sworn NL East enemy of the Phillies, continue their rivalry with Philadelphia into the offseason and push for Schwarber as a Plan B in the event free agent first baseman Pete Alonso leaves? Phillies fans shudder at the thought. Perhaps Schwarber, seeing what the Red Sox are building in Beantown, wants a longer stint in Boston after he helped lead the club to the American League Championship Series as a trade deadline acquisition in 2021. Then, there’s the possibility of a surprise team emerging in the Schwarber sweepstakes. 

The hulking slugger perhaps said it best in the aftermath of the Phillies’ gut-wrenching NL Division Series defeat to the Dodgers. 

“You never know how it's gonna work out, right?”

4. Which one of Scott Boras’s clients will sign next? 

It’s the most wonderful time of the year for commission-gobbling agent Scott Boras, who, in anticipation of the lavish deals he hopes to negotiate, always enters the winter in a jolly mood with punny jokes about his clients not far from his lips. 

And Boras has plenty of reasons to be whistling a merry tune heading into the winter meetings. He’s representing four of top 10 free agents, headlined by Cody Bellinger, Alex Bregman and Pete Alonso, the latter two of whom are the best available at their respective positions. Oh, and Boras also represents two of the more promising free agents from Japan, starter Tatsuya Imai and first baseman/third baseman Kazuma Okamoto. 

Plus, for Boras, the festivities have already begun. He helped land Dylan Cease—one of the better starters on the market—the biggest free agent contract in Blue Jays history, kicking the pitching market into high gear in the process. 

It’s possible more of Boras’s high-profile clients will net deals in Orlando. The question is, who will be the first? There’s a compelling case that it could be Alonso, whose market seems centered around two big-money contenders—the Mets and Red Sox—with items of equal importance to signing Alonso on their respective to-do lists. Or perhaps Boston bows out of the Alonso sweepstakes and instead quickly ensures that Bregman, a well-rounded third baseman, proven winner and key veteran presence, returns before his market intensifies. There’s also a chance that, should Tucker get signed and set a robust market for position players, that Bellinger—a fine consolation prize for Tucker hopefuls and a Plan A for the wealthy Yankees—finds a landing spot. One thing is for sure: Boras is hoping the winter meetings are quite busy. 

5. Could small-market teams make a splash?

The usual suspects are expected to be busy shoppers in Orlando. Most of the teams that comprise baseball’s top 10 payrolls—the Dodgers, Mets, Yankees, Phillies, Blue Jays, Red Sox, etc.—are among the clubs in the mix for some of the sport’s top free agents. 

But what about the small-market teams, effectively baseball’s have-nots? Last offseason, the lower-budget Athletics made a free agent splash when the club signed starter Luis Severino to a three-year, $67 million contract that represented the largest guaranteed contract the franchise had ever handed out. There’s a few clubs who could surprise at this year’s winter meetings, similarly to how Oakland did last December. 

The Reds, parked amid the bottom 10 teams in payroll, have been linked to Schwarber. Baltimore, possessing a strong, youthful core and an ownership that has been reluctant to spend in offseasons past, is reportedly in the mix for Tucker, as well as top free agent starters Imai, Ranger Suarez and Michael King. The Pirates, mired in a stretch of seven straight losing seasons and owners of one of the lowest payrolls in the majors, have been rumored to be a potential spender with designs on adding to the club’s offense, MLB’s lowest-scoring unit this past season. 

Could little-bank-take-big-bank at this year’s winter meetings? 

6. How will the Dodgers retool for a run at a three-peat? 

Los Angeles became the first team since the 1999 Yankees to repeat as World Series champions. Those Yankees went on to capture a third championship in 2000. Can the Dodgers enter truly rarified air in '26? To do so, they will need to address one of the club’s biggest weaknesses: the bullpen. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, knowing where his bread was buttered—and wasn’t—largely rode his starters to the Dodgers’ second straight title, as they averaged nearly six innings pitched per start in the postseason. And after the Dodgers’ bullpen posted an ERA north of four and the seventh-most blown saves during the regular season, one would expect the club to address the bullpen this winter. 

But could the events of last year’s offseason dissuade Dodgers’ brass from opening up the wallet to spend on relievers? Los Angeles inked relief pitchers Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates to deals for a combined $85 million, but the two underachieved mightily. Thus far, the Dodgers have reportedly been circling the waters around three-time All-Star reliever Edwin Diaz, but perhaps the market accelerates to heights too rich even for the affluent Dodgers. Improving the bullpen on the margins is not out of the question for Los Angeles. 

The Dodgers also have a need in the outfield, given Michael Conforto’s free agency, as well as the inconsistencies of Teoscar Hernández and Andy Pages. Might Los Angeles make a splash by landing the top free agent in Tucker or perhaps seek a reunion with Bellinger, who rose to MVP heights and won a World Series during his six seasons with the club? The Dodgers could also explore the trade market for some upgrades in both the bullpen and outfield. 

Whether the back-to-back defending champions choose to reload loudly or quietly makes them a potential catalyst in Orlando. 

Despite spending over £200m on new additions during the summer transfer window, Manchester United have still found themselves short on quality in the midfield department.

Ruben Amorim has made it clear he wants added quality in such an area in the months, especially considering the current situation he’s presented with in the Premier League.

Casemiro has started 13 out of a possible 15 games in the league this campaign, but the Brazilian looks set to leave the Red Devils next summer when his current contract expires.

Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo are two other options in such an area, but they have both started two combined league matches in the 2025/26 campaign to date.

As a result, the hierarchy have been hunting for a player to operate at the heart of the side, which could see an excellent partnership being formed in the near future.

United’s potential midfield partnership after January

In an attempt to bolster United’s midfield, INEOS have been on the hunt for added reinforcements, which has led to Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson becoming their main target.

The 23-year-old has been in phenomenal form during the ongoing campaign, even topping numerous rankings in the Premier League compared to other players in his position.

He’s won possession on 126 occasions in England’s top-flight to date, with no other player managing to do so over 100 times – subsequently showing his ball-winning capabilities.

Anderson certainly would offer the perfect deep-lying option, something which Amorim has desired, but any deal would be a club record with Forest demanding a fee in the region of £100m.

Such a move would be a huge investment from the hierarchy, but it would also allow captain Bruno Fernandes to have the partner he’s craved in the middle of the park.

The Portuguese international has operated in a deep-lying position in 2025/26, but has still managed to star in possession, as seen by his tally of ten combined goals and assists in the Premier League.

He’s also constantly offered a creative source for the Red Devils, as seen by his tally of 3.1 chances created per 90 – the best tally of any player in the division at present.

A partnership of Anderson and Bruno would likely be one of the best in England’s top-flight, which could allow the club to finally challenge for a title once again.

The United star who’s a hybrid of Anderson & Bruno

United’s work in the transfer market over the last couple of years has certainly raised eyebrows across the division, with the hierarchy wasting huge funds on countless players.

Over £800m has been splashed in the last four years alone, which has seen numerous players fail to deliver and resulted in a measly 15th-place finish last campaign.

However, Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system requires a very specific type of midfield pairing, which has led to the rumours of a big-money move to land Anderson in the coming weeks.

It would be yet another huge addition made by the board, but one that could set the first-team up for many years, especially considering his tender age, which could see him explode into life in the years ahead.

A player of Bruno’s calibre is also extremely rare in the modern game and would likely cost a pretty penny, but it appears the Red Devils have already got ahead of the curve.

In recent weeks, they completed the €1m (£750k) addition of 17-year-old midfielder Cristian Orozco from Colombian side Fortaleza, with the teenager set to join the academy squad.

The move for the youngster has certainly taken a few supporters by surprise, but it’s one that could allow them to have a huge talent in the future at Old Trafford.

Despite his tender age, he’s already been a star for his boyhood club, which has led to him featuring at the U17 World Cup for his nation – even catching the eye of many people.

Orozco has been dubbed “a midfield destroyer” by one analyst, with his showing against El Salvador last month highlighting why he would be the perfect hybrid of Anderson and Bruno.

Cristian Orozco – stats against El Salvador

Statistics

Tally

Minutes played

90

Touches

107

Pass accuracy

75%

Passes completed

63

Tackles made

2

Duels won

9

Recoveries made

9

Dribbles completed

2

Stats via SofaScore

The teenager produced a superb defensive performance on the international stage, subsequently making two tackles and coming out on top in nine of the duels that he entered.

Such figures showcase his remarkable ball-winning ability, something which has made Anderson such a desirable target for the Red Devils in the last couple of months.

Regaining possession is one thing, but the youngster has also thrived with the ball at his feet – subsequently producing numbers that Bruno would be proud of.

In the same game, he completed 67 passes at a completion rate of 75% – with such numbers reflecting his incredible ability to find his teammates when driving forward with the ball.

There’s no doubt that Orozco has a long way to go in his development before he nails down a starting role at Old Trafford, but there’s little denying that the club have secured a top young talent.

His numbers from his recent showings at international level showcase his incredible talents, with the teenager having all of the tools to be the perfect hybrid of Anderson and Bruno.

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Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl has confirmed that winger Oliver Antman is expected to be out of action for around eight weeks after he suffered a muscle injury in recent days.

The Finland international, signed from Go Ahead Eagles in the summer, started on the right wing against Falkirk on Sunday, and is now set to be out until 2026.

Antman is not the only Rangers player who will be unavailable during the festive period, though, as a couple of players are set to go to the African Cup of Nations with their respective countries.

Rohl is expecting Nasser Djiga and Mohamed Diomande to be unavailable whilst they play in the tournament, which means that there will be several positions that will need to be filled in the coming games.

With these absences, on top of the likes of Mikey Moore, Derek Cornelius, and John Souttar being out with injuries, some of the lesser-seen members of the squad may need to step up.

As unpopular as it may be, Kieran Dowell is one of the players who could step up and benefit from the lack of options available to the manager before the January window opens.

Why Danny Rohl should give Kieran Dowell a chance

After being subbed on in a 1-1 draw with Dundee under Russell Martin, a section of the Gers support, but not all of them, booed the English attacking midfielder’s introduction to the game.

Commenting on the incident, Martin said: “That surprised me. I’m not on any social media or anything like that, so I don’t really know what the narrative is around Kieran. I don’t think it helps him, I don’t think it helps the rest of the guys. That’s how I feel about it really.”

Dowell has not played a league match since that draw with Dundee in August, due to injury, but he recently played for the club’s U19s alongside Dujon Sterling and Clinton Nsiala as he looks to return to full fitness.

Given the reaction to his last league outing for Rangers, playing the left-footed midfielder may not go down as a popular decision with some fans, but the Gers look set to be in a position where it could be needs-must with the players due to be unavailable.

Appearances

19

Goals

5

Big chances created

9

Key passes per game

1.5

Assists

4

It is also worth remembering that Dowell, as shown in the table above, shone out on loan at Birmingham City in League One in the second half of the 2024/25 campaign, which shows that he is capable of being productive in the right environment.

Unfortunately, as evidenced by a return of two goals and three assists in 38 appearances for the club, the Englishman has not found that environment at Ibrox yet.

Since joining on a free transfer from Norwich City in 2023, the 28-year-old flop has not established himself as a key player for the Light Blues, but the injury and international call-up situation could provide him with an opportunity to finally do so under Rohl.

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One of the other reasons why Dowell could end up with a chance to revive his Gers career is that Thelo Aasgaard currently looks like an even worse signing for the Scottish giants.

Why Aasgaard makes Dowell look good for Rangers

The Gers did not have to pay a transfer fee to bring the former Everton and Norwich star to Ibrox in 2023, as his contract at Carrow Road expired, but that was not the case with Aasgaard.

Rangers reportedly splashed out a fee of £3.5m to sign the Norway international from Luton Town in the recent summer transfer window, which shows that the club had to spend significantly more money to bring him in than they did with Dowell.

Unfortunately, the Liverpool-born playmaker has not shown enough on the pitch to suggest that he was worth paying £3.5m for, as he has made Dowell look like a good player by comparison.

Aasgaard has as many red cards (one) as goals (one) for Rangers in all competitions so far this season, per Transfermarkt, with one goal and one assist in 21 appearances for Rangers.

Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar recently posted that he “would gladly never see him again”, referring to Aasgaard, and described him as a “passenger” at the end of November.

It is, unfortunately, hard to argue with the harsh criticism of the Norwegian attacking midfielder, because his performances at Scottish Premiership level make him look even less effective than Dowell.

Appearances

26

11

Starts

8

8

Goals

2

1

Key passes

20

9

Big chances created

4

0

Assists

2

1

As you can see in the table above, Aasgaard has already started as many games in the Premiership as the former Norwich man, yet has created 11 fewer chances and has yet to create a single ‘big chance’.

Dowell’s Rangers career has not been good enough to this point, as evidenced by his aforementioned goal contributions, but he also arrived on a free transfer and his creative output looks good in comparison to the club’s £3.5m signing.

That is not to say that the left-footed star should be considered a good signing or that he is the answer to Rohl’s current problems at the top end of the pitch, but it does suggest that those who jeered his introduction against Dundee earlier this season were too harsh on him.

As well as highlighting that maybe Dowell was not as bad a signing as has been made out, this also highlights how underwhelming Aasgaard has been for a player who was signed for £3.5m.

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The caveat, of course, is that the Norway international only joined in the summer and still has plenty of time left ahead of him to turn things around and prove people wrong, but the signs so far have not been encouraging.

Arsenal have now joined the race for a £88m forward who recently entered “very advanced” talks over a move to Tottenham Hotspur…

Gunners ramping up pursuit of forward amid Eze criticism

The Gunners’ lead at the top of the Premier League table was reduced to just two points on Saturday, with Aston Villa securing a 2-1 win at Villa Park, and Shaka Hislop was particularly unimpressed with Eberechi Eze’s performance.

Hislop said: “He could have been taken off after 30 minutes, I’ll be honest.

“Now I am as willing as anybody to sing Eze’s praises, but everything from Arsenal came down the right in that first half.

“Everything came through Bukayo Saka, so the change had to be made at half-time because Eze was non-existent.”

In fairness, Eze has made a very promising start to life at the Emirates Stadium, with the England international amassing nine goal contributions in his opening 22 matches across all competitions.

However, the 27-year-old’s best performance arguably came in the 4-1 victory against Tottenham, during which he played through the middle, so there may be room to bring in another left-winger this winter, and Arsenal are now ramping up their pursuit.

It was recently revealed that a strong move is being made for Paris Saint-Germain star Bradley Barcola, but the Frenchman is not the only target, with a report from Caught Offside revealing Arsenal have now joined the race for RB Leipzig star Yan Diomande.

The Gunners have been monitoring Diomande’s progress over the past few weeks, alongside a number of Europe’s top clubs, while Spurs are also keen, with Sky Sports reporter Sacha Tavolieri recently stating they are in “very advanced” talks with the left-winger.

A deal could be on the expensive side, however, with it being suggested RB Leipzig could look to hold out for around €80m – €100m (£70m – £88m).

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ByEmilio Galantini 7 days ago Diomande making "sensational" impact in Germany

The Ivorian only made the move to Germany during the summer, but he has already started to make a major impact, being singled out for high praise by scout Jacek Kulig.

Most recently, the 19-year-old put in a remarkable performance in his side’s 6-0 victory against Eintracht Frankfurt, scoring a hat-trick and completing more dribbles than any other player.

Yan Diomande’s key statistics vs Frankfurt

Number completed

Dribbles (successful)

8 (4)

Key passes

1

Duels (won)

13 (6)

Goals

3

Considering Diomande is still a teenager, the level of his performances in the Bundesliga this season have been remarkable, and he may be ready to join one of Europe’s biggest clubs soon, so it would be fantastic if Arsenal were able to beat Tottenham to his signature.

It wouldn’t be hyperbolic to say that Tottenham Hotspur’s season is going off the rails, and fast.

Thomas Frank’s side look a million miles from the one that made a positive start back in August, and following their loss to Fulham on Saturday night, sit tenth in the Premier League.

The North Londoners have become utterly toothless in attack and porous at the back, and they are showing no signs of improving.

Fortunately, reports are now linking Spurs with a player who might be able to help improve the side in both halves of the pitch, someone who’d be a significant upgrade on the increasingly disappointing Rodrigo Bentancur.

Spurs target Bentancur upgrade

While he is far from the only one, Bentancur has been seriously disappointing for Spurs this season, and a million miles from the player fans were excited to watch every week a few years ago.

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For example, in the club’s recent derbies against Chelsea and Arsenal, he looked completely off the pace.

For the first game, respected Spurs writer Alasdair Gold awarded him a rather generous 5/10 match rating. Then, for the latter, he awarded him a 3/10 rating for his inability to gain a foothold in the game.

In short, if it wasn’t already clear last year, this season has made it clear that the Lilywhites need a new midfielder who can help the defence, but also has the power to lend a hand to the attack at times.

Fortunately, it would appear that the club are well aware of this and are looking at a Premier League star who could do just that.

At least that is according to a recent report from Caught Offside, which claims Spurs are now interested in Carlos Baleba.

In fact, the report goes further than that, revealing that the North Londoners have now entered the race for the Brighton & Hove Albion star, who is also a key target for Manchester United.

However, on top of the potential competition, the Cameroonian’s price tag could be a hurdle, with the report stating that the Seagulls still value him at €100m, which is about £88m.

Yet, even though this would be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, Baleba’s ability and potential make it one Spurs should pursue, especially as he’d be a huge upgrade on Bentancur.

How Baleba compares to Bentancur

Now, the first thing to say is that, yes, so far this season, Baleba’s form has dropped somewhat.

However, that could be due in part to the transfer saga he went through in the summer, the inconsistent form of Brighton overall, or the simple fact that he is still just 21 years old.

However, even so, the Cameroon international was sensational last season, and a slight dip in form does not take away from the fact that when he is on song, he is incredible to watch.

Moreover, when comparing his underlying numbers to Bentancur’s from last season, even though he is so much younger, he still comes out ahead in most metrics.

For example, when it comes to the attacking side of the game, the Douala-born gem does better in metrics like non-penalty expected goals plus assists, shots, key passes, successful take-ons, carries into the final third and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.15

0.10

Shots

1.49

1.20

Shots on Target

0.37

0.27

Passing Accuracy

87.4%

87.9%

Key Passes

0.71

0.55

Passes into the Penalty Area

0.78

0.71

Goal-Creating Actions

0.14

0.16

Tackles Won

1.55

1.20

Blocks

1.59

1.37

Errors Leading to a Shot

0.03

0.05

Successful Take-Ons

1.11

0.49

Carries into the Final Third

1.52

1.31

Ball Recoveries

6.66

6.61

% of Aerial Duels Won

60.0%

54.5%

Impressively, despite tending to start a little deeper than the Uruguayan, the Seagulls star also ranked incredibly closely for goal-creating actions.

Unsurprisingly, he also blows the 28-year-old away when it comes to the defensive side of things, winning more tackles, making more blocks, recovering the ball more often and winning more of his aerial duels, despite being shorter.

With numbers such as these, it’s not hard to see why respected analyst Ben Mattinson described the former LOSC Lille star as “one of the best midfielders in the league” last year.

Finally, on top of clearly outperforming the Lilywhites midfielder when it comes to underlying numbers, another reason Baleba would be an excellent upgrade is that he’s happy playing in central or defensive midfield.

Therefore, he’d be a perfect option for a double pivot, as he could interchange with someone like Lucas Bergvall and, in turn, make life for opposition midfielders far harder.

Ultimately, while it would be an expensive transfer to get over the line, Spurs should do what they can to bring the Brighton ace to N17, as he’d be an excellent addition to the team and an instant upgrade on Bentancur.

New Soldado: Frank must bin Spurs flop who had fewer touches than Vicario

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank must drop this flop who is becoming the new Roberto Soldado.

ByDan Emery Nov 30, 2025

Brydon Carse heaped praise on England’s captain, Ben Stokes, for his leadership on and off the field, after a barnstorming fightback with the ball on the opening day of the 2025-26 Ashes.Carse claimed the key wickets of Steven Smith and Usman Khawaja, before Stokes ripped through the lower-middle order with figures of 5 for 45 in ten overs, as England fought back from being bowled out for 172 by reducing Australia to 123 for 9 at the close, a deficit of 49.It meant that 19 wickets had fallen, the most ever on the opening day of an Ashes series, as the action lived up to every ounce of the pre-series hype.Carse, however, praised his captain for confronting the emotions of the series head-on, both in encouraging the team to walk to the venue at the start of the day’s play, and in inspiring their fightback with his calm response to their batting display.”Stokesy came up with that idea last night,” Carse said of the team’s arrival, through a sea of fans with 51,531 spectators attending the opening day. “It was obviously what we decided to do. And luckily, we came in at about 8.30am, because I think if we were about a half an hour later, we might have got a bit more stick from some of the Aussie fans. It was electric … the energy throughout the day was awesome.”Once inside the Optus Stadium, England won the toss and choose to bat first, only to lose Zak Crawley for a duck to set the tone for Mitchell Starc’s magnificent seven-wicket display. But despite being rolled aside in just 32.5 overs – the second-shortest Ashes innings, behind Australia’s 60 all out at Trent Bridge in 2015 – Stokes gathered his team at the innings change-over and set in motion their change of fortune.”Stokesy kept it really simple,” Carse said. “We had 45-50 minutes before tea, and he said to the lads with the ball, just give everything. The way Gus Atkinson and Jofra [Archer] started was phenomenal. And then after tea, that messaging was pretty similar, just do it over a longer period of time.Related

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“While the ball was still new, there was a lot of pace and bounce in it. And, we said as a group of bowlers, it was just about hitting the wicket as hard as we could.”The close-of-play scoreline vindicated England’s decision to field a five-man pace attack, which allowed Archer and Mark Wood – their fastest bowlers – to be used in short, sharp bursts that denied Australia a chance to settle at any stage of their reply. With Josh Tongue and Matthew Potts still waiting in the wings, Carse was confident that England could keep their pace levels high throughout the campaign.”I haven’t played in a lot of attacks where we’ve had five seamers, but everyone does complement each other,” Carse said. “I’ve said before that the group is six, seven seamers, and we’ve all got different attributes. Hopefully that stands us in good stead throughout the series.”Stokes, however, remains utterly fundamental to England’s hopes of winning an Ashes series in Australia for the first time since 2010-11. Having hinted at his readiness with six wickets in a low-key warm-up against England Lions last week, he showcased his golden arm with the vital wickets of Travis Head and Cameron Green, then picked off Alex Carey, too, on the way to his sixth five-wicket haul and second in Australia.”His character and enthusiasm around the group, and the way it goes about his business is phenomenal,” Carse said. “Everyone looks up to him. He’s a great leader to have in our team.”He’s been out here for the last two-and-a-half weeks, and as Ducky [Ben Duckett] said a couple of weeks ago, he’s in beast mode at the moment. Hopefully that pays off throughout the series for him.”Stokes is back in Australia for his third Ashes tour, having debuted on the 2013-14 tour, 12 years ago. Carse, however, was sampling the occasion for the very first time, and admitted the atmosphere had been a step up from his previous experience in England colours.”I felt nervous, excited … obviously almost going into a bit of the unknown, but just trying to soak it all up throughout the day. It’s been a phenomenal day. We’ll go back to the hotel and we’ll have a quiet night.”The stage is set for another high-octane day on Saturday, and Carse admitted that – despite the shortcomings of their batting first-time around – their run-rate of 5.23 had demonstrated that batting could get easier once the first-day nerves and some of the pitch’s early life have gone.”The first thing tomorrow is obviously to knock over this last wicket,” he said. “Then, we’ve seen some of the guys that have got starts and some runs today, the way that they went about it was obviously taking the positive option.”I even thought Alex Carey, towards the end, was quite proactive and positive, and it put us under a bit of pressure. So going into the second innings, I think our batters will know what sort of gameplan they are going to use.”

There’s been a bit of upheaval in the directorial department at Newcastle United over the past year, but Ross Wilson has forged a neat working relationship with Eddie Howe, and the pair are looking to make improvements at St. James’ Park.

Last year, Howe and his squad defied many odds to lift the Carabao Cup and restore a place in the Champions League. It all came together, and while the sale of talisman Alexander Isak this summer threatened to knock things out of kilter, United have made progress in recent weeks, with new heroes emerging.

Bruno Guimaraes remains the Magpies’ all-inspiring leader, but Malick Thiaw has risen to the occasion since arriving in the Premier League this year, becoming a different kind of driving force for the Tynesiders.

Howe's new leaders at Newcastle

Isak was never a vocal talisman in Howe’s Newcastle squad, but, before the summer transfer window, he led by example on the field, scoring 27 goals across all competitions last season and notching in the Carabao Cup final.

However, Newcastle banked a record fee for his signature, and Guimaraes has only raised his game this term, both from a technical and leadership standpoint.

Though a new forward focal point has yet to properly establish himself, Thiaw has taken to life in the Premier League seamlessly, and Bruno has actually remarked that the imperious German defender is “the future of this club”.

It says something of his character and technical quality that he has arrived from AC Milan for around £35m and swiftly stepped higher than Sven Botman. As per Sofascore, Thiaw, 24, has won 74% of his aerial duels in the Premier League, completing 88% of his passes and yet to make an error.

He’s some player, and Bruno is too, but United may actually have a younger member of their squad who is shooting through the form rankings in the English game, starting to prove he could be the pick of the bunch.

Newcastle made a better signing than Bruno & Thiaw

When Newcastle signed Lewis Hall from Chelsea for £28m (after a season-long loan move throughout the 2023/24 campaign), they knew they had struck a bargain for a young full-back with a wealth of potential.

However, injuries have damaged the 21-year-old’s chances of establishing fluency since that move became permanent, and so it’s interesting to see him playing so well in recent weeks, finally building toward the elite player he could, should, become.

Described as “the best player on the field” by reporter Andy Sixsmith after his monstrous display against Tottenham, Hall has overcome his injury problems and is now reminding the Premier League that he is one of the best in the business. Indeed, with more performances like these, it won’t just be those of a Toon persuasion advocating for him to be on the Three Lions plane across the pond next summer.

Lewis Hall vs Tottenham
Match Stats	#
Minutes played	90′
Touches	75
Shots (on target)	3 (0)
Accurate passes	36/43 (84%)
Chances created	0
Dribbles	2/2
Recoveries	6
Tackles won	4/4
Interceptions	2
Clearances	4
Duels won	8/15
Data via Sofascore

As per FBref, Hall actually ranks among the top 7% of full-backs across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 11% for progressive passes, and the top 5% for through balls and tackles won per 90.

This is a frighteningly rounded player, his formative career as a centre-midfielder fostering a dynamic skillset that is charging his journey to the top. If the England international can keep fitness levels on his side, then he will only get better and better on Tyneside, potentially even becoming Howe’s main man.

In this, he might become one of the best signings of the PIF era. Already, it is clear that his name belongs in such a conversation, but Hall needs consistency now. Who knows, maybe he could climb up to loftier ground than the likes of Bruno and Thiaw stand on.

There’s also the matter of him arriving from Chelsea after being awarded the Cobham side’s Academy Player of the Year award. Pinched from a direct rival, Hall is developing into a player who will rival the likes of Marc Cucurella for the left-back crown down the line.

With so much room still for growth, there’s every chance that Hall could be Howe’s main man in the not-too-distant future.

Bigger waste of money than Wissa & Elanga: Howe must drop Newcastle dud

Eddie Howe must now axe this big Newcastle United waste of money ahead of the tense Tyne-Wear Derby.

By
Kelan Sarson

3 days ago

The offspinner had claimed five wickets then forged the match-winning stand with No. 11 Cameron Gannon after a WA collapse

AAP14-Nov-2025

Corey Rocchiccioli starred with ball then bat•Getty Images

Western Australia captain Sam Whiteman made the most of Queensland’s butter fingers before Corey Rocchiccioli guided the tail home in a thrilling one-wicket Sheffield Shield victory over Queensland.Set 272 for victory from 90 overs on Friday at the WACA Ground, WA went from a comfortable 155 for 2 to a shaky 249 for 9 as Queensland’s attack put the squeeze on.Related

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But Rocchiccioli (24 not out off 37 balls) and No.11 Cameron Gannon (10 not out off 13 balls) showed nerves of steel in an unbeaten 23-run final-wicket stand to guide WA to their first win of the season with 7.3 overs remaining.Whiteman, in his 100th Shield match, was the rock at the top of the order, with his knock of 81 off 170 balls helping set up victory. But he had some luck along the way.The 32-year-old was yet to score when he was dropped at second slip by substitute fielder Hugh Weibgen, who was on the field for the rested Matt Renshaw (knee).Whiteman was dropped again on 47, this time in the deep by another substitute fielder – Benji Floros.Cameron Bancroft, Hilton Cartwright and Cameron Green failed to go on with their starts, while Cooper Connolly was out for just 2 as Queensland worked their way back into the contest.Xavier Bartlett loomed as the biggest threat to WA’s victory hopes, with the home side going from slipping to 159 for 4 when he struck twice in the space of three overs by having Green caught on the pull and Connolly flashing a top edge to the keeper.Whiteman’s luck finally ran out when he hooked Gurinder Sandhu to the deep and Angus Lovell took a tumbling catch, reducing WA to 180 for 5.WA still needed 55 more runs for victory when Aaron Hardie fell for 12, and when Josh Inglis departed for 28, WA’s tail was well and truly exposed.But Rocchiccioli and Gannon stood up when counted, reviving WA’s season after they began with two losses and a draw.It wasn’t only Queensland’s dropped catches on Friday that proved costly.They were cruising at 183 for 4 in their second innings late on Thursday before a collapse struck. Player of the match Rocchiccioli snared four quick wickets as Queensland slumped to 187 for 8 by stumps.Rocchiccioli claimed another wicket on Friday morning to help dismiss Queensland for 203.