All posts by n8rngtd.top

Wolverhampton Wanderers' five-match unbeaten run in the Premier League was halted by bottom-of-the-league Sheffield United last time out, Paul Heckingbottom's Blades winning the contest 2-1 to pick up their first three points of the season at the expense of Gary O'Neil's side.

The Wolves manager would have felt annoyed that his team didn't at least come away from the encounter at Bramall Lane with a share of the points, substitute Jean-Ricner Bellegarde scoring with a minute left on the clock before Oliver Norwood's penalty deep into ten additional minutes spoiled the away day for the West Midlands outfit.

Everyone connected to the Old Gold will hope they can immediately bounce back from his disappointing loss versus Tottenham Hotspur at home, a hard ask arguably with Ange Postecoglou's Spurs flying high with eight wins from 11 so far in the top-flight.

O'Neil will be presented with a selection dilemma for this visit of the Lilywhites to Molineux, the 40-year-old's usually dependable star-man Mateus Cunha way off the pace in Sheffield last time out with various other first-teamers also having off days in the Steel City.

Cunha's performance in numbers versus Sheffield United

Wolves' number 12 joined the West Midlanders on a club record £44m deal after starring on loan, relocating permanently to Wolverhampton from Atletico Madrid earlier this year.

He's been played predominantly as a centre forward under O'Neil's tenure to date, although the 24-year-old has been used as a second striker and attacking midfielder for the Old Gold as well sparingly in recent times.

Netting two goals from a centre-forward position this season – his last strike coming away at AFC Bournemouth in a 2-1 win on the South Coast – it was the tactical decision to move him behind sole striker Saša Kalajdžić into a less favoured second striker role versus Heckingbottom's men that ended up working against Wolves.

Losing possession 22 times in total, as per Sofascore, Cunha didn't look switched on to the task at hand whatsoever against the lowly hosts.

It was a poor 90 minutes from the Brazilian attacker, registering only one shot on target in his efforts to trouble Blades goalkeeper Wesley Foderingham – the leaky goalkeeper conceding a dire 30 goals all season.

His starting spot for the home game against Tottenham could be under threat as a result, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde a plausible replacement for the underwhelming Cunha.

Bellegarde scored Wolves' solitary goal at Bramall Lane, despite only playing for 29 minutes.

Rayan Aït-Nouri will also be left wondering whether he did enough last time out to start this time around, following a poor day at the office for the wing-back turned winger.

Aït-Nouri's performance in numbers vs Sheffield United

Aït-Nouri was equally wasteful with the ball at his feet in the narrow loss last weekend, losing possession 13 times, which contributed to Sheffield United gaining an eventual foothold in the contest and grinding out a win.

He also only crossed into the Sheffield United box once all afternoon, with more balls into the area potentially unlocking a resolute backline if tried.

Jayden Bogle running down the flanks for the hosts was far more effective, winning six of his 11 attempted ground duels in the contest per Sofascore to help his team pull off their first victory in the top-flight after ten painful games prior.

Whereas, the 22-year-old winger for Wolves was marshalled out of the game effectively by Blades shirts and could run the risk of losing his spot in O'Neil's lineup for the game against Postecoglou's full-throttle north Londoners.

Cole Palmer's hat-trick ball was tarnished with "sh*t player" comments yet again after the Chelsea star's incredible performance against Everton.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Palmer scored successive home hat-tricks
• Fired Chelsea to a massive 6-0 win over Everton
• But saw his hat-trick ball defaced with 'sh*t player' comments

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Palmer kicked off the scoring with a breathtaking solo effort that left Everton's defence scrambling. Continuing his dominance, Palmer notched a header and capitalised on a blunder from Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford to complete his treble, before adding a second-half penalty to cap off a stunning performance. His stellar contributions, coupled with strikes from team-mates Nicolas Jackson and Alfie Gilchrist, ensured a comprehensive 6-0 victory for Chelsea, leaving Everton trailing as mere spectators in a disappointing outing for Sean Dyche's men.

Advertisement

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  This remarkable performance marked Palmer's second consecutive home hat-trick, following his exceptional display against Manchester United earlier in the month. However, his night had one downside when he found that the Chelsea ball prankster had returned. After the game against United, one of his teammates wrote "sh*t player" on his hat-trick ball. Now, after his heroics against Everton, the message was reiterated: "I told you, you are a sh*t player."

• DID YOU KNOW?

  With his hat-trick against Everton, Palmer joins Erling Haaland at the pinnacle of the Premier League's goalscoring charts with 20 goals to his name. Notably, Palmer's feat makes him the first Chelsea player since Eden Hazard in 2018-19 to reach this milestone and the first Englishman for the Blues since Frank Lampard's tally of 27 goals in the 2009-10 season.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Palmer's exceptional form has propelled Chelsea up the league standings, positioning them within touching distance of sixth-placed Newcastle United with a game in hand, reigniting hopes of securing European qualification.

  With crucial fixtures against fourth-placed Aston Villa, fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, and eighth-placed West Ham United on the horizon, Chelsea's destiny lies largely in their own hands. However, their immediate focus shifts to an FA Cup semi-final clash against Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on April 20, where Palmer will aim to continue his stellar form and lead his team to further success.

There was a period in September when Southampton lost four matches in a row but they've quickly turned their fortunes after going eight matches unbeaten in October and November.

It feels as though the Saints have clicked into gear under Russell Martin, controlling most matches with their relentless possession-based style.

Yet, such is the strength of Leicester City and Ipswich Town at the top of the Championship, Southampton find themselves nine points behind the second-place Tractor Boys.

With this in mind, Martin could use January as an opportunity to bolster his squad and field a lineup that is capable of gatecrashing the automatic promotion spots…

1

GK – Gavin Bazunu

Gavin Bazunu has started in every game for the south coast side so far but some have questioned Martin's decision to persevere with the former Manchester City man.

Out of all the 35 goalkeepers to have made an appearance in the Championship this term, Bazunu is rock bottom for goals prevented (-5.17) and the third worst for saves per game (2.3), as per Sofascore.

The 21-year-old, however, is excellent with the ball at his feet so that is why he's invaluable to Martin's possession-orientated style.

2

RB – Kyle Walker-Peters

When Southampton dropped down to the second tier, many expected Kyle Walker-Peters to depart St Mary's.

However, he remained with the club – to the delight of everyone associated with the Saints – and is shining this season, scoring once and providing two assists in 16 league outings.

His boundless energy and attacking threat are crucial ingredients to Martin's system, with the 26-year-old completing the most dribbles per game of any full-back in the division (2.1 – 69%).

3

CB – Taylor Harwood-Bellis

Harwood-Bellis was pivotal in Burnley's title-winning campaign last term and if Southampton are to gatecrash the automatic promotion spots, the on-loan Manchester City centre-back will play a crucial role having featured in all but two matches so far.

Martin must do everything in January to capture the England under-21 star on a permanent deal from the Etihad outfit.

4

CB – Jan Bednarek

Bednarek is a colossus at the back and his form this term has warranted a return to Poland's international squad.

The 27-year-old is vital to how the Saints progress play from the back, averaging the highest pass completion of any defender in the division (95%), while his 7.3 balls recovered per game has bailed his side out on numerous occasions.

5

LB – James Bree

Since replacing Ryan Manning in the draw against Preston North End in October, the former Luton Town star has never looked back, having successfully completed 80% of his dribbles, 89% pass completion and recovered 3.4 balls per game.

If he continues to be the driving force down Martin's left flank, Manning will struggle to dislodge him from the starting XI.

6

CDM – Joel Katongo

According to a report from Alan Nixon [via Football League World], Southampton are looking to raid Man City once more to lure 19-year-old Joel Katongo to St Mary's.

Initially a centre-back by trade, the England under-20 international has featured as a defensive midfielder on loan at Peterborough United this term.

If the Saints were able to capture the teenager permanently, he could be their missing anchor in a ship they hope will sail towards promotion.

7

CM – Will Smallbone

After starring on loan at Stoke City last term, making 43 appearances, Smallbone has returned to the south coast and become a crucial cog in Martin's machine, demonstrating his energy and dynamism in full throttle.

The 23-year-old has featured in all but two Championship matches so far, creating the second-most big chances (5) and the third-most goal contributions in the Saints squad (4).

8

CM – Stuart Armstrong

An ever-present at the heart of Southampton's midfield, Armstrong's all-action displays and effortless ball-carrying are two attributes that often go unnoticed but he's featured in every match so far and is one of the first names on the team sheet.

9

RW – Kamaldeen Sulemana

A club record signing from Rennes in January, Sulemana is a direct and explosive winger, but it's only in recent months that Martin has seen those attributes explode into life.

The 21-year-old has showcased his exceptional ball-carrying by completing the third most successful dribbles in the Championship (3.2), behind only Jaden Philogene and Jack Clarke.

He could move over to the right wing to facilitate a move for the star below.

10

LW – Ben Brereton Diaz

One of Southampton's only deficiencies is a lack of serious firepower in the final third. Adam Armstrong has scored nine goals but their second top scorer, Che Adams, has three in 14.

If the Saints move for Ben Brereton Diaz, as reported by TEAMTalk, the 6 foot 1 Villarreal forward could resolve that issue, with the 24-year-old hailed as the "real deal" by pundit Glenn Murray (ITV, 09/11/2022, 23:38), having already "cracked the Championship".

Prior to his move to Spain, the towering "goal machine", as dubbed by Nixon, scored 16 goals for Blackburn Rovers last term predominantly as a left winger – and has 53 Championship goals across his career to date – so clearly knows where the back of the net is.

It has been a turbulent week for Everton as the club were docked ten points for breaching Financial Fair Play rules which is the heaviest punishment in Premier League history, following Portsmouth's nine points deduction in March 2010.

The Toffees sentence came after the club had been found guilty of recording losses greater than the £105m over three years permitted by the Profit and Sustainability Rules, leading to an outcry from Leicester City, Leeds United and Burnley who have all threatened to sue in a £300m lawsuit.

The ruling from an independent commission has left Sean Dyche's side second from bottom in the table now. With an appeal to take place and further litigation to battle against lawsuits, the Merseyside club could commence a fire sale in January, causing the manager to lose his best players.

One star in particular could be on his way out of Goodison Park this January.

Everton star could leave Merseyside

According to the Daily Express, via TEAMtalk, Manchester United are looking to take advantage of Everton's FFP misery by taking Amadou Onana to Old Trafford this winter, just eighteen months after the midfielder joined the club.

The report claims that Erik ten Hag is hoping the Belgium international – who is valued at £50m – can add balance to United's midfield this term, particularly with Casemiro and Christian Eriksen set to be sidelined for the remainder of the year.

Onana was a key player for Everton last season in the club's fight to stay in the Premier League, having signed in the summer of 2022 for £33m under Frank Lampard and featured 33 times in the top flight in his debut campaign.

The Belgian has played a vital role once more under Dyche this term and teammate Arnaut Danjuma has even described the 22-year-old as playing "like an octopus" due to his ability to always reclaim the ball when tackling. Meanwhile, Hamburg's sporting director Jonas Boldt claimed that the 6 foot 4 midfielder has the "perfect" qualities needed to reach the top level.

Amadou Onana's stats this season

Onana is not the type of midfielder to get eight to ten goals a season. In fact, the former Lille star has scored just nine goals in 124 appearances in his professional career. However, the Everton general is incredibly versatile and can play in a handful of different positions, having had experience as a centre-back, a defensive midfielder, a number '10' and even one game up top, according to Transfermarkt.

Furthermore, Transfermarkt have ranked Onana as the tenth most expensive number '6' in the world and Everton's most valuable player, while his market value has increased by £17.5m since moving to Goodison Park eighteen months ago. It's safe to say despite his lofty valuation, this is someone the Toffees cannot afford to lose.

The former Hoffenheim starlet has been impressing statistically when compared to all holding midfield players across Europe's top-five leagues, ranking in the top 5% for aerial duels per 90, the top 20% for expected assisted goals per 90 and the top 1% for passes blocked per 90. Additionally, Onana's data is most comparable to AS Roma's Bryan Cristante, as per FBref's player comparison model.

Onana has been Everton's most influential midfielder this season and comparing his stats to the rest of the midfielders Dyche has available proves why it is imperative that the club keep hold of him beyond January.

While Onana may not be as impactful in the final third as some of Everton's other midfielders, he is the key for Dyche's side to progress up the pitch but to also regain possession once the ball is lost.

Indeed, losing the Belgian to Manchester United could have greater ramifications than any points deduction. They are still well in the fight to stay up but losing their best player could condemn any hopes.

Gio Reyna came on as a late substitute as Nottingham Forest wasted several chances to seal a result against Manchester City.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Reyna comes on late
• Haaland goal seals City win
• Forest in relegation battle

• Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Forest had multiple chances to score throughout the match, generating eight total shots in the first half. Chris Wood, Neco Williams and Murillo all squandered key chances, with Wood missing another big opportunity early in the second half as well.

  City, though, took their opportunities, beginning with a Josko Gvardiol header in the 32nd minute. Erling Haaland then came off the bench to put the game away in the 71st minute, dooming Forest to defeat as City ran away with a 2-0 win.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The loss wasn't surprising, but Forest having the opportunity to steal something from the game was. Unfortunately, they wasted their chances, leaving them in the relegation fight in the home stretch. With just three games remaining, Forest are one point ahead of Luton Town, who sit in that third and final relegation spot. Burnley, too can smell safety, as they sit just two points behind 17th-place Forest.

• Getty
  

  USMNT IMPACT

  Reyna had gotten a few starts for Forest in recent weeks, but the American star was relegated to the bench once again on Sunday. By the time he came on, the game was all but gone, with Haland's goal three minutes prior ending Forest's hopes of earning a point.

  Reyna remains behind Morgan Gibbs-White as the club's primary No. 10, while Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga are the primary wing options. Reyna replaced Elanga in this match, having previously started in place of the injured winger in recent weeks.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  GOAL'S RATINGS

  Gio Reyna (6/10):

  The life had been sucked out of the game by the time he was thrown on. Only got a handful of touches to really do anything.

Fulham are interested in a deal to sign an exciting talisman in January, but a report has revealed that they aren’t the only club who want to bring him to the Premier League.

Marco Silva's current options

The Cottagers have Harrison Reed, Sasa Lukic, Tom Cairney and Tyrese Francois as their natural options in central midfield as it stands, but there’s a strong possibility that the latter two could be heading for the exit door during the upcoming transfer window. Both Cairney and Francois will have reached the expiration of their deals at the end of the season (Fulham contracts), so should they not be offered the chance to extend their stay or they decide not to put pen to paper on an improved deal, Marco Silva may have to enter the market to find suitable replacements.

The Craven Cottage side have seemingly set their sights on Chivas De Guadalajara's Fernando Beltran who has made a total of 184 senior appearances to date since joining his club back in 2018 (Transfermarkt – Beltran statistics).

However, the Mexico international will be out of contract on December 31st, as per the same above outlet, and with no plans to sign another one, the 25-year-old’s potential availability has alerted the hierarchy that there could be a bargain up for grabs.

Fulham plotting move for Fernando Beltran

According to 90min, Fulham are keen on Beltran, but they are set to face stiff competition from several other high-profile clubs who are also hoping to secure the services of the talented prospect in January.

“Sources have confirmed to 90min that Dutch Eredivisie sides Ajax and Feyenoord, as well as the Premier League's Fulham and Wolves, are closely monitoring the Chivas de Guadalajara figure. English Championship team Leicester City also expressed interest in Beltran.”

Beltran could be a real "playmaker" for Silva

While Beltran is naturally a central midfielder, he is stronger in the offensive aspect of his game where he’s already scored four goals in 19 appearances across all competitions since the start of the season, and he’s always looking to pose a threat to the opposition’s defence.

The Mexico City native currently ranks in the 92nd percentile for progressive carries, representing his desire to push his team as high up the pitch as possible to create chances for both himself and his fellow teammates in the final third (FBRef – Beltran statistics).

Silva’s target is even a versatile operator having been deployed in six different positions over the grass following his arrival on the professional scene, including four roles in the midfield and out wide on both the left and right flanks, making him a useful option to have in the building should any unexpected injuries occur.

As described by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Beltran is a “roaming playmaker”, and there’s no doubt that for all of the positive qualities that he possesses, he could be an extremely exciting signing should he decide to join Fulham in January.

Celebrity ticket requests to watch Lionel Messi have gone “crazy”, says Inter Miami’s general director, with A-list stars flocking to MLS fixtures.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Argentine icon illuminating the States
• Fans desperate to catch a glimpse of games
• All-time great is not disappointing

• Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The likes of Kim Kardashian, LeBron James, Will Smith and Serena Williams are among those to have caught the live Messi show – in Florida and across the United States – with there the promise of more iconic guests to come.

  Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games now

Advertisement

• WHAT ASENSI SAID

  Messi is the biggest draw in American soccer, by some distance, and Xavier Asensi admits that famous faces are falling over themselves to take advantage of an opportunity to watch sporting greatness. He has told the news agency when asked about interest shown by celebrities from outside of the soccer world: “The level of requests that come in is really crazy. Usain Bolt has come more than once, it was impressive. From LeBron James to everything that has happened here. He is fascinating and, at the same time, a source of pride. It is wonderful to be able to experience it first hand again.”

• Getty/GOAL
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  He added on why Messi is so appealing: “We are talking about the best player of all time. It's like being able to say you've seen Tiger Woods play, or Michael Phelps swim, or Usain Bolt run, or watch Michael Jordan or Tom Brady. We are contemporaries of something that is happening here and now. Every weekend the United States has him playing in their professional league. We are talking about the greatest of all time who is active and playing.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?

  Messi’s magical performances this season have helped Inter Miami to the top of the MLS Eastern Conference, with six goal contributions recorded in his latest outing against the New York Red Bulls – with the history books being rewritten by the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.

It hasn't been the best of weeks for Arsenal, as the Gunners followed up their 1-0 away loss to Aston Villa in the Premier League with an uninspiring 1-1 draw away to PSV Eindhoven in their final Champions League group game of the season.

Mikel Arteta's men were already guaranteed to go through top of their group heading into the game, and the Spaniard made changes to his side reflecting that, but the performance was still well below par.

The north Londoners actually took the lead through Eddie Nketiah in the first half, but they were second-best for much of the game, with the fullbacks Jakub Kiwior and Cedric Soares looking particularly average – at best.

The Portuguese right-back was making his first start in over a year, and despite not putting in a truly woeful performance, it really is time that he moved on and never pulls on the red and white of Arsenal again.

Cedric Soraes's game in numbers

The former Southampton man was chosen to start ahead of Ben White on Tuesday night to give the Englishman some much-needed rest ahead of a compact and intense Christmas schedule that'll see the Gunners take on Liverpool twice, Brighton & Hove Albion, West Ham United and Fulham.

Unfortunately for the former Seagulls' defender, he was called into action in the 62nd minute as his team looked for a winner while putting in quite the shift to keep the Dutch side from doing the same.

Soares certainly wasn't abysmal on the night, getting a 6/10 for his performance from the Evening Standard's Simon Collings, but he did nothing notable or worthy of another start in the team.

If anything, 6/10 could be generous, as he managed to lose 100% of his duels on the night, which is unforgivable for a defender, regardless of how attacking-oriented they are.

In fact, he was poor in that regard as well, registering 0.14 expected assists and a passing accuracy of just 69%.

Ultimately, the "defensive liability", as described by journalist Mike White, did little to disprove this tag as PSV's equalising goal actually came from his side, proving it's time to take him out of the team for good.

Ben White must play at right-back going forward

There are two players in the Arsenal squad – three if you include Jurrien Timber – that could and should come in to replace Soares, but considering Takehiro Tomiyasu is injured, White is the best man for the job, and his body of work from last season proves that.

Furthermore, when PSV made the trip to north London for the first game of the Champions League, the Englishman was the Gunners' starting right-back, and he had an exceptional game.

Arsenal's "star man" vs PSV just proved a big point to Mikel Arteta

One Arsenal star proved he’s in need of more minutes after a 1-1 Champions League draw.

By
Matt Dawson

Dec 13, 2023

The "underrated" defender, as described by Michael Owen, played the full 90, registering 0.57 expected assists, making four clearances, losing possession just four times, and even succeeding in 100% of his dribbles.

At the end of the day, the Gunners are blessed with an array of immensely talented full-backs – when fit, that is – and there just isn't a place for Soares in the team anymore, so it is time to say goodbye and sell him in the Winter.

With rumours that he could be shown the door in January – with just six months left on his existing deal – an exit seemingly lies in store.

Manuel Neuer was at a loss for words after his howler helped Real Madrid dump Bayern Munich out of the Champions League.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Neuer made several outstanding saves
• But one mistake helped Madrid equalise
• Keeper was devastated after being knocked out

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Bavarians were on the cusp of securing an all-German final showdown against Borussia Dortmund, holding a 3-2 aggregate lead over Madrid after Alphonso Davies' early goal at the Bernabeu. However, Neuer's blunder in the dying moments of the match, which paved the way for Joselu's equaliser, turned the tide in Madrid's favour.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Neuer, hailed as one of Bayern Munich's greatest players, endured a heart-wrenching moment as he failed to handle Vinicius Junior's shot, allowing Joselu to capitalize and level the tie in the 88th minute. With extra-time looming, Joselu struck again in injury time, sealing Bayern's fate and propelling Real Madrid into the final.

• WHAT NEUER SAID

  Speaking after the match, a disappointed Neuer told Anyone who’s ever played football knows how I’m feeling right now. That we’ve been knocked out in the closing stages, having led 1-0 until the 85th minute, it’s extremely bitter. We’d taken one step to London, we saw ourselves in the final and now I’m lost for words. It’s extremely bitter for me.

  "I expected the ball to land a bit differently to my chest but it went a bit higher and it was difficult to get a hold of it. And then Joselu was there quicker and it was difficult to defend. For a goalkeeper who’s been around for a while, it’s something I’ve already experienced, but the goal was brutal."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel echoed Neuer's sentiments and labelled the goalkeeper's mistake as "very unusual".

  "We are almost through, it’s almost there and there was a very unusual mistake from our best player for the equaliser then we conceded the second one in stoppage time," he said.

  "When you are through in the 88th minute you see the end of the tunnel. Was it our very best match? No. But we didn’t need to be perfect, we just needed to be good enough in this moment. In the moment when we had one player out with a cramp, we conceded a goal we never usually would with our goalkeeper. You have to accept the result in the end."

Tyson Fury's reported purse for the Oleksandr Usyk heavyweight title fight in Saudi Arabia is set to rival Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr salary.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Fury to face Usyk in Saudi Arabia clash
• British boxer to receive huge purse for fight
• Set to rival Ronaldo's Al-Nassr salary

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to talkSPORT BET, Fury will earn around £115 million ($145m) for undisputed world heavyweight boxing title fight with the Ukrainian on Saturday. That is not too far shy of Ronaldo's eye-watering salary of £131m ($166m) per 10-month season for the Saudi Pro League side.

Advertisement

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ronaldo is one of the richest athletes on the planet. The 39-year-old has played for many of the biggest teams on the planet and has won much of the sport's biggest trophies. His wealth has only increased since moving to Saudi Arabia and it is clear as time goes by, other sports stars will cash in on the funds available in the Gulf state – such as Fury.

• talkSPORT
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  Los Angeles Dodgers’ Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani is the next nearest rival to the British boxer, pocketing around £36.3m ($46m) across the 2024 MLB season – just a third of Fury’s payout. Just behind him is Formula One champion and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, who will receive £35.5m ($45m) for this season.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• WHAT NEXT?

  Ronaldo, who is a big boxing fan and may be at Fury's fight with Usyk on Saturday evening, will be in action for Al-Nassr on Friday evening at home to league leaders Al-Hilal in a top of the table clash. The visitors are 12 points ahead of Ronaldo's team heading into the game.