Com um empate e três derrotas nos últimos quatro compromissos, sendo os reveses consecutivos, o Internacional viu a responsabilidade de vencer aumentar consideravelmente em momento onde há a promessa de complexos desafios. Desafios esses, aliás, que ocorrerão por três torneios diferentes.
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Na próxima quarta-feira (17), o Colorado estará em Belo Horizonte para abrir o seu confronto de oitavas de final da Copa do Brasil contra outra equipe que carece de recuperação na temporada, o América-MG. Confronto esse onde, apesar de guardar a boa lembrança do mata-mata na mesma competição em 2020, coloca novamente a equipe no dilema de conseguir um bom resultado como visitante, tendo vencido apenas dois dos 11 jogos feitos na atual temporada.
Na sequência, a equipe de Mano Menezes enfrentará o Gre-Nal, na Arena, ambiente que não tem sido favorável ao Colorado nos últimos anos. Com exceção da vitória por 1 a 0 na semifinal do Gauchão em 2022 (resultado que não evitou a eliminação no estadual), a última vez que o Internacional bateu seu rival como visitante foi no ano de 2014 pela partida de ida na decisão do Campeonato Gaúcho.
Por fim, o Inter viaja até a Venezuela onde, na Libertadores, busca se manter na briga pelas primeiras posições do Grupo B frente ao Metropolitanos. Neste momento, a equipe tem cinco pontos e está na segunda colocação, tendo duas unidades a menos do que o Nacional-URU. Enquanto o oponente do Colorado ainda não pontuou, o Independiente Medellín-COL está em terceiro lugar e tem quatro pontos.
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Para a partida em questão, além de reencontrar oponente o qual só venceu no Beira-Rio graças ao gol de Alemão que saiu aos 46 minutos do segundo tempo, o aspecto da logística é outro duro adversário a ser enfrentado. Isso porque, nesse sentido, o itinerário prevê atravessar ao menos sete mil quilômetros até Caracas, capital do país e local do embate no próximo dia 25 de maio.
During the lunch break on the second day, Rohit Sharma cleared the air, saying that he had sat out of the Sydney Test and that he wasn’t retiring from Test cricket yet. Soon after the break, Jasprit Bumrah, who had taken over from Rohit as captain, left the SCG for scans. Australia had lost half their side around that time, with the game – and the series – dangling on a razor’s edge. Despite the absence of Bumrah, who had experienced back spasms, India snatched a four-run first-innings lead, turning the Sydney Test into a second-innings shootout.Rishabh Pant pulled India further ahead with a jaw-dropping 29-ball half-century. It was the second-fastest fifty by an Indian in Test cricket, behind his own 28-ball effort against Sri Lanka in 2022. After Scott Boland had carved up India’s top order with pinpoint accuracy, Pant countered them and thrilled a Sydney crowd of 47,257. The late dismissals of Pant and Nitish Kumar Reddy kept the game in the balance, with India leading by 145 at stumps.The second-innings shootout, though, could get skewed in favour of Australia if Bumrah isn’t fit to bowl anymore in this Test.Related
Bumrah leaves SCG for scans after experiencing back spasms
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India’s support bowlers, though, stepped up admirably on the second day, with Prasidh Krishna and Reddy sharing five wickets among them. India’s non-Bumrah seamers came away with combined figures of 8 for 132 – their best in any innings on this tour.Reddy picked up two wickets in two balls while Prasidh marked his Test comeback with the scalps of Steven Smith, Alex Carey and debutant Beau Webster, who top-scored for Australia with 57 off 105 balls.Webster continued his excellent debut, emulating his team-mate Sam Konstas in scoring a half-century in his first Test.The day had dawned with Bumrah snaring Marnus Labuschagne for 2 and throwing a stare at non-striker Konstas. Bumrah surpassed Bishan Singh Bedi’s tally for the most wickets taken by an India bowler on a tour of Australia.Beau Webster dismissed Shubman Gill for his first Test wicket•Getty Images
The 19-year-old responded strongly with the bat when he advanced at Bumrah and shanked him down the ground for four. Then, after Bumrah reinforced the slip cordon by bringing deep third in, Konstas unfurled another audacious reverse-ramp, prompting Bumrah to post a fielder at deep third.In the next over, however, Mohammed Siraj had Konstas edging to gully for 23 off 57 balls with an outswinger. Three balls later, he had Travis Head caught at second slip for 4. Where Bumrah and Australia’s quicks hit the deck, the source of Siraj’s menace was swing. So, he kept exploring a fuller length to maximise that swing.Smith and Webster steadied Australia with a 57-run partnership for the fifth wicket before Smith fell to Prasidh at the stroke of lunch. Smith seemed destined to reach 10,000 Test runs but moments before the break Prasidh shifted his stock length to an even more fuller one to dismiss him five short of the landmark.Then, in the afternoon, he stormed through the defences of Carey with a similar length. Reddy rocked Australia even further with the wickets of Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc. Australia lost their last four wickets for just 19 runs to be bowled out for 181.Yashasvi Jaiswal then launched India’s second innings in grand style, scything Starc for four fours in the first over. KL Rahul, too, showed some attacking intent at the other end until Boland intervened and curtailed India’s rapid start.Some of Rishabh Pant’s outrageous shots were on display•Getty Images
Boland struck in his second over when he had Rahul chopping an inducker onto his stumps and in his next over, he knocked Jaiswal over with a beauty that angled in towards middle from around the wicket and seamed away late to beat the outside edge and smash the top of off stump. Boland proceeded to dismiss Virat Kohli in familiar fashion, for 6. It was the eighth time that Kohli was out edging behind to the keeper or the slip cordon in nine trips to the crease in this Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He was so angry that he yelled at himself and slapped his thigh.Webster earned his maiden Test wicket when he had Shubman Gill caught behind off the inside edge.After having spent nearly 150 minutes being someone else with the bat on the first day, managing 40 off 98 balls, the real Pant stood up on the second. He charged at his first ball from Boland, who had just snared Kohli, and violently clubbed him over mid-on for six. He then ventured a reverse-scoop off his third ball, and though he failed to connect, he didn’t curb his natural instincts in this innings.Pant then lined up Webster for three successive fours, including a trademark falling sweep-pull. He notched up his fifty with a helicoptered six off Starc and celebrated the milestone with another six next ball.Pant’s assault forced Australia into bowling T20 lines and lengths. When Cummins went short and wide of off and hid the ball away from Pant’s swinging arc, he chased it and ended up feeding an edge to the keeper. Boland had Reddy holing out for 4 to cap a 15-wicket day in Sydney.
Former USMNT defender Alexi Lalas is optimistic about the national team's striker situation following Ricardo Pepi's return from injury for PSV. Though Folarin Balogun established himself with a strong showing earlier this month, Lalas said Pepi's return to fitness and form provides crucial competition for Mauricio Pochettino’s side.
Getty Images SportLalas encouraged to see Pepi back
The Fox Sports analyst referenced Pepi's recent brace for PSV in their 5-3 victory over NEC Nijmegen as evidence of the 22-year-old regaining his sharpness after missing significant time.
“One of the things that we've talked about now for the entire cycle is this open attacking striker position,” Lalas said on the State of the Union podcast. “We all welcome the return of Balogun in this past window and he actually did a very good job. It goes back to… competition for spots. And so it's wonderful to see Pepi, who is kind of the next in line, back playing, back scoring – which isn't necessarily anything new from a PSV perspective over there in Holland.
"And we've talked about, you know, some of the perception versus the reality sometimes when it comes to the defending. But beggars can't be choosers. And I love the fact that he's there.”
AdvertisementBalogun, Pepi make a strong tandem
Pepi's recovery adds depth to a position where the USMNT has historically struggled to find consistent performers.
“If we get to next summer and both of those guys are healthy and we're still playing one striker, that's a nice little tandem to have,” Lalas said. “Regardless of who ends up starting, if that person works out great, then you give them a rest and somebody comes out in fresh and ready to go and does and does some more damage.
“Or if things aren't going well, maybe they wear them down, and then you put in someone. We're going from 'Who the hell is going to play striker for us' to – and I don't want to get ahead – but the possibility of having two quality strikers who are in their prime that will score goals, and I think will be dangerous. Are they world-class? No, by any stretch of the imagination. But it's better than what we've had.”
USMNT striker situation
With Pepi now 22 and Balogun 24, both strikers are approaching their theoretical prime years as the 2026 World Cup approaches.
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Getty Images SportRoad ahead
Ricardo Pepi and PSV Eindhoven have enjoyed an excellent start to the 2025-26 season with Pepi returning to full fitness recently for the Dutch side. They’ll face Ajax on Sept. 20 at home followed by Excelsior on Sept. 26 in the Eredivisie.
كشف هاني أبو ريدة رئيس اتحاد الكرة، عن تفاصيل بداية مسيرته في العمل داخل عالم كرة القدم والجبلاية، موضحًا مراحل تطوره حتى الوصول لمنصب عضو المكتب التنفيذي بـ الاتحاد الإفريقي والاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم.
وقال هاني أبو ريدة في تصريحات عبر بودكاست بيت الكورة: “أنا لست قادمًا بالبراشوت كما يظن البعض، أنا ابن بورسعيد الباسلة، ونشأت فيها بين ثقافات متعددة من بحارة وتجار وأجانب، ومنها تعلمت الانفتاح والنظام”.
وتابع: “بدأت علاقتي بكرة القدم منذ طفولتي في نادي الجلاء، وتأثرت كثيرًا بالكابتن محمود الجوهري، الذي كان له الفضل في توجيهي نحو العمل الإداري، وفي الثمانينيات تعمقت صداقتنا، وشاركت معه في التحضير لكأس العالم 1990، حيث كنا نحسب كل شيء يدويًا قبل ظهور التكنولوجيا الحديثة”.
وأردف: “بدعم من اللواء حرب الدهشوري والدكتور عبد المنعم عمارة بدأت رسميًا في الإدارة، من خلال تولي مسؤولية منطقة بورسعيد، وهناك اكتشفت شغفي الحقيقي بالتنظيم والتخطيط”.
وواصل: “كنت أؤمن أن النجاح لا يأت من المنتخب الأول فقط، بل من بناء قاعدة قوية من الناشئين، لذلك ركزت على تطوير هذا القطاع، وأنشأت برامج تدريبية دقيقة، وأرسلنا مدربين للتعلم في الخارج بدعم من وزارة الشباب”.
وأوضح: “كانت تلك المرحلة نقطة التحول الحقيقية في الكرة المصرية، لأننا استطعنا إعداد جيل ذهبي من اللاعبين، شارك معظمهم في تحقيق أربع بطولات متتالية لكأس الأمم الإفريقية، هذا الجيل أفخر به، لأنني رأيت بدايته وساهمت في تكوينه”.
طالع | شوبير ينفجر: لو كنت مسؤولًا في اتحاد الكرة لن أتغاضى عن أشياء كثيرة
وأشار: “قرار دخولي إلى الاتحاد الإفريقي لم يكن صدفة، بل جاء من إحساس بالحزن والمسؤولية، في عام 2000 كنا في نيجيريا خلال انتخابات الاتحاد الإفريقي، وكان الكابتن حمادة إمام هو المرشح المصري، لكننا حصلنا على أربعة أصوات فقط من أصل 54، هذا الموقف هزّني بشدة، وقلت لنفسي: كيف تكون مصر خارج المشهد بهذا الشكل”.
وأردف: “وقتها قررت أن أتواجد في كل البطولات، في البداية اعتذرت عن العمل في الاتحاد الإفريقي لانشغالي بعملي الخاص، لكن الإصرار من عيسى حياتو ومصطفى فهمي جعلني أقبل الانضمام إلى لجنة كأس إفريقيا عام 2001 أو 2002، وهي لجنة لا تضم إلا رؤساء الاتحادات، ومن هنا بدأت رحلتي الحقيقية داخل الكاف”.
وتابع: “الطريق لم يكن سهلًا، فالتحالفات داخل الاتحاد كانت قوية وقديمة، والدخول وسطها احتاج مجهودًا ضخمًا، وسافرت إلى أكثر من 40 دولة إفريقية للتعارف وبناء الثقة والعلاقات، وكان كل ذلك على نفقتي الخاصة، وحصلت على دعم معنوي من المهندس هشام عزمي، ومن صديقي محمد بن همّام في الاتحاد الدولي، والاثنان شجعاني على الاستمرار، وبعد جهد كبير، نجحت في انتخابات الاتحاد الإفريقي عام 2004، ثم انضممت إلى الاتحاد الدولي (الفيفا) رسميًا عام 2009”.
Beth Mooney stood a class above with the bat before Australia’s bowlers ground a hapless England line-up further into the dust with a thumping 72-run win in the third and final T20I for a 12-0 lead in the Women’s Ashes.Mooney’s unbeaten 94 carried Australia to 162 for 5 on a slow Adelaide Oval pitch where Australia’s second-best score was fellow opener Georgia Voll’s 23. Then the home side’s bowlers, led by legspinner Georgia Wareham’s career-best 3 for 11, demolished the tourists for 90 inside 18 overs, their second-lowest total in T20Is with only two England batters reaching double figures.Related
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Yet again, England were complicit in their undoing with a host of poor shots punished by a merciless Australian fielding outfit before a crowd of 10,291. The result brought the possibility of a 16-0 series sweep tantalisingly close for the home side heading into next week’s day-night Test at the MCG.England made four changes looking to get some points on the board, albeit belatedly and with the Ashes already lost. Maia Bouchier made way for Alice Capsey and an unwell Lauren Bell was replaced by fellow quick Lauren Filer while legspinner Sarah Glenn was replaced by left-arm spinner Linsey Smith. And while the spinners did well to contain Australia – Mooney’s performance aside – defending a modest total proved far too easy for a side which has completely dominated their opposition all series.England spinners keep Australia honestAfter a bright enough start from openers Voll and Mooney, who had struck three boundaries off Freya Kemp in the second over of the match, England’s spinners kept a lid on the Australians, who became mired in a rare 33-ball stretch without a boundary. Capsey entered the attack in the eighth over and struck with her fifth ball as Voll holed out to Danni Wyatt-Hodge at deep midwicket.Then Mooney unleashed two boundaries in four deliveries from Filer to break the shackles. Phoebe Litchfield followed up with four down the ground off the first ball of the next over, from Capsey, and when Litchfield top-edged a reverse sweep over wicketkeeper Amy Jones’ head, it dropped dead between her and two other fielders. Then Litchfield was bowled attempting to sweep one that stayed straight and low from Sophie Ecclestone and Australia were 83 for 2.Georgia Voll took a superb catch to remove Sophie Ecclestone•Getty Images
Mooney magicEcclestone hoped she had Mooney lbw two balls later, only for the DRS to show the ball had pitched just outside leg stump. Mooney raised her fifty in 41 balls and from there loosened up, turning a Capsey full toss through fine leg then clearing point for two fours in three deliveries.When Ellyse Perry chipped Charlie Dean straight to cover, Grace Harris entered and thumped Ecclestone down the ground for the first six of the match. Two balls later, Mooney drilled a four through square leg. Wickets fell around her late, but Mooney kept adding to her tally. She ran brilliantly between the wickets in the final over with Tahlia McGrath, Mooney twice having to stretch to make her ground coming back for a second run and, despite an England review for lbw on the final ball, she kept her innings intact.It was the third time Mooney had reached fifty in her last four innings this Ashes and left her with 303 runs across both white-ball legs of the series, well clear of the next best, Heather Knight, on 172.Everywhere England lookAustralia’s stand-in wicketkeeper for most of the summer due to Alyssa Healy’s injury woes, Mooney took an excellent catch off Capsey’s faint edge, so faint it took a review to secure the wicket, the second to fall in as many overs after Darcie Brown – who came into the side for Kim Garth – had struck with her first ball to remove Dunkley, skying the ball to cover. Now England were 12 for 2, and Annabel Sutherland made it 23 for 3 inside three overs with a beauty that pinged the top of Sciver-Brunt’s off stump.Everywhere England looked, there was an Australian there to make life difficult, as has been the case all tour, and it was Wareham next with two wickets in three balls in the seventh over to send them lurching to 39 for 5 with Wyatt-Hodge holing out to long-off and Amy Jones pinned on the pad attempting a scoop.Freya Kemp gifted her wicket to mid-off for Brown’s second and Wareham claimed her third when Charlie Dean’s top-edge sailed to Alana King at square leg. The only blemish for Australia in the field came when Wareham put down a sitter at deep midwicket off Ecclestone, on 1 at the time.But then Voll took an excellent diving catch to remove Ecclestone and more clinical fielding from Perry to Mooney ran out Smith. Mooney stayed in the action to the last, whipping off the bails as Knight advanced to Tahlia McGrath, her score of 40 England’s best on a sorry looking scorecard.
Newcastle United’s need for a striker before next Monday’s transfer deadline has never been clearer.
With Alexander Isak still on strike and surely out of action when the Toon visit Leeds United next week, regardless of the outcome of his present situation, it was inconceivable that Anthony Gordon should get himself sent off against Liverpool at St. James’ Park.
Anthony Gordon is sent off for Newcastle
The Magpies lost to Liverpool on Tyneside, but it was an incredible contest that showcased all the good of Eddie Howe’s side, even when so much went wrong.
But, even so, the desperate need for a number nine was accentuated, and a bid continues for Premier League forward Jørgen Strand Larsen.
The latest on Strand Larsen to Newcastle
Whether Liverpool sign Isak at some point this week is anyone’s guess, but Newcastle’s bid to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers’ rangy frontman remains a priority focus regardless.
The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope corroborated news on Monday that the Magpies saw a £50m offer rejected for the Norwegian, and they are expected to return with an improved bid.
Hope made it clear that Larsen is being chased with a view toward him succeeding Callum Wilson, who left Tyneside at the end of his contract in June and has since signed for West Ham United.
Strand Larsen scored 14 Premier League goals last season, playing an instrumental role for the Old Gold as they staved off the threat of relegation.
But whether he’s the right frontman for Newcastle, for a figure sure to be in excess of £50m, is another question. Especially when there’s a younger and more exciting name on United’s shortlist.
Newcastle discuss move for Strand Larsen alternative
As per The Athletic, Newcastle have discussed a move for Paris Saint-Germain forward Goncalo Ramos as the transfer window is reduced to less than a week before closure.
Ramos, 24, has struggled to nail down a regular starting berth in Luis Enrique’s super-team, but he’s still showcased his quality across the past two years, and was tracked by the Tynesiders during his Benfica days.
PSG appear open to selling, but the Portugal international wouldn’t come cheap. It’s been mooted this month that Ramos would fetch a fee in the region of £55m.
What Ramos would bring to Newcastle
Ramos has started the 2025/26 season strongly, bagging against Tottenham Hotspur in the dramatic Super Cup victory earlier this month before starting PSG’s Ligue 1 opener against Nantes.
Newcastle’s need for a new number nine borders on desperation, but they won’t let themselves be fleeced. Having seen a £50m offer rejected for Strand Larsen, might it be better to instead invest the set-aside funds in Ramos, whose dynamic profile aligns more with what Howe would need if Isak is to leave St. James’ Park this week.
Hailed for his “outrageous” performances on the international stage by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Ramos is a prolific striker, and no mistake. His clinical value in dangerous positions could admittedly do with some work, but he creates space regularly through expert usage of his mobility and physical attributes, and thus maintains a steady goalscoring flow.
Ramos – Career Stats (all comps)
Season
Apps
Goals
Assists
25/26 – PSG
3
1
0
24/25 – PSG
46
19
6
23/24 – PSG
40
14
2
22/23 – Benfica
47
27
8
21/22 – Benfica
46
8
4
20/21 – Benfica
12
4
0
19/20 – Benfica
1
2
0
Data via Transfermarkt
And, according to data platform FBref, the Iberian striker ranks among the top 5% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues for goals scored,
While Strand Larsen has provided proof of his ability to score goals and perform convincingly in the Premier League, whereas Ramos has not, the latter man has highlighted performances at the highest level, including (but not limited to) that hat-trick at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Goncalo Ramos celebrates PSG's Super Cup victory against Tottenham Hotspur on penalties.
14 goals were scored by the 25-year-old in last year’s Premier League edition, but he also completed only 65% of his passes, lost 68% of his duels and averaged just 0.2 dribbles per game, as per Sofascore.
There’s nothing wrong with that; Strand Larsen is a powerful target man, after all. But it’s inconceivable that he should replace Isak, one of the most complete strikers in the business.
Of course, Newcastle chiefs have maintained that their interest in the Scandinavian is linked to Wilson’s departure, and not Isak’s possible exit.
Ultimately, Newcastle could do with two strikers, should Isak leave. Efforts are maintained for Brentford marksman Yoane Wissa, but that’s why Ramos’ profile could be so important for the Tynesiders, injecting dynamic athleticism without detracting from goalscoring, that core tenet of the striker’s game.
Wissa, like Strand Larsen, is limited in terms of technical scope, but he’s still proven himself to be a deadly Premier League striker with impressive link-up play besides. Given that the 28-year-old would ostensibly come at a cheaper price than his Wolves positional peer, he should be the priority.
And, in that case, Ramos must be targeted over a second bid for Strand Larsen, with the Portuguese man sure to bring goals and an electric presence too.
After the past few months of misery on the transfer front, it’s anyone’s guess as to whether Newcastle manage to sign a striker worth their salt – let alone two.
But it’s clear who they should move for after the latest series of rejected bids. Don’t blink: Newcastle are bound to ramp up the gas and seal a signature before the end of the month.
He's like Isak: Newcastle make late approach to sign £61m Wissa alternative
Newcastle continue to search for strikers as the summer transfer window enters the final week.
Glasgow Rangers are still looking for their first win of the Scottish Premiership season after they were held to a 1-1 draw by St Mirren away from Ibrox on Sunday.
The Light Blues needed academy graduate Findlay Curtis to come off the bench to score an excellent goal to rescue a point for the side late in the second half.
Russell Martin’s team looked bereft of quality at the top end of the pitch until Curtis and James Tavernier, who supplied the corner that led to the goal, came on as substitutes.
If the head coach wants to bring the captain back into the starting XI, in the Champions League or against Celtic next weekend, Max Aarons may need to drop out.
Why Max Aarons should be dropped
The Bournemouth loanee is not a horrendous player and he did not put in a terrible performance against St Mirren on Sunday, but he does not offer the same level of attacking threat that Tavernier does.
Aarons has only created one chance in three starts in the Premiership for Rangers, per Sofascore, and did not create any chances in 69 minutes on the pitch in this match.
The English full-back has not offered enough going forward, whilst Tavernier has only started one of the three games and created three chances for the team, per Sofascore.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
This is why Aarons should be dropped from the XI to add more creativity to the side, but the defender is not the only player who should be ruthlessly dropped, as Lyall Cameron’s position should also be under threat.
Why Lyall Cameron should be dropped
Martin must ruthlessly ditch the Scottish central midfielder alongside Aarons after the former Dundee man put in a disappointing display against St Mirren.
The manager knows that he will get a hard-working, tireless, performance from Cameron, who runs his socks off, but the quality in and out of possession was not there for him on Sunday.
He missed a very presentable opportunity to open the scoring when Jayden Meghoma whipped a brilliant ball into the box, although it was maybe at a bit of an awkward height.
Aside from that miss, though, the 22-year-old central midfielder’s all-round performance was not good enough to justify him keeping his place in the team against Celtic next weekend, looking beyond the second leg against Club Brugge.
Minutes
90
Shots on target
0
Dribbles completed
0/1
Big chances created
0
Ground duels won
0/6
Aerial duels won
0/1
Tackles + interceptions
0
Dribbled past
2x
As you can see in the table above, Cameron failed to deal with the intensity and the physicality of the clash with St Mirren, as he lost 100% of his duels.
The opposition found it far too easy to get the better of him in one-on-one situations, and he did not make up for his lack of physicality with quality or creativity on the ball in the final third.
Mohamed Diomande won more duels (one) and made more tackles and interceptions (two) in just 26 minutes off the bench for the Light Blues, which suggests that he may have more to offer to the team out of possession as a physical presence.
Rangers may need physicality to deal with Celtic next weekend at Ibrox, as they look to close the already-growing gap to their rivals, which is why Cameron should be ruthlessly ditched from the XI alongside Aarons.
Morelos 2.0: Rangers are in talks to sign a "powerful" £5.6m-rated striker
As Rangers seek to bolster their forward line before the transfer window closes, could the Gers sign a “powerful” striker similar to Alfredo Morelos?
A famous Leeds United-connected pub has changed its name in tribute of a two-time Premier League promotion champion. The Whites are back in the English top-flight after two years away, with Daniel Farke's side aiming to beat the drop this season and reverse the trend of Championship teams not making the grade. Amid that goal, The Old Peacock has shown its class towards an ex-striker.
Leeds say goodbye to Bamford
Patrick Bamford joined Leeds from Middlesbrough in 2018 for £7 million and went on to score 60 goals in 205 games and achieve Premier League promotions in 2020 and 2025. But manager Farke said he was not part of his plans for the 2025-26 campaign, and then the forward's contract was cancelled by mutual consent last month. Despite his release, The Old Peacock, which is right next to Leeds' Elland Road stadium, says it will be renamed 'The Lord Bamford' for a limited time.
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Bamford to keep pub name until Leeds face Tottenham
The pub will keep the Bamford pub name going until Leeds host Tottenham on October 4. So the 32-year-old, who put £5,000 behind the bar before Leeds' win over Bristol City last season, will get at least one more home game before the establishment reverts to its original title.
The Instagram post reads: "To celebrate the unforgettable years of service from Patrick Bamford at Leeds United, The Old Peacock is proud to announce that it will be renamed The Lord Bamford for a limited time. Bamford joined Leeds United in 2018 and spent seven years donning the famous white shirt. During that time, he became a two-time Championship winner and played a key role in Leeds’ promotion back to the Premier League – helping end a 16-year absence from the top flight.
"We invite all football lovers, Leeds United fans, and the local community to come and raise a glass at The Lord Bamford in honour of his contribution. The renaming will last until the next home fixture at Elland Road against Tottenham on Saturday, 4th October, to give everyone a chance to join in celebrating Bamford's time with The Whites. Thank you, Paddy, for your passion. You will always be part of Leeds United history."
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Bamford searching for new team after Leeds exit
Bamford was a much-derided figure towards the tail end of his Leeds stint. Injuries and struggles in front of goal punctuated his final years at the club but with time, many may reflect more positively on his contributions. He earned one England cap and scored 17 goals in the 2020-21 Premier League season. In fact, amid Leeds' current goal struggles, where they have managed one goal in four league games, some supporters have questioned why he was let go at all. Either way, this is a classy move by the Peacock pub.
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What next for Bamford and Leeds?
Former Chelsea and Crystal Palace youngster Bamford is currently looking for a new club as a free agent. For Leeds, they face a huge clash away at lowly Wolves this weekend, before hosting Bournemouth on September 27.
Arsenal enter the 2025/26 campaign with their sights set on shaking off their reputation as nearlymen and winning the Premier League trophy for the first time in two decades.
Mikel Arteta has added some instant-effect quality to his ranks, but he will also be emboldened by the emergence of prodigious talents like Max Dowman and Ethan Nwaneri, the latter of whom has just penned a long-term contract at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal want silverware this season, but they also want to sustain their illustrious place at the top of European football for many years to come, and are prepared to sign another highly valued prospect to develop this vision.
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Viktor Gyokeres, signed from Sporting Lisbon for £64m, will bring goals to the front of the senior Arsenal system, while Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard add mettle and high-level quality to the middle of the park.
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But Arsenal love to incorporate the youth into their journey, and that could be achieved through the signing of one of European football’s most sought-after talents.
According to TEAMtalk, Arsenal have entered the race for Ajax prospect Aaron Bouwman, who has been valued at €40m (£35m) despite having yet to break into the senior side.
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Chelsea are thought to be in the lead, but if the Gunners canvass their proposal quickly, there’s every chance that they could win the race for the precocious centre-half.
Why Arsenal want Aaron Bouwman
Bouwman has been riding the crest of a wave in recent years, one of the standouts at Ajax’s famed youth academy, which might just be the finest in the world.
Though Arsenal already boast a fantastic backline, led by the brilliant William Saliba, Bouwman might be worth pursuing, for he could emerge as Arteta’s next version of the French defensive force.
Praised as a “wonderful talent” by journalist and youth scout Antonio Mango, Bouwman hasn’t yet made his senior debut for Ajax, but he found himself on the bench two times last season, and with the mounting excitement surrounding his signature rubber-stamped by the recent interest from some of the Premier League’s biggest outfits.
He has, however, featured 42 times for the development side, playing with enough confidence to convince some of England’s elite outfits that his is a signature worth pursuing.
Though it doesn’t seem likely that Arsenal would fork out £35m on a player who has yet to grace the professional pitch, they did pay a similar fee back in July 2019, with the centre-back, who was 18 at the time, joining the north Londoners from St. Etienne for around £27m.
Arsenal's WilliamSalibareacts
Now of the belief that he is “one of the top three defenders” in the Premier League, Saliba marks a fine representation of Arsenal’s data analysts pouncing when they know that an up-and-comer if worth paying for.
After all, the teenage Saliba had only played 16 matches in Ligue 1 across the 2018/19 season, starting 13 times, but he had done enough to convince the Gunners that he had the potential to become world-class.
And now he is. The France international’s Premier League performances over the past three years certainly underscore exactly how talented a player he is, and shed some light on why technical director Andrea Berta is willing to push ahead and fork out a sizeable figure for a youngster like Bouwman.
Matches (starts)
27 (27)
38 (38)
35 (35)
Goals
2
2
2
Assists
1
1
0
Clean sheets
11
18
12
Touches*
77.6
82.9
82.4
Pass completion
91%
93%
95%
Key passes*
0.2
0.2
0.2
Dribble success
90%
71%
67%
Ball recoveries*
7.7
5.61
4.6
Tackles + interceptions*
2.0
1.9
2.4
Clearances*
3.0
2.1
3.4
Duels (won)*
4.0 (61%)
3.7 (60%)
4.3 (64%)
Some might say Saliba’s meteoric rise is a lightning-in-a-bottle sort of success, but Arsenal’s talent radar is finely tuned, and Bouwman might just be the next big thing.
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It may seem crazy at this early stage of the season, but it would appear as though Russell Martin’s days at Rangers are numbered.
On Sunday, the first Old Firm of the season took place and to say it wasn’t a classic would be a contender for understatement of the century; it finished goalless, with Rangers’ xG 0.16 to the opposition’s 0.17.
After both Glasgow giants were ignominiously dumped out of Champions League qualifying during the week, neither are at the peak of their powers just now, but the crisis in Govan is certainly the more alarming of the two, so could this result in the shortest managerial tenure in the club’s 153-year history?
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Not including caretakers, Pedro Caixinha holds the record for the shortest tenure of any permanent Rangers manager, overseeing 26 matches in 2017, infamously knocked out of Europa League qualifying by Luxembourgish minnows Progrès Niederkorn.
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However, this record could be smashed in the coming weeks, with Martin having taken charge of just 11 fixtures to date; his 26th would come on 27 November against Braga, but many are forecasting that he’ll be long gone before then.
Sunday’s goalless stalemate with Celtic means Rangers have now drawn all four Premiership matches so far, previously held by Motherwell, Dundee and St Mirren, making this their worst start to a season since 1983, going on to finish all the way down in fourth back then.
Meantime, while they did enjoy impressive victories over Panathinaikos and Viktoria Plzeň, Rangers’ Champions League dreams were crushed by Club Brugge in the play-off round, steamrollered 9-1 on aggregate, their biggest two-legged European defeat for 65 years.
Following last Wednesday’s 6-0 annihilation at Jan Breydelstadion, speaking on the Guardian Football Weekly podcast, Ewan Murray believes that never before has there been a managerial appointment so instantaneously “doomed” as Martin at Rangers, adding that supporters didn’t want him in the first place, and the atmosphere has truly turned toxic following “horrendous” results and performances.
So, with games against Hearts, Hibs and then Genk to come after the international break, the new ownership group 49ers Enterprises have to be considering other managerial candidates, despite publicly backing Martin, so should a “serial winner” be very much at the top of their list?
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In shock news last Friday, it was announced that Fenerbahçe had sacked José Mourinho, following their own elimination in the Champions League play-offs, defeated at Estádio da Luz on Wednesday, thereby ousted 1-0 aggregate by Benfica.
The İstanbul-based giants still have not qualified for the Champions League group stages since 2008, their most recent Turkish Süper Lig title coming in 2014, appointing Mourinho to change both of these facts, but he ultimately achieved neither during 14 months in the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium dugout.
In fairness, this has proved a salient strategy for numerous clubs in the past.
Before Mourinho, Porto hadn’t won the Champions League for 17 years, Chelsea hadn’t won the Premier League for 50 years, Inter hadn’t been European champions for 45 years and Roma hadn’t won a continental title for 62 years.
Well, given Celtic’s dominance of Scottish football recently, Rangers appears to be the perfect next destination for Mourinho, given his cult of personality, with reports late last week suggesting that the Gers could be set to open talks with the veteran coach.
For context, not only have the Hoops won 13 of the last 14 Premiership titles, since 2011/12, Celtic have picked up 28 major honours, during which time Rangers have won three, the same number as St Johnstone.
Well, speaking on BT Sport following Roma’s Conference League triumph over Feyenoord, Owen Hargreaves labelled Mourinho a “serial winner”, adding “football is about winning” and that is why he has brought Rome to life, so could the Special One do something similar on Glasgow’s south side?
Well, when 49ers Enterprises took a majority stake in Rangers earlier this summer, many were expecting them to target a big name; Martin doesn’t really fit that billing, does he?
Also, ahead of Fenerbahçe’s Europa League round of 16 tie at Ibrox in March, Mourinho intimated that he would like to manage one of Glasgow’s big two in the future.
When asked, he stated “why not in the future?”, adding that the Scottish league is a “league of passion…. which is everything”, and that he only wants to work at a club with “big fan bases, big emotions, big responsibilities and big expectations”.
So, could the recently out-of-work 62-year-old soon be unveiled in Glasgow?
Should this happen, it would, without doubt, be the most excited the Rangers support have been about a new manager since Steven Gerrard arrived seven years ago.
Back in 2018, thousands of supporters descended on Ibrox just to welcome the rookie manager, who would eventually deliver the Premiership title in his third season.
None of his successors, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Michael Beale nor Philippe Clement, have been able to repeat this feat, but Mourinho-mania would go through the roof in Glasgow, and he wins wherever he goes, except Tottenham, so why not Rangers?
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