David de Gea has explained why it was “impossible” for him to accept Premier League offers on the back of leaving Manchester United in 2023.

Released by Red Devils as a free agentSpent a year mulling over his optionsEnjoying new challenge with FiorentinaFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

After 12 years at Old Trafford, during which he made 545 appearances and became a four-time Player of the Year, Spain international De Gea was surprisingly released by the Red Devils as a free agent when his contract expired.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Questions have been asked of that decision on a regular basis as De Gea’s successor in Manchester, Cameroon international Andre Onana, has found the going tough in English football – with a number of costly errors being made across his two seasons as No.1.

DID YOU KNOW?

De Gea opted to enjoy a 12-month sabbatical after severing ties with United, eventually signing for Serie A side Fiorentina in 2024, with the 34-year-old snubbing several approaches from England before heading to Italy.

gettyWHAT DE GEA SAID

De Gea has told : “I turned down offers from England because after spending so many years at a club like United, you feel like you don't want to play for another club in England.

“I only wanted Manchester United, and while it's true that I received offers from England, I knew it would be impossible for me to play anywhere else. I've spent my whole life there; it's the club that shaped me and allowed me to have a wonderful career.

“I felt it was time to rest and come back even stronger. People asked me, 'When are you coming back?' I reassured everyone, 'I'm fine, I'll be back’. It was normal for people to have some doubts after a year out, but I was sure that after a game or two I'd be back to my old self.”

Match details

India vs South Africa, T20 World Cup 2024 final
Bridgetown, June 29, 10.30am local time, 2.30pm GMT

Big Picture – It’s just a cup… right?

There are no fairytales in life, obviously, but sport does a great deal to make up for it, to the extent that it offers gifts like this Saturday, when, at the end of 40 overs – give or take a Super Over – 11 men will realise the difference between fantasy and reality is that fantasy was never quite as good as this.What would that feel like for South Africa? At the start, they couldn’t even play in these World Cups. Then, they changed some things that desperately needed changing and have since been specialising in the impossible. Jonty Rhodes switching gravity off in 1992. Twenty-two runs off 1 ball. Lance Klusener upending the natural order in 1999. Allan Donald run out without the bat even in his hand. There is no team with as rich a history in these tournaments, both good and bad, and there is probably no team that wants this more. The catharsis, should Aiden Markram find himself on that podium, will be seismic, because he will have with him an entire nation that at some point or other thought they might never see the day.Related

• Heartbreak or glory, India and South Africa are already winners

• Tactics Board: A plan to shackle Suryakumar, and Maharaj in the powerplay?

• India vs South Africa at the T20 World Cup final: all you need to know

• SA delayed in Trinidad because of runway closure in Barbados

There are those in India who might have felt similarly after November 19, 2023. Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid, for example. Their days are already numbered. The coach is set to depart and the captain may not have a lot of time on his hands as well. But, together, they are responsible for harassing a great team out of its comfort zone and into a place where anything seems possible. All of this – the acceptance that what they were doing in T20 cricket wasn’t working and the commitment to keep on this new path despite considerable personal lows – has been in search of silverware.For 40 overs – give or take a Super Over – nothing will matter as much as the ball and bat they will be holding in their hands. But after that, whether they win or lose, both India and South Africa should be reminded that they are excellent teams and exceptional people. They should both be able to share their love with family. Toast their time with colleagues. Chase after their children. Enjoy the compassion of their fans. If any of that is contingent on the colour of the medal around their necks, we’re doing something really wrong.

Form guide

India WWWWW (last five completed T20Is, most recent first)
South Africa WWWWW

In the spotlight – Jasprit Bumrah and Heinrich Klaasen

At times, it feels unfair that Jasprit Bumrah gets to bowl four overs in a T20 game. Depending on allegiance, that is either too much or too few. For a sport that is built around pure spectacle, there can be no better ambassador than a man who detonates the wickets, leaves impact craters on the bat, the pad and even the mind of opposition batters, and does it all with a smile on his face.2:10

How do South Africa tackle Kuldeep and Bumrah?

Heinrich Klaasen is on similarly good terms with the forces that make simple human beings extraordinary. He shows the ball new places to go to and it takes flight all too willingly. This World Cup is yet to see him at his destructive best but the thing is, players of his quality rarely go too long without making a contribution.

Team news

India arrive in the final with seven wins from eight games (one rained out) and in almost all of them, they’ve been dominant. The only time they were really challenged was three weeks ago, on a treacherous New York pitch after posting 119 against Pakistan. South Africa arrive in the final with eight wins from eight and they’ve gone through the ringer. Except each time, with the game on the line, and the pressure at a peak, they coped. Given all this context, it is unlikely that either team will be making any changes (unless South Africa decide the conditions warrant an extra seamer).India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Virat Kohli, 3 Rishabh Pant (wk), 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Shivam Dube, 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Ravindra Jadeja, 9 Arshdeep Singh, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Jasprit Bumrah.South Africa (probable): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Reeza Hendricks, 3 Aiden Markram (capt), 4 David Miller, 5 Tristan Stubbs, 6 Heinrich Klaasen 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Anrich Nortje, 11 Tabraiz Shamsi/Ottneil Baartman2:23

Morkel: Markram’s got the mix perfectly right to connect SA’s team environment

Pitch and conditions – Feisty conditions again

Outside of New York, Kensington Oval has offered the most wickets to fast bowlers in the T20 World Cup: 59 at an average of 20.22 and economy rate of 7.88. There’s been one total above 200 but the rest fit in a range between 109 and 181 (the latter made by India at the only game either of these finalists have played at the venue this World Cup).The final will be played on pitch No. 4, which was used for the games between Namibia and Oman, and Scotland and England. It’s the fourth pitch of eight on the square, so neither boundary should be significantly longer than the other.There is a threat of rain over this final but it does have a reserve day.

Stats and trivia

• This is only the seventh T20 World Cup match between India and South Africa. The first four squeeze into a five-year time-frame between 2007 and 2012.
• Never has this tournament yielded a champion who has remained unbeaten. That’s about to change.
• There isn’t a lot to separate India and South Africa on bowling metrics: 56 wickets at an average of 15.21 and economy rate of 6.42 vs 59 wickets at an average of 15.23 and economy rate of 5.95
• But the batting is a different story. India average 25.80 and strike at 132.13 with six fifty-plus scores. South Africa average 21.90 and strike at 106.14 with three fifty-plus scores

Quotes

“You know, I don’t really believe in this ‘Do it for somebody’. I love that quote about somebody asking somebody else, ‘Why do you want to climb Mount Everest?’ and he says ‘I want to climb Mount Everest because it’s there’. I want to win this World Cup because it’s there. It’s not for anyone, it’s not for anybody, it’s just there to win”
“It’s a game of cricket. Someone has to win, and someone has to lose ultimately. That’s the name of the game. You take it in your stride. You do get belief, though, from winning close games and potentially winning games that you thought you weren’t going to win. It does a lot for your changing room and the vibe in the changing room.”

As concerns over William Saliba’s future continue, Arsenal are now reportedly eyeing a summer move to sign a potential replacement for the Frenchman in a deal worth a hefty £68m.

Arsenal's Saliba concern

After another season without a Premier League title and potentially without a major trophy altogether, Arsenal could face consequences for failure that they’ll be all too familiar with. Real Madrid, meanwhile, could land one of Europe’s best centre-backs.

The Spanish giants have reportedly set their sights on signing Saliba this summer, with likely new manager Xabi Alonso a fan of the central defender.

Arteta must axe £27m Arsenal dud who was worse than Odegaard v Bournemouth

Arsenal dropped yet more points, this time at home as they hosted Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth.

By
Matt Dawson

May 4, 2025

The Madrid call is rarely one that players turn down and that should send alarm bells ringing around The Emirates. It’s a call that even Liverpool academy graduate Trent Alexander-Arnold is on course to accept and one that Kylian Mbappe accepted last summer. Now, Saliba could be next.

There’s no overstating the damage that the defender’s departure would do to Mikel Arteta’s side who have already struggled defensively when without Gabriel recently. Losing Saliba would be a whole new struggle for their backline as they look to make it a fourth-time lucky in the hunt for Premier League glory next season.

Known for their attacking prowess from set pieces, Arsenal’s struggles to defend such scenarios at the opposite end have gone under the radar this season. After Bournemouth came from behind to seal victory over the Gunners using two set pieces, however, it’s clear that with or without Saliba, Arteta’s side must improve on that front.

So, although losing Saliba would be a major blow, his exit would at least allow new sporting director Andrea Berta to welcome a fresh defender capable of turning that set-piece record around.

Arsenal set sights on £68m Diomande

According to Defensa Central in Spain, Arsenal have now set their sights on signing Ousmane Diomande from Sporting Club this summer as Berta plans for the worst-case Saliba scenario, should he leave for the Bernabeu. Alas, any deal won’t come cheap in the coming months. The Portuguese side have reportedly slapped a price tag worth as much as €80m (£68m) on their centre-back.

Whether the 21-year-old “monster” is at the necessary level to replace Saliba is the big question. When compared, it’s clear that the Sporting man would need plenty of patience if he did step in and replace a player who some may believe is irreplaceable at Arsenal.

However, what does stand out as a positive to take note of is Diomande’s aerial success compared to Saliba’s. Winning 20 more aerial duels in six less games, the Sporting man may have stood a far better chance of preventing Bournemouth’s two set piece goals in a frustrating Arsenal defeat last time out.

Also dubbed a player with “great” pace by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Diomande looks set to be one to watch if Saliba does swap Arsenal for Real Madrid in the coming months.

The battle for supremacy in Group C of the T20 World Cup heats up

Sreshth Shah07-Jun-20241:03

Is Kane Williamson’s lack of match practice a worry for NZ?

Match detailsNew Zealand vs Afghanistan
June 7, Providence, 7:30pm localBig picture: NZ face a tricky startSince 2015, no team has been more successful in making it to the knockout stages of a World Cup than New Zealand. They’ve made the semi-finals in each of the six white-ball events since – including three finals – and yet, the trophy cabinet is empty. But if they don’t hit the ground running right away in a group that also includes co-hosts West Indies, their current campaign could very well end early.They take the field for the first time on Friday and a challenge awaits them straightaway. Guyana has been the most spinner-friendly venue of T20 World Cup 2024 and Afghanistan are arguably the strongest spin-bowling outfit in the world. When you take into account New Zealand’s less-than-ideal prep with no official warm-up games played, one wonders if they will turn up undercooked against a unit that has Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Mohammad Nabi and potentially Noor Ahmad.However, one of the reasons why New Zealand did not play a warm-up was because many of them were at the IPL, and those franchise regulars like Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner and Trent Boult could make a difference. They are also boosted by the return of Finn Allen and Devon Conway from injury, and their various right-left batting options gives them various batting strategies.New Zealand have a few spin weapons of their own too. The West Indies is Santner’s favourite place to bowl in, where he averages 16.83 with an economy of 5.50 in T20s. Across the last two T20 World Cups, no bowler has had a higher average release point (2.27m) than Santner. This uniqueness and his ability to vary his release speed and angle will keep all teams on their toes this World Cup.The left-arm spin of Ravindra and the offspin of Phillips gives them flexibility, allowing them to field a strong side without Ish Sodhi in the XI. Factor in the swing of Boult, the pace of Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson, and a string of other seam options, and New Zealand are still very much a threat. For Afghanistan’s batting, that remains the biggest challenge on Friday. They’ll look at the settled opening pair of Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran to put up a strong platform in pursuit of a second win in two games.Form guideNew Zealand LWWLL (last five completed T20Is, most recent first)
Afghanistan WWWLWIn the spotlight – Williamson, Conway and FarooqiKane Williamson and Devon Conway are two of New Zealand’s top-three batters with next-to-zero game time recently. Conway missed the IPL with a finger injury that needed surgery while Williamson got only two games for Gujarat Titans. Neither have played a T20I game since January, but their experience is irreplaceable, especially if conditions are once again tricky for batting. Conway is proficient in scoring against all kinds of spin, however, Williamson could get bogged down by those who turn their stock ball away him, striking at only 106 since the T20 World Cup 2022.1:37

McClenaghan floored by Afghanistan bowling attack

Fazalhaq Farooqi showed against Uganda in Afghanistan’s first game that it’s not all about spinners in their team. In Providence, where this game will be played as well, he found significant deviation off the pitch and swung the ball nearly 2.5 degrees in the powerplay, more than twice that of the other bowlers. His 5 for 9 against Uganda was the fourth-best bowling figures in T20 World Cups, and Afghanistan will look for breakthroughs from him early so that the spinners could apply the squeeze sooner.Related

Jimmy Neesham: 'I've embraced walking towards pressure in big moments'

Williamson: 'Afghanistan have one of the better bowling attacks in the T20 World Cup'

New Zealand battle rain and jetlag ahead of crunch World Cup opener

Team news: NZ assessing combinationsThere are no injury concerns on either side. Afghanistan are likely to field the same XI while New Zealand will be considering their spin vs seam balance. Their resources are plenty: even if they keep out Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell, Tim Southee and Sodhi, they still have eight bowling and eight batting options.New Zealand (probable): 1 Devon Conway, 2 Finn Allen (wk), 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Daryl Mitchell, 5 Mark Chapman/Rachin Ravindra, 6 Glenn Phillips, 7 James Neesham, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Trent Boult, 10 Matt Henry, 11 Lockie FergusonAfghanistan (probable): 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2 Ibrahim Zadran, 3 Najibullah Zadran, 4 Mohammad Nabi, 5 Gulbadin Naib, 6 Azmatullah Omarzai, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 Karim Janat, 9 Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman, 10 Naveen-ul-Haq, 11 Fazalhaq Farooqi.Pitch and conditions: Spin and rain on the radarThe pitch in Guyana has been sluggish, making chasing the preferred way to go. Since 2022, teams chasing have won 19 of the 27 games and two of the three games in this World Cup. The average first-innings winning score is around 184, however, chances of a shortened game are high with some rain forecast through the evening in Providence.Stats that matter Spinners have an economy of 5.28 in Guyana at this World Cup and have taken 17 wickets, averaging 17.82 apiece. No other venue has seen more than seven wickets to spinners. Boult has only three T20I wickets in 13 innings across 26 powerplay overs since 2022, averaging a surprising 67.33 in the phase. In matches between Full Members since the last T20 World Cup, Afghanistan’s spinners have the best average (19.45) and economy (6.72).Quotes”I think we saw in the 50-over World Cup we’re able to compete with any side in the world. And that’s our philosophy here. So, every game that we play, we expect to put ourselves in a winning position. Or fight to win every single game. So tomorrow that’s no different.”
“We’ve been predominantly training in the day and there are some large differences between day and night in terms of conditions. But from the couple of matches that have been played, it looks like a reasonable wicket, a good wicket, a fair wicket at the same time. Bit there for the bowlers but equally decent for the batters.”

Over the years, Liverpool have signed numerous players who have had a huge impact on their squad, ultimately helping them claim Premier League glory this campaign.

Virgil van Dijk is undoubtedly the biggest example, costing £75m from Southampton back in January 2018 and being a spare head in their backline ever since.

The Dutchman, who’s now the club’s captain, has played every minute of the league season in 2024/25, helping the side keep 14 clean sheets in the process – the most of any side in the division.

Players like Mohamed Salah and Alexis Mac Allister have also been influential in their success, nailing their place down in various positions across the field.

However, this summer presents a fresh opportunity for Slot to add new blood to his squad, with numerous players already emerging on their shortlist ahead of the window.

The latest on Liverpool’s hunt for new signings this summer

Martin Zubimendi is a player who’s been on Liverpool’s radar constantly over the last few years, even having an offer accepted for him last summer.

The Spaniard turned down a switch to Anfield before reemerging on their shortlist ahead of the summer, but he appears to be heading to Arsenal in a £50m move after Fabrizio Romano’s latest report.

However, the same can’t be said for right-back Jeremie Frimpong, with the Dutchman appearing to be edging ever closer to completing a switch to Anfield ahead of the summer.

It’s been confirmed that the 24-year-old is keen on a move to the club after the Reds held talks with Bayer Leverkusen over a deal for the full-back, who has a £29.5m release clause in his current deal.

However, despite the moves for the aforementioned duo, one current first-team player is already worth as much as the pair combined, highlighting the great work done by the hierarchy in recent times.

The Liverpool star who’s worth as much as Zubimendi & Frimpong

Slot’s ability to win the league title in his first season in charge is nothing short of remarkable, undoubtedly getting the best out of the players who are already at the club after his appointment.

Such success could lead to an exciting prospect for supporters when he’s able to spend money this summer and make his own stamp on the squad on Merseyside.

The likes of Frimpong could add further quality to the first team squad, helping his compatriot achieve the unthinkable and retain their title in 2025/26.

However, the Leverkusen star could also link up well with current midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, who’s managed to hugely impress throughout this season, after getting the chance to thrive under Slot’s guidance.

After joining for £34m from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023, the 22-year-old only made 12 league starts in his first season – unable to cement his place in the starting eleven.

However, his importance to the squad has been immeasurable this time around, starting all but one meeting and being a crucial cog in the midfield for his compatriot.

His underlying stats are just as impressive, completing 90% of the passes he’s attempted, allowing him to notch a tally of four assists in the Premier League this campaign.

Games played

35

Assists

4

Pass accuracy

90%

Tackles won

52%

Interceptions made

1.7

Successful dribbles

1.1

Aerials won

65%

Gravenberch has also starred without the ball, winning 52% of the tackles he’s entered, whilst making 1.7 interceptions per 90 – often being the player to break down the opposition’s threat going forward.

As a result, he’s now valued at a staggering £80m by FootballTransfers, a mammoth increase after his big-money transfer to Merseyside less than two years ago.

His subsequent value is the same as Zubimendi and Frimpong’s respective transfer fees of £50m and £30m, highlighting the progression he’s made throughout this season.

If the club are to mount a charge to maintain their title glory next season, investment will be crucial, handing the manager the funds he needs to make adequate changes.

However, the form of Gravenberch will also be imperative, with his performance levels certainly aiding their pursuit if he can replicate the success he’s enjoyed in Slot’s debut campaign.

A dream Huijsen alternative: Liverpool open talks to sign £67m defender

Liverpool could be about to forget about Dean Huijsen with a move for another defensive star.

ByEthan Lamb May 14, 2025

أكد زين الدين زيدان، أسطورة فرنسا وريال مدريد ويوفنتوس، أنه سوف يعود من جديد إلى التدريب خلال الفترة المقبلة، موضحًا أن مدرب ريال مدريد السابق ومنتخب البرازيل الحالي، كارلو أنشيلوتي، لعب دورًا مهمًا في مسيرته كمدير فني.

زيدان لا يدرب أي نادي وذلك منذ رحيله عن تدريب نادي ريال مدريد بنهاية موسم 2021، ولم تكن له تجارب تدريبية خارج الفريق الملكي.

وبدأ زيدان مسيرته كمدير فني لريال مدريد كاستيا، ثم درب الفريق الأول للميرنجي خلال شهر يناير من عام 2016، قبل أن يرحل عام 2018 ويعود إلى ريال مدريد في ولاية ثانية عام 2020.

اقرأ أيضًا .. أسطورة يوفنتوس: كابيلو أوقف انتقالي إلى برشلونة

وأكد زيدان في تصريحات نقلها صحفي شبكة “سكاي سبورتس”، جيانلوكا دي مازاريو، أن هدفه هو تدريب منتخب فرنسا خلال الفترة المقبلة، مظهرًا حبه الكبير ليوفنتوس.

وقال زيدان: “سأعود بالتأكيد إلى التدريب، أما أنا في يوفنتوس؟ لا أعرف لماذا لم يحدث ذلك، إنه دائمًا في قلبي لأنه قدم لي الكثير، في المستقبل لا أعرف، أحد أهدافي هو تدريب المنتخب الفرنسي وسوف نرى”.

وأضاف زيدان في حديثه: “مثل جميع الأطفال تعلمت حب كرة القدم في الشوارع قبل 45 عامًا في مارسيليا، كنت ألعب دائمًا بالكرة وكنت شغوفًا بها، كنت من مشجعي مارسيليا، والداي من الجزائر وانتقلا إلى فرنسا للعمل، لكن الحياة كانت صعبة في ذلك الوقت، أنا سعيد بأبنائي لأنهم أشخاص جيدون وهذا أهم شيء بالنسبة لي”.

وعن الاختلافات بين كرة القدم بين الماضي والحاضر، أوضح زيدان: “أعتقد أنني أفتقد شيئًا اليوم مقارنةً بالماضي، عندما أشاهد المباريات أرغب في رؤية مباراة أكثر هجومية، صحيح أنني أفتقد كرة القدم في الماضي بعض الشيء”.

فترته كلاعب مع يوفنتوس: “كانت السنوات هناك رائعة، أتيت من فرنسا حيث كانت كرة القدم رائعة ولكن ليس كما في يوفنتوس، في تورينو، شعرت أن كل ما عليك فعله هو الفوز دائمًا، سواء على أرضك أو خارجها”.

وتابع: ”أكثر ما علق في ذهني في أنييلي هو أنه عندما كنت ألعب بشكل جيد كان يتصل بي في السادسة صباحًا ليهنئني، كان رجلاً نبيلًا، كان واضحًا أنه من مشجعي يوفنتوس”.

وعن أسطورة يوفنتوس، أليساندرو ديل بييرو واصل زيدان: “كان رائعًا وأحد أفضل اللاعبين في إيطاليا، كنت محظوظًا باللعب معه ومع العديد من اللاعبين الآخرين لأربع أو خمس سنوات، كان لدينا فريق جيد حقًا لكن ديل بييرو كان مميزًا”.

وقال: “من الصعب على يوفنتوس أن يفوز بدوري أبطال أوروبا، لقد وصلنا إلى النهائي مرتين وخسرنا ولا أعرف السبب، يعتمد الأمر أيضًا على النادي وعلى ما يريده، للفوز بدوري أبطال أوروبا تحتاج إلى الكثير”.

وحول اعتزاله كرة القدم أضاف زيدان: “اخترت ذلك وكان الاعتزال ما أردت فعله، ما لم أعد أحبه هو السفر والفنادق وكل ما يتعلق بها، عندما تبلغ العشرين من عمرك يكون الأمر جيدًا، لكن عندما تكبر يصبح الأمر صعبًا، كان بإمكاني اللعب لمدة سنتين أو ثلاث سنوات أخرى”.

وكيفية دخوله عالم التدريب: “عندما توقفت عن لعب كرة القدم تغيرت حياتي، بعد ثلاث سنوات لم أكن أعرف ماذا أفعل، جربت الكثير حتى التحقت بدورة تدريبية، من بين جميع المدربين الذين عملت معهم، كان ليبي هو من تعلمت منه أكثر، كان مهمًا جدًا لأنه عندما وصلت إلى إيطاليا كان الأمر صعبًا علي في البداية، لكن ليبي كان يؤمن بي دائمًا”.

وأردف: ”كان أنشيلوتي مدربي في البداية ثم أصبحت مساعده، إنه صديق جيد لي ولعب دورًا مهمًا في مسيرتي، كان مدربًا جيدًا لأنه كان يستمع إلينا نحن اللاعبين”.

وعن الصفات التي يجب أن تتوفر في المدرب: “يجب أن يكون شغوفًا بكرة القدم، ليس فقط من يفوزون هم الجيدون وهناك مدربون جيدون لا يستطيعون الفوز، أهم شيء بالنسبة لي هو إيصال رسالة للاعبين، عندما تكون شغوفًا فإنك تنقل رسالةً لهم”.

MatériaMais Notícias

da dobrowin： O Santos não contratará mais o meio-campista Rodrigo Zalazar. As negociações com o Schalke 04 estagnaram, e os alemães devem vender o jogador uruguaio ao Braga, de Portugal.

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da premier bet： O Lance! apurou que o Peixe fez grandes esforços para que Zalazar vestisse a camisa alvinegra. O clube considerou que avançou nas tratativas durante a tarde da última quarta-feira (12) e aumentou o otimismo, mas sempre reconheceu que o cenário seria difícil por envolver altas cifras.

+ Confira 30 jogadores que ainda não fizeram sete jogos no Brasileirão e podem trocar de clube

O Alvinegro, então, chegou a oferecer cerca de 6 milhões de euros (R$ 31,8 milhões) ao Schalke, valores considerados ideais para concretizar a transação. No entanto, os alemães recuaram e não se sentiram seguros em negociar com o Peixe.

Uma das razões é que, no passado, o Santos aplicou ‘calotes’ em negociações. Um dos casos aconteceu na gestão do ex-presidente alvinegro Modesto Roma, quando o clube não pagou o Hamburgo, da Alemanha, pela contratação do zagueiro Cleber Reis em 2016. Nesta situação, o Peixe até sofreu um Transfer Ban da Fifa, com José Carlos Peres na presidência, e ficou impedido de registrar novos atletas.

O recuo do Schalke foi inicialmente noticiado pelo “Uol”.

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VIRADA DE CHAVE

O Santos agora concentra os esforços para fechar com Roberto Pereyra e Bruno Henrique. Ambos estão livres no mercado, o Alvinegro fez propostas para tê-los na equipe e aguarda respostas. As negociações seguem, e o Peixe pretende avançar ainda nesta quinta-feira (13).

O clube já contratou o lateral Dodô e tem tudo acertado com Jean Lucas e Julio Furch.

Tahir finished with figures of 4-0-27-4, but his Smart Stats were even better, given the batsmen he dismissed and the time when he dismissed them

ESPNcricinfo stats team14-Apr-2019After 14 overs of Kolkata Knight Riderss’ innings, they were well placed at 121 for 3. Chris Lynn had just pasted Ravindra Jadeja for three successive sixes in the previous over – which had gone for 23 – and had motored along to 82 off 50, and with Andre Russell still to come, Knight Riders were on course to score around 190 or even more.Enter Imran Tahir. He had already done a double-wicket act earlier in the game, dismissing Nitish Rana and Robin Uthappa in the 11th over. This time, he took out even bigger names, getting rid of both Lynn and Russell in the space of five deliveries, which eventually was instrumental in restricting Knight Riders to just 161.ESPNcricinfo LtdTahir finished with figures of 4-0-27-4, but his Smart Stats were even better. Given the batsmen he dismissed and the time when he dismissed them, Tahir’s four wickets were worth 5.4, which makes his haul the best of IPL 2019, in terms of Smart Wickets. That is because Smart Wickets takes into account three factors when calculating the value of a dismissal:- The quality of the batsman dismissed
– The batsman’s score at the time of the dismissal
– The state of the game at the time of the dismissalAlzarri Joseph’s six-wicket haul against Sunrisers Hyderabad was only worth 4.9 and is in second place, because his last three victims were Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Siddarth Kaul, and those wickets came when the match was almost in the bag.ESPNcricinfo LtdIn Tahir’s case, all four victims were top-class batsmen, and two of them – Uthappa and Russell – were dismissed very early in their innings, which gives his wickets more value (since dismissing a dangerous batsman early is always more beneficial to the fielding team).Among these four wickets, Russell’s was worth the most, at 1.65, followed by Uthappa (1.47), Lynn (1.18) and Rana (1.11). Add up those values, and Tahir’s wicket value becomes the highest of IPL 2019.

Former captain and team-mate braced to be overtaken as England’s leading run-scorer

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Aug-2024

Alastair Cook hailed Joe Root as “a genius” after losing his record for the most England Test centuries to his former team-mate. Root made 103 in the second innings against Sri Lanka at Lord’s on Saturday, his second hundred of the match and his 34th overall in Test cricket, taking him clear of Cook’s former benchmark of 33.”He is quite simply England’s greatest, and it’s absolutely right that he should have this record, on his own,” Cook, who was England’s captain in each of Root’s first 53 Tests, said on commentary for the BBC’s “Take it in, Joe. We are watching a genius.”I don’t think there’s a batsman that I can remember watching play [who shares] the sense of inevitability about scoring runs that Joe Root gives off. I called it when he was on about 6 today, that he was going to get 100. I know he’s in great form, but it’s just a pleasure to watch a master, a craftsman at work.”Twin hundreds at Lord’s took Root’s career aggregate to 12,377 runs, and he needs 96 more runs at The Oval next week to overtake both Kumar Sangakkara and Cook. That would make him the fifth-highest run-scorer in Test history, and England’s highest. “He’s just got the final one to tick off next week,” Cook said. “In this kind of form, there’s no reason why he can’t.”Root milked Sri Lanka’s left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya during his second hundred of the match, scoring 60 runs off the 59 balls he faced from him. “The spinner was bowling today, and quite honestly, he could have hit him wherever he wanted with absolutely no risk,” Cook said. “That is the art of batting: low-risk shots which score you runs.”Cook was in the opposition when a teenaged Root made his List A debut as an 18-year-old in 2009, making 63 off 95 balls for Yorkshire against Essex. “He couldn’t get the ball off the square,” Cook recalled. “Everyone said, ‘he’s a good player’, but I didn’t see that.”Related

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But three years later, Cook was England’s Test captain when Root made his international debut in the final match of their 2-1 series win in India. “I saw someone mentally ready to play Test cricket,” Cook said. “The only check was when he walked out to bat for the first time, how he would handle it.”The game was in the balance and he walked out to bat with his England cap on, looking 13, massive smile on his face. I watched his first few balls, and I was like, ‘This bloke is here to stay.’ I honestly said, ‘He’s scoring 10,000 runs.’ I don’t know who I said it to, but I know that I said it.”

Will Emi Martínez leave Aston Villa this summer?

According to a report by Football Insider, the Villans are under pressure to ‘sell a prize asset’ before 30 June to avoid breaching Profit and Sustainability Rules, claiming that Martínez is one of the most likely candidates to be sacrificed.

Well, there are plenty of suitors for the back-to-back Yashin Trophy winner.

Goal documents Manchester United’s interest, while The Telegraph claim that numerous Saudi Pro League clubs would be delighted to secure his signature.

Well, given, as noted by Jacob Tanswell of The Athletic, Martínez’s propensity to deliver ‘defining moments’ and ‘standout performances’, he will be a difficult man to replace, but have Aston Villa actually managed to identify an upgrade?

Aston Villa's first-choice Emi Martínez replacement

According to a report by John Townley for Birmingham Live, Aston Villa will ‘target’ a move to sign LOSC Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier, should Martínez be sold.

French publication L’Équipe has previously noted that newly-crowned European champions Paris Saint-Germain are tracking the 23-year-old, with TEAMtalk claiming that he is valued at just £34m by les Dogues.

Chevalier joined Lille as a 13-year-old, making 127 appearances for the senior team, conceding exactly 127 goals and keeping 44 clean sheets in this time.

So, could he soon be swapping Northern France for the English Midlands?

Why Lucas Chevalier would be an Emi Martínez upgrade

During his three seasons as Lille’s number one, Chevalier has earned countless rave reviews.

Alongside Rayan Cherki of Olympique Lyonnais, they were the only non-PSG players to feature in Ligue 1’s team of the season.

Meanwhile, following les Nordistes’ stunning 1-0 Champions League victory over Real Madrid at Stade Pierre-Mauroy in October, Joel Domenighetti of L’Équipe described Chevalier’s display as ‘exceptional’, while Nick Hartland of Get French Football News labels him ‘one of the breakout stars’ from this season’s competition.

Described as “one of the most talented young goalkeepers in Europe” by scout Jacek Kulig, what makes him so good is that – in the words of Liam Tharme and Matt Pyzdrowski of the Athletic – he not only boasts ‘excellent reach’ and exceptional ‘handling’, but also that his ‘super-strength’ is his ‘accomplished’ in possession play.

So, how did the young Frenchman compare to the man he could be replacing between the Villa Park posts this season?

The table makes for interesting reading, considering the duo played a near-identical number of minutes this season across their respective domestic leagues and the Champions League

Appearances

48

49

Minutes

4,350

4,275

Goals conceded

53

57

Clean sheets

13

14

Post-shot xG – goals-conceded

+9.6

+4.7

Saves

123

144

Save %

74.9%

72.8%

% of crosses stopped

5.4%

11.3%

Ball recoveries

83

45

Errors leading to an opposition shot

4

8

Note: Martínez’s statistics are Premier League and Champions League only.

Across Europe’s top five leagues, the Frenchman ranks tenth for post-shot xG – goals conceded, while he is also 11th in this season’s Champions League for the same metric, a key figure as Lille upset the odds to finish seventh in the league phase.

Meantime, his save percentage ranks highly both domestically and in the Champions League, with his Ligue 1 figure of 74.6% a noteworthy amount higher than Martínez’s 69% in the Premier League.

This is not to denigrate​​​​​​​ Martínez in any way, given that former Aston Villa striker Chris Sutton believes the Argentine has been an “outstanding goalkeeper” and a “brilliant shot-stopper” since joining the club in 2020.

Nevertheless, if the Claret and Blue Army are able to sell the 32-year-old for a big fee and replace him with a 23 year old, this is surely an upgrade they should be looking to make.

Aston Villa book medical to sign forward who Emery feels can be next Duran

He’s agreed a four-year deal at Villa Park.

ByCharlie Smith Jun 1, 2025