With Trent Alexander-Arnold still on course to become a free agent at the end of the season, Liverpool are reportedly plotting a summer swoop to sign a potential replacement worth £25m with his club ready to sell.

Liverpool transfer news

The Reds took one step closer to Premier League glory at the first time of asking under Arne Slot last weekend, as Arsenal slipped up yet again. With just five wins and a draw needed to secure the silverware, Liverpool look more certain than they have done since their dominant 2019/20 campaign to take their seat on the throne of English football and may even receive a guard of honour from Arsenal to rub salt in the Gunners’ wounds.

It’s not all perfect for those at Anfield, however. On the pitch, they have been ruthless. Away from the pitch, however, Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes have seemingly lacked conviction in contract talks, with Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Alexander-Arnold all set to depart as free agents as things stand this summer.

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Their departures at the cost of nothing would quickly cut celebrations short, but they’re exits that the Reds must plan for, especially in the case of Alexander-Arnold amid Real Madrid’s reported interest.

With that said, according to The Boot Room, Liverpool are plotting a summer move to sign Wesley Franca after sending scouts to watch the 21-year-old Flamengo right-back in action.

The talented South American is certainly one to watch, and given that he’s reportedly valued at just £25m, there’s a real possibility that he could become one of the bargains of the summer with Flamengo ready to cash in on their full-back.

Replacing Alexander-Arnold will be no easy task for whoever has the job this summer, however, be it Franca or the likes of Conor Bradley. Yet to reach the peak of his powers at 21 years old, whether Liverpool hand that task to the Brazilian remains to be seen.

"Quick" Franca could be handed impossible task

Truth be told, Liverpool will struggle to find a like-for-like replacement for Alexander-Arnold if he departs this summer. There’s arguably not a right-back in world football who has his passing range. It could even be argued that not many midfielders have such range. So, those at Anfield shouldn’t look to find a like-for-like replacement at all.

Instead, as Slot has done at times this season, Liverpool should adjust their system to remove the reliance on their right-back going forward – returning to a more natural full-back rather than the role Alexander-Arnold has excelled in.

If that proves to be the case, then potential tasks handed to Franca would become that much easier. The 21-year-old would, of course, struggle to replicate the Liverpool academy graduate, but that doesn’t mean he lacks the potential to become a Premier League star.

South American football expert Tim Vickery was full of praise for the right-back when it was Aston Villa who were linked with a move for his signature in January, telling Sky Sports News’ Transfer Talk: “They think two things. First of all, they would like to use him for the Club World Cup because it’s very important to them.

“Secondly, they think they can get more. If the idea is around €20m (£16.7m) at the moment, it could be €30m (£25m) after the Club World Cup. He’s a very attacking full-back, very quick, bullet fast but he’s not the greatest defensive full-back.”

Wolves star Matheus Cunha has reportedly agreed a five-year deal with Manchester United and is set to take Marcus Rashford's shirt number.

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Man Utd close in on CunhaSet to sign a five-year deal at Old TraffordWill wear Rashford's No. 10 jerseyFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

United have endured a horror season as they finished their first campaign under Ruben Amorim trophyless and all the way down in 15th in the Premier League, level on points with Wolves. Since his appointment at Old Trafford as Erik ten Hag's successor, Amorim has only won 17 out of 48 games, however, the Red Devils are ready to keep backing the Portuguese coach with new signings ahead of next season.

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Wolves star Cunha is set to be the first signing of the summer for United. Journalist Ben Jacobs has now reported that Cunha has reached an agreement on a five-year contract at Old Trafford, with the Red Devils set to speak directly to Wolves this week in order to trigger his £62.5 million ($83.4m) release clause.

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Jacobs has also reported that Cunha will wear Rashford's No. 10 jersey next season. The decision has been taken with Rashford expected to seal a permanent move away from the club after an impressive six-month loan spell at Aston Villa.

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WHAT NEXT FOR CUNHA?

The Brazilian has not yet said goodbye to Wolves despite having played in their final game of the season against Brentforf. However, it is expected that United will confirm the signing of Cunha at some point in the next week.

Crystal Palace are now closely following a young forward who has been compared to Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann, according to a report.

Palace making summer transfer plans

With 10 games left to play, Palace look set for a mid-table finish in the Premier League, but it could still be an exciting end to the campaign, with Oliver Glasner’s side just one game away from a trip to Wembley in the FA Cup semi-final.

While it would be a monumental achievement to potentially go on and win the FA Cup, Glasner will also be keen for his side to kick on and push for the European places next season, which means some additions could be required in the summer window.

With Will Hughes yet to sign a new contract, signing a midfielder may be necessary, and the Eagles are now eyeing a move to sign 20-year-old Royal Antwerp maestro Mahamadou Doumbia.

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It appears as though there could be a focus on bringing in talented youngsters this summer, as Glasner’s side have also emerged as shock contenders to sign Wolfsburg defender Konstantinos Koulierakis, who could cost around £42m.

Not only are Palace eyeing young defenders and midfielders, but they have also been closely following 18-year-old FC Nordsjaelland forward Sindre Walle Egeli, according to a report from The Boot Room.

The teenager is attracting a lot of attention from across Europe, having put in some impressive performances in Denmark, with the likes of Newcastle United, Atalanta, Liverpool and Everton also expressing an interest.

The Eagles are one of a number of Premier League clubs to have watched the youngster in action this season, and reports elsewhere have revealed Nordsjaelland could be looking for a fee of at least £21m to sanction his departure.

"Absolute star" Egeli likened to Griezmann

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has bestowed very high praise upon the young Norwegian, describing him as an “absolute star of each age category since the U-15 level”, while also likening him to Atletico Madrid forward Griezmann.

Although the right-winger is still only 18-years-old, he has emerged as a key player for Nordsjaelland, picking up six goals and four assists in the Superliga this season, recently adding to his tally with a well-taken header against Vejle BK.

Palace have done a fantastic job recruiting talented youngsters in recent times, with Adam Wharton establishing himself as a key player for Glasner, and there are plenty of indications the Nordsjaelland star could be in the same category.

Eddie Howe’s season has been something of a rollercoaster. The frustration from a disappointing end to the summer transfer window seeped onto the field and Newcastle United toiled through the opening months.

But now the Magpies are into the Carabao Cup final, have set up a date with Brighton in the FA Cup fifth round and are pushing for a top-four finish in the Premier League.

Let’s have a look at some of Tyneside’s standout stars, those making it happen.

Newcastle's best players this season

Let’s get the obvious one out of the way: Alexander Isak has been sensational at the front of the Newcastle ship, posting 19 goals and five assists from 29 matches in all competitions. Alan Shearer hailed him as “world-class” and it would take a brave fan to dispute it.

Jacob Murphy deserves some praise too, having been a consistent source of energy and output from the right flank after efforts to sign a new winger failed during the summer.

Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton continue to impress in the middle of the park, but Sandro Tonali’s emergence after a challenging and disrupted 2023/24 season has been wonderful to witness.

However, Anthony Gordon’s ceaseless pursuit of greatness has seen him become one of the Premier League’s standout wingers. Given that he came close to leaving St. James’ Park last summer, it’s brilliant to feel the effect of Howe retaining his services.

Newcastle have hit the jackpot on Anthony Gordon

When Newcastle signed Gordon from Everton for £45m in January 2023, many English football fans were unconvinced. It took him until the beginning of the 2023/24 campaign to get going, but now he’s firing on all cylinders.

The Premier League is chock-full of talented wide players, with the likes of Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush and Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Cunha the men of the moment right now, but Gordon has been reliable and dangerous for nearly two years now, and Newcastle wouldn’t switch him for another.

Gordon was bestowed the honour of Newcastle’s 23/24 Player of the Season for his remarkable performances amid the club’s injury concerns. And he’s maintained his level, boding well for the future.

Anthony Gordon in the Premier League
Match Stats (*per game)	23/24	24/25
Matches (starts)	35 (34)	24 (23)
Goals	11	6
Assists	10	5
Shots (on target)*	2.3 (0.9)	2.1 (0.9)
Pass completion	82%	79%
Key passes*	1.6	2.1
Dribble (success)*	1.5 (49%)	1.4 (47%)
Ball recoveries	3.6	3.5
Tackles + interceptions*	1.8	1.3
Total duels (won)*	5.3 (49%)	4.8 (52%)
Stats via Sofascore

Though his output has decreased – Gordon averaged a goal involvement every 0.60 games in 2023/24 compared to 0.46 this term – the winger’s underlying data has remained largely intact, even proving to be a bit more potent with his creativity.

It’s a marker of his ability that the biggest institutions have taken note, with Liverpool being offered the Merseyside native last summer in a £75m deal, Fabrizio Romano confirming the interest.

Some might say ‘English tax’, but Gordon is one of the finest wingers in Europe and has been hailed as a “machine on the pitch” and a “relentless monster” by journalist and content creator Sripad, illustrating Gordon’s matchless mentality.

It goes to show that he’s worth the money, with Marmoush, for example, joining Man City in a £59m deal last month and already claiming his first match ball.

Cunha’s also the talk of the town in Wolverhampton, with his fine goal at Anfield last weekend taking his tally to 12 goals from 24 Premier League games for his relegation-threatened side. The Brazilian reportedly has a £70m price tag at Molineux.

The £75m-rated Gordon is not only worth more than that pair but is also the real deal, an integral part of Howe’s system who could possibly get his mitts on some silverware before the end of the campaign.

Market Movers

He’s been worth every penny – and then some.

Newcastle made a bigger mistake than Minteh by selling "throwback" star

Newcastle already sold “throwback” star who’s an even bigger mistake than Minteh

By
Connor Holden

Feb 17, 2025

Northamptonshire 56 (Barker 4-13) and 50 for 2 (Whiteman 25*, Turner 1-10, Barker 1-20) f/o trail Hampshire 367 (Vince 95, Dawson 63, White 4-80) by 261 runsNorthamptonshire’s batting woes continued as they were bowled out for 56 – the lowest total in the Ageas Bowl’s 22-year history during their LV= County Championship match against Hampshire.Fast bowler Keith Barker was their main tormentor as he pilfered 4 for 13 in his 12 overs, while Mohammad Abbas and Ian Holland grabbed two wickets each for the home side.Only Saif Zaib managed to reach double figures – scoring 29 – with four of his team-mates falling for ducks as they scored one run fewer than Hampshire’s 57 against Kent on the ground last season.It meant they gave up a 311-run first-innings deficit, after Hampshire had earlier been bowled out for 367, with a further two wickets falling before the close – the score 50 for 2 and Hampshire’s lead 261.Northamptonshire exceeded many expectations with their sixth-placed finish in the Championship last season – with Luke Procter, Emilio Gay, and Rob Keogh all scoring in excess of 800 runs. So far this year, there has been just a solitary batting point in five matches and totals of 72, 63, and now 56. They are also the only side not to have a batter make 300 runs yet this season – although that is somewhat mitigated by Gay and Procter’s missed games through injury.Unsurprisingly that modest batting record has only translated to a single victory. Their attempts to improve that started horrendously as Hassan Azad was barbequed by Gay and run out without facing a ball in the first over – Mason Crane’s brilliant direct hit at point splattering the stumps.No words were spoken as Azad trudged off, while Gay would frenetically go on to get dropped at second slip before taking on an Abbas bouncer, only to stick it straight down deep square leg Fletcha Middleton’s throat. Sam Whiteman would also fall lbw to Barker as Northamptonshire reached lunch on 18 for 3.That 11-over stint saw the very best of left-armer Barker. His six overs returned 1 for 4 and included only one scoring shot – off the penultimate ball of the session.Barker returned from lunch hungry for wickets and had Ricardo Vasconcelos lbw when walking across his stumps. The former Warwickshire man then produced a double-wicket maiden – his seventh maiden in 12 overs – where he found Keogh pushing to third slip and James Sales beaten for pace.Tom Taylor was caught low at fourth slip off Abbas and Jordan Buckingham edged Holland to second slip to continue the collapse.Zaib had replicated the steady Hampshire batting approach from the first day, where the pitch had seemed slow and patience was needed to pick the moments to score. With partners running out he advanced and slapped to cover.Hampshire’s bowling attack is without Kyle Abbott and James Fuller for this match – due to knee trouble and illness – it meant Championship debutant John Turner and leg-spinner Crane were promoted into the team. Turner bowled with decent pace in his first 3.2 overs before he ended the sorry Northamptonshire innings by knocking back Jack White’s off stump.It was Northamptonshire’s second-lowest total of the 21st century and lowest ever away to Hampshire.Rain knocked 27 off the day, but the belated start to the second innings saw Gay once again put down at second slip and Azam complete a same-day pair – although this time at least faced seven balls before Barker pinned him lbw.Gay and Whiteman showed some solidity before Turner entered the attack and had the former lbw to complete a miserable day for the visitors.Earlier, Hampshire added 36 runs and lost their four remaining wickets, as they gained a third batting bonus point. Liam Dawson and Barker’s 74-run stand for the seventh wicket was ended when Tom Taylor nipped one back to bowl Dawson for 63.White, who ended up with figures of 4 for 80, had Holland lbw and Turner caught brilliantly at second slip by Gay in successive balls. The innings was rounded up when Abbas edged Taylor to first slip.

Chelsea finally managed to get a win on the board having lost their last three games, beating Southampton 4-0 at Stamford Bridge and taking all three points with goals from Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto, Levi Colwill and Marc Cucurella.

Enzo Maresca’s men held 60% possession, taking 19 shots in the game, creating seven “big chances” and generating 2.32 xG compared to Southampton’s 0.62 xG.

With the Blues scoring four goals and keeping their first clean sheet since their 0-0 draw with Everton back in December, there were plenty of top-level performances, with a few individuals in particular standing out slightly more than others.

Chelsea's standout performers against Southampton

Enzo Fernández has made 31 appearances for Maresca’s side so far this season, scoring four goals, providing eight assists and totalling 2,295 minutes played.

Chelsea’s vice-captain (taking the armband in Reece James’ absence) was brilliant yet again, making things tick in midfield, dropping deep to progress play through the lines, making seven key passes, completing four out of five long balls, creating three big chances and winning five out of five ground duels.

But another superb performer against Southampton was Cucurella, who, along with his goal, made a whopping six tackles in the game, winning eight of his nine ground duels, showing his commitment to getting stuck in and doing the dirty work.

But it’s the mixture of his hard work and off-ball intensity blended with his calm ability to invert into midfield, pick up little pockets of space and keep things ticking, allowing others to play with more freedom.

It could well be argued that he’d now walk into the leading teams in the divisions…

How Cucurella compares to the PL's best

Since joining the Blues in 2022 for a fee of around £60m, the Spaniard has had a roller coaster of a time at Chelsea, going from out of favour and out of form, to one of their top performers, a fan favourite and potentially the best left-back in the league – as ex-Blues man William Gallas has tipped him to become.

Cucurella has made 89 appearances in his time at Chelsea, scoring five goals, providing seven assists and totalling 6,897 minutes played.

Stats (per 90 mins)

Cucurella

Lewis-Skelly

Robertson

Goals + Assists

0.20

0.08

0.03

Progressive Carries

1.09

1.69

2.26

Progressive Passes

3.65

4.94

6.46

Shots Total

0.63

0.16

0.56

Key Passes

0.61

0.36

1.71

Tackles

2.00

2.53

1.52

Blocks

1.52

0.12

0.39

Interceptions

0.73

0.48

0.77

Ball Recoveries

4.26

3.86

4.01

Aerial Duels Won

0.87

0.36

0.16

When comparing Cucurella’s metrics this season to Myles Lewis-Skelly at Arsenal and Andrew Robertson at Liverpool, you can see just how good the Spaniard is, not only making the most ball recoveries and blocks, but also offering output now, getting forward and showing his technical quality too, as well as his aggression and tenacity off the ball.

Cucurella was described as “phenomenal” by one notable analyst on X (formerly Twitter), praising his 1v1 defensive capabilities and his technical quality. His ability to invert into midfield, provide underlapping and overlapping runs in the final third, and even chip in with goals now, makes him one of the very best in his position.

With Robertson coming to the back end of his Liverpool career and Lewis-Skelly being tipped to move into midfield in the near future, you can put your money on the fact both Arsenal and Liverpool would snap at the chance to have Cucurella in their sides if given the chance.

100% duels won: 9/10 Chelsea ace is rapidly becoming more vital than Palmer

Chelsea ended their dismal recent run with a 4-0 win over Southampton last night.

1 ByEthan Lamb Feb 26, 2025

West Ham United manager Graham Potter has told the Hammers board that he wants one prolific striker in particular at Rush Green, coming after the club’s hierarchy once rejected the possibility of completing a deal.

West Ham set for David Moyes reunion against Everton

This weekend, the east Londoners travel to Goodison Park for a showdown against David Moyes’ rejuvenated Everton.

West Ham now "determined" to sign £108k-per-week striker for Graham Potter

The Hammers board are convinced by him.

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West Ham parted company with the tactician, who guided them to their first major trophy since the 1980s in 2023, last summer and welcomed Julen Lopetegui as his replacement – but the Spaniard’s dismal tenure at the London Stadium prompted David Sullivan to appoint Potter in his stead. Now, the two managers are set to lock horns on Merseyside, and Potter is welcoming the challenge.

“David’s done a really good job up there. He’s a top, top coach, and someone I have huge respect for,” said Potter on Moyes’ time at West Ham.

“He achieved a lot here at West Ham. He won a major trophy and his teams were competitive towards the top end of the Premier League table for several seasons, and I know how hard that is.

“I think we all want to improve all the time, but David set a high bar here, and everyone at the Club has a lot of respect for him. We all wish him well at Everton, just not on Saturday.”

Everton (away)

March 15th

Wolves (away)

April 1st

Bournemouth (home)

April 5th

Liverpool (away)

April 13th

Southampton (home)

April 19th

West Ham head into the game off the back of a mixed run of form – beating Arsenal and Leicester City – but also falling to tepid 1-0 defeats on home turf against Brentford and Newcastle United.

Everton, meanwhile, are undefeated from their last five league games and haven’t lost in the top flight since a 1-0 defeat away to Aston Villa midway through January, so Potter will be forced to deal with a side who have their tails firmly up.

West Ham are playing for nothing but a respectable league position, but it is still imperative for Potter to take some momentum into what will be a crucial first full campaign in charge at the London Stadium.

Graham Potter tells West Ham he wants to sign Jonathan David

The tactician is also set to have a major say on West Ham’s transfer plans before the 2025/2026 season, and it is believed that he’s a massive fan of Lille star Jonathan David.

The Canada international, who’s racked up an impressive career total of 175 goals for club and country combined, is set to be a free agent at the end of the season and will be one of the bargains of the summer.

Niclas Füllkrug’s torrid injury record, combined with Michail Antonio’s long-term absence and Danny Ings’ imminent exit, means it is imperative for the Irons to sign a new centre-forward this summer, especially given they have no option to buy in their deal for Evan Ferguson.

According to GiveMeSport, Potter has made it clear to West Ham that he wants David, but they face very stiff competition for the forward, as Arsenal and Barcelona are also contending for his signature.

As things stand, it is unlikely they’ll win the race, but another interesting aspect of this story is that “influential figures” at West Ham once “passed up” the opportunity to sign David – which they’re surely now regretting.

The 25-year-old is one of Europe’s most lethal strikers, and he’s proved that in big Champions League encounters this season against the likes of Real Madrid, making it curious as to why West Ham were previously not keen.

If they cannot strike an agreement with David, it is also believed that West Ham are very interested in Fenerbache striker Youssef En-Nesyri, who’s enjoying a prolific campaign in the Turkish Süper Lig.

“You are not playing that much cricket to be injured again and again. You can’t play four matches on the trot”

Nagraj Gollapudi12-Apr-20237:14

Shastri: ‘Make sure you get fit and come once and for all’

Ravi Shastri feels the frequent and recurring injuries to senior Indian bowlers is “unreal”, “ridiculous” and “frustrating”.Shastri’s comments came while discussing the latest injury to Deepak Chahar, who bowled just one over before pulling out of Chennai Super Kings’ IPL match against Mumbai Indians after picking up a left hamstring injury.”Let’s put it this way: there are quite a few in the last three or four years who are permanent residents of the NCA,” Shastri said on ESPNcricinfo’s T20 Time:Out show ahead of Super Kings’s home match against Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday. “Soon, they’ll get a resident permit there to walk in any time they want, which is not a good thing at all. It’s unreal.”Related

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This was the second time in the last five months Chahar has had to leave a game without finishing his four overs because of hamstring problems. In the second ODI against Bangladesh in Mirpur last December, Chahar pulled out after bowling three overs. He then returned to the BCCI’s National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, his base for the majority of 2022 after he suffered a Grade 3 quadricep tear last February.A stiff back, which was diagnosed as a stress fracture, then delayed his comeback, frustrating both Chahar and the Indian team management, leading to Rohit Sharma saying that the team “can’t afford guys coming in here half-fit and representing the country”.Chahar is not the only Indian quick to have been sidelined for long periods because of recurring injuries: Jasprit Bumrah, Navdeep Saini, Kuldip Sen, Mohsin Khan and Yash Dayal have all been out of action for varying stretches of late. Bumrah, in fact, attempted a comeback more than once after his back injury before eventually undergoing surgery recently.Shastri said that what bothered him the most was that most of these players’ workloads were not too big and despite being declared fit by the NCA medical team, they were still picking up injuries.”Make sure you get fit and come once and for all, because it’s damn frustrating”•BCCI

“Come on, you’re not playing that much cricket to be injured again and again,” Shastri said. “I mean, you can’t play four matches on the trot. What are you going to the NCA for? If you are going to come back and then three matches [later] you’re back there. So make sure you get fit and come once and for all because it’s damn frustrating. Not just for the team, the players, the BCCI, the captains of the various [IPL] franchises. It’s annoying, to say the least.”I can understand a serious injury, but every four games when someone touches his hamstring or someone touches his groin, you start thinking what are these guys… what are they training, what’s going on. And some of them don’t play any other cricket in the year. It’s just four overs [in the IPL], man, three hours. The game is over.”A day after the Mumbai Indians match, Super Kings said in a media statement that Chahar would undergo further scans before a call is taken on his participation in the remainder of the IPL.Chahar himself had said recently that it was never easy to come back from a major injury. In February, in a chat with PTI, he had declared himself “fully fit” and ready for the IPL. “I had two big injures. One was a stress fracture and one was a quad grade 3 tear. They are both very big injuries. You are out for months,” he had said. “Anyone who comes back after the injury, it takes time, especially for the fast bowlers.”

MatériaMais Notícias

O zagueiro Miranda não poupou elogios para Thiago Couto após a vitória do São Paulo por 1 a 0 contra o América-MG. O defensor já havia elogiado o goleiro na entrevista pós jogo, mas voltou a destacar a atuação do atleta novamente durante a zona mista.

RelacionadasVídeoVÍDEO: Com pênalti defendido e gol de Luciano, São Paulo bate o América-MG; veja os lancesVídeo28/07/2022São PauloSão Paulo faz o básico e vence América-MG pelo placar mínimo na ida das quartas da Copa do BrasilSão Paulo28/07/2022São PauloBandeiras de mastros são proibidas de entrar no Morumbi em São Paulo x América-MGSão Paulo28/07/2022

Galeria
>ATUAÇÕES: Luciano marca, Galoppo estreia bem, e Thiago Couto tem redenção em vitória do São Paulo

Tabela
> Veja tabela da Copa do Brasil

Em jogo válido pela partida de ida das quartas de final da Copa do Brasil, o camisa 22 elogiou o desempenho do setor defensivo do Tricolor paulista como um todo. Para ele, mesmo com a vantagem mínima de um gol, a equipe cumpriu com o seu objetivo.

– Era nosso objetivo, sair com a vantagem, por mínima que seja. A gente queria sair com a vantagem, sabíamos das dificuldades, não acabou por aqui, temos ainda 90 minutos, mas temos grandes possibilidades de avançar mais uma fase – disse.

A decisão, portanto, acontecerá na Arena Independência, no dia 18 de agosto. Quem se sair melhor, avança para a semifinal da competição.

Porém, um dos pontos fortes do São Paulo no confronto desta quinta-feira (28) foi a defesa. Nos últimos dois jogos da equipe, o Tricolor tomou seis gols. Na partida contra o Coelho, não foi vazado nenhuma vez.

Miranda foi uma peça essencial para isto. O jogador se ausentou por três partidas após sentir dores musculares. De acordo com ele, a zaga cumpriu seu papel, porém, um dos grandes destaques foi para Thiago Couto.

– Esse era nosso objetivo, o objetivo do sistema defensivo, entrar em campo para não sofrer gols. Hoje tivemos a felicidade de uma grande defesa do Couto, quando precisamos dele, ele correspondeu – destacou.

Thiago Couto assumiu a posição de Jandrei após o titular ter uma fratura em uma vértebra na região lombar detectada na tarde desta quinta-feira (28). A cria de Cotia, por sua vez, foi bastante criticada nos últimos jogos que atuou, porém, conseguiu sua redenção contra o Coelho após defender um pênalti de Maidana – que ele mesmo cometeu.

Miranda ressaltou que, por ser um atleta mais jovem, é normal que oscile. Porém, Couto correspondeu a altura da confiança do restante da equipe.

– Acho que é normal de todo jogador que vem da base, uma ou outra oscilação. O Thiago é um cara que trabalha bastante e hoje ele conseguiu corresponder a altura da nossa confiança porque ele sabe da qualidade que tem – destacou.

Por fim, ao ser questionado sobre a linha de três zagueiros – que Rogério Ceni comumente adota – o veterano revelou que somente no São Paulo atuou desta forma.

– Joguei a vida inteira, na Europa, na China, com uma linha de quatro. A única vez que atuei com uma linha de três foi no São Paulo, na minha primeira passagem. Independente de linha de três ou quatro, quero ajudar minha equipe. Independente de qual sistema, vou estar sempre pronto para atuar de alto nível – comentou.

O São Paulo agora volta a jogar no domingo (31), contra o Athletico-PR, pelo Campeonato Brasileiro. O jogo acontece às 16h, no estádioJoaquim Américo Guimarães. Ainda sem previsão de volta para Jandrei, Thiago Couto novamente deve ser uma opção.

Manchester United have now made contact over a summer move for a striker dubbed “aggressive” by Roy Keane, according to a report.

Man Utd's striker pursuit

It has recently been revealed that Napoli’s Victor Osimhen is Man United’s dream target for the summer transfer window, but it could be difficult to get a deal done unless they manage to qualify for the Champions League via a Europa League triumph.

However, United remain undeterred in their pursuit of the Nigerian, recently making a proposal of a Hojlund plus cash deal, which could be tempting to Antonio Conte, who is a big fan of the young Dane.

FC Porto’s Samu Aghehowa has emerged as a potential alternative to Osimhen, should the Red Devils be unable to lure the Galatasaray loanee to Old Trafford, while they have also opened talks over a deal for Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta.

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Mateta’s impressive form this season has caught Man United’s eye, but he is not the only Premier League striker on the shortlist, with a report from The Boot Room revealing they are also interested in a move for Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap.

The race for Delap is now hotting up, with Liverpool stepping up their interest, while Newcastle United and Chelsea are also keen, and previous reports have revealed a deal could amount to £50m.

The Red Devils appear to have made initial contact over a deal, having asked to be kept informed about the striker’s situation ahead of the summer transfer window.

Delap enjoying breakthrough season at Ipswich Town

The 22-year-old didn’t quite manage to make the grade at Manchester City, being shipped out on loan to Stoke City, Preston North End and Hull City, but he has managed to prove himself as a reliable source of goals for Ipswich this season.

With the Tractor Boys now six points from safety, it is looking increasingly likely they will be relegated from the top flight, but the former Man City man has made sure they haven’t been cut adrift, netting 10 goals in 27 league games.

The forward received high praise from Daniel Sturridge earlier this season, who described him as “very exciting”, before Roy Keane added: “He’s aggressive, I like that.”

After proving himself at Ipswich this season, Delap could now be ready to make the step-up to one of England’s top clubs, and it is clear he could be a real upgrade on Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee.

Despite playing for a relegation candidate, the Ipswich talisman has scored double the number of goals of Hojlund and Zirkzee combined in the Premier League, and he could be even more effective in a better side.