Chelsea are reportedly exploring a move for Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez, having already established contact with the player's entourage. Fermin has firmly established himself as a prominent figure at Barcelona under Hansi Flick, and helped the club win a domestic treble last season. Chelsea are now interested in bringing Fermin to Stamford Bridge as Enzo Maresca seeks to bolster his attacking ranks.

• Chelsea eyeing Barcelona’s Fermin
• Player’s camp already in contact with Chelsea
• Fermin faces a big decision on future

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Chelsea are ramping up their interest in Fermin, and they hope to lure the player away from Catalunya, given Barcelona's stacked midfield options. has confirmed that the Blues have made contact with Fermin's representatives to discuss a potential deal, however, they are yet to reach out to the Catalan giants with an official proposal. Contrasting reports from Catalan outlet claim an offer of €50 million (£43m) has been made.

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  Fermin, who signed a contract extension in October 2024, remains tied to Barcelona until 2029. His commitment to the club was made clear when he agreed to an additional two years on his initial deal, further solidifying his long-term future at the Camp Nou.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Fermin has publicly insisted that he remains committed to Barcelona despite increasing interest from the Premier League. Speaking to reporters after the Joan Gamper trophy, he said: "Barcelona fans should rest, because I will stay here… I will not leave Barca. It was a game about building confidence, ready for the start of La Liga. The important thing is the team did a very good job."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Despite his pledge of loyalty, it has been suggested that Barca could sell Fermin to reduce their salary bill. Chelsea, meanwhile, are considering bolstering their attacking ranks ahead of more potential exits, with Carney Chukwuemeka the latest to depart Stamford Bridge on a permanent deal to Borussia Dortmund.

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O jogador Pedro Lima, do sub-20 do Palmeiras, recebeu a oportunidade de treinar com o elenco profissional e comentou sobre essa experiência. Além disso, revelou ter o volante Zé Rafael como sua inspiração. O camisa 8 do Verdão gravou um vídeo respondendo e retribuindo os elogios da joia palmeirense.

> Veja classificação e simulador do Paulistão-2023 clicando aqui

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasPalmeiras estreia com derrota para o Bahia no Brasileirão sub-20Palmeiras01/03/2023PalmeirasPalmeiras parabeniza Rio de Janeiro e relembra conquistas na cidade: ‘Palco de Porcopeiro’Palmeiras01/03/2023PalmeirasDupla treina com o elenco principal do Palmeiras e fica fora de jogo pelo sub-20Palmeiras01/03/2023

O meia de 19 anos chegou ao Palmeiras em 2016, na categoria Sub-13, conquistando títulos importantes na base. Também foi destaque na conquista da Copa São Paulo em janeiro e nos títulos do Brasileiro e da Copa do Brasil da categoria ano passado.

-Legal demais. Eu também passei por essa fase quando eu era novo, me espelhava em alguns atletas e é muito legal ver que hoje eu estou virando uma referência pra alguns. Fico feliz, acho que é o fruto do meu trabalho, vou continuar me dedicando com profissionalismo, foco e disciplina para que mais meninos possam se espelhar e tirar algo bom que eu possa mostrar pra eles – disse Zé Rafael em resposta a Pedro.

-O Pedro é um menino bom, vai agregar muito pra gente, desejo sorte pra ele no profissional e que ele possa ter uma carreira ascendente pra ajudar a gente. Com certeza vai ajudar, craque de bola. Tamo junto, valeu – finalizou.

> Adversários frustram planos do Palmeiras na busca por reforços

O Palmeiras volta a treinar nesta quinta-feira (02), às 10h (horário de Brasília), na Academia de Futebol. Líder do Grupo D e com a melhor campanha do Campeonato Paulista, no próximo domingo (05), o Verdão visita o Guarani, em Campinas, às 16h, pela última rodada da fase de grupos. Em caso de vitória, a equipe comandada pelo técnico Abel Ferreira garante o mando de campo nas quartas de final diante do São Bernardo.

Fulham are in talks with AC Milan over a €25 million deal for Samuel Chukwueze, with the winger close to leaving Italy after just two seasons.

Fulham in advanced negotiations for ChukwuezeThe winger joined Milan in 2023London club tracking 26-year-old since JanuaryFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to , the Nigerian winger has been in contact with Fulham for weeks, and a move is now closer than ever. Chukwueze only joined Milan in the summer of 2023 from Villarreal. He is under contract until 2028, but has struggled to establish himself as a regular starter. The London club already tried to sign him in January, but Milan refused to sanction a loan with an option to buy.

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Milan’s shock 2-1 defeat to newly promoted Cremonese in their Serie A opener exposed the lack of attacking depth in Massimiliano Allegri’s side. The Rossoneri are desperate for reinforcements but need sales first to raise funds. Yunus Musah is also among the names linked with a possible exit, while Chukwueze is also among the likely outgoers. The Nigerian has made 70 appearances for Milan, scoring eight goals and providing six assists. 

DID YOU KNOW?

Chukwueze’s departure could also shape Milan’s midfield plans, with the club even looking at Marseille's ousted Adrien Rabiot. For now though, the main focus is on getting the Fulham deal over the line before the window shuts.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR AC MILAN AND CHUKWUEZE?

Fulham are still pushing to bring Chukwueze into their attack, with talks ongoing with Milan. For the Rossoneri, offloading the Nigerian winger would free up cash to chase their targets, including Bologna midfielder Giovanni Fabbian, valued at €15m (£13m/$17.5m), as they try to bounce back from a rough start to the season.

Messi will sit out a second straight game with a right hamstring injury, while the manager faces suspension for red card

• Inter Miami fifth in the East with 45 points
• Mascherano addressed the media
• Messi played 45 minutes in last four matches

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Lionel Messi will not be part of Inter Miami’s squad for Saturday’s trip to play DC United as he continues to recover from a hamstring issue, head coach Javier Mascherano confirmed Friday.

  The injury, sustained against Necaxa in the Leagues Cup, has limited Messi to just 45 minutes of action across Miami’s last four matches. Messi trained separately from his teammates throughout the week and was unavailable for the club’s Leagues Cup quarterfinal win over Tigres on Wednesday.

  Mascherano also addressed his suspension after being sent off against Tigres. Cameras showed him communicating on a cellphone from the stands, a moment that sparked debate, with the manager saying "I didn’t break any rules."

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  With the Herons pushing into the decisive stretch of the 2025 season, the priority is to have their captain fully fit rather than risk aggravating the injury. Despite Messi’s absence, Miami edged Tigres to book a spot in the Leagues Cup semifinals.

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  WHAT JAVIER MASCHERANO SAID

  Leagues Cup officials confirmed that Mascherano did not violate rules by using his cellphone to talk to his assistant from the stands after being sent off in Inter Miami's Leagues Cup match on Wednesday.

  “The truth is the stands at our stadium are very close to the pitch, so I tried to stay as near as possible to help the team,” Mascherano said. “It’s something that has happened many times in football and will continue to happen. I didn’t break any rules – I could’ve been sitting in an owner’s suite instead. The team needed me close. I’ll accept whatever consequences come.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR INTER MIAMI?

  Miami currently sit fifth in the Eastern Conference with 45 points and face a key road test in Washington as they look to solidify playoff positioning.

Tillman bagged Leverkusen's second to mark his first start for his new club in style after leaving Dutch champions PSV

Malik Tillman scored midway through first halfClever volley from close range 2024 Bundesliga champions lead Werder BremenFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

USMNT star Malik Tillman began his Leverkusen career in style, scoring midway through the first half in his maiden start for Erik Ten Hag's side on Saturday. The attacking midfielder reacted first to a deflected cross, controlled, and poked home from close range to give his side a 2-0 lead over Werder Bremen. 

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Tillman was widely expected to make his debut last week, but a knock ruled him out of the matchday squad. However, he was deemed fit to play right from the first whistle Saturday afternoon. Tillman scored 12 goals and added two assists in the Eredivisie last year. 

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DID YOU KNOW?

Tillman was a surprise omission from the USMNT squad for the upcoming September friendlies. After starring at the Gold Cup, it was largely expected that he would be given the opportunity to further impress Mauricio Pochettino. However, the Argentine manager left Tillman out, in part because of his return from injury. 

MatériaMais Notícias

Após conquistar uma boa vitória contra o Atlético-GO, o Santos se prepara para um duelo complicado no Brasileirão Sub-20. O Alvinegro Praiano vai até Porto Alegre para enfrentar o Grêmio. Confiante em um bom resultado, o goleiro João Victor projetou o próximo compromisso da temporada.

-Viemos de resultados positivos nos jogos anteriores, nossa equipe é muito qualificada. Sabemos que jogar contra o Grêmio é sempre um jogo muito disputado, ainda mais no sul, mas acredito que estamos numa crescente muito grande, e sem dúvidas podemos sair com resultado positivo lá do sul – disse o goleiro.

RelacionadasSantosFelipe Jonatan e Rodrigo Fernández ganham pré-temporada no Santos e conquistam espaço no time titularSantos17/03/2023SantosDestaque do Sub-20 do Santos analisa treinos com Odair Hellmann e projeta estreia no profissionalSantos17/03/2023SantosSaiba os possíveis adversários do Santos na próxima fase da Copa do BrasilSantos17/03/2023

+Estudo aponta os elencos mais valiosos do mundo; veja as posições dos times brasileiros

Ambas equipes estão invictas na competição. Com duas vitórias e um empate, o Peixe segue firme na 2ª colocação do grupo B. Enquanto isso, o Tricolor Gaúcho disputou apenas dois jogos e triunfou nas duas partidas.

O duelo será realizado na próxima sexta-feira (24), a partir das 20h, no estádio Airton Ferreira da Silva.

AC Milan have rejected Bournemouth's opening bid for Alex Jimenez as the Premier League side prepares an improved offer for the defender.

• Bournemouth are interested in Alex Jimenez
• Club proposed loan move for Jimenez
• Milan have rejected Bournemouth's offer

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Bournemouth are rebuilding their defensive line after offloading most of their first-choice defender's in this transfer window. The search to bolster their backline have led them to Milan's Jimenez. The Cherries proposed Milan a loan with an option to buy for €20 million (£17m/$23m) with a conditional obligation inserted as well but were swiftly rejected in their pursuit, according to . The Premier League side appreciate the defender and will be registering an improved offer soon.

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  Milan signed Jimenez in 2024 from Real Madrid Castilla after he initially spent a year on loan at San Siro. The 20-year-old went on to play 46 games for the club last season in which he scored four goals and registered two assists across all competitions. Milan are willing to part ways with the youngster but seek an offer around €25m (£21m/$29m) with an obligation to buy inserted in his contract.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Madrid have a buy-back clause inserted in Jimenez's contract and could match Bournemouth's bid to prevent him escaping their grasp back this summer. Otherwise, they have the option to trigger it and sign him for €12m (£10m/$14m) in 2026. Serie A clubs Roma and Como are also interested in the player but both the club's are sorting out other priorities. However, a move for Jimenez seems imminent this summer.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR BOURNEMOUTH ?

  Bournemouth have already on-boarded Adrien Truffert Rennais and Bafode Diakate from Lille to sort their shortcomings in defense. The English club's next bid for Jimenez will reportedly be between €20m (£17m/$23m) and €25m (£21m/$29m), an amount that should be enough for Milan to part ways with the Spaniard.

The San Diego FC winger returns to El Tri after more than a year away, ready to assume a larger leadership role

• Accepts his new role as mentor within El Tri
• Has 70 caps and 18 goals for Mexico
• Last scored for the national team in 2023

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Hirving “Chucky” Lozano is back with the Mexican national team, but his role looks very different this time around. Once the rising star of El Tri, the San Diego FC attacker returns as one of the squad’s elder statesmen.

  The 29-year-old hasn’t featured for Mexico since March 2024. He was briefly called into the Gold Cup roster last summer, but a hamstring injury kept him sidelined. Now fit again, Lozano says his focus has shifted from being the protagonist to guiding the next wave of talent.

  “Here with the national team, I just try to help, to always be there for the younger players and be a support for them,” Lozano told ESPN. “I think that’s very important – helping them with whatever they need.”

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  WHAT LOZANO SAID

  The winger also stressed the importance of Mexico’s upcoming friendlies against Japan and South Korea, calling them crucial tests in the buildup to the 2026 World Cup.

  “They’re two important national teams on the world stage, both are regulars at World Cups,” he said. “They’re going to be beautiful games, very important, with a very high level of demand. They have top players, so we have to enjoy it, do what the coach asks, and give our best.”

  Head coach Javier Aguirre highlighted the need for generational change, and Lozano – who has earned 70 caps and scored 18 international goals – represents the bridge between Mexico’s past successes and its future ambitions.

  Away from international duty, Lozano has been adjusting to life in MLS. Since joining expansion side San Diego FC earlier this year, he says the transition has been positive both on and off the pitch.

  “It’s been a different but very enjoyable experience,” he said. “The league has a great level, it’s improving a lot. Both my family and I are very happy in San Diego. The people have welcomed us wonderfully, with so much affection, and I’m very grateful for that.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Lozano has scored 18 goals in his international career, but his most recent came in a friendly against Ghana in 2023. The winger is now aiming to end a five-match goal drought with El Tri as he marks his return to the squad.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MEXICO NATIONAL TEAM?

  Mexico will open the September window against Japan on Saturday at the Oakland Coliseum before traveling to Nashville to face South Korea on Sept.  9.

The result also eliminated Karachi Kings from the PSL, and leaves Quetta Gladiators hanging by an ever-more precarious thread

Danyal Rasool07-Mar-2023

Peshawar Zalmi put in their best performance of the season to brush aside Lahore Qalandars by 50 runs. A sensational knock from Saim Ayub, whose 36-ball 68 gave Zalmi an early advantage they never relinquished, helped his side amass 207, before four early wickets effected a preemptive strike on Qalandars efforts to chase it down. Fifties from Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hussain Talat restored respectability to the total after they had been reduced to 21 for 4, but too much ground had been lost for any realistic prospects of victory. The result also eliminated Karachi Kings from the PSL, and leaves Quetta Gladiators hanging by an ever-more precarious thread.Ayub opened the batting for the first time for Zalmi, and immediately made an impression. He smashed Haris Rauf for a six and a four off his first two balls, and Shaheen was dispatched for three boundaries in the over that followed. Sikandar Raza was dismantled in the fifth over, 21 runs coming off it as a good Powerplay became a great one. Even Rashid Khan, bowling after the fielding restrictions ended, wouldn’t be spared as Ayub scored 16 off six balls against him before a wrong’un from the Afghan brought the curtain down on a phenomenal innings.Babar Azam had been quietly accumulating at the other end, perhaps slowing down a touch too much after the Powerplay, but the team score still looked rosy. He was in great touch, timing and placing his strokes with the usual effortless grace. But it did come at the slight cost of run rate, his 41-ball 50 meant a strike rate of 121.95; no one else in the top seven had a lower strike rate than 150.It was Tom Kohler-Cadmore who kept the momentum going for Zalmi after Ayub and Mohammad Haris fell, smashing two sixes off his first two in a delightfully breezy cameo. He would end with 36 off 16 to set Zalmi up for a total in excess of 220, but Shaheen and Rauf struck back hard at the death, taking six wickets between them. Zalmi lost their last eight wickets in 24 balls for 39 runs to end up improbably bowled out for 207, giving Qalandars a sniff against a potentially suspect bowling attack.But their top order put in a second successive poor showing. It wasn’t until the eighth delivery that the first run off the bat was scored, and by then, rookie opener Shawaiz Irfan had been cleaned up by Arshad Iqbal. Iqbal was impressive in his first two overs, which went for just three, while a double-strike in the fifth over from Wahab Riaz got rid of Fakhar Zaman and Sam Billings in a decisive passage of play. Azmatullah Omarzai followed up by getting rid of Abdullah Shafique with a short ball, and Qalandars were down to their lower middle order within the first six overs.In a game that meant less to Qalandars than it did to Zalmi, Shaheen promoted himself up to No. 6 once more. When he’d managed just 1 run in 9 balls, it looked like an odd decision, but it was just a prelude to a fun, if unlikely partnership. As Zalmi’s intensity in the middle overs fell through the floor, Shaheen and Talat made hay, putting on a 114-run partnership with both batters scoring half-centuries. It never looked to imperil a Zalmi victory, but with net run rate potentially important, these were still annoying runs to concede. Wahab ultimately broke the partnership, and ended with figures of 4-1-17-3, including a staggering 18 dot balls in an outstanding performance.For a brief moment, Raza’s blazing cameo gave Qalandars a faint glimmer, and it was only when Omarzai cleaned him up for 20 off 7 did Zalmi rest easy. The last five wickets fell in a flurry off 11 balls to give Zalmi an ultimately comfortable victory. They have never missed out on the playoffs in PSL history, and this victory took them a giant leap closer to keeping that record up.

Interim coach Coley says ‘I know the players want to play for the West Indies and we want our best players to play for the West Indies’

Firdose Moonda11-Mar-2023West Indies will use the next year to map out a management plan for their red and white-ball players to ensure they enjoy a balance between international and franchise cricket. That was the parting shot interim coach Andre Coley offered at the end of a fairly tough three months of Test cricket for his team.West Indies played in Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa and won one of their six Test matches on the road to finish the 2021-2023 World Test Championship in seventh spot. While the results are not exactly what Coley was after, he hopes these tours have laid the groundwork for West Indies to plan how to approach future Test series, while juggling player availability for T20 leagues.”There’s no doubt that playing international cricket helps to develop your level of the game,” Coley said. “White-ball [cricket] may be the big money-earner but if you really look at the players who are very good at both red and white balls, they would have had a good grounding in Test cricket. It’s important for us to find that balance. I know the players want to play for the West Indies and we want our best players to play for the West Indies, but the balance is important. It’s also their livelihood. If we can, over the next 12 months, plan out with the members of the different squads how we can best manage to keep everyone as fresh as possible, for international and for franchise cricket, we will have a good chance of being more competitive.”The situation is embodied by West Indies’ best player: Jason Holder. He became their second after Garry Sobers to take 150 wickets and score 2,500 Test runs, and has played in all six Tests this summer as well as the SA20. Holder is also in West Indies’ ODI and T20I squads to play South Africa and will then head to the IPL, where he was signed by Rajasthan Royals. From there, Holder will likely have to feature in the 50-over World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe – West Indies are currently eighth on the points table and could be usurped by South Africa or Sri Lanka in the next few weeks – before a home Test series against India to start the 2023-2025 World Test Championship cycle.Related

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With that schedule in mind, Holder, in particular, needs to be carefully managed. Despite being the squad’s premier allrounder, he is unlikely to bat higher than No. 8 because of his bowling loads.”Jason is always someone who gives his all. This morning, I knew he was on fumes,” Coley said. “He always raises his hand up and says, ‘Coach I am going to give everything today’. He continues to be a valuable member of our team because of the volume of bowling that he is required to do. So he ends up batting at No. 8 and has to have a heavy workload batting and bowling. I do believe Jason has a lot of value to add in all formats. He is in the three squads. It becomes important for us to manage him not only physically but mentally.”But Holder is one of those who has committed to Test cricket enough that he left the SA20 to play in Zimbabwe, and has reiterated his support for the format throughout this series. Holder questioned the Big Three’s dominance on the fixtures list but resigned himself to the lopsided schedule.South Africa are in a similar position, with no Tests scheduled until December. They are currently exploring the possibility of an ‘A’ team tour to the West Indies over the winter and, like West Indies, are trying to find a way to fit both international and league cricket into the players’ calendar.”I can say categorically and emphatically that the boys want to play Test cricket, every single one of them,” Shukri Conrad, South Africa’s Test coach, said. “We’ve just got to be very smart in the way we do things. We had our meetings with all these players and it’s come out that every single one of them wants to play more Test cricket. We have just got to manage them properly throughout the leagues.”