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Sam Curran makes 40 in run-chase as Durham’s relegation woes are heightened

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay31-Jul-2025Surrey 322 and 176 for 5 (Curran 40) beat Durham 153 and 344 (Gay 99, Kishore 5-72) by five wicketsSurrey’s cricketers took a vital step towards the retention of the Rothesay County Championship when they defeated Durham by five wickets at the Banks Homes Riverside.Indian slow left-armer, Sai Kishore, took five for 72 as Rory Burns’ side dismissed Durham for 344 in their second innings and Sam Curran made 40 to help Surrey score the 176 runs they needed for their fourth victory of the season.With the game between Nottinghamshire and Somerset at Trent Bridge seemingly heading for a draw, it appears certain the 21 points Surrey earned for their victory will ensure they extend their lead at the top of the Division One table and make them even stronger favourites to clinch their fourth successive title at some point in September.However, the three points they earned from the game does nothing to ease next-to-bottom Durham’s relegation concerns, although their precise situation will not be clear until the results at Scarborough, Chelmsford and Worcester are known on Friday.But this third day did not go entirely according to Surrey’s morning plans. For nearly 45 minutes, the spin bowling of Sai Kishore and Dan Lawrence gave Durham’s overnight pair, Graham Clark and Codi Yusuf, few problems and it was no surprise when Burns took the new ball as soon as it was available. However, neither Dan Worrall nor Jordan Clark, the latter bowling to his brother, could make a breakthrough and it was left to Lawrence to take the first wicket of the day twenty minutes before lunch when Clark inside-edged a sharply turning off-spinner to Ryan Patel at short leg and departed for 42.But Clark’s 71-run partnership with Yusuf had increased Durham’s lead to 121 and that figure had been nudged up to 136 at the first interval, when the home side were 305 for six, with Yusuf unbeaten on 38.After lunch, though, Durham lost their last four wickets for 33 runs in ten overs and the magnitude of Surrey’s task became clear. After batting for 149 minutes and facing 117 balls, Yusuf was caught at the wicket by Ben Foakes off Sai Kishore for 43, seven short of what would have been only his second first-class fifty; Bas de Leede was then lbw for five when he pushed forward to a ball from Sai Kishore that slid on with the arm; and the left-handed Ben Raine departed for 27 when he moved a yard or so across his stumps and was hit on the pads when trying to swing Sam Curran to leg.Sai Kishore then completed his first five-wicket haul for Surrey in his final spell for them this year when Matthew Potts drove him to Patel at short extra-cover and Surrey were left with the task of scoring 176 to secure their fourth win of the season.Their pursuit began in straightforward fashion. Despite being handicapped by a groin strain and needing Tom Lawes to run for him, Dom Sibley made 35 and had put on 49 with Burns before he was caught at slip by Colin Ackermann off Callum Parkinson. Patel joined his captain and the pair had put on 45 runs either side of tea before both were dismissed in the space of three balls.Having made 28, Patel was the first to go when he attempted to pull Metthew Potts through the leg side but only skied a catch to Clark at midwicket. Two balls later, Burns was stumped by Robinson off Parkinson for 24. That left Surrey on 94 for three and Durham’s hopes were raised once more.Not for long, however. Curran and Lawrence took their side to 135 for three, just 41 runs short of their target when the umpires decided the light was too bad and briefly took the teams off the field. When they returned, Surrey’s batsmen accelerated towards their target with a flurry of boundaries. Although Curran was caught at long-on by Ben McKinney off Parkinson when nine runs were needed and Foakes was bowled for seven by Potts in the next over, Clark ended the game by hitting his first ball through the covers for two.

MatériaMais Notícias

Na quarta-feira (11), Leila Pereira concedeu uma entrevista coletiva recheada de polêmicas no Palmeiras. Entre os assuntos debatidos, um deles acabou ficando em segundo plano, que foi o do planejamento para abrir concorrência para novos patrocinadores interessados em ocupar as posições que hoje são da Crefisa, sua empresa, na camisa do clube. O processo se assemelha a uma licitação e é chamado de BID.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasLetícia projeta mata-mata da Libertadores e se mostra confiante por primeiro título com o PalmeirasPalmeiras13/10/2023PalmeirasPalmeiras x Olimpia: onde assistir ao vivo e horário do jogo pelas quartas da Libertadores FemininaPalmeiras14/10/2023PalmeirasTabata, Navarro, Veron… Como estão os jogadores que o Palmeiras de Abel se desfezPalmeiras13/10/2023

+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

– Temos contrato e vamos honrar até o final. Vou ser candidata a reeleição no Palmeiras e se o associado tiver confiança no meu trabalho e eu for reeleita, terei o maior prazer de continuar patrocinando. Mas nós faremos uma BID, uma concorrência, caso vier alguém pagamento acima do valor que vou me propor a pagar, desde que seja uma empresa idônea – declarou a mandatária palmeirense.

+ Você quer trabalhar no seu clube do coração? Matricule-se no curso Gestor de Futebol e entenda como!

+ Eles têm o faro! Aposte R$100 e ganhe mais de R$750 com Sané, Højlund e Chiesa na Data Fifa!

+ Sábado recheado! Aposte R$100 e ganhe mais de R$830 com combinada da Série B

O termo BID vem de “Bidding Process”, que em tradução para o português significa “Processo de Licitação”. Ou seja, Leila quer abrir para o mercado a possibilidade de outras empresas oferecerem suas propostas para patrocinar o Palmeiras. No mundo empresarial, nem sempre os valores mais altos são os mais vantajosos, mas sim o pacote que acompanha o projeto apresentado, dependendo dos desejos da instituição que abriu para os “lances”.

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+ Leila Pereira lança desafio que pode aumentar valor do patrocínio do Palmeiras

No caso do Palmeiras, o valor definido para o mercado será aquele que a Crefisa se propuser a pagar, se alguém chegar com cifras maiores e/ou uma proposta mais vantajosa, terá prioridade. Atualmente, a empresa de Leila desembolsa R$ 81 milhões fixos por ano por todos os espaços da camisa. Parte da torcida alviverde questiona que essa quantia já está defasada, até pela marca ser exclusiva no uniforme.

– Até hoje não chegou nada. Estou sempre aberta a propostas, mas o que desejo é que finalize o nosso contrato de patrocínio em dezembro de 2024 e só então que vamos abrir para novas empresas que queiram patrocinar o Palmeiras.

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Como disse Leila, esse processo somente será aberto a partir de dezembro de 2024, quando termina o mandato da presidente e o contrato de patrocínio, que foi renovado em 2021, na época em que o presidente era Maurício Galiotte. Segundo a apuração da reportagem, de fato nenhuma outra empresa abordou o Verdão de forma oficial para um contrato de patrocínio para a equipe masculina.

No Feminino, que fazia parte do pacote do patrocínio da Crefisa, Leila abriu mão da exclusividade para que o mercado bancasse a modalidade. O processo deu certo e quatro marcas estampam atualmente o uniforme das jogadoras.

+ Do amor ao ódio: o passo a passo da implosão da relação de Leila Pereira com organizada do Palmeiras

A verdade é que ansiedade da torcida terá que esperar, pois estamos a mais de um ano de esse processo ser aberto. Enquanto isso, o clube permanece com o patrocínio das empresas de Leila Pereira, que também dá direito a bônus por títulos e metas.

Tudo sobre

Palmeiras

Manchester City experienced an almighty fall from grace last season, as Arne Slot’s Liverpool took over the reins of being the Premier League’s classiest side with ease.

Heading into the 2024/25 season, Pep Guardiola’s unstoppable force had collected four Premier League titles in a row, with many wondering if the Sky Blue domination of the English top-flight could ever be stopped.

Yet, come the end of the 38-game marathon, City sat – bruised and battered – with 71 points next to their name and nine defeats picked up, 13 points off the Reds at the summit of the tough division.

Even the likes of Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne, who are both world-class operators in their own right, couldn’t spearhead a push up the punishing league, with that crash back to reality proving to be the revered Belgian’s final season at the club, after a FA Cup final loss to Crystal Palace only added more unbearable salt to the gaping wound.

Ultimately, losing Rodri for the entire campaign through injury was the sickener, with the Spanish enforcer experiencing a superhuman 2023/24 season for both club and country, which was then, unfortunately, met by injury heartbreak.

How Rodri became the best in the world at Man City

Rodri was a standout signing from the get-go, having cost a club-record fee in 2019 of £62.8m to bring to England from Atletico Madrid.

Swiftly, the Madrid-born midfielder would become the heartbeat of a frightening Citizens side gearing up for domestic domination, with only three top-flight games missed during his debut season as his new employers lost out on the title to the unstoppable train of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, who amassed a mighty 99 points.

Rodri would only get better and better from this point onwards, though, as his personal trophy collection at the Etihad started to overflow.

The assured number 16 would collect 13 goal contributions just in the Premier League alone to guide his untouchable outfit to back-to-back Premier League titles, before becoming an untouchable world-beater during the memorable 2023/24 season for both Guardiola’s men and his nation.

The signs were there that Rodri was about to undergo a Ballon d’Or-winning journey, considering the close of the 2022/23 campaign saw the calm 29-year-old confidently stroke this effort home to finally bring an elusive Champions League back to the Sky Blue half of Manchester. Clearly, he had got a taste for being the man of the moment.

A stunning tally of eight goals and ten assists in league action from the reliable Spaniard the following campaign would clinch a mighty four Premier League titles in a row, leaving Guardiola to hail his dependable hero as “the best midfielder in the world” at that point in time, and it was an argument that was hard to knock down.

It would lead to Rodri picking up the illustrious Ballon d’Or accolade late last year, with the award all but sealed for the 29-year-old to collect when he was the glue that Luis De La Fuente’s Spain needed to lift the 2024 Euros, at the cruel expense of England in the final.

While only one goal contribution would come his way in the fast-paced tournament, Rodri was crucial in other ways as the battling, yet composed figure Spain needed in some crunch moments, with a 93% pass accuracy average, as per Sofascore, matched by a hunger to win 5.2 duels per pain-staking match-up.

Consistently playing at the peak of his powers very much took its toll on the much-loved number 16, though, with a cruciate ligament tear sustained last season by Rodri, obviously devastating news for those with connections to Guardiola and Co. and La Roja.

The road to recovery saw him miss a colossal 53 games for both club and country, as City’s elite club status took a battering, but Rodri looks to be slowly getting up to speed now, as City attempts to challenge Liverpool again for major honours.

Even with the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner now back available for selection, Guardiola actually has another Rodri-like player in his camp at the moment, who is also considered one of the world’s best in his own spot on the pitch.

Man City now have another Rodri-type player

Having experienced such a turbulent season last time out, City clearly felt like splashing significant wads of cash in the summer would suture up their problems effectively.

It has worked out somewhat, too, with new recruit Tijani Reijnders already being branded as “unbelievable” by Guardiola after powering home a confident strike on his Premier League debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Having cost a sizeable £46.5m to obtain in the summer, the first impression is that this is money well spent.

For around £16m cheaper, though, City have arguably won themselves the steal of the transfer window when landing Italian favourite Gianluigi Donnarumma, with the brand-new number 25 playing at the very top of his game for some time now, since making his AC Milan debut at just 16 years of age a decade ago.

His agent, when he was just a teenager, in Mino Raiola, even wildly claimed that Donnarumma could go on to become “the best goalkeeper in the world”, with his outlandish comments now looking like unbelievable hindsight when you scan over his very successful career, leading up to his big Etihad move.

Games played

428

Goals conceded

439

Clean sheets

180

Major accolades

12

Current Ballon d’Or ranking

9th

The 6-foot-5 beast has become well-known for being a serial trophy winner off the back of collecting 180 career clean sheets – much like Rodri at City – with 12 major accolades coming his way when being the number one stopper for both the Rossoneri and PSG.

In a similar fashion to Rodri, too, he has broken Three Lions hearts for his beloved Azzurri on the international stage, with Donnarumma the penalty shootout hero that saw Roberto Mancini’s Italy upset England at Wembley during the 2021 Euros final.

Also helping PSG to the Champions League glory last season via “elite” saves such as this one tallied up against Arsenal – with Mikel Merino labelling the Italian as such after the close contest at the Parc Des Princes – it’s clear that Guardiola bringing in the 78-time Italy international was done to try and kickstart another patch of success in Manchester, much like what Rodri offered up all those years ago when deserting La Liga.

With just four goals surrendered during his opening three clashes in England, it’s clear that Raiola’s crystal ball prediction wasn’t just wild praise for the sake of it, with Italy legend Alessandro Costacurta reinforcing this notion that he is an elite stopper when calling him “the best in the world” after that standout Gunners showing.

Guardiola will hope he can be a thorn in the side of the Gunners in the Premier League, as well, as Donnarumma attempts to pick up more domestic silverware – having conquered both Italy and France – with City, knowing he has an equally trophy-hungry teammate next to him in Rodri.

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Manchester United have had some of the best players of all time come through their famous academy, however, the Red Devils have also signed some icons.

Sir Alex Ferguson won races to bring Eric Cantona, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney to Old Trafford, with all three becoming Man Utd legends.

However, with those at Old Trafford always on the search for high-profile signings, they have missed out on signing some superstars over the years.

Sir Alex Ferguson named Arsenal star as "perfect" for Man Utd and tried to sign him

The Red Devils and the Gunners have had a fierce Premier League rivalry.

ByCharlie Smith May 22, 2025 10 stars who almost signed for Man Utd Virgil van Dijk

Now a Liverpool icon and arguably one of the best centre-backs of all time, Virgil van Dijk was wanted at Old Trafford before his move to Anfield.

Jose Mourinho wanted to make a big centre-back signing and shortlisted Van Dijk, Michael Keane and Victor Lindelof. Instead of splashing the cash on the Dutchman who was starring for Southampton, United spent more than £30m on Lindelof from Benfica.

Ronaldo

Back in 1996, Ronaldo was making his name at PSV Eindhoven at the age of 20, scoring goals for fun in the Netherlands.

He was a man in demand as a result, with Ferguson and co keen to bring him to Manchester. Ronaldo was even offered to United for £20m, however, that was seen as too much at the time, with Barcelona signing the Brazilian star instead. He went on to win the Ballon d’Or twice, in 1997 and 2002.

Ronaldinho

Another Brazilian icon who could quite easily have been a Man Utd player was Ronaldinho, with Ferguson on the search for David Beckham’s replacement in 2003.

Man Utd were looking to do a deal for Ronaldinho who was at PSG, however, after Barcelona missed out on signing Beckham, they dealt the Red Devils a blow by landing the Brazilian. United did sign an attacker that summer, though, with a certain Cristiano Ronaldo moving to Manchester.

Ronaldinho record vs Man Utd

Games

2

Losses

2

Goals

1

Assists

1

Rivaldo

Continuing the trend of Brazil stars who Man Utd missed out on takes us to Rivaldo. The Red Devils had just won the treble in 1999 and Ferguson wanted to sign the forward from Barcelona.

Winning the Ballon d’Or that year, Rivaldo’s relationship with Barca manager Louis van Gaal was not great, but United just missed out on doing a deal.

Patrick Vieira

One of Man Utd’s greatest rivals in the Premier League was Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira, and United actually tried to sign the Frenchman from the Gunners on two occasions.

Ferguson believed Vieira wanted to move to Old Trafford in 2001 and 2003, and there was talk of a £22m transfer once Beckham left for Real Madrid. Instead, Vieira signed a new contract to stay with Arsene Wenger.

Eden Hazard

Chelsea legend Eden Hazard looked nailed on to sign for Man Utd in 2012 before a problem with his agent arose.

The Blues paid Lille £32m to sign the Belgian, but a deal with the Red Devils broke down after United refused to pay Hazard’s agent £6m to get the deal done.

Instead of Hazard, Man Utd signed Shinji Kagawa from Borussia Dortmund.

Cesc Fabregas

Involved in an altercation with Ferguson at Old Trafford, Cesc Fabregas could have worked under the Red Devils boss after he tried to sign him from Barcelona in 2003.

Man Utd then tried again in 2013 under David Moyes, however, they had two offers rejected by those at the Nou Camp, with Fabregas instead playing for Arsenal and Chelsea in the Premier League.

Zinedine Zidane

In 1996, Zinedine Zidane was on the move from Bordeaux, and Cantona urged Ferguson and Man Utd to bring him to Old Trafford.

Former United chairman Martin Edwards said that a move failed to get over the line as Ferguson thought Zidane was not what they needed at the time, with the Frenchman instead going on to star for Juventus and Real Madrid.

Erling Haaland

Now a Manchester City superstar, Erling Haaland could have quite easily have signed for the Red Devils during the 2019/20 winter transfer window.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was in charge at the time and knew Haaland from his time at Molde, however, despite talks over a move to Old Trafford, the Norwegian rejected Man Utd and instead signed for Borussia Dortmund.

Alan Shearer

The Premier League’s all-time record goalscorer, Alan Shearer actually snubbed a move to Manchester United on two occasions. The first came in 1992 when he joined Blackburn from Southampton, and the second came four years later when he joined Newcastle.

Ferguson was personally involved in a deal to sign Shearer in 1996 and looked on course to have won the race, before Shearer’s agent called the Man Utd boss and told him they had decided to join Newcastle.

Gareth Bale

One of the most decorated British players of all time after winning five Champions League titles with Real Madrid is Wales star Gareth Bale.

However, he could have signed for Man Utd instead of Tottenham back in 2007, with talk of a £10m transfer before his move to north London. Ferguson blamed the Saints and not Bale for a deal breaking down.

It is shaping up to be an incredibly busy end to the summer transfer window for Glasgow Rangers as they look to build a squad that can turn things around at Ibrox.

Bojan Miovski was announced by the Light Blues as their latest signing earlier this week, and he made his debut against Celtic at Ibrox on Sunday.

The Macedonia international scored 32 goals in his two seasons in the Scottish Premiership with Aberdeen, per Transfermarkt, and will be looking to provide a big goal threat for Russell Martin.

One player who may not be a part of the manager’s squad beyond Monday’s deadline, though, is central midfielder Nicolas Raskin, who was left out of the squad to face Celtic.

The Scottish Sun reported that the player was left out of the squad because of his conduct behind the scenes in the build-up to the match, and that the decision was backed by senior players and members of staff.

Players and staff backing Martin’s decision suggests that the player has let himself down with his behaviour, rather than it being a case of the manager making a bad call.

Why Nicolas Raskin may leave Rangers

It was recently reported that Raskin’s father, Thierry, put out a rant on Facebook before later deleting the post, but not before outlets were able to pick up on what was posted.

Sport Witness relayed a translation of the post: “A coach who leaves out eight players from a team that reached the Europa Cup [Europa League] quarter-final last season, a coach who transfers eight players [and puts them in the team] that he knows very well [this kind of thing still exists!!!!!], but guys who come out of nowhere, and the guy has an oversized ego, to put it mildly, thinks he can play a match for the Champions League. Incredible, this football world is…”

If accurately reported, that does not bode well for Raskin’s future at Ibrox beyond the end of the transfer window, particularly when you add in that TEAMtalk claimed that West Ham, Burnley, and Wolves are all keen on the £15m-rated star.

Appearances

33

12

Tackles per game

2.8

3.7

Interceptions per game

0.6

1.3

Ball recoveries per game

5.6

7.4

Ground duel success rate

57%

50%

Aerial duel success rate

56%

55%

As you can see in the table above, Raskin produced impressive performances, particularly out of possession, in the Scottish Premiership and the Europa League for Rangers last season.

On top of those defensive showings under Philippe Clement and Barry Ferguson, the Belgium international also delivered four goals and ten assists in the Premiership, per Sofascore.

But the reported issues behind the scenes, his omission against Celtic, the interest from Premier League teams and his father’s alleged comments, all suggest that he may be on his way out of the club.

Rangers interested in Championship star

With all of the speculation surrounding Raskin, it should not come as a surprise to learn that the club are reportedly looking to sign another midfielder.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to journalist Alan Nixon’s Patreon, Glasgow Rangers want to complete a last-minute swoop for Norwich City captain Kenny McLean before the deadline.

The reporter claims that the Scottish giants are interested in a deal to snap up the 33-year-old central midfielder to bolster their options in midfield and to ‘organise their shambolic side’, as Nixon put it.

Nixon adds, though, that Norwich want to keep the Scotland international, who started in their 2-0 win over Blackburn Rovers on Saturday, and that means that it could be a difficult deal to get done.

The midfield star has one year left on his contract at Carrow Road, with a 12-month option, and Rangers may have to splash out a decent fee to secure his signature.

Why Rangers should sign Kenny McLean

As long as the Gers do not have to break the bank to bring the 33-year-old talent to Ibrox, McLean would be a shrewd addition to the squad to allow the club to cash in on Raskin.

The situation with the Belgian star emerging so close to the end of the window is far from ideal, as it means that the club do not have loads of time to identify and sign a perfect long-term replacement.

This means that signing McLean on a two-year contract, for example, could be the perfect short-term solution that would then allow Rangers to sell Raskin before Monday’s deadline to ensure that they do not have a potentially disruptive figure, given the report around why he was dropped on Sunday, behind the scenes.

That would then provide the recruitment team with the time that they need to identify the long-term option in that position ahead of the January transfer window, or next summer.

McLean’s performances for Norwich in recent seasons in the Championship suggest that he could be an ideal short-term replacement for Raskin as a combative central midfielder who also offers creativity on the ball.

Starts

46

33

Goals

1

0

Big chances created

7

4

Assists

5

4

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.2

3.4

Ball recoveries per game

6.0

5.0

Duel success rate

59%

66%

As you can see in the table above, McLean is constantly looking to disrupt opposition attacks with tackles and interceptions, whilst winning the majority of his physical duels, which could help the leaky Ibrox defence.

The left-footed star provides a calm presence on the ball at the base of the midfield and has shown creativity already this season, with an excellent assist for Josh Sargent with his weak foot against Middlesbrough.

McLean could spray those kinds of passes over the top to find Miovski when they play games that have space in behind for the striker to run into, most likely in European matches.

Couple that with his defensive strengths in the middle of the park and it is easy to see why the Gers are reportedly interested in completing a last-gasp deal for the Canaries captain to potentially wave bye-bye to Raskin.

Rangers tipped to hire Russell Martin replacement in "box-office" move

The tactician is already attracting huge criticism.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Aug 30, 2025

Glasgow Rangers legend Ally McCoist hit out at the Gers after their “unacceptable” Champions League exit to Club Brugge.

Rangers lose 9-1 on aggregate after 6-0 second leg humiliation

Russell Martin continued his woeful start to life as Ibrox manager on Wednesday evening, with Rangers exiting the Champions League with a 9-1 aggregate playoff defeat to Club Brugge.

Already trailing 3-1, the Gers quickly went a goal down before Max Aarons was sent off after less than 10 minutes of action.

The floodgates then opened in Belgium, with Rangers now in the Europa League. Talking after the embarrassing 6-0 second-leg defeat, McCoist labelled the Gers’ display as “unacceptable” and said “Rangers supporters deserve a lot better”.

“That was unacceptable. I wasn’t confident Rangers could get a result tonight. Hopeful, yeah, you have everything crossed haven’t you, but realistically, you look at the performances this season, look at our first half against Club Brugge last week, miles off it.

“But what those travelling fans and watching back home expect is a level of competition and competitiveness which they didn’t see tonight. They took their foot off the gas ever so slightly in terms of the finishing, but the substitutes they brought on didn’t slow the game down at all. But in terms of the urgency to score goals, in terms of the level of finishing, it dropped second half.

“Rangers supporters deserve a lot better than the level of commitment, organisation and willingness to defend that they saw tonight. It’s a sad reflection when the best player on your team is the goalkeeper who has lost six goals, because make no mistake about it, if it wasn’t for him – he’s had two or three tremendous saves – that could have been a cricket score.”

Update shared from Rangers on Russell Martin's Ibrox future before Celtic

The 39-year-old is under huge pressure.

1 ByCharlie Smith Aug 28, 2025 McCoist makes Rangers transfer claim on new signings

There were eight new signings in Rangers’ starting line-up, including Aarons, and McCoist has not been impressed by the club’s recruitment this summer.

Talking after the game, McCoist slammed the squad and their new signings’ physicality.

Max Aarons

5ft 8

Nasser Djiga

6ft 3

Jayden Meghoma

5ft 8

Lyall Cameron

5ft 10

Thelo Aasgaard

6ft 2

Joe Rothwell

6ft

Oliver Antman

6ft

Djeidi Gassama

5ft 8

It is a quick turnaround for Rangers and Martin, with a Glasgow derby against rivals Celtic at Ibrox on Sunday afternoon before the international break.

MatériaMais Notícias

A derrota doSantospor 2 a 0 diante do Corinthians na Vila Belmiro, na última quarta-feira (21), deu fim a passagem de Odair Hellmann como treinador do Peixe. Ele foi demitido com 34 jogos disputados, sendo 11 vitórias, 12 empates e 11 derrotas.Com a saída do comandante, Falcão foi oficializado como interino do Alvinegro até a chegada de um novo técnico. Retomar a carreira de treinador era um desejo do próprio ‘Rei de Roma’, conforme entrevista concedida ao Lance! em 2021.

Na ocasião, Falcão falou que estava nos planos dirigir uma equipe novamente. A sua última experiência na beira do campo foi no Internacional, onde é ídolo, quando comandou o Colorado em 2016. Falcão também passou pela Seleção Brasileira, entre 1990 e 1991, seleção japonesa, entre 1994 e 1995, além do Sport, em 2012, e Bahia, na temporada de 2013.

– O objetivo é esse (voltar a ser treinador). Hoje em dia, para ser treinador, você precisa ser um ‘manager’. Gosto do campo, do treino, depende do convite, da situação, para ser responsável da organização do futebol escolher as contratações. Talvez algo assim. Jogar um futebol bonito para que as pessoas que vão assistir, aplaudem, ver um futebol bonito, ainda mais depois da pandemia, que eles ficaram afastados do estádio. Isso está muito claro para mim – disse Falcão.

+ Lista de jogadores mais valiosos do mundo tem novo líder:vejaotop25

Falcão ainda comentou sobre como gosta de montar as equipes que comanda. Para ele, o clube precisa de um estilo de jogo ousado, com variações de esquemas e sempre um ‘Plano B’ a ser colocado em prática.

– Depende dos jogadores que eu tiver. Gosto do time que tenha a posse da bola, quero fazer meu time jogar por 15 bolas, não por uma. Não gosto do chutão do goleiro, temos algumas coisas no futebol brasileiro: ‘Ah, tem que tirar a bola da defesa’. Às vezes, tem que tirar mesmo, mas em outras situações, não, tem que ter noção disso, saber o momento. Dar condições para que o time jogue com calma. Eu gosto de ter dois jogadores na frente, não gosto de um homem só na frente, a não ser que você tenha dois atletas muito fortes por fora para encostar. Mas não gosto é meio relativo. O Liverpool mesmo, joga com somente um na frente, mas tem Mané e Salah chegando dos lados. Não tenho uma definição, mas quero um jogo que eu tenha a bola. Sei que vou correr riscos, mas se for para perder que seja assim, correndo riscos. Agora, eu vou ter 20 bolas para fazer o gol, adversário terá duas. E que tenha um plano B. às vezes, o plano B é mais importante do que o A. Estamos jogando assim, não deu, treinamos de outra maneira e mudamos. A minha ideia como treinador é montar um time que ganha jogando bem e que emocione – finalizou Falcão.

It was not the return to Premier League action that West Ham United fans were hoping for on Saturday afternoon.

However, while Graham Potter’s side were trounced 3-0 by Sunderland, there were at least a couple of positives to take from the game, like El Hadji Malick Diouf’s first competitive game for the club.

The Senegalese international certainly wasn’t spectacular against the Black Cats, but he was still one of the Hammers’ better players on the day and showed enough to suggest he could be a key player.

For example, he played two key passes, took one shot on target, was successful in 100% of his dribbles and even made three clearances.

So, fans should be excited about reports linking the club with an up-and-coming player who could be a perfect teammate for Diouf.

Minutes

97′

Touches

54

Expected Goals +Assists

0.23

Number of Sprints

10

Key Passes

2

Shots on Target

1

Dribbles (Successful)

1 (1)

Fouls Won

1

Clearances

3

West Ham target a dream teammate for Diouf

With just under two weeks to go until the transfer window slams shut, West Ham are still being linked with several players who could help keep them out of a relegation scrap this season.

Transfer Focus

One of those players touted for a move to the London Stadium has been AS Roma midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini, who could be available for free and would bring an abundance of top-flight experience with him.

However, while the Italian international would be an excellent addition to the squad, it now looks like the Irons are closing in on another midfield ace, someone who’d be a perfect teammate for Diouf.

At least that is according to a recent report, which has claimed West Ham United are still very interested in Mateus Fernandes.

In fact, the report has revealed that the Hammers are now preparing an offer for the Southampton star, which, according to other stories this month, might have to be worth around £50m to get the South Coast side to sell.

However, while that is an enormous sum of money, Fernandes might just be worth it, especially as he could help get even more out of Diouf.

Why Fernandes would be perfect for Diouf

There are two primary ways that Fernandes could help get more out of Diouf this season, and the first is down to his offensive qualities.

For example, despite playing in a terrible Southampton team last season that was in real danger of taking Derby County’s most unwanted of records at one point, the Portuguese ace was still able to amass a pretty decent tally of three goals and six assists in 42 games.

What makes that more impressive is the fact that he was tasked with playing all over, from defensive to attacking midfield and even in wide midfield at points.

So, just imagine how much more effective he could be playing alongside considerably more talented players at the London Stadium – his output would shoot up.

At the same time, Diouf would now have a central midfielder to his right who is more than capable of progressing the ball and laying on chances for him, in turn boosting his own goal and assist tally.

However, the former Sporting CP star is also more than capable of doing the defensive work, which is the second reason he could help get more out of the former Slavia Prague star.

For example, FBref ranked the “exceptional” talent, as dubbed by Mattinson, in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for tackles in the defensive third, the top 2% for tackles plus interceptions and blocks, the top 4% for ball recoveries and more, all per 90.

With the Olhão-born monster able to do this in the middle of the park, Diouf may have more freedom to maraud forward and swing in a cross or take a shot on himself, thus bolstering the chance he gets himself an assist or goal.

Ultimately, Fernandes would be a great signing in his own right, but with the Senegalese international on the left, he could have an even more game-changing addition to this West Ham side.

West Ham lodge major enquiry for "magic" £21m maestro who's keen on PL move

The Hammers have made an approach to sign a versatile midfielder.

ByDominic Lund Aug 18, 2025

Gloucestershire fast bowler takes three wickets against CSA Invitational XI

ECB Reporters Network10-Dec-2024

England Lions took on a CSA Invitational XI in Cape Town to launch their tour•Gallo Images/Getty Images

CSA Invitational XI 285 for 8 (Senokwane 79, Akhter 3-51) vs England LionsZaman Akhter’s pace and bounce was the feature as the Gloucestershire quick claimed three wickets on the opening day of the England Lions’ four-day match against a Cricket South Africa Invitational XI in Cape Town.After Tom Lawes struck twice with the new ball – including the first delivery of the day – Akhtar made the most significant inroads as the hosts reached stumps at 285 for eight.Akhtar broke a century stand for the third wicket when he found extra bounce off a good length and Jean du Plessis edged to James Coles at second slip. Nottinghamshire’s teenage spinner Farhan Ahmed then claimed Lesego Senokwane, the leading run-scorer in the ongoing CSA 4-Day Series, when he miscued a swipe to Akhtar at mid-on after adding 79.Skipper Dan Mousley and Coles both took a wicket each in the afternoon, but the Lions were made to toil before the reintroduction of Akhter in the final hour.The 25-year-old produced a brutish short ball that Sinethemba Qeshile could only feather behind as he took evasive action after an eye-catching 73. From the next ball Matthew Boast popped a simple catch to backward point.The four-day game is the Lions’ only match of a three-week tour that has focused on providing the 19-player squad with individualised and high-quality training.

Peter Handscomb and Ajinkya Rahane’s latest partnership defies strong Hampshire attack

ECB Reporters Network16-Aug-2024Holders Leicestershire Foxes advanced one step closer to retaining their Metro Bank One-Day Cup crown, defeating Hampshire by three wickets with just one ball to spare in the quarter-final at Grace Road in a thrilling repeat of last year’s final. They now face a trip to Taunton to play Somerset in the semi-finals on Sunday.Hampshire skipper Nick Gubbins made a superb 136, backed up by Liam Dawson’s 50 with 18-year-old Dominic Kelly hitting 39 from just 20 balls to post 290 for 8 from 50 overs after Tom Scriven (3 for 61) and Chris Wright (2 for 49) had led the Leicestershire bowlers in keeping the total below 300 on an excellent batting wicket.In reply, Leicestershire’s star duo of Australian Peter Handscomb (74) and India’s Ajinkya Rahane (70) shared a fourth-wicket stand of 128 – their third 100-plus partnership of the competition.Once those two were both back in the pavilion, Hampshire, for whom John Turner took 4 for 44, would have fancied themselves to avenge their defeat in last season’s Trent Bridge finale – yet though they fought until the end, the task proved just beyond them after seventh-wicket pair Liam Trevaskis (60 off 55 balls) and Ben Cox (45 off 50), had added 94 in 82 balls with Trevaskis hitting two sixes and four fours.Leicestershire had chosen to bowl first against a Hampshire side who pipped Derbyshire to third place in Group A on net run-rate. With Ian Holland not permitted to face his parent club, it was Scriven who made the first breakthrough in the 12th over as Fletcha Middleton was pinned in front as he swung across the line.Gubbins dominated a 50-run second-wicket stand that ended when Tom Prest was caught at midwicket off left-arm spinner Trevaskis. Louis Kimber’s offspin then bowled Ben Brown middle stump.A seventh four took Gubbins to 53 from 64 balls, and at 144 for three from 30 after Dawson had slog-swept Trevaskis for the day’s first six, Hampshire threatened to post in excess of 300. Gubbins moved to his first century of this season’s competition from 120 balls, including 11 fours.An aggressive Dawson hammered Scriven for his second maximum, but just as Gubbins began to follow suit with pulls for six off Trevaskis and Wright, the latter changed the picture somewhat with two wickets in three balls, bowling Gubbins off an inside edge and uprooting new batter Toby Albert’s middle stump.Nick Gubbins runs one away fine•Getty ImagesDawson, having just completed a run-a-ball fifty, chipped a full toss back into the hands of bowler Walker, three wickets having gone for 18 runs in 23 balls.Kelly’s four fours and two sixes in 19 balls restored some momentum before he mistimed the next as Scriven claimed his third wicket with the help of Trevaskis at mid-off in the final over, having also had Felix Organ caught at short third.Leicestershire’s chances of chasing down 291 to keep their title defence suffered some early damage as Turner – back from his Hundred stint with Trent Rockets – had surprise opener Roman Walker and Lewis Hill caught behind, bowling Sol Budinger in between to leave the Foxes 30 for 3.Yet for the next 19 overs, Rahane and Handscomb exploited perfect batting conditions, Rahane as elegant as he was effective, Handscomb destructively efficient.Hampshire seemingly had no answer to the quality and experience seemingly swinging the match in Leicestershire’s favour but that changed as Handscomb, having hit eight fours and two sixes, paid the price for his first mistake as Kelly steadied himself under a miscued pull coming out of the sun and gave the returning Turner a fourth wicket.When Brad Wheal followed up by bowling Kimber, Leicestershire were 167 for 5, needing a further 124 that suddenly seemed a much taller order, even with Rahane still there, which was not for much longer as the Indian’s timing let him down and he picked out Albert at deep square to give Wheal his second wicket.At 188 for 6, the Foxes’ defence was in serious jeopardy, with 101 still needed, yet although Cox had an escape on 31 when he was dropped on the midwicket boundary – denying Turner a fifth wicket – he and the bold Trevaskis kept their nerve to leave the target just nine runs away from 12 balls when Cox was out, Fletcha Middleton atoning for his earlier error.Kelly had the responsibility for bowling the last over, with five still needed, the youngster not helping himself with a no-ball for overstepping, yet it still went to the penultimate ball before Scriven hit the winning run.