A equipe do Novorizontino segue no G4 da Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro após vencer Londrina e Criciúma nas duas últimas rodadas. Diante desse cenário, o zagueiro Adriano Martins comemorou o bom retorno após cumprir suspensão no revés contra o Vitória.
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– É muito bom poder estar de volta e ajudar meus companheiros dentro de campo. Graças a Deus, conseguimos duas boas vitórias para voltarmos ao G4. Esses resultados representam muito para o grupo. Pelos confrontos, sabíamos que, se a gente vencesse, entraríamos novamente entre os quatro primeiros. É sempre bom pontuar na Série B – valorizou o atleta.
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Adriano tem sido peça-chave da equipe de Eduardo Baptista em toda a temporada. O jogador acumula 29 partidas em 2023 e foi titular em 28 delas. Na Série B, o atleta participou de 17 dos 19 jogos do Novorizontino.
– Essa temporada tem sido a mais ativa da minha carreira. Estou conseguindo engrenar um bom número de jogos. Na minha cabeça, estou levando cada partida como se fosse a última. Faço isso para que eu possa dar o máximo dentro de campo. Trabalho todos os dias com esse pensamento, mas quero seguir ajudando o time até o último jogo da temporada para que, no final, possamos conquistar nossos objetivos – concluiu.
أكد المدير الفني لفريق ليفربول، آرني سلوت، أنه سيواصل تقديم يد العون والدعم للنجم المصري محمد صلاح من أجل استعادة تألقه التهديفي، موضحًا أنه اللاعب الوحيد الذي سيدعمه للتسجيل لو كانت حياته متوقفة على ذلك.
ويتعرض محمد صلاح لموجة شرسة من الانتقادات، سواء من الجماهير أو نجوم سابقين، بسبب تراجع مستواه بشكل كبير ذلك الموسم مع ليفربول، حيث لم يسجل إلا هدفين في الدوري الإنجليزي حتى الآن، أحدهما من ضربة جزاء.
وقال سلوت، في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “جارديان” الإنجليزية: “بالنظر إلى الطريقة التي يتدرب بها محمد صلاح، وعندما نقوم بتمارين اللمسة الأخيرة، لا يمكن أن نفقد ذلك، الشيء الوحيد الذي يتعين علينا فعله هو استمرار إشراكه في تلك المراكز، عليه أن يثبت نفسه بها”.
وأضاف: “هناك الكثير من الأشياء التي يمكن أن تحدث عندما تكبر في السن، لكن إذا استطعت اختيار لاعبٍ واحدٍ يمتلك الكرة على بُعد 11 أو 13 ياردة من المرمى، وكان عليه أن يسجل هدفًا لينقذ حياتي، فسأختار محمد صلاح في هذا الموقف، الآن عليه أن يُثبت قدرته على إثبات جدارته في هذه المراكز”.
وقالت صحيفة “ديلي ميل” أن سلوت قال أن محمد صلاح “سينقذ وظيفتي”، بينما قالت شبكة “ليفربول إيكو” أن المدرب تفوه قائلًا: “سينقذ سمعتي”.
وعن استبعاد محمد صلاح من التشكيل الأساسي لمباراة فرانكفورت في دوري أبطال أوروبا، قال: “أتمنى ألا يتقبل ذلك الأمر بصدر رحب، لأنه عندما يفعل ذلك، سيفقد حماسه”.
اقرأ أيضًا | “غيرة وإحباط وحسد”.. تروي ديني: محمد صلاح بين الأنانية والعودة إلى إخراس الجميع
وأوضح: “الأمر ينطبق على كل لاعب، ليس محمد صلاح فقط، عندما تبدأ بقول فكرة أنك لم تعد تلعب وتشعر بالرضا تجاه ذلك، تفقد حماسك اللازم للعب على مستوى عالِ”.
واستكمل: “من خلال تجربتي، بشكل عام، يصعب على اللاعب فهم سبب عدم مشاركته، جميعهم يرون كرة القدم من منظورهم الخاص، وهذا أمر جيد أيضًا، إذا طلبت من جميع اللاعبين العشرين الآن اختيار تشكيلة، فسأكون مندهشًا إن لم يختر أحدهم نفسه في التشكيل، هذا لا يعني أنهم لا يفهمون أن لدينا أكثر من بضعة لاعبين جيدين هنا، ومن حين لآخر لا يشارك أحدهم”.
وأوضح: “لكن إذا كان علينا لعب نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا غدًا وطلبت منهم اختيار تشكيلة، فسأكون مندهشًا إن لم يُشرك أحدهم نفسه في التشكيلة، ربما باستثناء ريو نجوموها أو جيوفاني ليوني، ربما يفعلان ذلك (لصغر سنهما)، وهذا أمر جيد”.
Despite sitting comfortably in the middle of the Premier League table, Everton’s start to the season hasn’t been quite as smooth as they might have hoped.
Off the back of a strong end to last season, following the return of David Moyes to the dugout and some inspired summer business that included the likes of Jack Grealish and Tyler Dibling, the Toffees went into the season hoping to kick on.
However, Everton’s two league defeats have dampened moods for two similar reasons. Their 1-0 defeat to Leeds in August from an 84th-minute penalty was a disappointing three points dropped, particularly given the nature of the late spot kick scored by Lukas Nmecha.
This weekend’s 2-1 defeat against Liverpool was equally frustrating as the team were unhappy with some of the refereeing decisions in the derby, including the limited amount of stoppage time when they were pushing for an equaliser. After the match, David Moyes praised his team for showing “a great deal of resilience” against the League Champions.
While tenth is a strong position compared to the relegation dogfights they have found themselves in over recent years, it may still feel frustrating given the circumstances of both defeats. However, Moyes is looking ahead for the rest of the season, and it seems he may be plotting to galvanise his team with some youthful flair in the not so distant future.
15-year-old Jonathan Nsangou makes Everton U21 debut
15-year-old Jonathan Nsangou has been making a name for himself in the Everton academy and has been playing beyond his years. This weekend saw the teenager make his U21’s debut, skipping two age groups.
The Liverpool Echo’s Joe Thomas was full of praise for Nsangou after his debut, as, despite being the youngest on the pitch: “He did not look daunted, regularly going in search of the ball, making himself available and forming part of the press that led to Beaumont-Clark’s goal.”
While his U21’s debut was a landmark moment for the youngster, it was not his first of the season. Earlier in the year, he made his U18’s debut and, even more impressively, he was called up by David Moyes to train with the first team, which Thomas attested to “how highly thought of he is”.
It’s not just at Everton where Nsangou has impressed, as he has also started making waves in the England set-up. Last season, he scored a hat-trick in an international friendly, and Thomas describes him as a “part of a talented core” that the England youth system is currently working with.
Nsangou's path to the first team
While 15 seems young to be breaking into the first team, it is something that has become more common over recent years. In the last three years, three 15-year-olds have made their Premier League debuts, with the most recent being Arsenal’s Max Dowman. Moyes may see the success that these young debutants have had as a reason to gamble with Nsangou at some stage in the season and make him the fourth Premier League 15-year-old.
The Wolves fixture seems unlikely to see too much rotation, given how seriously Moyes seems to be taking the League Cup this year. In their 2-0 win over Mansfield, Everton played a side that could compete against most Premier League teams, and when they made substitutions, it was for senior players rather than youngsters.
Outside of youth games, Toffee fans may have to be patient to see Nsangou in the senior team, but with a dense fixture list of three domestic cup competitions, injury and fatigue may allow the youngster to push his way in.
Chelsea have now submitted an offer for an “exceptional” Tottenham Hotspur player, who is keen to remain in the Premier League.
Caicedo impresses despite Brentford slip-up
If the Blues have serious ambitions of mounting a Premier League title charge this season, they need to be able to close out games against teams like Brentford, which is why it will be disappointing they were unable to pick up all three points on Saturday.
Fabio Carvalho’s late goal meant Enzo Maresca’s side had to settle for a draw on the road, and missed the opportunity to go top of the Premier League table at this early stage of the campaign.
While Maresca will no doubt be disappointed by the result, the Italian is likely to be happy with Moises Caicedo’s performance, with the Ecuadorian bagging the goal that put the west Londoners 2-1 up late in the second half, and impressing from a defensive point of view.
Statistic
Number completed
Tackles
4
Interceptions
4
Duels won
7
Accurate passes
62/64 (97%)
As such, there are doubts over whether Chelsea need to bring in another defensive midfielder, but according to a report from Africa Foot, they have now made an offer for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Yves Bissouma.
Bissouma has recently suffered a knee injury, which means he will have to wait until January to leave the Blues’ bitter rivals, amid widespread interest in his signature, with Newcastle United, West Ham United and Crystal Palace also lodging proposals.
Tottenham are open to sanctioning a departure, given that the Malian midfielder is well-known to have fallen out with Thomas Frank, which means a January departure could be on the cards, although they would prefer to sell him to a foreign club.
The 29-year-old, on the other hand, has made it clear that he wants to remain in the Premier League, rather than joining the likes of Chicago Fire, Galatasaray, Beşiktaş, Fenerbahçe or Lyon.
"Exceptional" Bissouma would be strange signing for Chelsea
In truth, it would be strange for the Blues to launch a formal move for the Tottenham midfielder, not least because Maresca is already well-stocked in the engine room, with the likes of Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez and Andrey Santos at the manager’s disposal.
Moreover, there are also issues surrounding the Mali international’s discipline, with Frank leaving him out for the Super Cup final against Paris Saint-Germain and saying: “Bissouma isn’t here because of disciplinary reasons. He has been late several times, the latest one too many.”
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He’d be the perfect Simons alternative…
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That’s not to say the Spurs ace isn’t a talented player on his day, with Gary Lineker once describing him as “exceptional” after putting in an impressive performance against Everton.
However, there is little point in Chelsea potentially shelling out £14m on a player who would be likely to receive little game time, given Caicedo and Fernandez’s emergence as key players, with both starting all four Premier League games up to this point.
يستعد فريق برشلونة، بقيادة المدرب هانز فليك، لخوض مباراته في بطولة الدوري الإسباني لكرة القدم عصر السبت، وذلك ضد نظيره جيرونا.
ويستضيف ملعب “مونتجويك” مباراة برشلونة وجيرونا، في خضم منافسات الجولة التاسعة من الدوري الإسباني، موسم 2025/26.
ويحتل برشلونة المركز الثاني في الدوري الإسباني برصيد 19 نقطة، في حين أن جيرونا لديه 6 نقاط حيث يحتل المركز السابع عشر.
ويسعى برشلونة إلى مصالحة جماهيره بعدما خسر في مباراتين متتاليتين، حيث سقط أمام باريس سان جيرمان بهدفين لهدف في دوري أبطال أوروبا، قبل هزيمته الثقيلة على يد إشبيلية بأربعة أهداف لهدف. موعد مباراة برشلونة وجيرونا اليوم في الدوري الإسباني
تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة 5:15 عصرًا بتوقيت القاهرة والسعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة برشلونة وجيرونا اليوم في الدوري الإسباني
تُذاع المباراة عبر قناة beIN SPORTS 1. معلق مباراة برشلونة وجيرونا اليوم في الدوري الإسباني
سيعلق أحمد البلوشي على أحداث مباراة اليوم.
ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنـــا.
Bangladesh needed to chase down the target of 116 in 12.1 overs, but didn’t seem to push hard enough considering a place in the semi-finals was at stake
Mohammad Isam25-Jun-20241:53
Tamim: ‘Bangladesh should’ve gone for the chase’
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said his team gave up pushing for a place in the T20 World Cup semi-finals after they lost three wickets in the first three overs of their chase against Afghanistan in Kingstown.After restricting Afghanistan to 115 for 5 in the final Super Eight game, Bangladesh needed to win in 12.1 overs to go ahead of Afghanistan and Australia on net run rate and qualify for the semi-finals from Group 1 along with India.”The plan was to try [to win in 12.1 overs] if we get a good start in the powerplay,” Shanto said after the match. “We thought that if we don’t lose early wickets, we could take the chance [to go for the semi-finals]. When we lost three wickets, we had a different plan. We wanted to see how we could win the game. The middle-order didn’t take good enough decisions, which is why we lost the game today.”Bangladesh slipped to 23 for 3 in 2.5 overs and their subsequent slowdown sparked outrage among their fans, who could not fathom such an approach from a team that had a chance to qualify for the semi-finals.Former captain Mashrafe Mortaza said in a post on Facebook that Bangladesh shouldn’t have thought about merely winning against Afghanistan. “Litton’s intent and the non-strikers’ silence suggests that there was no clear message for the batting unit. Even if there was a message, it changed every one or two overs. It ended up with the decision to try to just win the game.”Today should have been just about winning in 12.1 overs. There was no other way of thinking. Everyone would have understood if they got bowled out for 50. If we had won this game, we would have lost to our conscience. This was not like ten other matches. We could have made history today.”Related
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Bangladesh were in the hunt at 75 for 5 at the end of the ninth over. Towhid Hridoy had struck Mohammad Nabi for two fours in the eighth over before Litton Das hit Rashid Khan for two more fours in the ninth. Forty-three runs to get in 3.1 overs was tough but not impossible, but then Mahmudullah played out a Noor Ahmad over with five dot balls and just one attacking shot that yielded a boundary. Rashid took two wickets in the 11th over to end Bangladesh’s chances of progressing to the semi-finals.”We wanted to win the match. It was the initial plan,” Shanto said. “When we saw 115 runs on the board, we had a plan to win in 12.1 overs. The batting group made a lot of poor decisions. It is frustrating and disappointing. We wanted to win this game. We had the chance in our grasp. We couldn’t take it.”Litton remained unbeaten on 54, carrying his bat as Bangladesh were bowled out for 105 in the 18th over to confirm Afghanistan’s place in the semi-finals at Australia’s expense.Bangladesh had made another tactical blunder by holding back Hridoy, arguably their best batter in this T20 World Cup, to No 6. Sending in out-of-form batters like Soumya Sarkar over Hridoy was costly but Shanto said the team wanted to have a left-right combination in the middle. “We mixed up the batting order because we wanted to keep left-right combination. There was Litton in one end. They had a lot of variations in their bowling. Everyone was clear, they knew we would do this.”Bangladesh’s net run rate situation need not have been this dire had they shown more urgency in their previous Super Eight game against India. Chasing 197 on a good batting pitch in Antigua, Bangladesh had managed only 146 for 8 in response. Tamim Iqbal, an expert for ESPNcricinfo, and Shakib Al Hasan had criticised the team’s attitude and tactics, dropping Taskin Ahmed to not showing intent in the powerplay.”We gave our 100% against India,” Shanto said after Bangladesh’s loss to Afghanistan. “We picked the extra spinner in Mahedi, who bowled well. We should have scored a few more runs on that wicket [in Antigua]. We didn’t utilise it properly. The scenario would have been different had we batted better [against India].”Shanto signed off by apologising to the Bangladesh fans for letting them down. His last word at the press conference in St Vincent was “sorry”. Bangladesh’s fans, however, deserve more than a perfunctory ‘sorry’ from their captain and the team management.
Manchester United’s need for reinforcements is there for all to see after the club registered a 15th-place finish in the Premier League during the 2024/25 campaign.
Ruben Amorim was unable to work his magic with the current crop of players at his disposal after taking the reins from Erik ten Hag back in November.
However, this summer presents the 40-year-old with a major opportunity to make the changes he desires to try and push the club back up the standings next time around.
Manchester United manager RubenAmorimbefore the match
He’s already completed the signing of Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers, whilst releasing Jonny Evans, Christian Eriksen and Victor Lindelof to help free up funds on the wage bill.
It’s likely that numerous players will also be sacrificed to help try and raise additional money to use in the market, with numerous players already linked with a move from Old Trafford.
The latest on players who could leave United this summer
Over the last couple of days, winger Alejandro Garnacho has been a man in demand after it was confirmed that the Argentine would be allowed to depart the Red Devils this summer.
The 20-year-old registered 11 goals and 10 assists across all competitions, but attitude issues have led to links with fellow Premier League outfits Chelsea and Arsenal, with Bayer Leverkusen also interested.
Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho
However, he may not be alone in leaving the club this summer, with Joshua Zirkzee another talent who could be sacrificed, according to Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport.
They claim that they are willing to offer the Dutch international in a deal to land Napoli talisman Victor Osimhen this summer, less than 12 months after his £34m move from Serie A side Bologna.
It also confirms that the board have been disappointed by his lack of impact this season, netting just seven times in his 49 appearances across all competitions – an average of one goal every seven games.
Why United’s £105k-p/w star could be the next McTominay
Scottish international Scott McTominay left United last summer in a switch to join Napoli for just £25m, bringing his 22-year spell at Old Trafford to a disappointing end.
He registered over 250 appearances for the Red Devils, but was offloaded to raise funds for the rebuild under former boss Ten Hag – similar to the situation which Amorim faces this summer.
However, his switch across Europe has been a blessing in disguise, registering 13 goals and four assists, subsequently playing a pivotal role in Antonio Conte’s side’s ability to claim the league title in 2024/25.
Such form and achievements saw the 28-year-old named the Serie A’s Most Valuable Player for last campaign – further indicating how much of an error the club made in allowing him to depart Old Trafford.
However, the hierarchy must bear such a transfer in mind this summer with Zirkzee, potentially seeing another repeat of McTominay’s success unfold right in front of their very eyes.
Zirkzee, Dalot, De Ligt
The 24-year-old has certainly failed to live up to the hype, as seen by his measly goalscoring tally, but his underlying figures prove there is a player in there, needing to be given more time to thrive in England.
Zirkzee, who earns £105k-per-week in Manchester, has registered 39% of his efforts on target, with an xG of 4.83 – meaning he’s been unlucky not to score more than he has throughout his debut year in the Premier League.
Joshua Zirkzee’s stats for United in the PL (2024/25)
Statistics (per 90)
Tally
Games played
32
Goals scored
3
Shot on target accuracy
39%
Expected goals (xG)
4.83
Successful dribbles
1.9
Aerials won
1.5
Shots taken
1.8
Stats via FotMob
He’s also completed 1.9 successful dribbles per 90, whilst also winning 1.5 aerial battles per 90 – having the all-round skillset to hand Amorim with an impressive option in 2025/26.
The former Bayern Munich star has also operated in the number 10 role at times this season, having the versatility to thrive in numerous positions, something which could be crucial given the options already moving to Old Trafford in the near future.
It would be a harsh decision to allow the forward to depart the club this window, needing to hand him another 12 months at least to demonstrate the talent he possesses.
Given the success of former United players in Italy, it would be no surprise to see Zirkzee follow in McTominay’s footsteps should he depart, with their loss potentially being someone else’s gain next campaign.
Amorim's answer to Cherki: Man Utd to make huge bid for "phenomenal" star
Manchester United could be about to land a star who could be their Rayan Cherki.
After losing Matheus Cunha to Manchester United, Wolverhampton Wanderers have now reportedly set their sights on signing an impressive Championship forward this summer.
Cunha officially joins Man Utd
In one of the earliest, though perhaps least surprising moves of the summer, Cunha has now officially swapped Wolves for Manchester United. In truth, as soon as the Brazilian’s £63m release clause came to light, his exit seemed inevitable. For Wolves, it’s now more important than ever that they spend the money well and replace their talisman in seamless fashion. That, however, is easier said than done.
Matheus Cunha at Wolves
Record (via Transfermarkt)
Appearances
92
Goals
33
Assists
15
Cunha’s record speaks for itself. The former Atletico Madrid man particularly found his best form throughout the 2024/25 campaign and replacing his impact will undoubtedly be Wolves’ toughest task this summer.
Whilst it’s easy to assume the worst, Wolves already experienced a glimpse of life without Cunha throughout the season when he was missing through injury and suspension. It was then that Vitor Pereira’s side proved that they’re more than just the Brazilian, securing three of their six impressive consecutive wins to send a statement in the battle to secure their Premier League status.
With that top-flight status secured and £63m to spare, Wolves should ensure that life without Cunha remains blissful rather than the nightmare many have envisaged in the past.
To that end, who could arrive remains to be seen. Stars such as Harvey Elliott have already threatened to steal the headlines in recent weeks and signing a Premier League champion would certainly do no harm.
Harvey Elliott celebrates for Liverpool
Whether the former Fulham gem is capable of producing the same output as Cunha is the big question, though. Instead, Wolves could push on to sign a proven goalscorer in the coming months.
Wolves "monitoring" Ivanovic
According to South London football reporter Richard Cawley, Wolves are now “monitoring” Mihailo Ivanovic following his excellent debut season at Millwall. The Serbian striker scored 12 goals in his first Championship campaign and only looks set to get better at just 20 years old.
Given how he starred in his first season, Millwall may naturally be reluctant to let their forward leave so soon after he initially arrived. But the Premier League call is certainly a difficult one to turn down.
Millwall manager Alex Neil has been among those full of praise for Ivanovic in recent months, telling reporters in April: “Any 20-year-old that leads the line in the Championship and can get nearly [10 goals], and he’ll get double figures before the end of the season.
“If you do that, that’s an unbelievable season and it won’t be surprising me if people start talking about him. I’ve already seen something the other day talking about the top 10 young talents in Europe – he’s one of them.”
Having lost a top talent in Cunha, if Wolves managed to sign one of the top 10 young talents in Europe – as Neil believes Ivanovic is – then that should be seen as excellent business.
Manchester United restored some sense of pride on the final day of the Premier League season with a 2-0 win over Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Amad Diallo and Christian Eriksen, who scored from the spot, both got on the scoresheet to secure three points for the Red Devils after their disappointment in Bilbao.
Ruben Amorim delivered his speech to the supporters inside the ground after the full-time whistle and stated that Manchester United can overcome any situation and that they will strive to bring success back to the club next term.
United ended the 2024/25 campaign with no trophies added to the cabinet, and they will be without European football next season, which could also be seen as a potential positive to ease their schedule and allow them to focus on domestic success.
Manchester United manager RubenAmorimbefore the match
In order to get the club competing at the top of the table again, though, Amorim will need to be backed by the board to improve his squad, as the current players have simply not delivered enough on the pitch.
One player who should be replaced, as a regular starter at the very least, is centre-forward Rasmus Hojlund, who has not done enough to suggest that he can be relied on.
Why Manchester United need to replace Rasmus Hojlund
The Danish marksman arrived from Atalanta in the summer of 2023 in a deal that was reported to be worth up to £72m, which immediately put high expectations on the striker.
Rasmus Hojlund
However, Hojlund had only scored nine goals in the Serie A during the 2022/23 campaign and arrived at Old Trafford as a young striker with the potential to improve, rather than a ready-made star who was likely to hit the ground running.
Unfortunately, the 22-year-old attacker has not kicked on in the way that the club would have hoped for when they decided to splash a significant amount of money on his services two years ago.
Rasmus Hojlund (Premier League)
23/24
24/25
Appearances
30
32
xG
7.64
5.24
Goals
10
4
Minutes per goal
217
506
Big chances created
0
4
Assists
2
0
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Hojlund had a fairly decent first year in the Premier League with a return of ten goals in 30 games, but he has regressed throughout his United career to date, scoring just four times in the league this season.
A return of four league goals and zero assists in 32 appearances is simply not good enough. Not good enough for the Red Devils, and not good enough for a striker who was signed for £72m two years ago.
Rasmus Hojlund
This is why Amorim must look to replace Hojlund as a starter, either with a player in the squad or by dipping into the summer transfer window. However, one player who may not come in to replace him is reported target Viktor Gyokeres.
Why Man Utd may not sign Viktor Gyokeres
Despite working with the United boss at Sporting, the Sweden international may not be a realistic target for the Premier League giants this summer after they failed to secure European football.
Prior to the Europa League final, Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano suggested that moves for Victor Osimhen and Gyokeres could be taken off the table by a failure to land a Champions League place due to financial limitations.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
The reporter said: “He loves Gyokeres and Gyokeres loves Amorim, for sure. But for Man Utd we say it for [Victor] Osimhen and for Gyokeres too – it depends on the budget, how much they can invest, how much they can spend and what happens with European football.”
Sporting’s star number nine has been linked with Liverpool and Arsenal, who will both be in the Champions League next season, which could make it incredibly difficult for United to outbid them or convince the striker to pick a move to Old Trafford over playing European football.
Failing to sign Gyokeres would be a shame, given that the 26-year-old star has scored 96 goals and provided 28 assists in 101 matches for Sporting, but Amorim could forget about Hojlund and the former Coventry City ace by unleashing Kobbie Mainoo in a new role.
The new role Kobbie Mainoo should play for Man Utd
Whilst this may sound like a crazy idea at face value, playing a central midfielder up front as an alternative to signing a striker with 96 goals in 101 games, it is a tactical move that could make sense for United in the short-term.
Teams have been successful in the past without having a natural number nine who scored 20-plus goals. Roberto Firmino, for example, only scored more than 12 Premier League goals in one of his seasons at Liverpool, and they won the title and the Champions League during his time there.
The Brazil international was so effective for Jurgen Klopp because he brought technical quality and ingenuity in a false nine role, which was perfectly complemented by having two inside forwards, in Mo Salah and Sadio Mane, who could deliver goals on a regular basis.
Mainoo, who was described as a “generational talent” by Hojlund, is a technically excellent footballer who can offer similar qualities to Firmino in that role, and United are reportedly closing in on Matheus Cunha, who would be perfect to play alongside the England international as part of a Klopp’s Liverpool-esque front three.
24/25 Premier League
Matheus Cunha
Kobbie Mainoo
Appearances
33
25
Starts
29
19
xG
8.63
0.77
Goals
15
0
Big chances created
13
4
Assists
6
0
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the Wolves star has the goalscoring and creative quality to be a terrific addition as one of the number ten options behind the striker, which could make him the Salah or Mane to Mainoo’s Firmino.
Whilst the United star’s haul of zero goals and four ‘big chances’ created may not immediately catch the eye, he did create those chances in just 19 starts whilst mainly playing as a central midfielder, and the star showcased his composure and quality in the box against Lyon int the Europa League.
Mainoo scored three goals from just 0.89 xG in the 2023/24 Premier League campaign, which suggests that he does have the potential to finish chances efficiently, and he would have more opportunities to find the back of the net whilst playing as a false nine.
Therefore, United could forget about Hojlund and Gyokeres by unleashing the academy graduate in a new role next season, utilising his technical quality and intelligence to combine with the goalscoring quality that Cunha and Bruno Fernandes can provide behind him.
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This could be a cost-effective, short-term, solution to Amorim’s Hojlund problem, due to the financial blow of missing out on Europe, and save the club from having to spend money on a less-than-ideal striker alternative to their big targets, which could set them up to go big on a new number nine next year if they work their way back into European football.
Manchester United haven’t been shy of spending money over recent years, as seen by their window back in the summer of 2022 under former boss Erik ten Hag.
The Dutchman was in charge and spent upwards of £200m in his first window to try and transform the fortunes of the side after numerous years of failure at Old Trafford.
Players such as Casemiro, Lisandro Martínez and Antony all arrived to join the Red Devils, arguably costing too much given their lack of impact since arriving.
The latter is currently spending the rest of the campaign out on loan at Real Betis, registering just one goal for the Red Devils up until January, leading to his subsequent temporary stint elsewhere.
Ruben Amorim will likely have funds available at his disposal this summer to improve their Premier League standing, needing to avoid a repeat of such a window.
The latest on United’s hunt for new additions this summer
With just a couple of weeks remaining until the summer window opens, United will have a huge task to try and right the wrongs of this season and build a competitive squad ahead of 2025/26.
Various players in different positions have all been targeted already, with the likes of Liam Delap, Ederson and Matheus Cunha just three names mentioned with a switch to Manchester.
However, another name has entered the mix, in the form of Monaco’s right-back Vanderson, that’s according to GIVEMESPORT’s latest update on the transfer front.
It confirms that the Red Devils are considering a move for the Brazilian this summer, with the Ligue 1 outfit demanding a fee in the region of £30m to offload the 23-year-old.
It also confirms that options are being considered across all areas of the pitch, with Amorim tempted to land a new right wing-back to help fit his 3-4-2-1 system in which he’s implemented since taking the reins.
Why United’s £30m target could be their own Frimpong
Jeremie Frimpong has been a name massively mentioned across England in recent weeks, appearing to be edging ever closer to a switch to the Premier League.
Bayer Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong
It’s been reported that the Dutch international has approved a move to join fellow top-flight outfit Liverpool this summer, with Arne Slot’s side needing to trigger his £29.5m release clause.
The Bayer Leverkusen star would be the direct replacement for the departing Trent Alexander-Arnold, handing the Red Devils’ rivals another impressive option.
However, United will be hoping to close the gap to the Merseyside outfit next campaign, with Vanderson offering Amorim’s men their own version of the full-back.
When comparing their respective figures from the ongoing campaign, the Brazilian has managed to match or better him in numerous key areas – showcasing how much of a superb addition he would be at Old Trafford.
The right-back, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by talent scout Antonio Mango, has registered more progressive passes and completed more of the take-ons he’s attempted – highlighting the impressive nature he possesses with the ball at his feet.
He’s also won more tackles per 90 and made more interceptions per 90 – handing Amorim an excellent option at both ends of the pitch, something which is perfect for a wing-back in his system.
How Vanderson compares to Frimpong in 2024/25
Statistics (per 90)
Vanderson
Frimpong
Games played
28
33
Goals & assists
4
10
Progressive passes
4.5
2
Pass accuracy
78%
76%
Passes into final third
3.3
1.1
Shot-creating actions
2.6
2.5
Tackles won
2.1
0.9
Interceptions made
1.8
0.3
Take-on success
50%
29%
Aerials won
46%
33%
Stats via FBref
His talents don’t stop there, registering more shot-creating actions and winning more aerials than Frimpong – having the tools to be an excellent option should the club pursue a move for his signature.
£30m for Vanderson appears to be a superb price for a star who could easily slot into life in the Premier League, handing Amorim his own version of the soon-to-be Liverpool talent.
If United are to return to their former glory in the coming months, shrewd additions are needed to progress, with the Brazilian having all the tools to be a success at Old Trafford.
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