Jamal Musiala hinted he could leave Bayern Munich in the near future amid interest from Manchester City.
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It seems as though Manchester United finally have a long-term number nine that they can build around.
Rasmus Hojlund is that man, having impressed during his debut campaign at Old Trafford, despite often being criticised.
At just 21 years of age, the number 11 has scored ten in the Premier League and five in the Champions League, not a bad return for a relatively inexperienced striker.
However, due to the lack of availability of Anthony Martial, he’s often been pushed to the limits, and therefore, it’s not surprising to see that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is eyeing up a move for a centre forward.
Man Utd want to find a Hojlund backup
According to recent reports from Spain, centre forward Joselu is said to be a “priority target” for Man United this summer.
The Spaniard is currently on loan at Real Madrid from second-tier side Espanyol, but once it expires in June, his current club and the Red Devils will look to acquire his signature.
Apparently “consistent interest” has been displayed by the Manchester club as they ready a move for the attacker.
On top of that, it’s expected that if United do decide to make a move for Joselu, they will table an offer of a two-year contract, earning £4.3m per season.
Why Joselu could make Hojlund unstoppable
Former Stoke City and Newcastle United flop Joselu has well and truly revived his career since returning to his home nation, Spain.
After scoring 16 LaLiga goals for a relegated Espanyol last season, the Spaniard joined Real Madrid on a season-long loan, a club where he’s – in the words of journalist Julien Laurens – become "the best sub ever."
The reason for this is due to his last-minute brace against Bayern Munich that helped Los Blancos reach the Champions League final, a historic moment for the player, who's proven he can step up when it matters most, even if he's not a first-choice starter.
That said, the 34-year-old has been finding the back of the net all season, scoring an impressive 17 goals across all competitions.
But how would a rival for Hojlund’s position arguably make him better, you may ask? Well, it’s a well-known fact that Ten Hag has been keen to take some of the workload off the young forward recently.
Matches
30
34
Goals
10
10
xG
7.64
11.57
Assists
2
2
Shots (per game)
1.3
1.9
Touches (per game)
22.8
16.1
Passes completed (per game)
10
7.5
The former Atalanta star has struggled with a few injuries over the past year, while he’s also looked visibly exhausted on the field, which obviously won’t provide results.
Therefore, having an experienced player that can serve as a rotation option would enable Hojlund to be sharp and fully fit when called upon, in turn boosting his performance levels, as we’ve seen in recent weeks when he’s come on as a substitute. That just highlights how deadly he can be when fresh, scoring against Newcastle and Brighton & Hove Albion.
Overall, not only would Joselu provide a different style of play to Hojlund and bring goals, but he’d also make the Dane a better player, something that could prove to be incredibly valuable.
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MatériaMais Notícias
O elenco da Chapecoense ganhou uma opção para o sistema defensivo com a confirmação nesta sexta-feira (13) da chegada do zagueiro Jordan. Aos 22 anos de idade, o atleta chega por empréstimo do Cianorte.
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>Aplicativo de resultados do LANCE! está disponível na versão iOS
Apesar de ter seus direitos ligados ao clube do interior paranaense, Jordan não atuou nesta temporada pelo clube. Isso porque, desde o mês de fevereiro, o atleta natural da cidade de São Paulo estava emprestado para o Ceará onde teve poucas oportunidades.
Ao todo foram apenas 12 partidas jogadas pelo defensor sendo que, em duas delas, ele foi utilizado pelo plantel que disputa o Brasileirão de Aspirantes.
Além das equipes citadas, Jordan acumula no currículo passagens pela Ferroviária (clube de formação) bem como a base do Corinthians e o Botafogo-SP. No último dos citados, ele teve sua maior média de atuação como profissional em 2020 com 36 jogos disputados.
A £14,000-a-week Celtic defender has dropped a fairly blatant exit hint regarding his future, suggesting he has played his final game for the Hoops.
Celtic transfer news
Brendan Rodgers will be looking to strengthen his squad as much as possible in the summer transfer window, ensuring that his side once again go all the way in the Scottish Premiership next season, but also make more of an impression in the Champions League.
One player who has been linked with a move to Celtic before the beginning of the 2024/25 campaign is Stuart Armstrong, who has recently helped Southampton earn promotion from the Championship to the Premier League. Rodgers is believed to be a big admirer of the midfielder, who is out of contract with Saints at the end of this month, and has won 44 caps for Scotland.
The retirement of Joe Hart has heightened the need for a new goalkeeper to join the Hoops in the near future, and Sparta Prague stopper Peter Vindahl Jensen is one rumoured option there. Liverpool ace Caoimhin Kelleher is also a target, with a potential £10m move being plotted, as he looks to be a No.1 elsewhere.
A reunion for former Celtic hero Kieran Tierney is being weighed up, too, according to certain reports, with the left-back seemingly allowed to leave Arsenal after fallen out of favour, having spent the 2023/24 season on loan Real Sociedad.
£14,000-a-week Celtic player hints at exit
Speaking to Fotbollskanalen [via Sport Witness], Gustaf Lagerbielke has admitted that he is looking forward to a new challenge away from Celtic this summer, suggesting his time at Parkhead has come to an end:
"I know that there are a number of teams that are interested, but not much more than that. There are interested teams in Italy and also other leagues.
"Very instructive. I have developed a lot and become a better player. I have brought a lot with me. I’m looking forward to the future and I think I’ll take a lot from Celtic to the next team I join. It is difficult to say anything before something is ready. I have a contract with Celtic, but it’s no secret that I want to play."
In truth, this summer does feel like the right time for Celtic to offload Lagerbielke, even though his current contract doesn't actually expire until the summer of 2028.
Just four Scottish Premiership starts came the £14,000-a-week defender's way in the whole of 2023/24, and a total of only seven appearances in the competition, while a move to Italian side Lecce failed to come to fruition during the January transfer window.
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Lagerbielke's contract situation does mean that Celtic can at least demand good money for the 24-year-old, rather than losing him on a free transfer or on the cheap, so it must now be a case of getting as much money as possible for him.
A Tottenham star praised by Ange Postecoglou is in contact to leave the north London club this summer, according to reports.
Tottenham transfer rumours
Tottenham endured a mixed 2023/24 Premier League season. They began the campaign with a 10-game unbeaten run and there was even early talk of a potential title challenge. However, a mix of injury issues and poor form eventually led to the Lilywhites securing 5th place and a spot in next season's Europa League.
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Now, after a solid debut season in the dugout, Postecoglou must turn his attention to the soon-to-be-open summer transfer window as he attempts to build on last season's 5th-place finish. Despite not having Champions League football, the Londoners have already been linked with some big names.
Tottenham are believed to be preparing a personal terms package for Brentford's Ivan Toney, while Sevilla hitman Youssef En-Nesyri has also emerged as a potentially serious target for Spurs. There are also links to Eberechi Eze, with it reported last week that Spurs are expected to initiate discussions with Crystal Palace within the next two weeks regarding the potential signing of the Englishman.
£70k-a-week Tottenham ace in constant contact to leave
For all the potential incomings, however, a number of names are expected to leave north London over the coming months. It was reported in May that 11 Spurs players could be sold this summer and now, an update on one of those names has been provided. The player in question is Giovani Lo Celso, who was on the fringes of Spurs' team for much of the 2023/24 campaign.
Appearances
22
Minutes played
492
Goals
2
Assists
2
Postecoglou was quizzed on the Argentine's lack of minutes back in April and had this to say: "Look, he's a fantastic player, but with all these things you've got to keep the perspective that we're at a big club, we're going to have a big squad and if it is not Gio, it will be someone else that will play that role next year."
The boss continued: "If they want more game time, there are other clubs where they can do that and I'm looking at contribution. With someone like Gio, like I said he has contributed to us this year and that's been the most important thing for me."
Now, reports in Spain [via Sport Witness] claim that Real Betis, who sold Lo Celso to Tottenham in 2019, have remained in constant contact with the 28-year-old since his departure from the club and are now looking to resign him. However, the Spanish outfit may have a hard time affording Lo Celso, who currently earns £70,000-a-week in the English capital.
As a result, it is understood that Betis will have to lower their wage bill to secure Lo Celso's return. To do this, they plan to sell a few of their highest earners, with the likes of Nabil Fekir, Willian Jose and William Carvalho all named as potentially sellable assets.
No transfer fee is mentioned in the report but as the South American has just one year left on his contract and is not a regular starter under Postecoglou, the figure required for Tottenham to agree a sale is unlikely to be too high.
The player was not part of the squad involved in the game in Bristol against Gloucestershire but others had been in contact with him
Matt Roller06-Sep-2020
The County Ground in Bristol•Getty Images
Northamptonshire’s Bob Willis Trophy match at Bristol was abandoned after lunch on the opening day after a player in their squad tested positive for Covid-19.Gloucestershire had reached 66 for 6 when lunch was taken, but the players did not emerge after the interval and play was called off for the day shortly before 3pm.Northants have fielded largely different squads in the T20 Blast and Bob Willis Trophy this season, with only two of the team playing this game part of their most recent Blast fixture.”Although the player was not part of the group that travelled with the squad to Bristol (and has been self-isolating at home), further members of the Northamptonshire squad have been in contact with the player within 48 hours of the player developing Covid-19 symptoms,” the clubs said in a joint statement”Gloucestershire, Northamptonshire and the ECB are unified in the belief that player welfare is paramount and that no risks should be taken with the health and safety of the players, officials and administrators involved in this match.”The match has now been abandoned and the Northamptonshire squad will return home to Northamptonshire today.”The ECB will now assess whom the player has been in contact with recently before deciding upon the next step. Northants’ next fixture – a Blast game coincidentally also against Gloucestershire – is due to be played on Friday.County cricket has already seen at least two players miss matches due to enforced self-isolation this summer. Nick Gubbins missed Middlesex’s game against Kent as a precautionary measure after coming into contact with someone who had developed symptoms, while Jordan Cox missed the same fixture after breaking social-distancing protocols by agreeing to a photo with young fans after his double-hundred against Sussex.Players have not been asked to spend their time in a biosecure ‘bubble’ in county cricket, unlike international players. Instead, they have been asked to adhere to a range of protocols to minimise the risks of transmission, including travelling to games alone, regular temperature checks and health questionnaires, and signing up to a code of behaviour both at venues and when off-duty.There is nothing riding on the game, with neither team in contention to qualify for the Bob Willis Trophy final as group winners.
With plenty fo work needed this summer, Manchester United have reportedly turned their attention towards Scotland and potentially sealing a deal for a future star.
Man Utd transfer news
Even though Erik ten Hag's future is still in doubt, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Manchester United have still pushed on in the transfer market as they look to finally put an end to an era to forget at Old Trafford. This has already seen several transfer links emerge too, including for the likes of Antonio Silva and Ousmane Diomande in the hope of replacing the departing Raphael Varane.
The Frenchman confirmed his exit at the end of the season, before finishing in style by winning the FA Cup final against rivals Manchester City. Now in search of a replacement, it's no surprise that United have focused their search on younger players rather than those more experienced, given that Harry Maguire is 31 years old and Jonny Evans is 36 years old, highlighting the need for a defensive revamp at Old Trafford. But it's not just the defence getting a fresh coat of paint.
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According to the Daily Record, Manchester United are considering a move to sign Daniel Kelly from Celtic in a package that would cost close to £1m this summer. The teenager is yet to agree a new deal with the Bhoys, with Premier League clubs reportedly willing to offer Kelly a higher £9,000-a-week deal (£468k per year), whilst paying a £490k training compensation to Celtic.
With the Scottish champions unwilling to match the financial power of United and Tottenham Hotspur, but Kelly keen to stay put at his boyhood club, the young Scot finds himself at a difficult crossroads. Outside of the Premier League, Bologna, Bayer Leverkusen and Cesc Fabregas' Como are also reportedly interested too, creating quite the race for Kelly's signature into the final six months of his Celtic contract.
"Incredible" Kelly represents wise Man Utd plan
It's been easy to take aim at manchester United's recent transfer history, which has seen big names arrive past their best before watching a predictable drop-off take place. Old Trafford saw that drop-off happen with Casemiro this season and arguably saw it happen to Cristiano Ronaldo in the season prior, before he left for Saudi Arabia. It's the type of transfer failure that Ratcliffe plans on ending it seems, with targeting Kelly a part of that.
The young midfielder earned the praise of Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers this season, as he made a total of six first-team appearances in which he even managed one goal.
Rodgers told CelticTV, via 67hailhail: “Brilliant for young Daniel Kelly. It’s so nice when you get a homegrown player. The young kid has been here since he was eight years of age. I’ve seen him in preseason and I really like what he has.
“He’s got good physicality. He’s got an incredible attitude for a young player, and it was just about timing for him and to give the chance. A great time for him to come in and a really good goal.”
Rangers are reportedly interested in completing the signing of a player hailed for being a "student of the game" this summer, and he even scored at Ibrox last season.
Rangers transfer news
The Gers continue to be linked with plenty of summer signings, with Coventry City ace Callum O'Hare emerging as an option in recent days, being seen as the Scottish Premiership giants' very own version of Jack Grealish.
Bojan Miovski was arguably one of the league's standout players last season, bagging 16 goals in the competition for Aberdeen, and he is also reportedly seen as an exciting option for Rangers, as they look to add more firepower to their attack.
RB Salzburg attacker Petar Ratkov is another candidate who is believed to be being looked at by Philippe Clement, being viewed as an upgrade on Cyriel Dessers, who hasn't always managed to consistently set the world alight in a Gers shirt.
Hamza Igamane and Yusuf Kabadayi are expected to be announced as new signings in the near future, too, as an eye-catching summer gathers further momentum.
Rangers want to sign "student of the game"
According to The Athletic, Rangers are keen on signing Motherwell forward Theo Bair in the summer transfer window, rivalling Celtic for his signature in the process. Unnamed clubs in Germany are also mentioned as potential suitors for the 24-year-old, who is out of contract at his current club next summer, highlighting the need for them to cash in on him now.
Bair has the ability to be a great signing by Rangers ahead of next season, with supporters already seeing his quality close up, following a goal at Ibrox in Motherwell's damaging 2-1 win there back in March.
The £600-a-week ace is also a two-cap Canada international, scoring once for his country to date, and Stuart Kettlewell has heaped praise on his character: "I am delighted for him. I’m just a huge believer in those success stories, not for my ego, not for anybody to pat me on the back, but for the individual.
"When you have to ride out such difficult moments as Theo has done, not only here but at St Johnstone, trying to find his way in Scottish football, then it’s testament to the man and his character. He is a student of the game who really buys into the information and detail, and the work ethic in trying to improve."
Bair has proven himself in the Scottish Premiership, so there is no reason why he shouldn't be able to hit the ground running, and considering he is still only 24 years of age, he could be a mainstay of Rangers' attack for many years to come.
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A lack of ruthlessness was a reason for the Gers falling short in the title race last time around, but snapping up the Motherwell man could help alleviate that issue, at a time when a new challenge at a huge club will appeal greatly to him.
The Catalans have won back-to-back European titles but only Lyon have ever done a three-peat. Who are the biggest contenders for this season's trophy?
In the Women's Champions League, this is the era of Barcelona. Winners of three of the last four titles, and finalists in five of the last six seasons, they are the team to beat. The question is, is anyone capable of doing that as the 2024-25 campaign prepares to get underway?
On Tuesday, the group stages of this season's Champions League will begin. There have already been some big stories on the way to this point, with Paris Saint-Germain the big scalp in qualifying. Ajax and Benfica, two of last year's quarter-finalists, also crashed out prematurely.
But will there be a big story in the competition proper? Eight-time winners Lyon will be hungry to get back on their perch, while Chelsea might be better-placed than ever before to claim a first European trophy. Or could another team emerge as a serious threat to Barca's crown?
GOAL ranks the contenders for this season's Women's Champions League title…
Getty Images7Wolfsburg
It's difficult to know what to expect from Wolfsburg, a two-time European champion, this season. Less than 18 months ago, the German giants were in their sixth Champions League final and led Barcelona 2-0 at half-time. Unfortunately for them though, the Catalans would complete an incredible second-half turnaround to win 3-2 and claim the crown instead.
A lot has changed in the time since. Ewa Pajor, who scored for Wolfsburg that day, is now a Barcelona player, while other stars such as Lena Oberdorf and Jill Roord have also moved on. This was also supposed to be the final season in charge for Tommy Stroot, until a U-turn saw the coach sign a new contract last month.
Is he the right man to take Wolfsburg forward? Stroot won the league in his first season in charge and then reached that Champions League final, but his time at the club has also coincided with Bayern Munich starting to take control of German women's football with back-to-back Frauen-Bundesliga triumphs.
While this is still a team with some top quality players, a recent 3-0 league defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt emphasised some of the flaws that have plagued them in recent times. In a group with eight-time winners Lyon and Italian champions Roma, Wolfsburg will have to improve just to get to the knockout stages.
AdvertisementGetty Images6Man City
The last time Manchester City competed in the Champions League proper, they actually beat Barcelona. It was the first defeat in 90 minutes that Barca had suffered in the 2020-21 season, in what was their 30th game. The only other loss had been on penalties against Atletico Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup, with the Catalans winning the rest of their 28 fixtures to that point in a remarkable campaign which would end in a treble. The caveat, though, is that City's win was not enough for them to overcome a 3-0 first-leg deficit in their quarter-final tie.
How will the Cityzens stack up against Barca when they meet in this season's group stage? Starting at home to the reigning European champions is going to be quite a challenge for a team that has lost in qualifying in this competition twice in the last three years, having not even got a spot in the preliminary rounds in the other season. At the same time though, City will be well up for this European campaign after so much disappointment.
Inexperience as a team in the Champions League will likely cost City as the season develops, as some players start to understand the level needed and head coach Gareth Taylor gets to grips with his rotation. That said, they certainly have some weapons that can hurt Barca, be it Vivianne Miedema, Khadija Shaw or Lauren Hemp, who was heavily linked with the Catalans last term.
Getty Images Sport5Arsenal
Arsenal might've crashed out in qualifying for the Champions League last year, but the season before saw them put together a truly remarkable run that was so close to getting them all the way to the final. Despite being plagued by injuries, it was only in extra-time, in the 119th of 120 minutes, that Pauline Bremer scored a goal to break the hearts of the home fans and send the German giants to another final instead.
In no small part due to absences – Miedema, Beth Mead and Leah Williamson all suffered brutal ACL injuries – Arsenal were not at their best domestically that season. The Gunners eventually finished 11 points off eventual champions Chelsea and were in a scrap for a European spot in the final few weeks. It was yet another example that a club's league form isn't always a great indicator of what they could do in the Champions League.
This is a team that has a lot of experience in this competition, not least since recruiting former Barcelona star Mariona Caldentey in the summer. They face a tough test in getting out of the group stage – drawn in a 'Group of Death' with Bayern Munich, Juventus and a dangerously in-form Valerenga – but tend to rise to the occasion in those big games. That should come in handy.
While it's difficult to mark Arsenal out as a genuine contender for this Champions League title, it'd be a surprise not to see them in the knockout stages, where they have the ability to at least cause Europe's elite some problems.
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Getty Images4Bayern Munich
A few years ago, it really felt like Bayern Munich were on track to becoming a proper contender for the Champions League. In the 2022-23 season, they were the only team to beat both European finalists, recording a shock 3-1 win over Barcelona in the group stages before defeating Wolfsburg 1-0 in the Frauen-Bundesliga title run-in.
Alexander Straus has implemented a clear and effective style and the club has consistently made statements in the transfer window, signing the likes of Pernille Harder, Georgia Stanway and Oberdorf, the latter from bitter rivals Wolfsburg.
Last season's Champions League campaign was a real surprise, then. In a group with Ajax, PSG and Roma, Bayern failed to get to the knockout stages, with the former two qualifying instead. It was a real setback for an exciting project, depriving them of the opportunity to experience more of the high-pressure scenarios that the latter stages of the competition provide.
On the flip side, Straus will have learned plenty about himself and his team in that hotly-contested group stage and they will go into this campaign a little under the radar, given that surprise exit. Bayern have started the season sharply and while they might still be a step off the absolute cream of the crop, they will be a factor in this year's Champions League.
Hemp, 49, is presently based in Australia and has worked with Melbourne Stars and Victoria in the Women’s Big Bash League
ESPNcricinfo staff01-Oct-2020
David Hemp walks back after scoring an unbeaten century•Gallo Images
Pakistan have hired former Bermuda batsman David Hemp as the head coach of the national women’s side. He takes over from Iqbal Imam, who was temporarily working in the role. Hemp is the second foreigner roped in by the PCB to take charge of the women’s cricket team after New Zealander Mark Coles, who spent two years in the job before resigning in October last year. Since then, the PCB had been bringing in local coaches to fill the vacancy on a series-by-series basis.Hemp, 49, is presently based in Australia and has worked with Melbourne Stars and Victoria in the Women’s Big Bash League between 2015 and 2020. As a cricketer, he played 271 first-class matches and scored over 15,000 runs for Glamorgan, Free State and Warwickshire. He represented Bermuda at international level, scoring 641 runs in 22 ODI innings that included a century and four half-centuries.Hemp is a UK-qualified level four coach who has also held a coaching role with Australia’s team for cricketers with intellectual disabilities, Premier Cricket’s Prahran and was the director of coaching at Scotch College. His first assignment with Pakistan will be the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier next year for the event proper that will take place in New Zealand in 2022.”David brings with him a wealth of experience and knowledge, more importantly around women’s cricket development, which is extremely critical to our strategy as part of our endeavour to increase the pool of cricketers and rise to the level of the front-running international sides,” Urooj Mumtaz, Acting Head of Pakistan Women’s Wing and Chair of women’s selection committee, said.”I am sure our players will make optimum use of David’s expertise and strict work ethics, while I am sure David will have an enjoyable time when he relocates to Pakistan to join the elite company of illustrious coaching staff of Atiq-uz-Zaman, Grant Bradburn, Mohammad Yousuf, Mohammad Zahid and Saqlain Mushtaq at our National High Performance Centre.”David has worked for five years in Australia with the Melbourne and Victoria women’s sides and he is a perfect fit for the role we were looking for as he will be able to use that experience and knowledge to translate into our system that will ultimately benefit Pakistan women’s cricket.”