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Celtic returned to action in the Scottish Premiership last weekend with an emphatic 3-0 win over Hearts to retain their 13-point lead at the top of the table.

The Hoops secured all three points against the Jam Tarts thanks to a brace from Daizen Maeda, either side of a close-range finish from Jota, as they bounced back from their 3-2 defeat to Rangers before the international break.

Brendan Rodgers is closing in on his second Premiership title in as many seasons since his return to Parkhead in the summer of 2023, having already won the League Cup earlier this term.

The Northern Irish head coach has a domestic treble in his sights between now and the end of the campaign, with a healthy lead at the top of the league and a semi-final against St. Johnstone in the SFA Cup booked in.

Rodgers may, however, have one eye on the upcoming summer transfer window and how he can make moves to improve his squad to perform even better next term, with the Champions League in mind.

The former Leicester City and Liverpool head coach already knows that he has a situation to deal with at left-back, after revealing that Greg Taylor is likely to move on from Parkhead.

The latest on Greg Taylor's Celtic future

Speaking after the win over Hearts, Rodgers claimed that it is more likely that the Scotland international will leave when his contract expires this summer, rather than signing a new deal to remain in Glasgow.

He told BBC Sport: “I’ve been in this position so many times and I can read situations. It’s probably more likely now that Greg will move on than stay, which is a big shame for me because I love him as a person – and I love his game because it’s suited to how we work.”

The Celtic head coach added: “It’s not financial, but I respect his position because he wants to feel he’ll play every week. Whoever is in next year with Kieran will still play a lot of games, but my feeling is that Greg may well move on.”

The former Kilmarnock man has been an unused substitute in five of the last six matches in all competitions, and was withdrawn at half-time against Hibernian in the only start during that run.

24/25

22

19

23/24

35

35

22/23

31

28

21/22

24

22

20/21

26

23

19/20

13

12

As you can see in the table above, Taylor has been a regular starter, when available, throughout the majority of his time in the Premiership at Parkhead, since his move to Glasgow in the summer of 2019.

But his lack of minutes in recent weeks, as aforementioned, may be a driving factor in his likeliness to leave on a free transfer this summer, at the same time that Kieran Tierney is due to return to Celtic.

Why Kieran Tierney is a gamble for Celtic

It has already been confirmed that the Scotland international will be a part of the squad next season after his contract with Arsenal expires at the end of the current campaign.

As you can see in the table above, the former Celtic star enjoyed a terrific first spell at Parkhead after coming up through the academy system, as he won five titles and made 170 first-team appearances.

His terrific form for the Scottish giants over the years earned him a £25m move to Arsenal in the summer of 2019, which remains one of the biggest sales in the club’s history.

Despite all of this, signing Tierney this summer is set to be a gamble by the Hoops because of his worrying injury record that could cause Rodgers problems moving forward.

The 2022/23 campaign is the only season that the left-back has not missed 17 or more matches through injury since the summer of 2018, whilst he has been absent for 39 games through injury since the start of last term.

Celtic are, therefore, gambling on his fitness as he will not be too much use on the pitch if consistent injury problems keep him away from it, which is why it is important for the club to have another capable left-back in line to play.

So, rather than viewing Tierney as the replacement for Taylor, is it Ghana international Jeffrey Schlupp who should be signed permanently as a replacement for the Scottish full-back.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Why Celtic should sign Jeffrey Schlupp permanently

The experienced defender joined the Hoops on loan from Crystal Palace in the January transfer window and has hit the ground running at Parkhead in the second half of this season.

Schlupp, who Rodgers claimed has “incredible pace and power”, is out of contract at Selhurst Park at the end of June, which suggests that Celtic have the chance to snap him up on a free transfer this summer.

That could make him the dream replacement for Taylor, who is also due to depart for nothing, as the Hoops would not have to spend a penny on transfer fees, whilst they would also be bringing in a player who has already proven that he can perform in the current team.

Schlupp has also not missed a single game through injury since the start of the 2021/22 campaign, which suggests that he would also come in as a reliable figure who could cover when Tierney is unavailable.

Appearances

7

Goals

1

Assists

1

Tackles + interceptions per game

1.8

Duels won per game

4.6

Ground duel success rate

52%

Aerial duel success rate

60%

As you can see in the table above, the Palace loanee has provided defensive strength in his short time at Parkhead to date, winning the majority of his duels on the deck and in the air.

His performance against Bayern Munich in the second leg of their Champions League play-off, winning eight of his ten duels and making a staggering 11 tackles and interceptions combined, also showed that he has the quality to step up in big games against huge European teams.

This suggests that Schlupp could be a great signing for Celtic with their European hopes in mind, because the 32-year-old ace has proven that he can perform on the biggest stage.

Therefore, signing the loanee on a permanent deal could result in the Hoops having their dream replacement for Taylor, as he is not as injury-prone as Tierney and the defender has already proven his quality on the pitch for Rodgers in recent months.

It is now down to the manager and the recruitment staff to complete a free transfer for the full-back, should he not sign a new deal at Palace, to bolster the squad in the summer transfer window.

Celtic ace left for £600k, now he's similar to a future Ballon d'Or winner

The player Celtic lost for just £600k is now similar to a star who has been tipped to win the Ballon d’Or.

ByDan Emery Apr 1, 2025

World Champions carve out a 3-2 series victory over England via unconventional means

Andrew McGlashan29-Sep-2024A series bookended with victories engineered by the spinners; different XIs in every match; a change of captain for the final game; injury and illness updates on almost a daily basis: Australia had to think on their feet during the autumn tour of the UK.It appeared they may have run out of steam after a hiding at Lord’s and when England were on course for 400 in Bristol. But with a helping hand from the rough edges in an inexperienced opposition, they even ended up being able to hold back the clouds long enough.While this tour was far from the most important cricket Australia will play over the next six months, it certainly wasn’t a trip that they shelved under insignificant. Particularly for the ODIs against England they were close to full strength with an eye to the Champions Trophy – only Pat Cummins remained at home to build-up for India’s visit. Whether there is significant collateral from the last few weeks will only be known when the seriousness of Cameron Green’s back injury is determined. Cummins, Andrew McDonald and chief selector George Bailey will hope the injury run does not follow them back home.Related

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Carey's form creates headache ahead of Champions Trophy

“Really proud of the fact that we did have a lot of moving parts throughout these last couple of weeks, but we had guys step up for us,” Mitchell Marsh said after sitting out the decider with soreness. “I’m sure everyone’s looking forward to getting home, a bit of a reset, we get an opportunity to play for our states then obviously it’s a huge summer.”If you had to guess where Australia would bowl the most spin ever in an ODI, Bristol on September 29 – the latest international in an English season – would probably not be top of the list. Neither, for that matter, Trent Bridge where they used almost as much. Wearing pitches at the end of a long season played a part, but it still required alertness and show of faith from Marsh and Steven Smith in the options available.In Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head they found match-changing performances from somewhat unlikely sources, although as Marsh said afterwards Head is a better bowler than often given credit for. “Every time he bowls, he seems to change the game,” Marsh said. “We are blessed to have a lot of allrounders, both pace and spin, so the more options we have with both bat and ball it gives our side great balance.”Adam Zampa’s absence at Chester-le-Street emphasised his importance to Australia’s white-ball cricket while his recovery from figures of 2.2-0-42-0 in Bristol to end with 10-0-74-2 was a show of his class that will perhaps be lost as the roadshow moves on.Aaron Hardie had an excellent tour with both bat and ball•AFPOne of the biggest gains of the series was the performance of Aaron Hardie, particularly with the ball. The injuries allowed him to have a greater role than would probably have been the case. He bowled with good pace and found significant movement, none more so than the superb delivery to knock over Will Jacks in the decider.”He’s a really good young kid and he’s learning a lot on the run, but I thought he played some really pivotal roles for us with both bat and ball throughout this series so I’m sure he’ll take a lot of confidence back home,” Marsh said. “It was an outstanding tour for him.”Matt Short’s blistering 23-ball half-century in Bristol may also prove significant. After a couple of unconverted starts earlier in the series the approaching rain meant he had to flick into T20 mode which may have brought a degree of freedom, but few can hit the ball harder or longer. He could well have put himself a step closer to the Champions Trophy – a run of three games at the top against Pakistan in November, allowing him a consistent role, wouldn’t hurt.The perhaps unlikely question that was raised during the series was Josh Inglis versus Alex Carey after the latter’s back-to-back 70s while Inglis was recovering from a quad strain. However, after the pair played together at Lord’s the answer was revealed in Bristol when Carey was left out.Although younger players had an opportunity on this tour, the Australia men’s ODI set-up remains one at the more mature end of the spectrum. The Champions Trophy in February will likely mark a 50-over endpoint for several of this generation – 2027 will be a step too far. Mitchell Starc, who swayed from the wicked inswinger to remove Harry Brook at Headingley to be taken for a record 28 off an over at Lord’s, will probably be among that group alongside Glenn Maxwell, Smith and perhaps even Marsh and Josh Hazlewood.For them, all their ODI legacies were cemented by what happened in India last year, but global tournaments, especially the 50-over variety, tend to bring out the best in Australian players. And winning when the going gets tough, as it did in England, will serve them well.

England’s No. 3 on missing out on the World Cup final, and his ambitions to make the 50-over cut

Andrew Miller11-Jan-2023A penny for Dawid Malan’s thoughts, an onlooker from the sidelines at the MCG in November, as a senior England batter marshalled a World Cup-winning run-chase against Pakistan with an unflappable 52 not from 49 balls.The man in question, of course, was Ben Stokes – the Red Adair of England run-chases, air-lifted back into the T20I side after an 18-month absence and proving once again that his big-match temperament is second-to-none.That match situation, however, could have had Malan’s name all over it. A middling target of 138 to aim for, and loss of two early wickets affording the incomer the right and rationale to build cautiously into his work, as would have befitted a man with a proven, former world No.1-ranked, record at No.3 across 44 of his 55 T20I appearances for England.But Malan himself was denied the perfect pay-off. His campaign was curtailed by a groin injury, picked up during England’s tense group-stage win over Sri Lanka, and despite believing he’d done enough to be trusted for a recall in the final against Pakistan, it wasn’t to be.”It was tough,” Malan tells ESPNcricinfo. “Initially we discussed that we were just going to treat the symptoms, but then on the day before the World Cup final, I ended up having a scan which I was not too happy about, because I was felt that I was okay.”I did the fitness test and everything that was required, and I was able to get through everything that was asked of me in a two-and-a-half hour session, with just a bit of throbbing to some extent.”But after the training session, when Jos [Buttler] and Motty [Matthew Mott] called me in, they said ‘look, even though you’ve passed everything, there’s still a risk’.”The issue, Malan adds, came down to the vast dimensions of the MCG, and the dangers of aggravating not only his niggle, but that of Mark Wood too – another key influence whom England opted to do without, despite appearing to overcome a hip flexor problem that had ruled him out of the India semi-final.”If we were playing at a smaller ground like Bangalore, where you are not going to rely on running threes and twos and chasing down balls in the outfield, definitely it would have been worth the risk,” he adds.”But playing the MCG, when every run would have counted in a World Cup final … as a cricketer, you have to put your ego away sometimes, even though you’re gutted at the decision. It’s about winning the World Cup as a team, it isn’t about putting your own personal pride in front of the team. Even though that’s a tough pill to take, it is the right decision. We won the World Cup by not risking two players that were touch-and-go on fitness. The rest is history.”That history now shows that England are the concurrent 50- and 20-over World Cup champions, the first men’s team to achieve such a feat. And while Malan was not involved in the epic 2019 campaign, he has been an integral member of the T20 team in between whiles, including the side that succumbed in the semi-final in the UAE 12 months before the MCG triumph – a campaign that he says came with significantly more expectation than the one just gone.”The disappointment of losing that semi in 2021 was there for everyone to see,” he says, recalling a penultimate-over loss to New Zealand in Abu Dhabi. “With what we had available as a team, we were gutted that we didn’t win the World Cup that year, but I guess expectations probably weren’t as high this time around. We obviously wanted to win, but I didn’t think it would be realistic.”Dawid Malan launches a six over the leg side against South Africa in the summer•Getty ImagesThe reasons for such reticence were myriad. The retirement of Eoin Morgan had bled into a transitional summer in which England failed to win any of their four home white-ball series against India and South Africa, while injuries to key personnel – in particular Jofra Archer and Jonny Bairstow – meant they were far from being the frontrunners that had gone into previous ICC events.”If we played as well as we could, we could definitely win, but after the summer that we had, I didn’t think the pressure was on us as much as a team,” Malan says. “Australia and India were in better form than we were.”But it’s been a long journey, from when Morgs took over in 2015, to where it is now with Jos and Motty as the leaders in the group. I was on the outside initially, watching how they went about their business, but they’ve stuck to their guns for seven years now. Everyone in the country has bought into that, and to win two World Cups in the last couple of years is incredible.”Nevertheless, you get the sense that Malan would have relished a touch more vindication for this own methods in the course of England’s latest trophy-winning campaign. His tally for the tournament finished at 56 runs from 68 balls across three innings, including an ill-paced 35 from 37 that contributed to their rain-affected defeat against Ireland, and a cameo of 3 not out from one ball against New Zealand, after being shunted down to No.8 to make way for the perceived heavier hitters.Despite some eye-popping feats in the course of his England career, including 1000 T20I runs in the space of a record 24 matches, and a 48-ball century against New Zealand in 2019, criticism has been a constant companion for Malan. Specifically, the perception that he tends to be slow out of the blocks.In the course of his T20I career, Malan has made 30 scores of 30 or less, at a strike-rate of less than a run a ball (97.05). Once he’s into his stride, however, few opponents can live with his acceleration – as evidenced by a strike-rate that soars to 165.56 on the 15 occasions that he’s gone past fifty.And it was this point upon which Mike Hussey, England’s batting consultant, chose to dwell when presenting Malan with a cap to mark his 50th appearance during the World Cup. In particular, Hussey zeroed in on his “BASRA”, which is no longer simply a port in Southern Iraq, but now a means of assessing a player by their “batting average [and] strike rate aggregated” – which in Malan’s case is currently a lofty 174.55 (38.84 and 135.71), behind only Kevin Pietersen and Jos Buttler among England players.

“We’re here to win games of cricket, not make the highlights reel. There’s so many people that feel like, ‘oh, you have to hit the ball 130 metres and get on Instagram’. That’s irrelevant.”Dawid Malan

“It was the first time I’d heard of it,” Malan admits. “But when you hear someone like that give you praise like that, it’s an unbelievable feeling and gives you a lot of confidence.”Batting at 3 in T20s is a tricky position,” he adds, “because if you want to be positive and take it on in the first over of the game at 0 for 1, if you get out, you’re 10 for 2, and you’re probably not going to be scoring the 180 that you need to on that specific wicket. Then sometimes you walk in in the last over of the powerplay, or in the eighth over with all the fields out, and there’s a different match-up to what you’re used to.”When you open the batting, you can play the same way every single game, it’s the easiest thing to do, whereas there’s a bit more responsibility when you bat at No. 3. Yes, I found that quite tricky at times, but I’ve had leaders like Morgs and Jos giving me the confidence to just play it as I see it, and that’s massive for me because then I can shut out the criticism.”There’s always criticism, sometimes it’s fair, sometimes it isn’t, but we’re man enough as players to hold our hands up when we get it wrong. Sometimes you feel it’s the same topics over and over, no matter what you do, but all it is, is people looking at stats instead of looking at what’s actually in front of you.”There is, however, one other stat that matters where Malan is concerned. More often than not, he ends up on the winning side – in 33 of his 55 T20I matches, in fact, or 60%, which places him second among England players with 50 or more caps, behind only the Player of the World Cup final (and star pick at the IPL auction), Sam Curran.”We’re here to win games of cricket, not make the highlights reel,” Malan says. “There’s so many people that feel like, ‘oh, you have to hit the ball 130 metres and get on Instagram’. That’s irrelevant. Your team is judged on success. You’re judged on how many games you win as a player, not how many big bombs you hit.”I’d much rather average 20 at a strike rate of 130 and win every game than hit a couple of good sixes at 160, and do nothing else. You don’t win games of cricket like that.”Malan drives through the covers•Getty ImagesHe’ll be getting plenty opportunities to hone his methods in the coming months. Despite a rare period of downtime in December, in which he enjoyed Christmas at home for the first time in five years, Malan is already back on the road. His first stop is a stint at Comilla Victorians in the Bangladesh Premier League, and then – later this week – he embarks on the start of the ILT20 in the UAE, where he will link up with his fellow World Cup winners Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes at Sharjah Warriors, not to mention his Yorkshire team-mate Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Warwickshire’s Chris Benjamin.”We’ve got a group of English guys and a few of the Afghani guys as well, so it’s going to be brilliant,” Malan says. “Any franchise tournament is fantastic. But with so many overseas players allowed in each team, that pushes the standard up so much more.”It’s an exciting time. The IPL investment [in the ILT20] means it’s likely to have the biggest purse for players and attract the biggest names. And I guess that’s ultimately what attracts players to different tournaments, how much they get paid to some extent, not only the brand of cricket and the conditions that you play in. It has the makings of being a fantastic tournament.”It could be another significant year for Malan too, with England’s defence of the 50-over World Cup looming in India in the autumn. And while his ODI career has been restricted to just 12 appearances so far, he would appear to be in the right place at the right time, with Morgan’s retirement and Stokes’ withdrawal from the format creating openings, not just for new players but for experienced ones too. He responded with two centuries in his six matches in 2022, including a Player-of-the-Match performance against Australia in Adelaide, and believes his game is well suited for England’s needs.”It’s a bizarre one,” he says. “You’re good enough to play T20 cricket but not for the 50-over team, but within this group and with players retiring there has been more of an opportunity. Hopefully I’ve taken those opportunities in the last few series, because it’s something I want to be part of, I want to play in that 50-over World Cup, and I’ve had some good chats with Motty and Jos about moving forward.”And while Malan does not seem to harbour similar ambitions to regain his Test place, after the rigours of last winter’s Ashes, he – like many others in the English game – has been a fascinated onlooker as Stokes and Brendon McCullum have set about reviving the team’s fortunes with a heady mix of positive cricket and even more positive reinforcement within the dressing-room.”That’s unbelievable, isn’t it?” he says. “It’s fantastic to see how things have changed around and it just shows you what happens when leaders are confident and back their players to express themselves, instead of worrying about the media and the negative side of it.”I guess that’s what Eoin did in the 50-over cricket. He said ‘these are the players I’ve identified and I back them to the hilt’, and gave them a decent opportunity, whether the press or commentators agreed with it or not. It’s amazing when players feel backed how often they go out and perform.”

At possibly one of the worst times to take over as captain, he produced a masterclass

Sidharth Monga27-Dec-2020At his pre-match press conference, Ajinkya Rahane was asked a question that was unusual but not surprising given how India’s cricket is popularly narrated. Rahane was asked if he would be asking outgoing captain Virat Kohli for advice through the rest of the series.This is not about the Kohli obsession, though. This is about Rahane. He didn’t find it or offensive or disrespectful. If he did, he didn’t show it. Nor did he say it was team for the remaining three Tests and he didn’t need advice from outside. And it wasn’t as though he was going to take into a diametrically opposite direction. Wary of headlines perhaps. “I wouldn’t like to disturb him,” Rahane said like a polite student. The other predominant query was around running Kohli out. He repeated he had apologised to Kohli and he was okay with it. He said Kohli also had a chat with the team before he left.It was as though those watching the cricket would rather a cardboard cut-out of Kohli than Rahane, and that is not Kohli’s fault. He just does what he believes is best for his cricket, and that happens to be what a lot of people believe and a lot of people prefer to watch.Could there be a worse time to take over for Rahane? He ran out his captain, which became the image of the Adelaide defeat. He was now going to be without Kohli the batsman and two of his first-choice bowlers. Most importantly, though, he was not coming in with that amazing confidence of runs behind him.The last three years, when Rahane really should have blossomed, have been more about finding himself. That he was dropped at the start of the South Africa tour in early 2018 was not perhaps as hurtful as the lack of second thought around it. When he came back, he played a crucial part in India’s fortunes-turning Test win at Wanderers, scoring a dominating 48 after India had fallen behind in the first innings in a low-scoring Test. Then all of a sudden he was India’s No. 4 in ODIs too. Only to be discarded a series later, unsure when the next question marks would emerge.The shot that brought up Ajinkya Rahane’s 12th Test century•Getty ImagesSince then, even though he had a hand in India’s wins at Trent Bridge and Adelaide Oval in 2018, Rahane has not been that dominating Test batsman he had been. Any failure – which is part of life in cricket than success – gets magnified. Like Cheteshwar Pujara, he doesn’t get too many chances at making comebacks as he plays in just the one format. One of those two is perennially under the scanner. Rahane makes it worse for himself because he puts himself through the struggle of a format he is not suited to, but that is his choice and he should continue fighting in the IPL as long as he has teams willing to play him. But there is a school of thought that that leaves his Test game unsure.It was in this light that Rahane began the series, only to run Kohli out and wear the look of a man doomed to publicly atone for his sins. That’s not how sport works. Two errors followed, and he became the most culpable – “look, no feet” – part of a once-in-a-generation collapse. Rahane said he didn’t want to think about all that, but live in the moment. In a way perhaps it was good. The only way now was up.Related

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• Rahane on bouncing back from 36 all out: 'We have got to back our basics, back our plans'

Come MCG, and there was no hangover of Adelaide either in the field or with the bat. That belief that Australia could be bowled out cheaply again if they bowled well and to their plans shone through. That it would be down to their batting again. And that, with some luck, they could get into a position similar to the first innings in Adelaide once again against this excellent attack.Within the first hour it was down to Rahane to arrest another collapse. That advantage Rahane had was that in their contrasting styles, Shubman Gill and Pujara had exhausted the first spells of the quicks. He played like a man who backed himself, bucking a discernible trend where he looks for an early boundary or two and provides bowlers a chance. In the last three years, no Indian batsman has hit more not-in-control boundaries in the first 30 balls of an innings than Rahane. In this series, though, he has registered two of his lowest scores after facing 25 balls: 1 and 3.ALSO LISTEN: Rahane says catch me if you canThis is also counter to the criticism against defensive batting: that you will eventually get one with your name on it so better get scoring. The proof of this pudding was in front of Rahane already: Pujara’s defensive innings had made sure Pat Cummins had put in an eight-over spell in the morning. It had made it slightly easier for Rahane; he would have liked for it to be even easier by playing out Josh Hazlewood too.Soon the instinct took over, and he started to put away every loose ball. Analysis showed his interception points were further down the pitch, which probably was the case, but they were comparing an off drive in his 70s against tired bowlers to his dismissal on nought against bowlers who had the bit between their teeth. It is not as if there weren’t any errors. This is Test batting against a quality attack in testing conditions. Errors are bound to happen, but his control percentage of 88 was remarkable.Once he was in, the dominating Rahane was back. From 17 off 59, he broke free with a pull and kept scoring at an even pace. Test batting was fun once again. Every slight error – and now he had gone into the second string of Nathan Lyon and Cameron Green – was now punished. By the time Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja batted with Rahane, he knew he had the opportunity to push home the advantage. Rahane matched Pant stroke for stroke, and outscored Jadeja.The display was an education for someone like the debutant Gill. “The way he was so patient [was amazing],” Gill said. “This knock was all about patience. More importantly when you are playing such a high-quality bowling attack, sometimes you go into a shell and not able to score runs. And the way Ajinkya bhai played, it was such a magnificent knock to watch from outside. Those tough periods. How to see off those periods. And then he was making sure he put all the loose balls away.”Thanks to his hundred, India now stand one session of batting short of batting Australia out of this Test. Just imagine the magnitude of this achievement: three first-choice players missing, the shock of 36 all out, losing the toss, in an away venue against one of the best attacks of all time, and to be in this position. It will be difficult to stay in the moment.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Vasco da Gama anunciou contratação de Hugo Moura na manhã desta quinta-feira (18). O volante chega do Athletico por empréstimo até o fim do ano, com obrigação de compra. O jogador assinará contrato até o fim de 2026 a partir da próxima temporada, e a SAF irá pagar 2 milhões de euros pelo negócio.

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➡️ A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta e tá na mão!

Hugo Moura foi revelado pelo Flamengo em 2018 e fez parte do elenco campeão da Libertadores em 2019. Após período de empréstimo no Coritiba, retornou ao rival do Vasco antes de ser negociado em definitivo com o Athletico, em 2022. Pelo Furacão, foram 104 jogos e dois gols marcados.

Na segunda-feira (15), o volante desembarcou no Rio de Janeiro para concretizar a negociação com o Cruz-Maltino. Ainda no aeroporto, falou como jogador do Vasco e disse que a passagem pelo Flamengo ficou para trás.

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– Estou muito feliz. Minha família está feliz e é isso que importa para eu dar o meu melhor. Sei que vai ser um ano importante para nós e estou aqui para ajudar. Quero dar alegrias para o nosso torcedor – disse Hugo Moura.

– Fiz a minha base no Flamengo, mas sou profissional. O que passou, passou. Tenho a cabeça boa para jogar no Vasco. Minha família e empresários estão ajudando. Que a gente possa fazer uma boa temporada e chegar na parte de cima da tabela do Brasileiro. Nunca vai faltar raça. Por onde passei, nunca faltou raça e é isso que a torcida pode esperar – afirmou.

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Crystal Palace are reportedly exploring an ambitious January move for Tottenham winger Brennan Johnson, with Oliver Glasner keen to strengthen his attack for a Champions League push. The Wales international, who wrote his name into Spurs folklore with a Europa League final winner, is admired at Selhurst Park. However, the move hinges entirely on Spurs’ stance and their own plans for the winter.

• Crystal Palace identify Brennan Johnson as transfer target

  Crystal Palace have identified Johnson as one of several forwards they could target in January, as per The Telegraph, as they prepare for a demanding second half of the season across domestic and European competitions. With Ismaila Sarr sidelined by an ankle ligament injury and also expected to join Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations if fit, Glasner is seeking additional firepower to ease the pressure on his forward line. Johnson, signed by Tottenham from Nottingham Forest for £47.5 million in 2023, has struggled for consistent minutes this season under new manager Thomas Frank, leaving his situation worth monitoring as the window approaches. 

  The Welshman began the campaign strongly with goals against Burnley and Manchester City, but has started only three of Tottenham’s last twelve matches in the Premier League. Frank’s tactical reshuffle, which includes deploying Johnson on the left rather than his more natural right flank, has contributed to fluctuating form and reduced his influence. Despite this, Palace view him as a player who could instantly elevate their attacking threat, given his work rate and ability to attack spaces.

  Crucially, Spurs will dictate whether any move progresses, as the club must first assess their own squad depth and potential January business. Tottenham are already juggling injuries, inconsistent wide options, and a heavy European schedule of their own. Johnson’s status as a Europa League hero still carries weight at the club, but Palace’s interest will remain active unless Spurs decisively rule out a mid-season departure.

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  Glasner's Crystal Palace fighting for Champions League football

  Crystal Palace’s interest comes during one of the most impressive stretches of form the club has enjoyed in years, with only one defeat in their last six Premier League fixtures. Glasner’s structured system has maximized several players’ output, but the squad’s thinness in wide areas has been exposed by Sarr’s injury and the demands of the Europa Conference League. Strengthening in January is therefore seen not as a luxury, but as a necessity for sustaining their top-four challenge. 

  The potential arrival of Johnson would also reflect Palace’s evolution from relegation battlers to a club capable of attracting high-impact players in their prime. After losing Eberechi Eze in the summer, questions hovered over whether Palace could reach new heights, but signings such as Yeremy Pino and the excellent form of Daniel Munoz have pushed perceptions of the club to new levels. The Eagles’ recruitment team believes adding another goal-threatening wide forward would give Glasner the rotational depth required to challenge on multiple fronts.

• Johnson's turbulent seasons at Tottenham

  Johnson’s trajectory at Tottenham has been turbulent, marked by psychological challenges, breakout form, and fluctuating belief from the coaching staff. After suffering online abuse early in the 2024/25 season, he famously deleted his Instagram and erupted into a seven-match scoring streak, finishing the season with 16 Premier League goals. His crowning moment came with the Europa League final winner against Manchester United, a strike that delivered Spurs their first major trophy in 17 years. 

  The 2025/26 season, however, has brought new complications. Frank’s system emphasizes positional versatility and a more rigid structure, leading Johnson to spend extended time on the left wing, reducing the space and angled runs where he thrives. His reduced productivity has inevitably fuelled speculation about his long-term role at Spurs, particularly with increased internal competition and Frank’s keenness to reshape the squad to his preferences. 

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  Crystal Palace eager to make move for Johnson in January

  Crystal Palace are preparing to make contact once the January window opens, though they remain cautious given Tottenham’s historically firm stance on mid-season sales. Much will depend on whether Spurs feel they can refresh their attacking options or whether Johnson remains essential as part of Frank’s rotation. If Tottenham close the door early, Palace will pivot to alternative wide forwards, but Johnson will remain near the top of their shortlist. 

  For Johnson, the next few weeks will determine whether he continues to fight for his place at Spurs or considers the prospect of a more defined role at Palace. Palace know that securing a forward with Johnson’s pedigree could be transformative for their Champions League ambitions, and discussions may accelerate quickly if Spurs signal openness to negotiation.

Manchester United are reportedly eyeing Sunderland midfielder Noah Sadiki following his sensational Premier League start, with Chelsea also keeping a tab on the £15 million ($20m) star. Ruben Amorim has urged the board to sign at least one midfielder in the summer of 2026 after missing out on Brighton's Carlos Baleba. They are also monitoring the likes of Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton and Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson.

Man Utd look to Wearside for reinforcements

According to Sacha Tavolieri, United are now "all in" for Sunderland’s breakout midfielder Sadiki, with the Red Devils positioning the 20-year-old as a major summer 2026 target. They have made him their preferred option should attempts to sign Brighton’s Baleba collapse for a second consecutive window. He arrived at the Stadium of Light only a few months ago for £15m ($20m) from Union Saint-Gilloise, and has been one of the Premier League’s surprise stars. He has started all 15 of Sunderland’s fixtures this season, anchoring their midfield with composure well beyond his years. Meanwhile, Chelsea are said to have sent delegates directly to Sunderland after the clubs met on October 25, enquiring about a potential price tag. The Blues’ interest is genuine, but they may struggle to offer Sadiki immediate minutes. At Chelsea, the youngster would find himself fighting Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez for a starting place. United, however, offer a far clearer pathway, with uncertainty surrounding Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte and Casemiro.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportBaleba complications and Casemiro's contract

United’s long-running pursuit of Baleba, a saga stretching back to the summer, remains unresolved. The club agreed personal terms with the Brighton midfielder, but had to withdraw their interest due to the Seagulls' steep asking price. United planned to revisit the deal in 2026, when Brighton expect to cash in, but the Seagulls’ valuation continues to be a major stumbling block. Moreover, his inconsistent form this season has added further hesitation, with senior figures reluctant to sanction what could become a record-breaking fee. 

Casemiro, meanwhile, is entering the final months of his contract. United want the Brazil icon to remain, but only on reduced wages. There is no guarantee he will agree, and clubs in Saudi Arabia remain on standby. Ugarte has struggled for rhythm, and Mainoo, who was once the club’s crown jewel in midfield, is increasingly unsettled after a run of high-profile omissions from Amorim’s starting XI. United expect Napoli to table a formal enquiry for Mainoo as early as January, which will provide the midfielder an exit route from Amorim's exile. He is desperate for minutes to impress England manager Thomas Tuchel ahead of the March international break, which will be the final time The Three Lions will convene for an international break before the summer World Cup. 

Sadiki’s rise: From Belgian prodigy to Premier League standout

Sunderland paid a modest sum for Sadiki in July, but his value has surged rapidly thanks to his assured Premier League performances. With an intelligent reading of play, tidy distribution and an exceptional work rate, he has become indispensable for a Black Cats side who have taken the top flight by surprise. United are determined to build a squad for the future with young generational talents at its core. They have recently signed 13-year-old defender Socrates from The Elite London Academy, another unpolished diamond unearthed by their scouting network. 

Following the signing, The London Academy wrote: "From the moment he joined Elite London Academy, you could see he had something special: technically gifted, intelligent on the ball, brave in duels, and always hungry to learn. Along his journey, we organised trials for him at Arsenal, Tottenham and Crystal Palace. He completed full trials at these clubs but these did not result in registration. Arguably, missed opportunities for the clubs.

"But what makes Socrates different is how he responded. He didn’t sulk. He didn’t lose confidence. He showed resilience, maturity and a mindset far beyond his age. Instead, he pushed harder. Soon exciting opportunities have followed. Socrates was offered registration at a top Cat 1 club in the North in August after a successful trial."

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Man Utd?

While the recruitment team accelerate long-term planning ahead of a potentially transformative and chaotic summer window, Amorim remains focussed on his job at hand. The Red Devils return to the Premier League stage on Monday against Bournemouth, and after a convincing 4-1 victory over Wolves, the Portuguese manager will look to beat the Cherries at home. 

Kostas Tsimikas is keen to make a return to Merseyside when his season-long loan with Serie A side Roma comes to end, saying he’s a “Greek Scouser and always will be”. Tsimikas has had to battle for his place at Roma, but with Liverpool’s defensive frailties, he believes he can still make an impact at Anfield.

Greek star struggles in Eternal City

Tsimikas has made six appearances in Serie A and four in the Europa League, but has struggled to cement a regular place in the team and has fallen down the pecking order behind Angelino and other defenders. Roma only agreed to a straight loan deal with no obligation to buy, a decision the club is reportedly happy about given his limited impact and inconsistent performances. Operating primarily as a left wing-back in manager Gian Piero Gasperini's 3-4-3 formation, Tsimikas has struggled to nail down the left-back slot. Notably, during a Europa League match against Lille in October it was his crucial early error which led to the only goal of the game, and Tsimikas was substituted at half-time, with Italian media labeling his performance a "nightmare".

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTsimikas: 'I was the Greek Scouser'

Tsimikas told : "I miss the city. I lived there for five years. I love everything in Liverpool. They have a special part of my heart. The people are very kind, some of the kindest I’ve ever met in football. They’d always try to support the team, in good, in bad, they would always do their best to try to help you. I want everything for this club, because from day one, I was fully committed there. I was the Greek Scouser and I always will be, I’ll keep it for my whole life."

And when pressed on whether he’d like to return to Anfield, Tsimikas added: "You never know. The most important thing for me is to be healthy, to train hard, to play more games. Next year is a different story for me. I want to be successful, I want to win things. Only God knows what will happen in the next year."

Three years, three very different managers

Tsimikas joined Liverpool in Jurgen Klopp’s final year and then spent a season under Arne Slot before joining Roma under Gasperini, three managers with very different football ideals. But Tsimikas says he’s trying to learn something different from each one of them. He said: “I think Gasperini is more direct. Slot was more detailed about the game plan, whereas Gasperini is a lot more physical as well. At the moment, for me, it’s about getting used to the playing style, and it’s a little tougher for me. But I have to try to give my best every time the coach gives me the opportunity to play. The team comes first, and I want to be a big part of that, hopefully celebrating at the end of the season with a trophy.” 

He added: "I remember going to Denmark (to play for Esbjerg). I was just a kid. Everything was dark because I went at Christmas time. It was the first time I left Greece. And it made me more physical, it made me into a man."

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Getty Images SportWest Ham test facing struggling Reds

The Greece international will be keeping a keen eye on Liverpool’s match with West Ham today and the line-up chosen by beleaguered Reds boss Slot, who is under pressure to ring the changes, particularly in defence. The Anfield side’s defence has been leaky this season, with a number of basic errors from defenders contributing to their demise on a regular basis, the recent 4-1 defeat by PSV Eindhoven was marked by a blatant handball from captain Virgil van Dijk to concede a penalty and Ibrahima Konate allowed the ball to bounce past him for PSV’s third goal.

Youngster struggled for form after watching from the sidelines during India Tests

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Sep-2025

Jacob Bethell found form in the Lord’s ODI with 58 off 40 balls•Getty Images

Jacob Bethell has admitted he “should have played slightly more” domestic cricket while he was England’s spare batter during their Test series against India.Bethell, 21, played only four matches – three in the T20 Blast, one in the County Championship – between the start of the Test series in June and his call-up for the fifth Test at The Oval, which began on July 31. He faced only 85 balls across those matches, and looked noticeably short of rhythm when scoring 6 and 5 during England’s narrow defeat after Ben Stokes was ruled out through injury.Specifically, he could have played some role in Warwickshire’s Championship fixtures against Sussex (which overlapped with the second Test against India) or Worcestershire (which clashed with the fourth), but decided in conjunction with England’s management that he should stay with the Test squad instead.Related

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Ahead of Sunday’s ODI in Southampton, Bethell had only faced 387 balls across the English summer, compared to 1,480 in the 2024 season. His lack of cricket has been discussed incessantly in the media in recent months, with suggestions he should have returned from the IPL early, or played for Warwickshire in the Metro Bank Cup instead of the Hundred.”There’s been a little bit of noise but I don’t listen to it much,” Bethell told Sky Sports. “If I’m honest, I probably should have played slightly more when I wasn’t playing in the Test matches, but that’s something that I’ll take and I’ll learn from that.”Even though I didn’t play much in that Test series, I was around the group for a lot of it, and just to watch a high-octane Test series like that was unbelievable. I got a chance in the last Test and unfortunately couldn’t go on there and put in a performance, but I’ve loved [the summer]. Playing for England is a dream come true and hopefully I can do it for a long time to come.”Bethell will play in England’s T20Is against South Africa next week before becoming their youngest-ever captain in Ireland a week later. He is then likely to be part of their white-ball tour to New Zealand, before travelling to Australia as the spare batter for the Ashes, and heading to Sri Lanka then India for a white-ball series leading into the T20 World Cup.”Now I’m looking at what I have ahead and there’s a lot of cricket, so that little gap where I didn’t play actually might be quite nice for me,” Bethell said.Marcus Trescothick, who will deputise as England coach in Ireland, said on Saturday that Bethell had a “great opportunity” to gain captaincy experience at a young age.”We’re very clear that he can step into that role and be very comfortable with that,” Trescothick said. “The attention has been outside of our circle. There’s been some media scrutiny around him playing and doing this job [captaincy], but within our circle that’s never been the case. We manage it accordingly and we’re not going to put anyone in a position that is not suitable to their character or their calibre.”

Eddie Howe’s changes for Newcastle United’s mid-week tie versus Tottenham Hotspur in the EFL Cup didn’t disrupt the Magpies’ winning streak one bit.

Instead, some of the reserves that were thrust into the first-team spotlight for the occasion shone to collect Newcastle’s third straight victory in all competitions, as Aaron Ramsdale proudly kept a clean sheet in place of regular shot-stopper Nick Pope.

Alongside Ramsdale, Joe Willock also picked up an assist to steer the Toon to a 2-0 success to respond to some of his St James’ Park critics, with Fabian Schar – who had been frozen out of Howe’s first team picture in the Premier League as of late – also chipping in with a goal himself.

In the past, Newcastle also would have fallen back on Callum Wilson for ties such as these, with Wilson once a trusty second-in-command figure on Tyneside in the attacking areas, before his career up North began to unravel.

Wilson's goalscoring heroics at Newcastle

Before Wilson was allowed to leave the building this summer, he was viewed as a dependable source of goals in tricky moments.

The 33-year-old striker – who will potentially face off against his old club on Sunday, having signed for West Ham United – managed to bag a high 49 goals for the Magpies from 130 games, despite finding his minutes were depleting after Alexander Isak’s earth-shuddering move to England in 2022.

Amazingly, nine of those league strikes would be put away during the 2022/23 campaign by the top-flight veteran, even as he started just nine Premier League games all season long.

In the end, however, recurring injury issues would be the former AFC Bournemouth attacker’s undoing, with 29 games missed through injury during his final season on Tyneside souring his long-standing affiliation with the club.

Still, Wilson will surely be remembered fondly for his regular heroics from off the bench, with one of his Toon coaches in Graeme Jones, hailing him as “the best matchday finisher” he has worked alongside.

Unfortunately, though, time creeps up on us all.

But, Howe could have his next iteration of Wilson in his star-studded Newcastle camp right now, as the star in question also holds a standout record when being unleashed into games from off the bench.

Howe's new Callum Wilson

The obvious figure who could be considered Howe’s next Wilson is Nick Woltemade, with the towering 6-foot-6 German a similar menace in front of goal.

At the height of his St James’ Park powers, the 33-year-old very rarely needed a second invitation to power home a fierce effort, with the former Stuttgart man very much operating in the same manner right now as a potent marksman.

So far, Woltemade can boast a Premier League goal every 120 minutes, with four strikes finding the back of the net from the lethal goalscoring machine from a mere average of just 28.5 touches per contest.

But, as much as he shares the same instinctive style in front of goal as Wilson, he is leading the line for the Toon week in week out now in the absence of the aforementioned Isak, instead of operating in the shadows.

Games played

14

Minutes played

582 mins

Goals scored

3

Assists

1

Games missed through injury

7

If you want an example of a talent who often has to make do with scraps off the bench, sometimes owing to injury difficulties, and who still picks up a goal and an assist here and there, Harvey Barnes might well be your better bet when looking at his Newcastle numbers from this campaign in isolation.

All four of the ex-Leicester City man’s goals and assists this campaign have come about when he’s been gifted late cameos, with two whirlwind strikes recently falling into his lap in the Champions League against Benfica – from just 27 minutes of action – very much backing up previous comments that the one-time England international is a “menace” in attacking areas by journalist Mikey Stafford.

17 goals have now come his way from 77 Newcastle appearances, which is a mightily impressive record when you delve into the facts further that he has missed 38 games in total through injury on Tyneside, since leaving the King Power Stadium behind.

But, when he is fit, Howe knows he can count on him to bail his team out of some tense moments, as a new Wilson-like presence is unearthed.

Woltemade, it must be said, is undoubtedly emerging as Howe’s new attacking figurehead, but Barnes is more than a quality weapon in reserve.

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