Category Uncategorized

The winds of change have blown for Liverpool this year, with Arne Slot's budding project seemingly heading in the right direction. Pre-season results must be taken with a pinch of salt but the smoothness of the Dutchman's style's inculcation is promising to say the least.

Having defeated Arsenal 2-1 in an entertaining friendly in Philadelphia, the Reds are starting to prove their ball-playing faculty, and while fans hope to see some activity this summer in the centre of the park, signing a build-up specialist to orchestrate from the base of the midfield and offer competition to Wataru Endo, treatment is needed elsewhere.

Central defence has long been considered an area in need of revamping at Anfield, especially after Joel Matip's contract expired in June, but Jarell Quansah's emergence has eased the need for immediate investment.

The attacking flanks are similarly in need of some added firepower, especially as the lionised Mohamed Salah steps into his final year, and since sporting director Richard Hughes suggested Liverpool could see a "crescendo" in August, FSG seem set to accelerate their interest in the coming weeks.

Liverpool ready to pounce

As per Football Transfers, Liverpool are among the top Premier League clubs interested in signing Pedro Neto this summer, though Tottenham Hotspur currently have the lead in the race.

Title favourites Arsenal and Manchester City are also interested in signing the 24-year-old, who has suffered his share of injury problems in recent years but remains one of the most coveted wingers in English football.

Valued at £60m by Wolverhampton Wanderers, it's generally accepted at Molineux that the Portuguese winger will be sold this summer, and given he is highly effective across both flanks, he could be the perfect addition to a Liverpool side stepping back into the Champions League and indeed a new era.

Why Liverpool could sign Pedro Neto

Neto has been a prominent figure in the Premier League for a number of years now, having signed for Wolves from Serie A side Lazio in an £8m double swoop with Bruno Jordao back in 2019.

He was only 19. Now, a fully-fledged sensation, Neto has established himself as one of Wolves' most talented players in modern history, described as an "incredibly talented and physically very gifted player" by boss Gary O'Neil at the start of the 2023/24 season.

Injuries might have been his enemy but Neto succeeded in levelling up to an elite-level quality last term, notching three goals and 11 assists across 24 fixtures in all competitions, albeit missing two large portions with hamstring injuries.

Pedro Neto: Premier League Stats by Season

Season

Apps

Starts

Goals

Assists

2023/24

20

18

2

9

2022/23

18

13

0

0

2021/22

13

5

1

1

2020/21

31

30

5

6

2019/20

29

9

3

3

Stats via Transfermarkt

Slot, like Jurgen Klopp, implements an intense style of football that is birthed from high-octane training sessions, though, unlike his predecessor, the 46-year-old has an exemplary fitness record across his past two clubs: Feyenoord and AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands.

Neto, moreover, has a lot of experience on the right flank, with his left-footed preference allowing him to drift inside and wreak havoc, evidenced by his ranking among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League last season for assists and the top 9% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.

The Portugal international would be a dynamic and versatile option for a healthy attacking fold on Merseyside, and while supporters crave the signing of Anthony Gordon, this might actually be the one to go for.

How Pedro Neto compares to Anthony Gordon

Hailed as a "pace monster" by analyst Ben Mattinson, Neto would add a dimension to Slot's wide play and enhance the overall fluency of a Liverpool side that is already tantalising a successful season.

Gordon was deservedly crowned Newcastle's Player of the Year for 2023/24 after his prolific campaign, scoring 12 goals and supplying 11 assists across all competitions and being praised for taking "it up a level" by pundit Jamie Carragher.

The former Everton player has also hit a career goal contribution rate of 0.28 while on the right, as opposed to 0.40 on the left, so he wouldn't be able to sort out Liverpool's Salah conundrum with the same success as the protean-performing Neto.

Given that Liverpool already yield one of the Premier League's finest left-wingers in Luis Diaz, who has been linked with a move away this summer but seems unlikely to be going anywhere, with no contact pointed Liverpool's way.

And as a further point, while Gordon offered far greater striking output than the Old Gold phenom last season, the underlying numbers suggest that Neto could offer more to the Liverpool first team.

Premier League 23/24: Pedro Neto vs Anthony Gordon

Statistics

Pedro Neto

Anthony Gordon

Matches played

20

35

Matches started

18

34

Goals

2

11

Assists

9

10

Big chances created

7

16

Pass completion

83%

82%

Shots per game

1.8

2.3

Key passes per game

1.9

1.6

Dribbles per game

1.9

1.5

Ball recoveries per game

4.0

3.6

Duels won per game

3.5

5.3

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see from the table above, Neto is a more creative and more progressive player than Gordon, at least, he performed as such last term. His goalscoring wasn't at the same standard but he also played in a goal-shy Wolves team, tasked as the architect of the playmaking.

And a move to Slot's Liverpool could alter that considerably, for the Anfield outfit created more big chances in the Premier League last year than any of their rivals (with 102).

Wolves, conversely, ranked 16th (with 54), making a telling comment on the importance of Neto's creative input. Newcastle, as an addendum, ranked joint-second with 97 big chances created – one can only imagine the chaos Neto would have wreaked if placed in either of the northern sides.

Liverpool must sign Neto this summer; that is by no means meant to discredit Gordon's exciting skillset, but the Portuguese, when fit and firing, is a force to be reckoned with and would make a marked improvement on the Reds.

Related Liverpool's 8/10 talent who sank Arsenal can make Slot forget about Gordon

There have been some promising pre-season signs over the pond from Slot’s Reds…

Posts 1 ByAngus Sinclair Aug 1, 2024

With Jhye Richardson leading their bowling attack, they are looking like the team to beat

Matt Roller12-Jan-2021Perth Scorchers rolled back the years to win their fifth game on the bounce, trouncing Hobart Hurricanes by nine wickets at Optus Stadium to jump to third in the BBL table. A superb bowling performance restricted the Hurricanes to 139, with Jhye Richardson, AJ Tye and Fawad Ahmed all impressing, before a belligerent 123-run stand between Jason Roy and Liam Livingstone helped them home with 22 balls to spare.The Scorchers have missed out on the finals for two years in a row following a sustained period of dominance, but are beginning to resemble their former selves. They have won all four of their home games, conceding totals of 89, 97 and 168 before tonight, with Richardson leading an impressive pace attack, while their batting line-up is beginning to click.Their cruise to victory came in the absence of Colin Munro due to a quad injury, though he is expected to re-join the squad shortly, and with the possibility of Ashton Agar returning to fitness in time for the knockout stage, the Scorchers are quickly becoming the team to beat.The one blemish for the Scorchers came in the form of an injury to Mitchell Marsh, who went off with a side injury three balls into his spell and was replaced by X-factor sub Kurtis Patterson. Adam Voges, their head coach, told Channel 7 that it was a “precautionary measure” and that he anticipated Marsh would be available again soon, even if only as a specialist batsman.Jason Roy led Perth Scorchers’ victory charge•Getty ImagesScorchers’ fiery startThe competition’s leading run-scorer and leading wicket-taker came up against one another from the start after the Hurricanes chose to bat, but Ben McDermott was no match for the irresistible Richardson.Touching 90mph/145kph, Richardson conceded only two runs from his opening two-over burst, with his skiddy lengths proving impossible to get away. Ashton Turner posted attacking fields, hunting early wickets with two slips in place, and Richardson duly delivered. He made the breakthrough with a perfect length ball on a sixth-stump line to McDermott, whose attempted punch away from his body only managed to divert the ball onto the top of his leg stump via the inside edge.Dawid Malan has fond memories of Perth, where he made his only Test hundred in 2017, but chipped to mid-on for a six-ball duck. With D’Arcy Short out of nick and Peter Handscomb bowled by a Fawad Ahmed googly, the Hurricanes limped to 3 for 50 at the halfway stage – the joint-lowest 10-over total of the season.Hurricanes surge earlyThe Hurricanes became only the third team this season to use the Power Surge at the earliest possible opportunity, taking it in the 11th and 12th overs. Tye’s over ended with three consecutive boundaries – two off Short’s bat, one via his pad – and Richardson was taken for two himself as 24 runs came from the two Surge overs.With Marsh off the field, Colin Ingram decided to target Aaron Hardie, who would have to bowl at least three overs in the innings, but he skewed a catch to Patterson running back at extra cover to leave the Hurricanes four down after 14 overs.Ahmed’s tight figures were dented by two sixes from Tim David in his final over, but Short chipped to extra cover to fall for a scratchy 54 off 47 balls. Despite a late flourish between David and debutant Mitch Owen, the Hurricanes’ total of 139 always looked a long way short.Roy, Livingstone finally fireRoy and Livingstone have struggled for form since they came out of quarantine after Christmas, with neither reaching fifty in their first five innings of the season, and both took their time to get set as they struggled for timing early on in the chase. Livingstone was given a life first ball when Short put down a straightforward chance at backward point, but his ramped six off Scott Boland in the fourth over seemed to kick the Scorchers into gear.Roy has often struggled against wristspin in T20 cricket, but treated Short and Sandeep Lamichhane with disdain on a true pitch. He reverse-swept Lamichanne’s fourth ball for four, before clubbing Short for six over long-on and continuing to score freely as the Scorchers cruised towards their target.Livingstone had eked out 18 off 21 balls when he decided to target Owen’s first over as a BBL player, top-edging him over the keeper for four before spanking two sixes to take 18 from the ninth over. Roy added three consecutive fours off Short in the 10th, taking them to 86 at the halfway mark. He brought up his half-century off 35 balls, and Livingstone reached a 37-ball fifty in the 14th.Livingstone holed out to deep square leg off Boland with 17 required, but Roy sealed the deal, clubbing four through midwicket before Lamichhane put down a half-chance at long leg to allow them through for the winning runs.

Mandy Haught, Utah's stalwart goalkeeper, has received her first USWNT call-up ahead of the second of three fixtures

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Mandy Haught rewarded for impressive USWNT season
• Jane Campbell forced to withdraw through injury
• USWNT will face Iceland, Argentina to wrap up friendly trio

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Haught, a consistent performer for the Royals, has been rewarded for her impressive season with a first USWNT call-up. The keeper, who is expected to serve as a backup to regulars Alyssa Naeher and Casey Murphy, was a fixture for the U.S.'s youth sides, and started at the 2018 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship. She is set to replace Campbell, who picked up an injury in training.

  The 25-year-old has impressed this season for Utah, and could break the Royals' single-season save record this weekend if she makes at least three stops.

Advertisement

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The USWNT is in the midst of its first fixtures since the Olympic Gold triumph this summer. Manager Emma Hayes has selected a much-changed roster, and has promised rotation across a trio of fixtures. The U.S. got off to a positive – if slightly unconvincing – start with a 3-1 win over Iceland Thursday night.

• WHAT HAUGHT SAID

  Haught expressed her excitement about the call up in a release: "It's a huge honor to receive my first senior national team call up. Representing the United States is a dream come true for me and I can't wait to get started with Emma Hayes, the rest of the staff and the players. I'm really looking forward to this opportunity."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Imagn
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR HAUGHT AND THE USWNT?

  Haught will hope to feature as the U.S. takes on Iceland on Oct. 27. After that, Hayes's side will host Argentina on October to wrap up a brief international window.

After Arda Guler’s unbelievable performance for Turkey against Georgia this week at Euro 2024, every club in Europe will wish they had their own version of him, including Manchester United.

The 19-year-old looked like the most comfortable player on the field, despite the environment being extremely hostile.

On top of an out-of-this-world strike, which gave his nation the lead, the Real Madrid ace was a threat throughout, making three key passes and creating one big chance.

Luckily, Sir Jim Ratcliffe already has his own version of Guler at the Red Devils, who’s just waiting for a real opportunity to explode; Amad Diallo.

Amad Diallo’s start to life at Manchester United

In 2020, Diallo joined Man United from Atalanta in Italy, switching Bergamo for Manchester in a deal worth a hefty £37m.

At the time, the Ivory Coast international was regarded as one of the most promising talents in world football, with football scour Jacek Kulig describing him as “pure talent.”

However, over the past few years, he’s spent the majority of his time out on loan, firstly at Rangers, where he scored three goals in four league starts, and more recently at Sunderland.

While playing for the Championship side, the winger developed immensely, becoming a vital player in the Black Cats bid for promotion.

In just 27 league starts, the 21-year-old scored an impressive 13 goals and provided three assists, which made him the club’s top scorer, and last season, he finally got a chance to shine at Old Trafford.

How Amad Diallo compares to Arda Guler

The intention was for Amad to be handed opportunities from the get-go last campaign, but an injury in pre-season hindered his progress significantly.

However, the “superstar,” as dubbed by football creator Liam Canning, had a huge say in the success of United during the business end of the season, notably scoring the winning goal against Liverpool in the FA Cup that they’d eventually go on to win.

Despite that moment occurring in March, the number 16 had to wait until May to get his first start, which came against Arsenal in the 1-0 defeat.

After impressing, he kept his place in the side for the clash against Newcastle United, where he starred with a goal and an assist, but in what way is he similar to Guler?

Goals

13

4

Assists

3

3

Shots *

1.8

1.7

Touches *

52.3

46.5

Passes completed *

30.9

24.9

Key passes *

1.1

2

Successful take-ons *

1.7

2

Tackles *

0.8

1.2

Duels won *

4.3

5.2

Well, firstly, both players are young, right-wingers who are left-footed, and their approach to the game is very similar, as shown by the table above displaying their league stats at Sunderland and Fenerbahce during the 2022/23 campaign.

The duo are extremely technical players who like to get on the ball at any opportunity, whether that’s by staying out wide as an outlet or drifting into any space that presents itself, as shown by their touches and passes completed.

Furthermore, they’re incredibly silky dribblers who use their bodies to protect the ball brilliantly, which enables them to weave past players with ease.

Versatility is a trait that both Amad and Guler possess too. They can comfortably play in central areas when called upon due to their quality on the ball and creativity.

On the other hand, the eagerness to impress and work hard off the ball is infectious, something that's highlighted by the number of tackles and duel wins per game.

Overall, there are plenty of similarities between the two, not just because of their statistics but also because of their approach to the beautiful game, and it’s fantastic news that Amad is now reportedly viewed as a key part of the INEOS rebuild.

What Man Utd's dream XI could look like after £230m spending spree

Marcus Rashford doesn’t make the best eleven.

1 ByTom Lever Jun 7, 2024

Real Madrid legend Raul will reportedly leave Castilla next summer with Alvaro Arbeloa set to replace him at the helm of the reserve team.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Raul has been at Castilla for six yearsJuvenil A coach Arbeloa to take overEx-striker could be set for a new role at RealFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to the former Spanish striker has officially communicated his decision to vacate the post to Real's top bosses after spending six years in charge. He is set to be replaced by another club legend, Arbeloa, the former right-back, who is currently managing the club’s Juvenil A team. His appointment is seen as a natural progression after his successful tenure with the youth teams, where he has garnered praise for his style and leadership.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Although Raul will no longer be managing Castilla, the club intends to retain him in a new role. Two potential options are being discussed. The first is for Raul to join the coaching staff of the first team under Carlo Ancelotti, with whom Raul has a strong relationship. This move could offer him the opportunity to further refine his coaching skills at the highest level. The second possibility is for him to assume a more administrative role within the youth academy, where he would collaborate with figures such as Santiago Solari and Manu Fernandez to strengthen the development of future talents.

DID YOU KNOW?

Raul’s managerial career began within Real Madrid’s youth academy seven seasons ago, where he first took charge of Cadete B in the 2018-2019 season. His early success saw him earn 18 wins in that debut campaign. He later took over Juvenil B, before being appointed as Castilla’s head coach for the 2019-2020 season. Over the course of his time with Castilla, Raul has managed 178 games, winning 71 of them. Under his leadership, Castilla also came close to securing promotion to Spain’s Segunda División, narrowly missing out in the 2022-2023 season after losing the promotion playoff final against Eldense.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR RAUL?

Throughout his time with Castilla, Raul has been the subject of interest from numerous clubs looking to appoint him as head coach. However, he has consistently chosen to remain at Real Madrid and his dedication to the club’s long-term vision and player development has been a hallmark of his tenure. The next few months will determine the exact nature of Raul’s new role, but one thing is clear: his journey with Real Madrid is far from complete, and his next chapter promises to be as impactful as the last.

Glasgow Rangers ended their 2023/24 campaign in disappointing fashion last month as they were beaten in the final of the SFA Cup at Hampden Park.

A 90th-minute goal from Adam Idah won the tournament for their Glasgow rivals and that capped off a poor month for Philippe Clement and his team, as they had already watched Celtic lift the Scottish Premiership title.

Head of recruitment Nils Koppen and the Belgian head coach have reacted to that disappointment by making some early moves ahead of the summer transfer window officially opening for business on Friday.

Oscar Cortes has been brought in for a second loan spell from Lens, with an obligation to make the deal permanent next summer, left-back Jefte has joined from Brazilian side Fluminense, and centre-back Clinton Nsiala will officially join the club at the start of next month when his contract with AC Milan comes to an end.

The Gers are also reportedly in pole position to land Germany U20 international Yusuf Kabadayi from Bayern Munich on a permanent deal, to bolster their options on the flank.

They do not seem to be satisfied with that, though, as the Scottish giants are also said to be in the running to add a new number nine to their squad.

Rangers' interest in Euro 2024 centre-forward

According to the Daily Record, the Light Blues are one of the teams lining up a potential swoop to sign Bristol City centre-forward Tommy Conway.

The report claims that Koppen is plotting an offer to sign the Scotland international, who is in the squad for Euro 2024 and could feature against Germany on Friday, to bolster Clement's attacking options.

It states that Scottish rivals Celtic are also keen on the 21-year-old marksman and could also swoop in to sign him for a compensation fee of £300k next year.

The outlet reveals that he has one year left to run on his contract at Ashton Gate and both Premiership sides would be able to sign him on a pre-contract agreement from next January onwards, and would only have to pay £300k if he runs his deal down.

Conway has been in talks over an extension with the English Championship side but the Daily Record claims that those discussions have not had a positive conclusion for the club.

Meanwhile, the Bristol Post reports that the Robins are now open to offers to cash in on the striker in the current transfer window, amid interest from Rangers, Celtic, and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

This suggests that the door is open for the Light Blues to snap the young striker up ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, instead of having to wait until next year to bring him to Ibrox.

These updates on the club's interest in a deal to sign the Scotland international should come as bad news to Cyriel Dessers, as it could impact his game time in Glasgow.

Cyriel Dessers' debut season at Rangers in numbers

The Nigerian forward joined the Scottish giants on a permanent deal from Cremonese last summer after the Italian club were relegated from the Serie A.

Michael Beale brought him to Ibrox and the Belgian-born marksman ended the 2023/24 campaign with a return of 22 goals and nine assists in 54 appearances in all competitions.

More than 20 goals in a debut year in the country seems like a fantastic season on paper for the experienced attacker but it becomes less impressive when you dig deeper into his performances and how he achieved that tally.

Firstly, no Rangers player underperformed their xG (Expected Goals) by more than Dessers. He scored 16 Premiership goals from 21.72 xG – an outperformance of 5.72 goals.

23/24 Premiership

Cyriel Dessers

Appearances

35

Goals

16

Big chances missed

27

Ground duel success rate

29%

Aerial duel success rate

40%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the 29-year-old dud missed a staggering 27 'big chances' – 18 more than anyone else in the squad – on his way to 16 league goals.

These statistics show that the striker, who was also dominated by opposition defenders in physical duels, was incredibly wasteful in front of goal and let his teammates down on a regular basis by not making the most of the high-quality opportunities that were created for him.

Why the Tommy Conway interest is bad news for Cyriel Dessers

The club's reported interest in Conway is bad news for the former Serie A marksman as the 21-year-old ace's form for Bristol City suggests that he could come in as an upgrade on the Gers dud.

His finishing ability in the Championship for the Robins indicates that the potential is there for him to be far more ruthless than Dessers in front of goal, which could then see him dropped to the bench or from the squad entirely.

The Scotland international, who Gers supporters may now keep a close eye on during the European Championships this summer, completed 85% of his passes in the second tier and won 45% of his ground duels.

Whereas, Dessers completed 71% of his attempted passes in the Premiership and won just 29% of his battles on the deck, which suggests that the Bristol City star could come in and offer more in and out of possession outside of the final third.

23/24 Championship

Tommy Conway

Appearances

39

xG

9.25

Goals

10

xG differential

+0.75

Conversion rate

19%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Conway also caught the eye with his efficient finishing as he scored ten goals from 9.25 xG, an overperformance of 0.75.

This suggests that the Scottish talent has the quality in front of goal to make the most of the chances that are created for him, which was not the case for Dessers this season as he significantly underperformed against his expected tally.

He could, in theory, score more than 16 that the ex-Cremonese number nine did for the Gers if the team can provide him with the high-quality chances that they created for the current Light Blues striker, due to the finishing quality Conway displayed in England.

Related After Nsiala: Rangers close in on new signing who'd thrive with Cantwell

The Light Blues are looking to complete another deal after their swoop for Clinton Nsiala.

Posts ByDan Emery Jun 11, 2024

Therefore, Rangers being interested in the 6 foot 1 striker, who was once dubbed an "absolute hero" for Bristol City by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is bad news for the Nigeria international as it could spell the end of his time as the first-choice striker at Ibrox.

The statistics indicate that he could be an upgrade on Dessers if Clement and Koppen can sign the youngster ahead of Celtic and Wolves, which is why this could be a shrewd piece of business by the club – whether it happens this summer or next year for £300k.

MatériaMais Notícias

Vindo de duas derrotas fora de casa na Série B para Botafogo (2 a 0) e Remo (1 a 0), o nível de cobrança por resultados melhores será elevado pelos lados do CSA, garantiu em entrevista ao portal ‘ge’ o presidente do clube, Rafael Tenório.

RelacionadasFutebol NacionalRemo domina CSA e volta a vencer na Série B do BrasileirãoFutebol Nacional01/08/2021Futebol NacionalNey Franco fala sobre as contratações do CSAFutebol Nacional29/07/2021Futebol NacionalCSA ainda não embalou sob o comando de Ney FrancoFutebol Nacional28/07/2021

>Aplicativo de resultados do LANCE! está disponível na versão iOS

Nesta terça-feira (3), a reapresentação do plantel está agendada para às 11h30 (de Brasília) em dia onde também deve ocorrer uma reunião com a presença da representação do departamento de futebol e da comissão técnica com o mandatário do clube alagoano.

Na reunião em questão, Tenório antecipou que fará questionamentos aos dois setores para compreender os motivos da organização administrativa não estar, nesse momento, se refletindo em resultados melhores na segunda divisão nacional:

-Eu vou ter uma reunião com a comissão técnica e o departamento de futebol nesta terça-feira pra saber deles o que está faltando. Da nossa parte, temos feito o que é possível: salário em dia, estrutura da melhor forma, alimentação, suplementação, departamento médico, tudo funcionando da melhor forma. A comissão que assumiu pediu reforços e nós trouxemos o que eles solicitaram.Então, sinceramente, eu preciso que eles me digam o que está faltando para o time engrenar. Nesta terça-feira, na reapresentação, vou cobrar isso.

Em meio ao clima declarado de cobrança, o time dirigido por Ney Franco se prepara visando o confronto do próximo sábado (7) onde volta a atuar no Rei Pelé recebendo o Avaí.

Cristiano Ronaldo remains confident that Kylian Mbappe will do well at Real Madrid.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Ronaldo is confident about Mbappe's success at Real
• Predicts future Ballon d'Or winners
• Mbappe has scored thrice for Los Blancos

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Mbappe has had a mixed bag experience at Madrid thus far. After scoring on his debut in the UEFA Super Cup, he went three straight matches without finding the back of the net only to score a brace in the club's last match before the September international break against Real Betis.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Despite a slow start to his new journey with Los Blancos, club legend Cristiano Ronaldo feels that the Frenchman will achieve success at Santiago Bernabeu. The Al-Nassr star also heaped praise on Mbappe's peers and predicted who could win the prestigious Ballon d'Or award in future.

• WHAT RONALDO SAID

  Speaking on his newly launched YouTube channel, Ronaldo said, "I think he will do well because of the structure of the club … it's nice, it's good, it's solid. They have a great coach and the president who has been there for many many years. I think it won't be a big problem because of his talent. He has shown what he is capable of doing. In my opinion, he can be the next Golden Ball [Ballon d'Or] winner. Him, [Erling] Haaland, [Jude] Bellingham, Lamine [Yamal]. I think this new generation, they have a lot of potential."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR KYLIAN MBAPPE?

  Mbappe will be back in action for Real Madrid on Saturday night as Carlo Ancelotti's men take on Real Sociedad in La Liga.

أوضح السويسري مارسيل كولر المدير الفني للنادي الأهلي، حقيقة وجود اتفاق مع الحارس محمد الشناوي على خروجه من قائمة المباريات التي سيكون فيها مصطفى شوبير الحارس الأساسي.

وخرج محمد الشناوي من قائمة مباراة البنك الأهلي، التي أقيمت اليوم الأحد، كان في حراسة المرمى للقلعة الحمراء مصطفى شوبير.

وتعادل النادي الأهلي مع البنك الأهلي، سلبيًا، ذلك في اللقاء الذي أقيم بينهما ضمن مواجهات الجولة الرابعة من عمر بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وقال كولر خلال المؤتمر الصحفي بعد المباراة: “لا توجد صحة لأي اتفاق بيني مع الشناوي على عدم تواجده على دكة البدلاء وهذا ما سبق وحدث في مباراة سيراميكا كليوباترا وقتها شوبير كان أساسيًا والشناوي كان على مقاعد البدلاء”.

وعن التعادل مع البنك الأهلي، تحدث قائلًا: “الشوط الأول كان مستوى الفريق غير جيد، تحدثت مع اللاعبين بين الشوطين وبالفعل تحسنا في الشوط الثاني”.

طالع | عماد متعب: لاعب الأهلي يستحق المشاركة أساسيًا.. وكولر أنقذ الموقف أمام البنك الأهلي

وأضاف: “رامي ربيعة سجل هدفا ولكن الفار ألغاه، كان لدينا فرصتين في الشوط الأول ومثلهما في الثاني، لم نستطع ترجمتهما إلي أهداف، هذه مشكلة بالنسبة لنا نحاول إيجاد حلول لها”.

واستطرد: “حل مشكلة التهديف هو ببساطة استغلال الفرص التي تتاح، هذا أعاني منه منذ سنتين، هناك صعوبة في تحسين هذه الأزمة بسبب تلاحق المباريات، كما أن هناك سبب آخر وهو عدم تركيز اللاعبين”.

وعن اللعب على ملعب استاد السلام وعدم تحقيق الفوز عليه، قال: “لن نأخذ استاد السلام كشماعة للنتائج، كنت أعلم القوة الهجومية لفريق البنك الأهلي وتحدثت مع اللاعبين عن ذلك وكذلك سرعات اللاعبين، خلقنا فرصا أكبر”.

Newcastle United have spent heavily in recent years since the takeover by the Saudi PIF, with the owners looking to bring the glory days back to St James' Park.

Since 2021 alone, the hierarchy have invested over £400m on new players, with the original objective of dragging the club away from any looming relegation back to the Championship.

Upon acquiring the club, the Magpies sat in 19th position in the Premier League and were in desperate need of investment after years of poor dealings within the transfer market.

However, after achieving survival, the club signed players such as Bruno Guimaraes and Kieran Trippier, who added needed quality to the squad, with the Magpies achieving the unthinkable and reaching the Champions League just two years on from the takeover.

Unsurprisingly, the club had a lot of players who weren't up to the level required after the big-money investment, with the club conducting brilliant business in allowing one player to leave St James' Park in 2023.

Karl Darlow's stats at Newcastle United

After joining the Magpies in a joint deal with Jamaal Lascelles from Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2014, goalkeeper Karl Darlow would have to wait for his Newcastle debut, as the pair rejoined the Championship side on loan for the 2014/15 campaign.

However, the 6 foot 3 shot-stopper would make ten appearances in all competitions for the Magpies as he was mainly utilised as a backup during his first full campaign on Tyneside.

The subsequent relegation during the 2015/16 season saw Darlow claim the number one spot in England's second tier starting 34 times in the Championship – with the 'keeper making an unbelievable save in the outing against Rotherham United.

He played a key role in promotion from the Championship, but he would see his game time suffer as a result of the club's immediate return to the Premier League. Darlow could only manage 19 appearances in all competitions over the next two seasons, returning to his role as a backup.

However, his most influential campaign in the top flight for the Magpies came during 2020/21 under Steve Bruce, with the 'keeper featuring 25 times – in a tough campaign for the club as they narrowly avoided relegation once again.

2015/16

9

2016/17

34

2017/18

10

2018/19

0

2019/20

0

2020/21

25

2021/22

8

2022/23

0

Darlow would again drop down the pecking order at St James' Park, leaving the club on loan for the second half of 2022/23 and joining Hull City, before permanently leaving to join Leeds United ahead of the current season.

How much Karl Darlow earned at Newcastle

The goalkeeper earned £15k-per-week, as per Capology, during the first five years of his time at Newcastle, taking home £3.9m in wages during that time period.

However, he received a new contract ahead of the 2020/21 season, which saw the 'keeper double his weekly wage and earn £30k-per-week over the remaining three years of his time on Tyneside, which allowed Darlow to earn another £3.9m, with the 'keeper also earning some of his wages whilst on loan at Hull.

In total, the former Forest shot-stopper earned a total of £7.8m in wages during his time at St James' Park – a huge amount for a player who was second fiddle during the majority of his time at the club.

He remains the second choice at Elland Road despite his summer move, with the club doing the right thing in offloading Darlow with his wages going a long way to ensuring the club stay within the Premier League's FFP and PSR rules.

Wage Burners

Football FanCast's Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.